Royale with cheese: The Amsterdam Report

[tvenuto]

As many of you know, I was lucky enough to be able to attend the Amsterdam meet this year. This will likely be the only one I make it to, and I felt a bit of responsibility to report on what I saw so that I could bring a piece of it back to the forums (which is the only reason I learned of the meet in the first place).

So in this thread I'll be updating all of you in the coming days. I took copious notes, 7 pages in all on the 80 knives shown, and I need some time to digest. Also, I'm on an iPad at the moment and still have some vacation to enjoy, so bear with me. Trust me, you have NO idea how much I'd love to lock myself in a room (with an actual computer) for 4 hours and stream it all out now, but we'll all have to be patient.

However, in true click-bait fashion, I can drop a few teasers...

Amsterdam is just a plain awesome town. Sal and Eric(and Jurphaas and Joyce): phenomenal hosts.

Gayle Bradley fans have some things to look forward to.

Flipper fans have MANY things to look forward to.

M4 fans have some things to look forward to.

Fans of anything ethnic, non-standard grind, and atypical ergonomics have plenty of potential outlets.

A hunting hobby is a good reason to buy the sprig, but wanting to buy the sprig is a fine reason to pick up hunting. ****, buy a sprig regardless.

Schempp is just ridiculously prolific.

Some new locks on the horizon.

Although high-end designs get all the drooling, there are many impressive affordable designs in the works.

Edit:
I have just returned home from approximately 11 hours of travel. Although I finally have a keyboard and it's technically not very late, I'm too tired to get into everything right now. So tomorrow you shall have your report. However, I can mention a few things at the outset.

What my report will contain: qualitative descriptions, heavily biased initial impressions, conjecture on how the prototype might differ from the final version, educated guesses on things such as: lock style, grind, blade shape, steel, country of origin, and the misspelled names of designs and designers

What my report will NOT contain: pictures, release dates, measurements, definitive material choices (or really anything definitive)

Also, so you understand the limitations of the format, this is how the Amsterdam Meet runs:
-There is a large table in the front of the room with all of the knives laying next to small tags with their name and designer
-The attendees sit in rows facing this table
-Sal, Eric, or the designer (if we were lucky enough to have him) get up and announce a particular model
-They describe it briefly, and then hand it to the first person seated
-The knife is passed around middle school style while the next is described

I was about 2/3 of the way back so I got the knife about 20 minutes after it was announced. They had most likely announced 4 or 5 other knives in the meantime, and were probably currently talking about another. I would quickly go back in my notes and jot down anything additional. Also, periodically, more popular knives moved more slowly, and were skipped by the less popular ones, making it even harder to keep track of which knife belonged to which note. So, if there are fuzzy spots in my memory, or gaps in my notes, I apologize but hopefully you understand. Also, 80 knives in 4 hours gave us 3 minutes to talk about each knife.

Lastly, I might be a bit cryptic about certain details, but my only purpose in this is to save Spyderco grief. They are generously allowing us to glimpse into their design process, and I truly don't want them to regret this decision on my account. They value our opinions and our constructive criticism, but always remember that we don't have the full picture and don't see all the angles. So let's keep it positive and productive!

[Lost]

Looking forward to your upcoming reports.. Thanks for the teasers.

[Liquid Cobra]

New locks you say? M4 you say? Flippers you say?

Subscribed I say!

It must have been hard to stay focused on writing when there was so much to see. As a member of this forum I want to say thanks for taking the time to make notes for all the fans that can't be there.

Edit: oh and love the thread title. That gave me a chuckle. But for the record it's Paris where they call a quarter pounder with cheese a royal with cheese According to the movie anyway hahaha.

[spydieh0le]

Schempp?! Ethnic series?

[IG-88]

Thx Tventuo! Nice teaser review :)

So many questions, so much answers to give... what about a Ti Flipper with M4

[farnorthdan]

Thank you Tventuo for putting forth the effort to enlighten your fellow forumites, I look forward to hearing all about it.

[SpyderNut]

Thanks for the update and teasers, man! Will definitely look forward to your reviews.

[1623]

I'm sorry, all I read was Gayle Bradley and M4 with plural references. The rest was just gibberish. :D

[Ray Allen]

Thread title could read: Royale with Tease...
Can't wait.

[PayneTrain]

Don't you dare waste your first segment with only pics of Amsterdam and not details of the M4 Gayle Bradley Sprig flipper with a stop lock for $80. Don't...you...dare.

[Liquid Cobra]

Oh man. People are naming so many designs I can't keep them straight. Is that a model show in A'dam today??

[SpeedHoles]

Don't you dare waste your first segment with only pics of Amsterdam and not details of the M4 Gayle Bradley Sprig flipper with a stop lock for $80. Don't...you...dare.

Lol, the Viking attained Nirvana when he Swayed back from the Shaman who scratched the Cueball in the corner pocket and flipped off the Roc.


Anxiously awaiting some juicy details on this Battle Royale with Tease!
Nice one Ray, haha...

Thanks Tvenuto for taking the time to write something up for us! As you can tell, frothy drool is building eagerly.

[Liquid Cobra]

Overflowing actually. I'm dying over here.

[762cal]

Ohh okay. Sprig? In m4 hopefully? Woe is my wallet.... :)

[wrdwrght]

Consider me duly teased...

[FCM415]

This time of year always has me thirsty :o

Hurry Spill the beans :D

[di81ni]

Don't you dare waste your first segment with only pics of Amsterdam and not details of the M4 Gayle Bradley Sprig flipper with a stop lock for $80. Don't...you...dare.

How did you know there was an M4 Bradley flipper there?!

(because there was.. :D )

[FCM415]

more more more!

Sharing is caring!

[Dodge]

This thread is useless without pictures!!!

[MacLaren]

tvenuto, our man in Amsterdam. Very happy to hear about flippers and M4 :)
Very fine news indeed.