GREENE COUNTY — When you spend as much time traveling around New York and the surrounding areas as I do—covering events for magazines, DJing, emceeing, and just generally getting myself into places where good times are happening—you meet a lot of characters.
Every once in a while, though, you meet somebody who just stands out from the crowd. One such person I have met is Chicky The Knife Man.
Somewhere back in the early 2000s, I walked up to a knife booth at an event. I honestly couldn't tell you exactly where it was or what year it was, but I remember what caught my attention: some seriously badass, high-quality knives and some merchandise that was way cooler than the average vendor booth.
Then Chicky came over. He started talking to me about the knives—what made them different, what made them quality, and why certain pieces were worth having. But it wasn't some hard-sell sales pitch. It was Chicky being Chicky. Friendly. Knowledgeable. Comfortable in his own skin. And with that unmistakable kind of classic cool you just don't see much anymore.
I remember thinking: “You just don't meet many guys like this anymore.”
There's something about Chicky. He's got that effortlessly cool, no-BS, straight-shooter vibe that can't be manufactured. He's the kind of guy who knows his stuff, loves what he does, and can talk to just about anybody.
A couple of months later, I ran into him at another event. And here's the thing that really got me… He remembered me.
We started talking, I bought some more of his cool merchandise, and as the years went by, I kept running into Chicky at events all over the place. Eventually, I realized something: Whenever I walked into an event with vendors, I started looking for Chicky's booth.
Somewhere along the way, buying merchandise turned into conversations, conversations turned into hanging out, and hanging out turned into a genuine friendship.
That's the thing about Chicky. Sure, you can buy a lot of the merchandise he carries in other places these days. But you don't get Chicky with it.
His selection goes way beyond knives, too. You'll find motorcycle gear, leather apparel, military and tactical clothing, police and security equipment, outdoor gear, and all kinds of seriously cool stuff.
But his booth isn't just somewhere you stop to buy something. It's a destination.You stop. You look around. You find something you didn't know you needed.
You talk with Chicky. You hang out. You laugh. And before you know it, you're walking away with something badass and a story to go with it.
THAT'S CHICKY.
So if you're heading to an event and you see vendors set up, look for Chicky The Knife Man. If you're putting on an event and want a vendor who knows how to bring the cool factor, get Chicky there.
And if you can't make it to one of the events where Chicky is set up, don't worry—you can still check out his merchandise online at:
But if you get the chance to see that booth in person, DO IT. Because there are vendors… There are great vendors…
And then there's Chicky The Knife Man.
If you want to experience the booth, the merchandise, the personality, and the man himself, you'll have your chance at the 2026 Catskill Mountain Thunder Motorcycle Festival, September 15th through 20th at the Blackthorne Resort in East Durham.
Come check out Chicky's booth.
Check out the merchandise. Hang out for a while, And see for yourself why Chicky The Knife Man is one of the coolest characters you'll ever meet on the event circuit.
And trust me…At Catskill Mountain Thunder, you'll have plenty of cool to choose from.
Until then, I'm your Bro, LJ James, and I'll see you Around The Mountain!
Follow me at Facebook/LJJamesTheBikerDJ
