2020 GEC #62 Easy Pocket Congress and Pocket Carver Thread

[Jiki]

I can't speak of the 62 since the two Farm & Field 62 i've ordered are still stuck in the USPS net, waiting for a plane, but i could check this point at using a F&F 35 whose main blade is the same shape and is about the same length..

Dan.

The calf pen blade is much larger than the pocket carver.

 

[dantzk8]

The calf pen blade is much larger than the pocket carver.

I thought it was just a hair larger. I don't master the imperial system. Not a problem, for whittling it will be long enough.

Dan.

 

[Jiki]

I thougth it was just a hair larger. I don't master the imperial system. Not a problem, for whittling it will be long enough.

Dan.

I will get you some comparison photos tonight when I get home.
The pocket carver main is actually shorter than the 62 easy pocket congress as well. The EPC has the same warncliff as the 82 Dixie and skinner.
The shorter main is due to the fact that they decided to go with a catch bit and not a split back wedge.

 

[Signalprick]

how?! That’s gorgeous. How do you do such a thing?

A jig. A dremel and a lot of practice!

 

[EngrSorenson]

A jig. A dremel and a lot of practice!

... you’re a very brave person...
Great work!

 

[rpdur]

 

[EngrSorenson]

I thought it was just a hair larger. I don't master the imperial system. Not a problem, for whittling it will be long enough.

Dan.

The pocket carver main is actually shorter than the 62 easy pocket congress as well.

yeah, Jiki’s right. A better comparison is to the 2019 wharnecliffe single blade Pemberton. It’s significantly thicker but approximately the same size as the pemberton. It’s still a very usable, Urban EDC length (...he adds, ever encouraging PC sales).
its a knife that can do whatever the pemberton can do, with a comfortable handle and the ability to make some onion-skin shavings from a block of wood.

I see a lot of them still for sale and I can’t help but to feel that naming it the “pocket carver“ has had something to do with that, based on what I’ve seen from responses.

those needle-like secondaries are also great for removing splinters, trimming fishing line, opening boxes without fear of cutting the contents, cutting hangnails, shaving plastic over-moldings from trinkets and gadgets, cutting wrapping paper, trimming candle wicks, sneaking past electrical wires to cut zip ties... really I could go on and on, but I love the unexpected versatility I’ve gotten in this cool little package.

And of course it’s great for carving.

 

[hornetguy]

View attachment 1355159

very cool... it looks like you did the same thing I did... ended up with a piece of pine. It's ok, but the grain really makes it tougher to make really smooth cuts. I finally found some basswood, and I like it a bunch better.
Did you do that face starting on the edge, or on the flat side?

 

[rpdur]

very cool... it looks like you did the same thing I did... ended up with a piece of pine. It's ok, but the grain really makes it tougher to make really smooth cuts. I finally found some basswood, and I like it a bunch better.
Did you do that face starting on the edge, or on the flat side?

You're quite right about the grain pattern of pine. I use chunks of scrap 2x4 that I will cut to the size I need, usually 1x1. I usually begin on the edge - first with the nose, specifically - and then use the two edges on either side of the nose for carving ears.

 

[Jiki]

As promised.
35 calf pen
82 Dixie stockman (same blade as the 62 EPC)
62 pocket carver (evidently similar to the 06 pemberton, but I will never know )
You can obviously whittle with all three and I have. However I much prefer the size of the 62 carver.

 

[Jiki]

I figure the intent of the main blade is to provide a general use knife blade.

I’ve said this before, with some argument from others, but I strongly feel that the main blade on this knife is more than acceptable as a general purpose blade.

No one has argued with you about how you wish to use your knife.

Your statement was to the intent of the designer and builder when adding/making the main blade.

The man who designed that knife is a member of our Facebook group. He very graciously shares with us the stories of making of the different knives. It's very interesting stuff how things develop (or don't develop) at GEC. The pocket carver was developed to be a carving knife, not my words, the guy who designed its words.

That being said those guys are happiest when thier knives are being used. So I am sure the are quite happy with the way you use your knife.

Go back to post 1687 there is a direct quote from Bill Howard himself his intentions are for knives to be used.

 

[natchezz]

The man who designed that knife is a member of our Facebook group. He very graciously shares with us the stories of making of the different knives. It's very interesting stuff how things develop (or don't develop) at GEC. The pocket carver was developed to be a carving knife, not my words, the guy who designed its words.

Jiki What FB group is that, please?

 

[EngrSorenson]

The man who designed that knife is a member of our Facebook group. He very graciously shares with us the stories of making of the different knives. It's very interesting stuff how things develop (or don't develop) at GEC. The pocket carver was developed to be a carving knife, not my words, the guy who designed its words.

Go back to post 1687 there is a direct quote from Bill Howard himself his intentions are for knives to be used.

fair enough- I must have missed all these quotes. Too bad they chose to peg this one for a specific purpose when there’s nothing about the knife that is functionally carving specific. I can’t lie, that detracts from the appeal for me a little.

 

[hornetguy]

fair enough- I must have missed all these quotes. Too bad they chose to peg this one for a specific purpose when there’s nothing about the knife that is functionally carving specific. I can’t lie, that detracts from the appeal for me a little.

I really like the stockyard whittler, even though I'm pretty sure I'll never be whittling in a stockyard with it. We used to run a cafe at a livestock auction, but quit doing that about 3 or 4 years ago.... missed my chance.

 

[Jiki]

Too bad they chose to peg this one for a specific purpose when there’s nothing about the knife that is functionally carving specific.

Not even sure what you mean by this.

Three warncliff blades used by straight plain carvers the world around. I don't know this to be fact but I would bet that Bill worked with Ross Oar when Queen developed the Oar carver. There is your inspiration if I had to guess.

 

[EngrSorenson]

Not even sure what you mean by this.

Three warncliff blades used by straight plain carvers the world around. I don't know this to be fact but I would bet that Bill worked with Ross Oar when Queen developed the Oar carver. There is your inspiration if I had to guess.

eh it’s ceased to matter. I mistook the design intent and Doug’s review. Doug’s right- if they were going for purpose built carver they really mucked up the most important feature of a blade used to slice wood; a thin bevel.

Who knows what makes a knife a carver anyway? “Pocket carver” Is central Pennsylvanian for “knife with small wharnecliffes”. It even features the GEC typical utility grind.

All of my traditional knives are pocket carvers, because I cannot imagine a traditional folding knife that can’t artfully shave a piece of wood into a smaller piece of wood. They also do regular cutting too, because (personally speaking) a traditional slip joint that can’t be used for everyday cutting needs isn’t very practical; the one thing I’d say makes a pocket knife special is it’s portable EDC practicality.

In retrospect, it might be a bad choice to narrow public perception’s view of what your knife can do by putting it in a box with a label. Dollars to donuts there are more wharnecliffe fans out there than whittlers, after all. They could trust us enough to come up with our own uses, just like you and I both know the #35 Churchill makes a great carver. (The #35 Churchill also happens to be bad at public speaking, and does not smoke very well).

 

[Jiki]

eh it’s ceased to matter. I mistook the design intent and Doug’s review. Doug’s right- if they were going for purpose built carver they really mucked up the most important feature of a blade used to slice wood; a thin bevel.

Who knows what makes a knife a carver anyway? “Pocket carver” Is central Pennsylvanian for “knife with small wharnecliffes”. It even features the GEC typical utility grind.

All of my traditional knives are pocket carvers, because I cannot imagine a traditional folding knife that can’t artfully shave a piece of wood into a smaller piece of wood. They also do regular cutting too, because (personally speaking) a traditional slip joint that can’t be used for everyday cutting needs isn’t very practical; the one thing I’d say makes a pocket knife special is it’s portable EDC practicality.

In retrospect, it might be a bad choice to narrow public perception’s view of what your knife can do by putting it in a box with a label. Dollars to donuts there are more wharnecliffe fans out there than whittlers, after all. They could trust us enough to come up with our own uses, just like you and I both know the #35 Churchill makes a great carver. (The #35 Churchill also happens to be bad at public speaking, and does not smoke very well).

I do think you're out thinking the room a bit. I also think it's you that is trying to label and categorize the knife by it's name.
Not to worry there are enough carvers that everyone of this limited number of knives will sell. Then GEC will never make them again, and soon they will be sought after like the Oar carver is.
Do you have an 82 Dixie stockman? I think you would enjoy the blade combination with your do everything pocket knife mantra. I certainly enjoy the utility of it. Oh wait never mind, you will think you have come down to the south to use it.
Doug wasn't commenting on the bevel but the thickness of the blade. Btw

 

[hornetguy]

(The #35 Churchill also happens to be bad at public speaking, and does not smoke very well).

PLEASE tell me you haven't tried to smoke one of those beauties! The horror... the horror..... If you have one, I'll trade you a box of Churchills you CAN smoke for it....

 

[Stratkat]

yeah, Jiki’s right. A better comparison is to the 2019 wharnecliffe single blade Pemberton. It’s significantly thicker but approximately the same size as the pemberton. It’s still a very usable, Urban EDC length (...he adds, ever encouraging PC sales).
its a knife that can do whatever the pemberton can do, with a comfortable handle and the ability to make some onion-skin shavings from a block of wood.

I see a lot of them still for sale and I can’t help but to feel that naming it the “pocket carver“ has had something to do with that, based on what I’ve seen from responses.

those needle-like secondaries are also great for removing splinters, trimming fishing line, opening boxes without fear of cutting the contents, cutting hangnails, shaving plastic over-moldings from trinkets and gadgets, cutting wrapping paper, trimming candle wicks, sneaking past electrical wires to cut zip ties... really I could go on and on, but I love the unexpected versatility I’ve gotten in this cool little package.

And of course it’s great for carving.

yeah, Jiki’s right. A better comparison is to the 2019 wharnecliffe single blade Pemberton. It’s significantly thicker but approximately the same size as the pemberton. It’s still a very usable, Urban EDC length (...he adds, ever encouraging PC sales).
its a knife that can do whatever the pemberton can do, with a comfortable handle and the ability to make some onion-skin shavings from a block of wood.

I see a lot of them still for sale and I can’t help but to feel that naming it the “pocket carver“ has had something to do with that, based on what I’ve seen from responses.

those needle-like secondaries are also great for removing splinters, trimming fishing line, opening boxes without fear of cutting the contents, cutting hangnails, shaving plastic over-moldings from trinkets and gadgets, cutting wrapping paper, trimming candle wicks, sneaking past electrical wires to cut zip ties... really I could go on and on, but I love the unexpected versatility I’ve gotten in this cool little package.

And of course it’s great for carving.

Absolutely. We have a legendary luthier here named Wayne Henderson. He built
His first acoustic guitar with mostly a “pocket knife”. I haven’t seen the knife in question, but I did see the guitar, and you would be hard pressed to tell it from Martin. He now has a full shop of course but still uses his pocket knife for many of the operations, carving the neck etc. now I use knives, and build guitars, but I cannot imagine making one with a pocket knife. The point is, a knife is a knife, it’s a tool, if you have the skill and talent you can find a way to do it with any tool, but the knife itself can be used for anything you want it to do. I use my carver for any kind of cutting out need it to.

 

[JohnDF]

I only use my Carver when I'm carving, my Whittler when I'm whittling, my Stockman or Cattle knife when I'm working on the ranch, my Boys knife when I'm playing tag, my Trapper when I'm skinning an animal, my Pen knife when I'm writing, and my Jack knife when I'm playing cards.