2020 GEC #62 Easy Pocket Congress and Pocket Carver Thread

[wardcleaver]

I get my basswood off ebay for very reasonable prices. Kiln dried from WV.

I was surprised to find small blocks of basswood for whittling at Menards.

 

[Jiki]

So is it correct that on the 62 Carver use of a catchbit on the main blade would allow for two secondary blades to ride on a split single spring without the V-shaped spacer so the knife is equal ended and same thickness from end to end?

and the Carvers’ spring will be a little thicker than the 62 Congress spring?

I believe it will be two springs with a catch bit spacer. Not sure if it will be equal ended or not. Time will tell.

 

[btb01]

GEC did use Black/red micarta on a 2019 Northwoods run. I have been debating on this one. These red/black micartas will be the hottest seller of the F&F #62 knives. I got to slow down and save for the #23 trappers. I got to have one of each on those.

Thanks, someone else pointed out the red/black Northwoods. It’s not really my cup of tea (I much prefer the Muslin Micarta out of the options on this run).

 

[JohnDF]

So is it correct that on the 62 Carver use of a catchbit on the main blade

I believe the catchbit would be placed between the two secondary blades to create the space for the main blade to fall between them.

 

[Kiteman72]

Cracked the tube on my red 62 EPC today.

Short review: Instant Classic. Very thin blade stock and the blades nest perfectly. Arrived and shaved arm hair. Lovely jigging and color, with no proud tips. Just a knife I'm proud to own. Great value, a whittler's dream for sure. I wish I had a fresh branch to carve, in fact! This is not a heavy duty work knife, tho it is sturdy.

I will be trying for future variants for sure!

 

[Murphjd25]

Cracked the tube on my red 62 EPC today.

Short review: Instant Classic. Very thin blade stock and the blades nest perfectly. Arrived and shaved arm hair. Lovely jigging and color, with no proud tips. Just a knife I'm proud to own. Great value, a whittler's dream for sure. I wish I had a fresh branch to carve, in fact! This is not a heavy duty work knife, tho it is sturdy.

I will be trying for future variants for sure!

That is great to hear! I knew it was going to be a home run! Now if I can wait until Tuesday for the mail!

 

[Will Power]

Returning to the whittler configuration/style for a moment @r8shell gave us some interesting info on the backs of these knives, many thanks. Just wanted to confirm her pix with a couple of my own. They're not very good I'm afraid as I'm having serious eyesight problems, but anyway the German made Böker Whittler is an excellent knife, using the clever tapered backspring approach with no gaps whatsoever. No half-stops and very smooth 6 opening and loud snap on ALL blades.

The GEC 38 Whittler opts for the potentially complex divided backspring, no easy build, but it achieves it with excellence. No gaps here either, the divider is steel like the springs so the ends of the knife look very neat as opposed to the Böker which has the brass catch bit, the Böker's springs are not cut off as cleanly either but no cost to its action which is super. The GEC throws up for me an oddity, no half-stop on the Master but the secondaries do have them, not quite such good snap on these compared with the Böker though. Both knives achieve near sunk-joints in their construction and feel superb in hand. GEC has often achieved remarkable finish with its backsprings & this is impressive, here the all steel Eureka model and the early 2014 versions of the Dixie Stockman come to mind, so I'm certain the new 62 variants will emulate these. It does seem that tapered backspring Whittlers are a European thing, not entirely sure. Some people erroneously refer to a Split Spring Whittler, which is not of course accurate. Bernard Levine did point out some years ago that French cutlers actually made split spring models in the late c18th early c19th but not surprisingly, proved inherently fragile

 

[Ruhiger Sturm]

How thick do you think the covers will be on the F&F versions. I’ve noticed on a couple others like the 71’s that they’re fairly thick, wondering if these will be like that. I like the mods guys do to slim those down much better.

 

[Shurke]

It strikes me that the F&F pocket carvers might be the perfect toolbox knife.

 

[Mayonardo]

The Easy Pocket Congress: slim, light, single spring, excellent blade shapes — thin, symmetrical, nail marks in the right places — small cut out for pen blade access so that its point remains below the scales (sorry, you proud pointers). Smooth transitions. Ergonomic handle shape. Plenty of traction with the jigged bone. Handle long enough for a secure grip. Blades precisely centered.
Almost a perfect knife.

 

[hornetguy]

The Easy Pocket Congress: slim, light, single spring, excellent blade shapes — thin, symmetrical, nail marks in the right places — small cut out for pen blade access so that its point remains below the scales (sorry, you proud pointers). Smooth transitions. Ergonomic handle shape. Plenty of traction with the jigged bone. Handle long enough for a secure grip. Blades precisely centered.
Almost a perfect knife.

EXACTLY. What Mayo said. The only thing that I could add to his well spoken post is.... PICS! This one is mine.... I have no idea why the pics uploaded sideways.... it's a beautiful knife, even sideways, though.

 

[B.F.U]

I've let this thread get ahead of me, as often happens. But there's a lot of cool stuff coming from GEC.

I will probably get a Farm & Field Carver, but I like the stamped shield also so I'm not sure about the Tidioute.

I'm definitely looking to get the Unicorn Ivory Acrylic. The teaser picture looked AWESOME!

 

[EngrSorenson]

Glad to see that pen blade is sunk. Looks like it might have a decent sharpening life on it. Looks like kicks won’t be getting filed much without enlarging that nail nick notch.

kudos to GEC. Now if they could explain why they put that catch bit on the non-intuitive side of the secondary...

 

[Jiki]

Now if they could explain why they put that catch bit on the non-intuitive side of the secondary...

8

I don't have the knife but looking at the pictures the catch bit is an extra piece of brass that runs the entire length of the knife. It's on the back of the main and the secondary.

 

[waynorth]

Perhaps someone could post a picture or two of this notorious
"catch bit"??? It's hard to understand all the descriptions given!!

 

[GE Jr]

They labeled it as a center scale, but (guessing here 'til I actually receive mine) it actually goes next to the pile side liner. Scooped out area allows room for the krinked pen blade.

 

[Elgatodeacero]

I thought a catch bit was pinned into one end of a knife next to a blade?
I don’t think a full length liner is the same as a catch bit?
I feel like “catch bit” is one of the most poorly labeled items in the knife world.
It catches nothing..... it should be called a blade well spacer. Or at least call it something fun like a “plendocular champer minder.”

 

[Mayonardo]

Looking at mine, it appears to me that this is a full length scale, cut down at both ends to near the spring, in order that the two blades can share that spring yet have room for the pen blade to clear the main blade and outboard scale.

 

[Elgatodeacero]

I guess GE Jr and Mayonardo have the right idea......

GEC says——


Catch Bit
A small piece of metal, usually brass, which acts as spacer to make up the difference between a thin pocket knife blade and a thicker spring that operates it. The catch bit is shaped so that it will not move when the blade is rotated. A pocket knife may also be designed with a thin blade and catch bit to make room for other blades.

http://greateasterncutlery.net/blog/pocket-knives/knife-terminology/

 

[EngrSorenson]

View attachment 1269013 Looking at mine, it appears to me that this is a full length scale, cut down at both ends to near the spring, in order that the two blades can share that spring yet have room for the pen blade to clear the main blade and outboard scale.

yeah, that’s the bugger right there. Seems to me that it could have been swapped to be beneath the master blade and thus shift the pen blade more out of the way. The method I’m describing was used on my #35, so I know it’s possible. It just seems to me you wouldn’t want to krink a blade more than you had to.

Edit: I just had the thought... if this catch bit is actually sandwiched between the liner and spring on both sides, then the tang thickness of the Pen Blade and master blade would have to be the same, and then it makes sense that GEC put it where it is.

however, if it acts as a spacer on the pen side, then the pen blade would have to be a thinner tang than the master blade. Then what I’m saying is the spacer could have been used on the other side, for all I know- and to greater effect.

id never tell Mr. Howard how to build a knife, but I’m merely curious what’s going on there.

Edit v2.0: Mayonardo can you send a picture of the spring side (back of, I guess?) the knife? If it looks like two liners stacked together on the pile side then we have our answer: it’s because the stock of the master and pen blades is the same thickness. Then that would be the the best way to make that configuration work!