3 Questions: UN-X-LD? Hammer Tested? Frozen Forged?

nozh2002

nozh2002

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I recently got this American beauty:

http://playground.sun.com/~vasya/GEC-SunFish.html

And after reading label from box - have some question:

What is UN-X-LD? Seems like trade mark but what is behind it? It also sad Northfield brand.

Another mark - "Hammer tested". What does this mean? Some traditional type of testing - I think I heard something like this before.

And it is ald "Frozen Forged" - is it like stamped? What is frozen forging?
This has 1095 mirror polished flat grind blades, yellow handle (smooth Banana Peel), and Sunfish design - I just can not refuse this.

Thanks, Vassili.
 
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That sunfish or elephant toenail or toenail has always been a pattern I enjoy although it is a big and hefty one. I just wish they would make some knives without those huge etches, but that is a personal pet peeve of mine.

As far as hammer tested or frozen forged I would leave that answer to the folks at GEC.

A little poking around on the term UNXLD and UN-X-LD use on cutlery showed results of
ROGERS & BRITTIN
West Stratford, Conn.
ea. 1880 - 1882

Before poking around my guess woud have been that the mark originally belonged to one of the George Wostenholm firms (who did use IXL).

This was an interesting document on markings.
 
Their carbon sharpens nicely and stays that way as well.

I'm intrigued by this Frozen Forged name too. But I hear that GEC are changing the markings on their tubes to just American Cutlery or steel.

nozh, are you going to give it some of your testing??
 
This forum is not the place for the discussion of testing and it will remain that way.
 
willgoy said:
Their carbon sharpens nicely and stays that way as well.

I'm intrigued by this Frozen Forged name too. But I hear that GEC are changing the markings on their tubes to just American Cutlery or steel.

nozh, are you going to give it some of your testing??
Click to expand...

I am going to do full review, with everything, just curious about this "Hammer tested" and "Frozen Forged". Like to clearify it for review.

Let me post remaining pictures I did yesterday:

http://playground.sun.com/~vasya/GEC-SunFish.html

Thanks, Vassili.
 
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Great Eastern Cutlery can be contacted regarding your further questions here.
 
Just scan their site - did not find any answers so far...

Thanks, Vassili.
 
From the factory:

Hammer Tested: They test a sample of every batch coming out of heat treat by pulling across a bow while hitting with a hammer. This insures they are not brittle.

Frozen Forged: At heat treat once they come out of the furnace, they 1) get an oil quench, then 2) a preliminary temper, then 3) are cryogenically treated to improve temper, then 4) heat tempered again to finalize process.

Hopefully I didn't mess up what he said too bad.

Mike Latham
CollectorKnives.Net
 
Mike, thanks for sharing that. :thumbup:
 
Thanks,

Also I am wondering if there is any special task for small blade - what is story to have it?

Thanks, Vassili.
 
The small blade is just one of the added benefits to a multi blade traditional knife. Having more than one blade style for different cutting tasks in the same handle appeals to many. In the case of this pattern, there is a wide and large blade and a smaller almost pen size blade for smaller cutting chores. One might sharpen the larger master blade at a larger angle than the pen blade and reserve the smaller blade for finer tasks while using the larger blade for tasks such as rope or rigging cutting.

This pattern is called a sunfish, elephant toenail and english rope knife. It is a highly collected pattern (as far as antique knives are concerned and even more modern issues such as the Case Classics made during the mid '90's have seen quite a jump in value since they were issued.)

There is a website dedicated to the pattern that might be interesting to nozh2002 and others here that brings a lot of information together from several regarded sources.
 
Bastid said:
The small blade is just one of the added benefits to a multi blade traditional knife. Having more than one blade style for different cutting tasks in the same handle appeals to many. In the case of this pattern, there is a wide and large blade and a smaller almost pen size blade for smaller cutting chores. One might sharpen the larger master blade at a larger angle than the pen blade and reserve the smaller blade for finer tasks while using the larger blade for tasks such as rope or rigging cutting.

This pattern is called a sunfish, elephant toenail and english rope knife. It is a highly collected pattern (as far as antique knives are concerned and even more modern issues such as the Case Classics made during the mid '90's have seen quite a jump in value since they were issued.)

There is a website dedicated to the pattern that might be interesting to nozh2002 and others here that brings a lot of information together from several regarded sources.
Click to expand...

Really interesting site, thanks.

Vassili.
 
Post some video of this knife in action.

http://www.youtube.com/user/nozh2002#p/u/0/_-UMlKjsk3Y

After I resharpen it. Huge advantage of this knife is pretty thin edge - a guess only Microtech provides same in modern knives world. It is very easy to sharpen, because of this. Out of the Box edge was I would say below average - was not able to shave arm.

After sharpening and washing blade with soap in warm water to remove green compound writings on the blade seems to wash avay - no so loud any more. Nosign of corrosion - I think it is because of high polish on the blade.

One cons - back spring is pretty tense and so it require good initial push, but then after it pass certain position it moves much easy - right into inner part of my thumb... I learn to close it as it is shown on video hard way.

Thanks, Vassili.
 
You were clearly warned to keep the testing out of the traditional forum. You chose to ignore the clear warning. Infraction issued. Thread moved. Should you decide to pull this type of stunt again the infraction will be much more severe.
 
Bastid said:
This forum is not the place for the discussion of testing and it will remain that way.
Click to expand...

Bastid said:
You were clearly warned to keep the testing out of the traditional forum. You chose to ignore the clear warning. Infraction issued. Thread moved. Should you decide to pull this type of stunt again the infraction will be much more severe.
Click to expand...

You should be more specific saying what do you want. Sorry, but for me it was not clear that you do not want me to "keep testing out of traditional forum" - you sad as I understand "discussion of testing" which on my point of view different thing and I made my post the way to avoid discussion - in particular referring to thread in Testing sub forum for details.

To me the fact that this knife performs pretty well is perfectly valid information related to this beautiful knife. Sorry if I understand it wrong way.

It will also help if Traditional Knives subforum rules will be updated with some kind of warning "keep testing out".

Thanks, Vassili.
 
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