A Couple of Crossed Congress

[T. Erdelyi]

Here's a couple of Congress patterns from GEC, on the left a GEC Northfield Traditional 4 blade Congress wrapped in Stag and to the right a GEC SFO BFC 2013 Congress Jack in White Micarta covers.

 

[Kitten Party]

Congress knives don't seem to get the love around here I think they deserve. I certainly have a four blade Gec on my list and a larger queen as well. My list is much more extensive than my wallet is thick!

 

[T. Erdelyi]

I love Congress Patterns, I have 4 or 5 and I like the Congress Jack and Half Congress the best and you can't beat the utility of a 4 blade congress. he GECs are pretty thick but I have a Buck Creek Congress in Buffalo Horn that's no wider than a Stockman or Splitback Whittler.

 

[MerryMadMonk]

A couple of mine. Would really like to see the 13 go regular production.

 

[Halfneck]

A couple of mine. Would really like to see the 13 go regular production.

You and me both. I held off on getting the 2013 Forum Knife in hopes it would go production as I wasn't too wild on the scale choice. I had dreams of a production version in jigged bone. Still have my fingers crossed though.

A GEC Half-Congress in stag was my 1st knife by GEC.

 

[Jonny D]

This pattern would make an excellent tobacco pipe knife with a tamper on the bottom, blade, and poker!

 

[T. Erdelyi]

The Congress Jack looks like a Drunken Doctor's knife.

 

[btb01]

Love the bolsters on that one! They look especially good with the yellow bone (?) covers.

 

[T. Erdelyi]

Nice slim profile with the Half Congress, I love the beveled bolsters. When I got my Northfield with the Stag scales it took me a little while before I realized it said unexcelled on the bplsters

 

[Bigfattyt]

A couple of mine. Would really like to see the 13 go regular production.

That congress jack sure is a looker. It looks like they were able to get a lot more blade in there by putting both blades on one side of the pivot.


That stamped bolster on the yellow sure makes me smile. Ive eyed them for a while.

 

[oldmanrunning]

 

[Old Hunter]

A Congress pattern is a knife that I like to look at and admire more than I like to carry; for carrying I far prefer the Half Congress version but would also carry a Congress Jack if I had one. OH

 

[eisman]

I'm rather fond of the Congress pattern and I too would have liked to see a couple different runs in the Congress Jack from GEC. That was not the best year for our knife, and it sold slow, so those who have one have, in fact, a fairly rare pattern. I carry one often. It's slightly slimmer than most of the others in that pattern I own; I think that's due to the micarta scales. Using the "Jack" layout does allow a longer main blade. Here's a shot of two of the three main carrying knives I use. The BF CJ, and an old Camillus Half Congress. The Camillus is probably the best watch pocket knife I know of.

Here's my other main carry, another Camillus. I really like this pattern.

I think one of the main reasons the Congress is disliked is that too often the blades sit uncomfortably high when closed. My opinion is that's poor blade choice. Even our Forum knife could have been more streamlined if the top profile of the sheepfoot main blade had been tapered down like a wharncliff. Putting two tall sheepfoot blades opposing each other in a Congress pattern is awkward and redundant, but it's done often.