Anyone pick up the new GEC easy open Sunfish?

rockgolfer

rockgolfer

Joined
Mar 1, 2008
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I am drawn to the ebony version. Looks like a great woods/garden/work knife. Love to see some actual pictures of it.
 
I just ordered one in black micarta. I'll post some pics when it comes, will probably take a week as I'm in Canada.
 
I have one with snakewood handle on the way. The Sunfish/Toenail is my favorite pattern and this single blade easy open looks incredible. It will most definitely go in pocket. Really looking forward to others' impressions and pictures.
 
I have to admit that I've never been drawn to the sunfish/toenail patterns. I just don't understand what I would need that short, wide blade for. I think of it as a novelty pattern. I'm sure others disagree and I am certainly willing for someone to sway my opinion the other way. Given my indifference to the pattern, I don't own any so my opinion so far is based solely on personal bias. I'd love to hear why I need one of these knives. I'll all about the easy open feature however, so you won't have to do any swaying there.

Ed J
 
Robin, I think that is one use for the larger elephant toenail pattern. The sunfish is a smaller size I believe. That's the one I'm wondering about. I don't see cutting big rope dockside in my immediate future.

I'll visit the link you posted and check it out. Thanks for posting it.
Ed J
 
TLARbb said:
Robin, I think that is one use for the larger elephant toenail pattern. The sunfish is a smaller size I believe. That's the one I'm wondering about. I don't see cutting big rope dockside in my immediate future.

I'll visit the link you posted and check it out. Thanks for posting it.
Ed J
Click to expand...

true but some manufacturers play fast and loose and ive seen the term sunfish/elephant toe used interchangeably, now whether its correct, i dont know... sellers on ebay do this and i think S&M actually has a smaller Baby Sunfish implying the Regular sunfish was bigger
love the toenails! Cant afford one but thats one of the patterns on my list
gene
 
Well, as far as necessity of the pattern for specific uses goes, not much of a case I can make that another pocket knife won't do the same thing there. However, in terms of being a big, stupid-grin-inspiring pocket full of slipjoint, the Sunfish is a winner to me. Whereas a swell center is plain massive and arguably unwieldy (but cool), the equal end Sunfish is more like a widened cigar pattern. It's not so large. Favoring the pattern is the "thwack" sound of the main blade opening; it is unlike any of my other traditional knives, save a swell center. Also, the size of the knife provides space for more of whatever handle material you enjoy; there's more to look at. I'll add that he weight of it reminds you that it's there in an idle moment; intangible, but as a knife guy, gives me a kick. It is just oversize enough to border novelty while remaining useful. Basically, it's just all pleasure and fun. The slipjoint with a sense of humor. :D
 
I am interested in it because it is 4 1/4 long which is probably the maximum length I want riding in my front right pocket. I have never owned a single blade slipjoint and think this one would be a great way to try them out. I could see its wide blade as a bonus for all kinds of outdoor uses and I would think its a much stronger blade for harder use. Their is times I would love to baton a blade through something at work instead of stopping what I am doing and going out to the truck for another tool. Guess I am wanting to give it a try but seeing a few inhand or comparison pics may sway me over the top.
 
yeah pipeman beat me to it, they used to call them "rope knives." theres something very appealing about this pattern to me but i can never bite the bullet on getting one.
 
rockgolfer,
I have never batonned with anything but a fixed blade and would not envision the Sunfish pattern (as executed by GEC previously) to excel at this. The few that I have are not any beefier in blade thickness than most standard slip joints. Not to say that you couldn't make it work; just putting that out there.
I can't find any in-hand photos of the Sunfish at the moment but I do have this comparison shot of the Sunfish, Whaler, and Lumberjack models, as produced by GEC:

8262840418_b9c0a2473f_z.jpg


The grind from the spine on the two-blade Northfield Sunfish model (top) is stepped to thinner and thinner out towards the tip of the blade in order to make room for the secondary blade. The single-blade Northfield Whaler (middle) is single blade, but with swedge. The single-blade Tidioute Lumberjack (bottom) has no swedge and maintains nearly its full width out to the tip. So the new single blade pattern does not need to make space in the handle for a secondary blade, and there is a chance that the spine would be much thicker than previous multi-blade Sunfish iterations. Consider also that this increased spine thickness would most likely only be a feature of the Tidioute marked release, as the Northfield has a long swedge.

Just some thoughts to consider. Hope any of it helps with your decision. Looking forward to getting some facts once these are in hand. :thumbup:
 
Jazub, thanks for the info :thumbup: I should have clarified a little better but I would not want to baton a shelter with a slipjoint. I sometimes have the need to get real aggressive when trying to free up some old adhesive or a stubborn sliver of wood or hardiboard at work. Yes a knife was not made specifically for such a task but I like to carry tools that get more then one job done and time is always money. I am constantly trying to evolve my edc to meet most of my needs and currently my GEC #53 is the perfect 1 knife solution. I have just been wondering if carrying two knives may be better? A stronger bigger knife like the EO Sunfish for rough tasks and a nice small half congress or two blade jack knife for finer work. Its just a thought and I feel it worthy of at least trying. Look forward to you and the others impressions of this knife when it gets in your hands.

My comment on a bigger stronger blade was in reference to the height of the blade, not the thickness. Being taller should prevent it from snapping off as easy if you had to really get at a stubborn task. I know I am in the minority around here with how hard I push my knives, would even wager that a few here would consider some of my uses of these tools as abusive but thats what they are to me, a tool. It is something that helps me make money and I tend to be obsessive like most here when it comes to this particular style of tool.
 
Just received my new sunfish in the mail, really liking it! Fit and finish is perfect! It's pretty each to open by pinching the blade despite the strong spring, and the blade-cam (probably not the correct term) is shaped so it doesn't snap shut until it's almost closed (making it feel quite safe). I picked it up in black micarta, as I've never had a slip-joint in micarta, and they seem to be less commonly offered.

Y16zu.jpg
 
Stormshadow, I've got a 25 in black micarta and really like it. With use and carry it gains a lot of character quickly. Shoot us a new pic when it's looking more carried.:thumbup:
 
Will do! I need to give it a good rinse and oil to get rid of the normal pivot grittiness, and get some good staining started on that shiny blade! :)

I'll use a "real" camera next time as well (as opposed to my cell).
 
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