Can someone give me a little info regarding GEC productions

johnwaynesandw

johnwaynesandw

Joined
Mar 18, 2005
Messages
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It’s been a while since I started a post here. I have been very busy the past two years getting back to basics. Just over a year ago my wife and I bought a home back in my hometown. We have made the decision to get back to a more simple life and get away from the city. With that said I needed to stay away from all of the temptation of buying new knives.

A while back I thinned most of my knives down to about a third of what I had. I kept mostly fixed blades for working around the farm, but still had a few Case pocket knives that I carried. Mainly the Case Saddlehorn, but the bone-stag just was not real stag and I really like 1095 so I started looking for another knife to EDC.

Being out of the knife buying scene for the past year or so, I had no clue what or where to look and what to look for. I ran across a GEC Northfield 47 in stag, and have been using it a good bit. I really enjoy the knife, but I miss my clip point main blade which set me on a search for another knife.
I have settled on a Northfield Barlow in stag, but they were produced a few years back and I can not find one. I found one on the bay, but was outbid by a sniper. Can someone please advise how GEC goes about making certain models? Do they plan on making that model again?

Trying to post some pictures, but it has been a while. I will have to research and catch up on the latest way to post pictures.



https://www.flickr.com/photos/124620106@N06/with/14183290241/

DSC02782 by johnwaynesandw, on Flickr

Thanks,
John
 
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GEC web sites:
www.greateasterncutlery.net
www.greateasterncutlery.com

Three GEC dealers who are active participants on the forum here (and good people to deal with):
www.collectorknives.net
www.gunstockjacksknivesandcollectibles.com
www.knivesshipfree.com

I don't know how GEC plans out their release dates or decide which patterns they will work on. They do not have a standard set of patterns that are always produced, and there is no guarantee that they will ever produce the same knife pattern again if you miss it the first time around.

They do seem to re-release the more popular handle patterns more frequently (they do have to make a profit) though usually with some variation - different blade shapes / combos, different handle material choices, etc.

They also produce knives under contract (for example, many Northwoods knives have been made by GEC) and do a number of special factory order runs, so that type of work means fewer general production releases.

You could always e-mail them or use the "contact us" link on their web site, and ask them if you have a particular pattern you are interested in. You can also scour all of their listed dealer web sites to see if any of them still have some of what you are looking for. There are more dealers than just the three I mentioned, so check all of them.
 
Thank you for the information. I will check with the dealers you listed. I guess like the old saying "you snooze, you lose". If I can't find one it's not the end of the world, but it is good to know I am not going crazy trying to figure out how GEC releases their knives.

Thank you again for the information.
 
On the Collectorknives.net web site I linked above, there is a tab at the top for "GEC Schedule" that will at least show what is in the immediate pipeline. Other dealers may also provide this information, that's just the only place I know to go look.
 
The best place to get a discontinued Great Eastern knife might be right here at Bladeforums in the For Sale section.

Seems to me like GEC is one of the brands most preferred by knife swappers and flippers. Makes no sense to me; I would never sell any of mine... But maybe due to the premium prices people have to sell one to raise funds every time a new model gets released.

Anyhoo... Keep a sharp eye on the For Sale listings and be ready to jump when one comes around.
 
Bob, you are correct about the exchange. I tell you though it seems that they do not sit around long at all as I am sure you are aware of. I guess when the time is right, the right one will pop up. At least I have a White Owl in natural stag that should be here tomorrow to hold me over.
 
Of course more popular models are reintroduced, for example the 73. I haven't seen many two blade 73s come back out, but the single blade 73s seem to be quite popular. Charlie brought out a SFO of spear blade Charlows, with a nail nick instead of the long pull. You might have something like the 53, with several different patterns, and released under the GEC brand names, also made for Northwoods. So, you might buy a Northwoods, getting a GEC made pattern that was reintroduced, but not an actual GEC.
 
Funny you should mention the 73. I just picked one of those up from the exchange as well. I did not need another single blade in that size as it is the same size as the 47, but I could not pass on the price.
 
I'll try to post the link here, but GEC put out their 2013 production numbers on their Facebook site, and I shared it on my Facebook group Slipjoint Addict.
 
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