Case Compared To GEC..Quality Close?

fairhaven

fairhaven

Joined
May 22, 2013
Messages
513
I have been collecting Case knives (as well as Queen & Schrade) and have very many. I am going to start collecting GEC (really like patterns 15 & 66). I have never "touched" a GEC but everyone here (as well as reviews on many other sites) seems to be on the same page that they are a great knife even though they have only been in business for 8 years. Are the GEC as good as they say?
 
Short answer: Yes!

Long answer: Yes, but... sometimes, especially on the older lockback knives it can have bladeplay. But this can also happen on any other of their knives. But sometimes things use to happen at quality control and the knife can slip through. But in general, they are a great company and they will fix it something is not that fine on QC and F&F.
But when you collected CASE and Queen you could know about issues on traditional slippies ;) (nothing more said)
 
Overall (comparing Case's entire current lineup to GEC's current lineup) GEC is clearly ahead quality wise.

That being said, there are certain Case models (in my personal experience) that match GEC in every way--at better prices. (For example, all the swayback jacks, peanuts and mini copperlocks that i have handled have been of equal quality to GEC.) The flipside of that though, is that i have handled many other Case knives with off center blades, blade rub, blade movement, extremely weak springs, and subpar fit and finish, whereas the only issue I've ever encountered with a GEC was a hairline Crack in a smooth bone scale (and the dealer promptly replaced the knife with no questions asked.)
 
fairhaven said:
I have been collecting Case knives (as well as Queen & Schrade) and have very many. I am going to start collecting GEC (really like patterns 15 & 66). I have never "touched" a GEC but everyone here (as well as reviews on many other sites) seems to be on the same page that they are a great knife even though they have only been in business for 8 years. Are the GEC as good as they say?
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I've collected Case knives off and on for years and always thought they were the "Cadillac" of knives. A few months ago I got my first GEC and was blown away. It was polished at least to the level Case puts out. Fit and finish was beyond my best Case knives. Blades centered on the GEC where as all of my Case lean a little to one side or the other. Not a gap anywhere. The pioneer bone covers retains character making it as much a one of a kind as a stag knife. I was hooked and now have 4 more. Each one just as well made.

Now that being said I've read some posts that talked about nail breaker springs and the occasional off center blades but I've not seen any of those issues myself. I understand that GEC will fix issues if you send the knife back.

I really like Case and will end up with more, but I love the "hand-made" quality I've found in GEC.
 
My definitive answer is, maybe.

I think GEC has consistently better fit and finish. Read that consistently.

But, when Case gets it right, they really do get it right. I think Case is a little more hit and miss than GEC. But from what I've seen of some of the chestnut models and swaybacks, the knives are flat out gorgeous, with no issues at all. I think if you go to a brick and mortar store and hand pick your Case, you can get a knife as nice as a GEC for way less cost. But you're gonna have to pick it out of the herd.
 
From buying new knives I was much more pleased with GEC than I have been with Case, although I do understand that my ignorance led me to be a bit harder than I should have with my first Case knives. But that doesn't mean that the Case knives were without fault. On a recent head to head I did of new knives, the case cut better than some GEC blades, but also had a very aggressive burr left that I felt swayed the limited testing a bit. Overall if you are happy with Case you should be happy with GEC.

I love mine:
F6E550B3-F82A-4B76-8379-23177F1F48C0.jpg


Favourites?
Executive whittler
Outlaw
Eureka
Cattle King
Gepetto Whittler (that is not the whittler but the punch model,can't remember the name)
Forum knife Congress Jack (currently in my right scrubs pocket)

The Northwoods branded, GEC produced knives are pretty darn nice too, especially the Whittler, which is in my left scrubs pocket today.
5055FF75-59D2-4B09-A5E0-80BDDC71B6DF.jpg
 
Case Compared To GEC..Quality Close?

Not even close. GEC is head-and-shoulders above Case.

Recent Canal Street is close to Great Eastern. And Great Eastern is generally, in my experience, at least as good as the Schatt and Morgan File & Wire knives.

Generally speaking, from less good to more good, here's my ranking results:

Case
/
Canal Street Cutlery
/ (tie)
Boker, German made
/
Schatt and Morgan F&W
/
Great Eastern
 
jackknife said:
My definitive answer is, maybe.

I think GEC has consistently better fit and finish. Read that consistently.

But, when Case gets it right, they really do get it right. I think Case is a little more hit and miss than GEC. But from what I've seen of some of the chestnut models and swaybacks, the knives are flat out gorgeous, with no issues at all. I think if you go to a brick and mortar store and hand pick your Case, you can get a knife as nice as a GEC for way less cost. But you're gonna have to pick it out of the herd.
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I wholeheartedly agree. OH
 
I love Cases patterns if not their choice of materials. I am also a huge fan of GEC. I have a couple hundred knives and have to say that GEC is consistantly better.
 
Love the pre 1980s Case knives and they're hard to beat for quality but I'm a huge fan of GEC and believe you would be hard pressed to find better fit and finish in a knife today.
Perry
 
This question seems to come up from time to time. I personally don't think they are really on the same level but they also are not at the same price point so not really even that fair to compare them in the fit and finish department. From the Case's I own or have owned they are excellent at their price point of $30 to $50 but you do have a much higher chance at getting a dud when compared to GEC. About half of my Cases have off center blades compared to only one out of over 30 GEC's. GEC's customer service is leaps and bounds better than Case as well.
 
I only have 2 GECs and about 100 Case knives so I am a little biased. I don't have to look at many Case knives to find knives that are nicer than my GECs. I have 2 Backpockets that are far superior to any GEC that I have.
 
jackknife said:
My definitive answer is, maybe.

I think GEC has consistently better fit and finish. Read that consistently.

But, when Case gets it right, they really do get it right. I think Case is a little more hit and miss than GEC. But from what I've seen of some of the chestnut models and swaybacks, the knives are flat out gorgeous, with no issues at all. I think if you go to a brick and mortar store and hand pick your Case, you can get a knife as nice as a GEC for way less cost. But you're gonna have to pick it out of the herd.
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singin50 said:
Love the pre 1980s Case knives and they're hard to beat for quality but I'm a huge fan of GEC and believe you would be hard pressed to find better fit and finish in a knife today.
Perry
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Exactly what Carl and Perry said:thumbup:
 
jackknife said:
My definitive answer is, maybe.

I think GEC has consistently better fit and finish. Read that consistently.

But, when Case gets it right, they really do get it right. I think Case is a little more hit and miss than GEC. But from what I've seen of some of the chestnut models and swaybacks, the knives are flat out gorgeous, with no issues at all. I think if you go to a brick and mortar store and hand pick your Case, you can get a knife as nice as a GEC for way less cost. But you're gonna have to pick it out of the herd.
Click to expand...

Well put Carl.
In Cases favour and by possible way of explanation -I think Case are a much larger operation than GEC (clarification anyone?)
They are making way more knives over a way larger field than GEC. Just look at the massive range of acrylic scales .
For instance a Case limited edition will be 1 of 2500 and a GEC limited run will be 1 of 25.
That is of course merely a personal observation based on nothing more than what I know from my collecting and gazing longingly at the internet from far across the sea--- for the grail.
One thing for certain- you will not be disappointed by GEC.
cheers.
 
I have two new (2012 and 2013) Case knives and I am not impressed at all by their quality. I also don't make "handmade" excuses for Case either. If anything, I think it might have something to do with how many they are churning out each month to meet demand for their brands. Or they just don't care about quality anymore.

However, GEC is on avg about twice the cost of a Case knife, so it might be a matter of sale price compared to American worker wage cost.
 
Interesting ,SirJames.
You have now made me wonder how do Case do it ? When I look at the price of a Case knife I often wonder how they can pump them out so cheaply. I bought 2 case chestnut CV knives for Xmas presents just recently. Sowbelly and a Jr soddie. These combined cost me less than most GECs I own inc postage which almost equals the price of another knife.
Both are excellent knives though.
My question is How do they do it?
and are they doing what so many German cutlery firms are now doing-and , blatantly, not telling the whole story about how and where their knives are made? Let's hope not.
 
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