Case Compared To GEC..Quality Close?

[arizonaranchman]

Here are two Case knives that are among my absolute favorites of the approx 20 pocket knives I own. These two see very frequent carry and I dare say they rival any of the GEC knives I have, they're near-perfect in Fit n Finish, walk n talk, excellent snap, etc. I didn't hand-pick them, I got them online - the Stockman from one of our vendors here on the forum.

 

[black mamba]

I, too, have and use with pride both brands. It is absolutely wrong to think of GEC knives as being twice as good as Case because they are twice the price. As with anything else, performance is expensive. To get a noticeable improvement takes a good deal more money. In general, I prefer the firmer springs and tighter QC of the GECs, but the differences are minor. If you have reasonable expectations of each respective brand, then both can be enjoyed. Yesterday I received a Case made just this past December, and the design, materials, and workmanship are all superb. Both brands are well deserving of support.

 

[Aurelio Corso]

For the money case is a better buy IMHO but I like some of gec patterns and like the grind on the blades,just wish they would make more in stainless.The only case knife I bought new back in the 80's that I was disappointed in was a lockhorn wich had play and wobble but sold it this year for a lot of money.

 

[Bob W]

GEC makes great $80 to $120 knives. Case makes great $20 to $45 knives...

You get what you pay for. All of them are worth their cost in my opinion. But just don't expect your $35 Case to be as nice as your $95 GEC.

I don't think anyone would expect that. Perhaps I should expand on my earlier comment?

When I compare the quality, in particular the consistency, of Case to other $20-60 knives, Case falls flat. Victorinox and Boker in particular. I've never seen or even heard of an Opinel coming from the factory with a jagged edge, a usual characteristic of Case's the last few years.
On the other hand, I find Great Eastern knives are just as good or better than any other $80-$100 traditional pocketknives on the market.

 

[Bob W]

... Case are mass produced on mostly automated machinery in an "Assembly Line" format. GEC are assembled and finished by hand by professional Cutlers.

You would think that would result in a more consistent and finely-fitted product.

 

[RobbW]

I believe that each is priced right for the market they are in, and is overall good value given the resale price each company commands. I admire both companies and am glad for the variety. We are fortunate to live in a golden age of knife making and we have lots of choices and lots of high-quality choices. Win-Win.

Case is lower priced, so they shouldn't be held up to the same standard as GEC. Two examples: Case blades are tumbled before being honed. This makes the edges rounded and they don't have the crisp grind lines of GEC. They also don't pin their shields. Does this make them worse? No, they just do these as a cost-saving measure to produce a lower-cost knife for users who want to pay less. Tumbling and gluing doesn't matter to most folks and there are plenty of Case buyers in the world.

Directly comparing Case to GEC, despite the difference in price, is a little like comparing GEC to Case Bose (which are more expensive). My Case-Bose Norfolk Wharncliffe has milled liners, 154-CM blade steel, stainless bolsters and shield, and no gaps or rubbing in a very tight package. I don't hold GEC to all of these standards because GEC knives are considerably less than my Case-Bose. Both are great, quality brands, just serving slightly different markets.

 

[rma100]

You would think that would result in a more consistent and finely-fitted product.

And with pocket knives you would be wrong. There are certain steps that just need to be done by the Hunan Hand. Crinking for instance.

 

[dpowers311]

Case knives are common in most areas so you can go look at what your are buying. GEC's if you are not lucky enough to live near a dealer you have to buy unseen.and deal with limited supply.

Dave

 

[Peregrin]

I believe that each is priced right for the market they are in, and is overall good value given the resale price each company commands. I admire both companies and am glad for the variety. We are fortunate to live in a golden age of knife making and we have lots of choices and lots of high-quality choices. Win-Win.

Case is lower priced, so they shouldn't be held up to the same standard as GEC. Two examples: Case blades are tumbled before being honed. This makes the edges rounded and they don't have the crisp grind lines of GEC. They also don't pin their shields. Does this make them worse? No, they just do these as a cost-saving measure to produce a lower-cost knife for users who want to pay less. Tumbling and gluing doesn't matter to most folks and there are plenty of Case buyers in the world.

Directly comparing Case to GEC, despite the difference in price, is a little like comparing GEC to Case Bose (which are more expensive). My Case-Bose Norfolk Wharncliffe has milled liners, 154-CM blade steel, stainless bolsters and shield, and no gaps or rubbing in a very tight package. I don't hold GEC to all of these standards because GEC knives are considerably less than my Case-Bose. Both are great, quality brands, just serving slightly different markets.

Good points and a good post. This sums up my thoughts and experience.

 

[knarfeng]

You would think that would result in a more consistent and finely-fitted product.

And with pocket knives you would be wrong. There are certain steps that just need to be done by the Hunan Hand. Crinking for instance.

True enough, Bob. There is also another factor.

There is such a thing as "high precision machinery"
There is such a thing as "high speed machinery"

It is rare that any machine fits into both groups. The ones which do are fiendishly expensive.

A company the size of Intel can afford a machine which is fast and precise. Case? They wouldn't have the money. So, to get the speed up and the price down, you have a less precise process.

 

[Dr. Scott]

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?

Dang, fairhaven! I expected this thread to cause some high blood pressures. But to the credit of this community, the conversation has been cordial and edifying!

I suspect that many of us have a similar story. I started collecting Case knives because my grandfather carried them from the 1920s. But I noticed that the Case knives of today don't seem to be as high a quality as those from 80 years ago! Case was my entry-level drug. The low prices made it easy to start a collection. But then I started seeing pictures of GEC knives, mostly from this forum.

The GEC knives were unique, different from Case's offerings, often heavier and larger. The GEC knives seemed built for big jobs. I saw this knife on the internet and had to have it for my own.

Then I bought a second. Then they made those Farm & Field Tools which were practical and priced like a Case. Then I discovered TC Barlows, and it was all over. I forgot my passion for Case doctor's knives and fell head-over-heels for GEC and TC Barlows.

This thread has produced the definitive discussion of Case vs. GEC. Yes, it's apples and oranges. Yes, there are differences in production, quality, price, asthetics. Yes, you get what you pay for.

My experience has taught me that with less expensive Case knives, I may end up sending it back, or I want to handle it before I buy it. My GEC knives sometimes have small flaws, but never so bad that I have sent one back to the vendor or the factory. With Buck knives, I think I reject 1 of every 4 due to quality issues.

If you can afford the investment, you will be pleased with GEC. The next step up really is custom knives or semi-customs or the Case Bose line. But some of the GEC knives I have received seem to equal a custom made knife for quality, fit, and attention to detail. I can't say that about any of the mass production Case knives I've seen from the last 20 years. But I still buy Case knives. It fills a place in my collection. An inexpensive Case is perfect for a nephew who will likely lose it after a few months. That Delrin covered Case is great for the glove box or the desk drawer.

Everything has a place and a purpose.