G.E.C. Knife Question.

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wws

Joined
Mar 9, 2011
Messages
53
Hello Everyone,
I'm new to the forum and have purchased my first GEC knife. I purchased a Northfield Scout-Trapper. I have owned many knives but nothing of this quality.

My question is, are all GEC knives that difficult to open up? The back spring on this is extremely strong. Will it get easier to open as time goes by? I actually bent my fingernail back trying to open ut up the first time.

Thank you for you comments.
 
In a word- mostly. It will probably get a little easier as time goes and it gets worked. It is afterall, a spring. My first came with one blade that tight, and I didn't think I was ever going to love the knife. I was wrong- it softened some, and that knife rarely leaves my pocket. I've seen people recommend opening the blade partially and letting it sit a while. I did that some, but I don't know if that's what helped. In the mean time, you can get a blade pick to use. I finally started using one and I'm quite enjoying it.
Oh and welcome :)
 
clean it an oil it, they often come gritty and with some "goopy" oil in them, put some oil in the pivot and put it "bolster down" on a tissue paper, ope close until the dark good comes out, clean throughoutly and oil the pivot
after cleaning it open-close it (open-half stop-open is ok) a few times and it will become better, check for more dirt and goob, when clean it's much better and with time it will become even better but it is and will remain a bit harder than others but it can be made better than from the factory though

the #73 and the #23 and #36 are the hardest to open due to their size and destination for a bit harder use
most others I have or had (have 10+ now) are better/less hard than the above 3

hope this helps
maxx
 
Yep, clean them, open and close them... and eventually your finger will get stronger too.

I think the pen blade on my #73 Jack is the hardest to open because there is less leverage and a thick spring. My #23 Pioneer is hard too but its got better placement for the nail nick.
 
i don't know how fast it'll soften, but after awhile you'll get use to it. so much so that if you use a different brand you'll realize how soft their springs really are.
 
wws said:
My question is, are all GEC knives that difficult to open up?
Click to expand...

No, they are not all that difficult to open.
I think you will find that GEC's with half stops, like your Scout, will be tougher to open than those without half stops mainly because of the squared off tang required to create the half stop.

The ones without half stops have a rounded tang which causes less resistance when opening the blade.
 
This is a bit concerning to me... I am in the process of trying to find a GEC stockman to purchase right now.
 
iandh said:
This is a bit concerning to me... I am in the process of trying to find a GEC stockman to purchase right now.
Click to expand...

Fear not. The blades on the #53 Stockmans are roughly about a 5 on the pull scale and they are free of half stops.

If you are looking at the #66 Stockman that just got released, the blades on it should be fairly easy to open too if they are anything like the #66 Serpentine Jacks.
 
Open it a few hundred times a day for the first week and you'll be amazed how nice it turns out, just keep a little oil on it also. My Northfield Sunfish was so stiff when new I seriously almost ripped my thumbnail off. Now it opens just fine.
 
take the knife outside & using wd40 or any pressurized lube or cleaner flush knife totally. after it drips dry wipeoff & apply remoil to moving parts.then work the blade up & down holding blade so as not to cut you. although this may not make it super easy ,it will improve.---dennis
 
The stockman does not have the half-stops, so it is pretty easy to open, at least compared to the Pioneers.

On the ones that have half-stops, I have, on users, filed down (rounded) the square tang area where it closes to allow for slightly easier opening.

I have also jammed a small nail between the spring and the tang to slightly bend the spring to allow easier opening.

I have heard, if you are in a grinding mood, that you can grind down the backspring to make it thinner and easier to open. I have not tried this.

But really, other than the Pioneer, Scout and small Barlow blade, most GECs are pretty easy on the fingernails.
 
My GEC #62s are pretty easy to open. They did suffer from gunk in the joints but after a cleaning and re-oil it certainly helped with the smoothness. The pull is going to be a combination of how strong the spring is along with how smooth the blade opens. I have found that the only thing you can do to help quickly is to clean it well and use your favorite oil/lube. After that the spring will simply need time to relax a litt.
 
Railsplitter said:
Fear not. The blades on the #53 Stockmans are roughly about a 5 on the pull scale and they are free of half stops.

If you are looking at the #66 Stockman that just got released, the blades on it should be fairly easy to open too if they are anything like the #66 Serpentine Jacks.
Click to expand...

Ok, thanks, that makes me feel better.

Peter Parker said:
Mine took well over a year of break in! Oil it and work it, and just keep using it!
Click to expand...

I suppose I would rather have a long break in, and a long life, than a short break in and a short life.
 
I have a 73 scout, 53 Furtaker trapper, 12 toothpick, 56 dogleg, and 66 jack. None of the others approach the 73 as far as spring tension is concerned. They are all just about right as far as I'm concerned.
 
I agree with everything above, with an addition.

I cannot PM you or e-mail you.

You can reach me if you wish.

Mike H.
 
iandh said:
This is a bit concerning to me... I am in the process of trying to find a GEC stockman to purchase right now.
Click to expand...

You might want to wait a week or two for the release of the Calf Roper Stockman. This is a medium sized frame, could be interesting.

GEC springs are different from pattern to pattern. i have an early 73 Scout 2 blade in stainless, it's murder to open and you need concentration on closing it....:eek::D
the 73 in general seems to have the most robust spring. The 56 Dogleg and 33 Conductor I have sport much milder springs due to the lack of half-stop perhaps, but their walk&talk are fantastic.
 
I have 3 #53s and they are not hard at all, the trapper is pretty easy to open the rancher and baron are a bit harder but not as the 73 or 23, they all have thick springs
after some cleaning they all got better, some more some less

Maxx
 
Each of my GECs (I have 7) exhibit pretty different spring rates & pulls.
The models based on the #53 frame are about average. Not too stout, not too soft, but just right.
The #54 Cattle Rancher (a #53 stockman on steroids) has a stronger pull than the #53s because the spring and blade stock is thicker. But it's no nailbuster like the #73 because of its lack of half-stops.

The #73 is the strongest of my small collection, but I like it because of the confidence it inspires.

The 3-1/2" long models (#66 and #56) are also on the Goldilocks scale (not too strong, not too soft, but just right). They walk. They talk, and are a pleasure to use. The folks at GEC really dialed these in. Love 'em!

I also have a #62, and it has the softest pull of any GEC I own. Having said that, though, the softest GEC pull is on par with other brands' average pulls. Again, it's softer than most GECs, but it's still good enough that you're inspired to really use the knife.

-nate
 
wws said:
Hello Everyone,
I'm new to the forum and have purchased my first GEC knife. I purchased a Northfield Scout-Trapper. I have owned many knives but nothing of this quality.

My question is, are all GEC knives that difficult to open up? The back spring on this is extremely strong. Will it get easier to open as time goes by? I actually bent my fingernail back trying to open ut up the first time.

Thank you for you comments.
Click to expand...

I agree with all your comments. I find all the GECs to be harder to open than I prefer. I find it helps if I angle my fingernail at about a 60° angle (as close to vertical as I can get) when I open them, instead of the 0° angle (straight flat) I use for all my other knives.
 
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