G.e.c.

K

know what i mean

Joined
Oct 4, 2007
Messages
194
While back home recently, drove to Titusville and dropped into GEC hdqtrs. and manufacturing and took a tour. Really an interesting and impressive operation. Just 1 single knife (folders) from start to finish is a 192 step process. The company store was quite impressive too! Very top notch employees, all cross-trained to work in all phases of the companies production. To those who own a GEC knife, as you are aware, you have a very well made product. Also went to Queen Cutlery, but they only do tours once a year, at their Biennial Show (July 23), but did get into the company store. Very impressed with it also. Business is still located in oringinal bldg. since it's beginnings. :thumbup: Dale H.
 
very cool. One question, did you have an opportunity to purchase anything on site?
 
Got any photos of the tour or Queen store? I'm extremely impressed with my new Tidioute Trapper!
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I had the opportunity to purchase at both company stores, however I didn't. (economics, it got my pocketbook too ! ) I left both however, salivating over what I'd seen and handled, and was very impressed. I had left my camera at home so i don't have photo's, sorry. The GEC is located in an old WW2 artillery manufacturing plant. The bulk of the plant is on a bottom floor surrounded by glass, and your standing above and walking around the process looking down. Handling, peening, polishing is on the second floor. The Queen plant is the old, original Schatt (rhyme's with that) & Morgan bldg. The company store is like a step back in time, the 1930's, old, huge glass display cases. Worn wooden floor from foot traffic. Very cool! :thumbup: Dale H.
 
I bought three GEC's a month or so ago.....each is as dull as a butterknife. Other than that, they are well made and pretty. I cannot buy another however. In my view, knives are supposed to be sharp. It is puzzling that GEC obviously puts little effort into sharpening their products. I will send these out to be properly sharpened. That's an extra step at extra cost that I should not have to undertake.
 
dan oliver said:
I bought three GEC's a month or so ago.....each is as dull as a butterknife. Other than that, they are well made and pretty. I cannot buy another however. In my view, knives are supposed to be sharp. It is puzzling that GEC obviously puts little effort into sharpening their products. I will send these out to be properly sharpened. That's an extra step at extra cost that I should not have to undertake.
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Not all of them are- my two were both razor-sharp out of the box. Maybe they were older stock from before they tuned the edges properly.
 
My two GECs were usefully sharp but not razor sharp. I am thinking of taking a little trip this summer that will involve visiting Case and GEC. I may as well throw in Schatt & Morgan too, since it's in the neighborhood.
 
I recently landed a #73 Northfield LL in stag. Very nice piece... one of my fav traditionals. I'm seriously considering getting the 2 blade slippie in stag to go with it.

Like Dan said, however, it was less than sharp. After a session on my Edge Pro, it will shave as well as anything I have, but I'd still rather not have to do that with a new knife.
 
I got a Sunfish and a Beavertail, and both were very sharp, the Sunfish was dangerous. It has that wide, thin, flatground blade. It can't be dull. :)
 
My GEC scout was very sharp on both blades and the 1095 steel blades were super sharp and had a great mirror finish. Very impressed with GEC and the oiled cow bone scales.
It got me into slippies and now I have a Northwoods Texas toothpick with ivory scales on the way.
 
dan oliver said:
I bought three GEC's a month or so ago.....each is as dull as a butterknife. Other than that, they are well made and pretty. I cannot buy another however. In my view, knives are supposed to be sharp. It is puzzling that GEC obviously puts little effort into sharpening their products. I will send these out to be properly sharpened. That's an extra step at extra cost that I should not have to undertake.
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You can't sharpen a knife yourself?
 
Sure I can sharpen a knife, but I want to try a fellow member, Richard who uses a paper wheel. This will give him some material to show what he can do. Still, the GEC knives I bought should have been delivered to the end user in proper condition; that is...sharp.
 
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Here's my #73 with Buffalo horn scales. Cool knife, dull upon delivery but sharpens up very nicely.
 
dan oliver said:
Sure I can sharpen a knife... Still, the GEC knives I bought should have been delivered to the end user in proper condition; that is...sharp.
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It's been an issue with GECs knives. I have several, and about half came really sharp, and the rest were not very sharp at all.
 
I have to get one this year, love the design, and the steel.

This is what I think of when I think of handman/gentlemen's knife...:o

I'm open to take free ones.;)
 
All my Great Easterns, 6 of them,have been very to absolutely sharp out of the tube. (a nice touch that rather than a box) The latest, a No.73 single blade flat bolster in Burnt Orange is hideously sharp.And watch yourself on that spring it's HEAVY,enough to take a limb off! Really nice knives these,quality and good to look at and use, the latest one is nice and slim a good deal less massive than their other knives.

I would be really happy to visit their plant or any knifeworks,but as I'm a European it's less likely.tCuriously, the Queen Cutlery knives I have in D2 have ALL been totally blunt and frankly unsharpened when I got them. It can be a tough(literally) job licking these into shape,otherwise very good knives.Why can'y Queen address this bluntness issue?
 
My tractor red #23 came with a loose blade and gaps between the scales & the liners in the butt end (bare head).

I sent it back and they tightened up the blade just fine but the gaps are still there.

I'd say a quick sharpening session is no big deal.
 
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