GEC “Hard Use”

[lonestar1979]

I'm sticking to victorinox,and most versatile pocket knife ever.has never let me down even for harder tasks and tools are super useful too ,even toothpick(was eating olives in bar).have lot of traditional but this outperforms almost everything.

 

[tomsch]

^^__ I agree about the Vic comment. I have a 2005 Alox Soldier that has been used for all kinds of hard use without any effect. Given that the design is meant to be twisted in the case of the flatblade screwdriver and awl is a testament to just how solid these knives are.

 

[lonestar1979]

Alox models are excellent too,have couple.Will be buying and using more victorinox knives ,and I can't say that for other major companies.victorinox knives can be used in public too anywhere and do not look tactical or scary.they certainly can be used as tacticals ,even as self defense knife if you have training,especially the locking ones.Tools are useful and I use some kind of tool on them daily.

 

[Mikael W]

How “hard” do you use your knives, and how are they holding up over time? What types of tasks do you put them up against, and how do they fare?

While waiting on my beloved 72 LB to come back from warranty (blade play, front to back, per ‘usual’ on the 72’s. No big deal) I’ve been using my next favorite, my little 83 LB.

“So is this much blade play ok or not ok in your opinion?” (As he fondles my knife). I’m thinking to myself, “wait, what?? Blade play? On my rock solid 83? No way.” and sure enough, she’s rocking back and forth when in the open and locked position.

I would really like to hear others discuss experiences, and opinions.

I have 5 GEC lockbacks all in stag:
1 #65 Ben Hogan, no bladeplay at all.
2 #42 Missouri Trader, minor up&down play on both
1 #72 Cody Scout, noticeable up&down play
1 #83 Tascosa Lockback, major bladeplay both horizontal and vertical.

I use my folding knives both at home and at work for light to medium chores.
For heavy duty I take a fixed blade.
Light duty's are like opening boxes, soft plastic, envelopes & food.
Medium work can be detailed cuts into wood, hard thermoplastics and boxcutting.
Hard work for me are heavy cuts into wood, glassfibre reinforced plastic, hardened epoxy & antler.

I dislike up&down play but I can live with it.
I hope GEC will solve this on upcoming LB models.
Side to side play is unacceptable for me and the #83 needed to be fixed.

As I like Will live in Europe, sending a knife back to PA isn't an option, so I fixed it myself.
I put in a new pivotpin and made it protruding on both sides of the bolsters.
The pin was then peened and rounded.
This cured the sideplay, but the up&down play is still there.

I like the #83 very much and I continue to use it.
The design is too good to stay in the drawer.


Regards
Mikael

 

[sitflyer]

I would really like to hear others discuss experiences, and opinions.

I was gifted a 440c GEC lock back, maybe a 72 I'll have to dig it out...but after only a short time of use, and light use, it went from solid lockup, to up & down play. It is noticeable. This does not stop me from using the knife when I choose to carry it, but the fact that this knife developed excessive play, and after reading many reports from others with similar issues, it is the one and only GEC lock back that I own, and will ever own. I do own many lock backs by various makers, and the GEC is the most egregious offender as far as lock play that I have personally experienced. This is a one knife example so take from that what you will.

I do however own many GEC knives, and have found that their liner lock versions are exemplary in performance and endurance, my personal favorite being the 23 models. They are a big knife, and are robustly built. gec's particular version of a liner lock is a well thought out design, and does hold up to some heavy use. GEC in general is a rather quirky company, and they do things how the owner likes, and because he is not personally fond of 440C steel, they do very limited offerings in that steel, though the ones they do, the heat treat really makes them shine. I don't know how he feels about lock backs, but if the evidence is in the pudding, they are not a top priority on the plate...seeing as they have been making them for several years now, and the lock play issue still seems to show up. I have ten dollar Chinese lock backs that I have beat the snot out of, and they lock up tighter than my particular example of a GEC lock back, I would advise against them if asked...

 

[btb01]

I own a few GEC lockbacks, and have never found any of them to have any noticeable blade play, but I haven't really been looking for it either. I will say that, in general, I feel like GEC's tolerances are as good or better than any other non-custom traditional knife manufacturer (with the exception of Victorinox).

(In my world, it is called a "dead nuts tolerance"...

I think Marisa Tomei used a similar term to describe a torque wrench in My Cousin Vinny...

 

[J_Curd]

The construction of a "riveted" pin in a Vic SAK is much different than a traditional "pressure fit" pin. A bit apples and oranges; rivets hold up better on pure mechanics.

 

[solphilos]

The construction of a "riveted" pin in a Vic SAK is much different than a traditional "pressure fit" pin. A bit apples and oranges; rivets hold up better on pure mechanics.

Are the pins on most traditionals not peened over? Not to derail the thread, but I'm about to mod a TL-29 and you may have just saved me from a huge mistake...
I thought the pivot pin was peened into a countersunk hole in the bolster, then ground flush. Is this incorrect?

 

[J_Curd]

Most often, yes....how much it is ground away during finishing greatly affects longevity.

 

[B.F.U]

I cut then pryed open a can with my Unicorn Ivory #25 the other day. It didn't develop more blade play. It already had a little from me fixing the grinding issue. I think slipjoints can be used pretty hard if done intelligently and without regard to the aesthetics of the knife.

 

[lonestar1979]

I'm sure gec makes great knives ,and for price they should be very durable for almost any task.I have used and abused some of my victorinox and Wenger knives and tools on it and never had any problems with it besides few dents in blade that I made by prying lock on door ,and that were sharpened out easily.one had spring problem out of factory and that's it.maybe gec has quality control problem as I'm sure their knives are pretty durable and beautiful too.I'm planing to get one soon too.you can't simply beat victorinox knives and their usefulness for price.

 

[Bugdoc]

My take is that GEC makes many wonderful patterns of trad knives, but most aren't meant for what I'd call hard use. For me that's outdoor use (yard, garden, hiking and fishing). I can't say I've challenged one enough to assess the development of blade play nor do I have a GEC LB, but for me the carbon steel edge just doesn't hold up as well as a good mid-level SS. (That's not to say that a good carbon steel can't stay sharp, just that it needs a lot more attention.)

My other peeve, while cosmetic only, is that GEC cannot consistently avoid sunken pins in my experience. While some of mine look great, others look deep enough to lose something in it. My Case knives by comparison have beautiful pins.

 

[Sacto]

It seems “hard use” is rather subjective, but from what I can tell, GEC knives are meant to be used as a knife should be used. I don’t know if mine see “hard” use, but they get used everyday for what I would call good, honest knife use on a cattle ranch. That means cutting open a lot of bags of mineral, cutting open pallets, big zip ties, cropping ears, hay twine, castrating, cutting plastic pipe, etc. A lot of stuff that knives should be used for, and some stuff a knife shouldn’t be used for, like cutting the bottom out of a thick plastic supplement tub. I pretty much carry either a GEC or a Case every day and haven’t seen either variety develop any blade play, but I don’t have any GEC lock backs. The GEC is either a hayn helper or a 15. I will say that I’ve only been carrying GECs for a couple or three years, but if they haven’t had problems yet it probably isn’t going to happen.