GEC 2023 #87 English Jack

I was on the site within seconds of the notification and the giraffe bone was "closed" from the start. I was going after a jigged bone anyway and got one... or at least I'm on the standby. Knowing GEC, I'm betting a Northfield trim english jack is going to have some killer jigged bone.
 
I am looking forward to these English Jacks. Depending on how the reserve list shakes out at Mike's, I hope to come away with a Tidioute and a Northfield. I'm also hoping to scoop up an OKCA club knife at the show but we will see how fortune treats me those days.

It's a great pattern with a useful blade combo - should prove to be a great release from GEC.
 
Coal Oil Johnny's details...

#87 Coal Oil Johnny Oil Well Sucker Rod Wood Wrench Shield-2.jpg

#87 Coal Oil Johnny Oil Well Sucker Rod Wood Wrench Shield.jpg


Coal-Oil-Johnny-AOGHS.jpgCoal-Oil-Johnny-Art-AOGHS.jpg

Philadelphia journalists coined the name “Coal Oil Johnny” for him, reportedly because of his attachment to a custom carriage that had black oil derricks spouting dollar symbols painted on its red doors. He later confessed in his autobiography:
I spent my money foolishly, recklessly, wickedly, gave it away without excuse; threw dollars to street urchins to see them scramble; tipped waiters with five and ten dollar bills; was intoxicated most of the time, and kept the crowd surrounding me usually in the same condition.‎

aoghs.org

Legend of "Coal Oil Johnny"

Lucky life of John Steele and America's earliest petroleum riches. The good fortune on John Washington Steele began on December 10, 1844, when
aoghs.org aoghs.org
 
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I reserved a cherry wood and royal blue acrylic. These look like a pattern I’ll actually carry and use.
 
JoKr said:
Coal Oil Johnny's details...

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Philadelphia journalists coined the name “Coal Oil Johnny” for him, reportedly because of his attachment to a custom carriage that had black oil derricks spouting dollar symbols painted on its red doors. He later confessed in his autobiography:
I spent my money foolishly, recklessly, wickedly, gave it away without excuse; threw dollars to street urchins to see them scramble; tipped waiters with five and ten dollar bills; was intoxicated most of the time, and kept the crowd surrounding me usually in the same condition.‎

aoghs.org

Legend of "Coal Oil Johnny"

Lucky life of John Steele and America's earliest petroleum riches. The good fortune on John Washington Steele began on December 10, 1844, when
aoghs.org aoghs.org
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I don't understand that tendency to perpetuate such characters. Ben Hogan, French Kate, Coal Oil Johnny... Who's next, Henry Holmes? To say that Americans don't have anyone else to honor would not be true. So why? Those people aren't even related to knives! And GEC won't even need to think hard of who to dedicate their knives to, just look at the David L. Anthony's book about them: Charles Platts, Henry Gill, Vern Atkins are those that just came to my mind first. They were part of GEC's main brands' history, why not to tell about them and make a knife or two in their honor? I wouldn't even mind if Bill Howard made a knife with his own portrait on it and his own history on the tube, why not? Or at least some real national heroes of America, maybe some not very well known, it's all up to them. There was at least one knife with a "Famous Cowboys" topic on the tube, but I don't hear about it anymore.
 
Alex.Y. said:
I don't understand that tendency to perpetuate such characters. Ben Hogan, French Kate, Coal Oil Johnny... Who's next, Henry Holmes? To say that Americans don't have anyone else to honor would not be true. So why? Those people aren't even related to knives! And GEC won't even need to think hard of who to dedicate their knives to, just look at the David L. Anthony's book about them: Charles Platts, Henry Gill, Vern Atkins are those that just came to my mind first. They were part of GEC's main brands' history, why not to tell about them and make a knife or two in their honor? I wouldn't even mind if Bill Howard made a knife with his own portrait on it and his own history on the tube, why not? Or at least some real national heroes of America, maybe some not very well known, it's all up to them. There was at least one knife with a "Famous Cowboys" topic on the tube, but I don't hear about it anymore.
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I think most of them are just simple tributes to local PA history rather than intending to be national heroes or anything.
 
maybe its just a bit of harmless fun and americana. Look at the bowie knife for example, i am sure if they could, there would be a company that would capitalize on that for every cent they can milk it. Also if you ever meet Bill and get to know him, he is not one to go for all of that. He could've put an H or B or W on every one of those barlows if he was inclined. Bill's legacy will endure in the Queen, S&M and now his own GEC knives that he has put so much effort into.
 
mrknife said:
maybe its just a bit of harmless fun and americana. Look at the bowie knife for example, i am sure if they could, there would be a company that would capitalize on that for every cent they can milk it. Also if you ever meet Bill and get to know him, he is not one to go for all of that. He could've put an H or B or W on every one of those barlows if he was inclined. Bill's legacy will endure in the Queen, S&M and now his own GEC knives that he has put so much effort into.
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Agreed I like the simple nods to local history vs going into overall American history and lore
 
Alex.Y. said:
I don't understand that tendency to perpetuate such characters. Ben Hogan, French Kate, Coal Oil Johnny... Who's next, Henry Holmes? To say that Americans don't have anyone else to honor would not be true. So why? Those people aren't even related to knives! And GEC won't even need to think hard of who to dedicate their knives to, just look at the David L. Anthony's book about them: Charles Platts, Henry Gill, Vern Atkins are those that just came to my mind first. They were part of GEC's main brands' history, why not to tell about them and make a knife or two in their honor? I wouldn't even mind if Bill Howard made a knife with his own portrait on it and his own history on the tube, why not? Or at least some real national heroes of America, maybe some not very well known, it's all up to them. There was at least one knife with a "Famous Cowboys" topic on the tube, but I don't hear about it anymore.
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So GEC isn’t making knives to your specs or naming knives to your satisfaction either? I guess it’s time you start your own brand and show them how it’s done.
 
Erik Hansen said:
In this case, using Coal Oil Johnny is about the history of Titusville more than about famous Americans.
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Heathenhymnal said:
I think most of them are just simple tributes to local PA history rather than intending to be national heroes or anything.
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Oh, that makes sense. I guess I never thought about that from this angle of view. Or maybe I did, but covid made my memory much worse, so I forgot. Thanks for the explanation, guys!

mrknife said:
maybe its just a bit of harmless fun and americana
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Maybe it is, I agree. Maybe I just take things too serious.


DustinK said:
So GEC isn’t making knives to your specs or naming knives to your satisfaction either?
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I stand for what I've said, not for what you've heard.
DustinK said:
I guess it’s time you start your own brand and show them how it’s done.
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Someday maybe, who knows.
 
Alex.Y. said:
Oh, that makes sense. I guess I never thought about that from this angle of view. Or maybe I did, but covid made my memory much worse, so I forgot. Thanks for the explanation, guys!
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Yeah I just see it kind of the same as like the local breweries in my area often name beers after local history or monuments or colorful characters, and it's not even always necessarily a tribute but more just a fun reminder of an interesting tidbit of local history. I always enjoy it because they often make me aware of little pieces of local history I didn't previously know about. Plus I think with GEC being a traditional pocket knife maker with a strong interest in the history and traditions of the industry it just kind of makes sense to tie historic patterns to other pieces of history in that way.
 
I love the “colorful” tributes. They’re fascinating little vignettes, windows into the past, bad but not “too” bad (so, tasteful, not like we’re celebrating serial killers or something) far more real and interesting than yet another “George Washington commemorative limited edition” whatzit, also more interesting than a commemoration of some guy who we know little about who lived responsibly and ran a moderately successful 19th century cutlery factory… They usually have a close tie to local Pennsylvania history, which makes GEC the epitome of an “authentic” local brand. On that note, come to think of it, I’d respect Rough Rider a lot more if they also made knives in local styles that came with stories about famous bandits from whatever Chinese province they’re made in.
 
Randy posted a video explaining that this is the 3rd knife in the Oildom series. 65 and the 29 being the first two. So it is a definite tribute to the oil history of Western PA. He also explained that the 87 is a Washington Jack stretched to the length of the 65 in order to use the WJ bolsters and the 65 blade. Also again that the pen is from the 78.
 
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