GEC #35 Churchill Thread

Fire Beard, I know it probably won't make ya feel any better about it, but I just got my ebony on Wednesday and it also has a little divot like yours on the pile side top pin.

If I was gonna put it up in my collection I would definitely consider exchanging it, but I got great looking black wood and excellent walk and talk. This ebony 35 has a pretty bad case of "sunken pins" (6 of 8 are pretty deep), but lucky for me, this isn't one of the knife nut things I'm weird about.
 
After a hard day at work with the 35 its now time for it to play and bond with a roommate :D
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Fire Beard said:
My ebony came in a couple of days ago and it’s fantastic. To echo the praises that’ve already been sung:

EXCELLENT fit. Two blades packed tightly into a thin, solid frame. Zero blade rub. The pull on the main is a solid 5.5 for me, good snap opening and closing (after flushing the pivot with oil). Secondary is a 6.5 pull and extremely thin.

This is the sharpest GEC (out of the tube) I’ve ever received. They’ve certainly upped their sharpening game over the years.

One issue: while I’m not going to gripe about the sunk pins, one of the pin holes seems to have been slapped in rather carelessly. I’m not sure how the pins are placed and then punched in, but something went wrong on mine, as you can see from the photo below. This isn’t a crack or chip. Anyone know how this could’ve happened? I’m not going to lie and say this doesn’t bug me a little bit, because it does. I opted not to send it back because the action and fit on my example is perfect (for me) and I didn’t want to risk getting a different one I didn’t like as much.

Any insights from those that know more about the manufacturing process than me? Should I be worried about this? And finally: can I remedy this with a bit of dark wood putty? Thanks in advance!

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If I received an ebony knife with slabs as deep and dark as those seem to e I'd count myself lucky because the ones I've received lately are not that nice...enjoy!
 
My 35 ebony next to a #68.
I think most like the all black ebony but I couldn't be happier with this sample.:)
The other side has very thin light streaks but I couldn't capture them with my cell phone.
Right out of the box, excellent walk and talk no blade rub. On my cougar clawed the blades close with out rub but if you push on the sheepsfoot when opening it can lightly rub the clip. That is not an issue i am concerned about. On the ebony that does not happen.
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Dean51 said:
My 35 ebony next to a #68.
I think most like the all black ebony but I couldn't be happier with this sample.:)
The other side has very thin light streaks but I couldn't capture them with my cell phone.
Right out of the box, excellent walk and talk no blade rub. On my cougar clawed the blades close with out rub but if you push on the sheepsfoot when opening it can lightly rub the clip. That is not an issue i am concerned about. On the ebony that does not happen.
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Those are really special slabs! I like the light swirls.
 
Kiteman72 said:
Fire Beard, I know it probably won't make ya feel any better about it, but I just got my ebony on Wednesday and it also has a little divot like yours on the pile side top pin.

If I was gonna put it up in my collection I would definitely consider exchanging it, but I got great looking black wood and excellent walk and talk. This ebony 35 has a pretty bad case of "sunken pins" (6 of 8 are pretty deep), but lucky for me, this isn't one of the knife nut things I'm weird about.
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Thanks for your reply. It actually does make me feel a bit better knowing I didn’t get the only ebony with this issue! This one is going to be a user as well, so I’ll get over it.
TheFactor said:
I always try to find the nice way to look at things :)
But seriously that has some nice deep black Ebony covers.
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Appreciate the good insight! Excellent looking stag on yours! Nice score.
rbeggs said:
If I received an ebony knife with slabs as deep and dark as those seem to e I'd count myself lucky because the ones I've received lately are not that nice...enjoy!
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Great point. These slabs are a very deep black. The darkest ebony I’ve had on a GEC. The divot bugs me less and less the more I carry the knife. I just hope it never spreads/gets bigger.
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Here’s a (bad) pic of it next to a GEC in African Blackwood. Much darker, although it’s tough to tell from my pic.
 
Dean, fine markings on that Ebony in my view, very attractive 'brindling' making it an unusual example:cool:

Regards, Will
 
Well, now that I've accepted that it's okay for me to keep some knives in nice condition and have a "collection" of what seems like the traditional sort I was on the fence about whether I should make my Green Banana Bone Churchill a user. On one hand it's nice and thin and easy to carry, a good size, great utilitarian blades combo, and ergonomic. But on the other hand it's so nice looking with the unique shield, good banana yellow color, and it seems like it'd be almost impossible to replace.

So of course, I dropped it a couple times this weekend. Thankfully it didn't do any serious damage, just some small nicks at the tip of the main blade bolster, but still. I think I'm gonna try to keep this one nice. I'd like to get one in ebony as a user, but it doesn't make sense financially. I'm thinking about getting a slip to carry it.

Anyone know a good slip for the #35?
 
L.H.S said:
Well, now that I've accepted that it's okay for me to keep some knives in nice condition and have a "collection" of what seems like the traditional sort I was on the fence about whether I should make my Green Banana Bone Churchill a user. On one hand it's nice and thin and easy to carry, a good size, great utilitarian blades combo, and ergonomic. But on the other hand it's so nice looking with the unique shield, good banana yellow color, and it seems like it'd be almost impossible to replace.

So of course, I dropped it a couple times this weekend. Thankfully it didn't do any serious damage, just some small nicks at the tip of the main blade bolster, but still. I think I'm gonna try to keep this one nice. I'd like to get one in ebony as a user, but it doesn't make sense financially. I'm thinking about getting a slip to carry it.

Anyone know a good slip for the #35?
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I’ve been carrying mine in a medium sized CK leather slip and the fit is perfect.
 
L.H.S said:
Well, now that I've accepted that it's okay for me to keep some knives in nice condition and have a "collection" of what seems like the traditional sort I was on the fence about whether I should make my Green Banana Bone Churchill a user. On one hand it's nice and thin and easy to carry, a good size, great utilitarian blades combo, and ergonomic. But on the other hand it's so nice looking with the unique shield, good banana yellow color, and it seems like it'd be almost impossible to replace.

So of course, I dropped it a couple times this weekend. Thankfully it didn't do any serious damage, just some small nicks at the tip of the main blade bolster, but still. I think I'm gonna try to keep this one nice. I'd like to get one in ebony as a user, but it doesn't make sense financially. I'm thinking about getting a slip to carry it.

Anyone know a good slip for the #35?
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I know a perfect one, check out AZ Slipcraft’s stuff on IG, I have one he made specifically fit for the 35. It takes a day or two to break in, but you’re Golden after that.
 
L.H.S said:
Well, now that I've accepted that it's okay for me to keep some knives in nice condition and have a "collection" of what seems like the traditional sort I was on the fence about whether I should make my Green Banana Bone Churchill a user. On one hand it's nice and thin and easy to carry, a good size, great utilitarian blades combo, and ergonomic. But on the other hand it's so nice looking with the unique shield, good banana yellow color, and it seems like it'd be almost impossible to replace.

So of course, I dropped it a couple times this weekend. Thankfully it didn't do any serious damage, just some small nicks at the tip of the main blade bolster, but still. I think I'm gonna try to keep this one nice. I'd like to get one in ebony as a user, but it doesn't make sense financially. I'm thinking about getting a slip to carry it.

Anyone know a good slip for the #35?
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I have several of his slips and there all first class craftsmanship.
Just send him a email and ask him what slip will work and he'll make one for you or tell you which one will work.
Excellent communication to :thumbsup:
https://hitchandtimber.com/

Heres one of mine for my Beer Scout
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If you go with a Hitch and Timber, you might want to reach out and see what colors are Horween and what colors are W&C leather. I’ve had Horween Dublin leather (from a different slip maker) that was beautiful and buttery smooth, but it tarnished my nickel silver bolsters every time.

It shouldn’t happen with veg tan leather, but it does with Horween for some reason. Maybe because chromexcel is produced in close proximity? I don’t know. But W&C shows no such issues.
 
Stropping Young Lad said:
If you go with a Hitch and Timber, you might want to reach out and see what colors are Horween and what colors are W&C leather. I’ve had Horween Dublin leather (from a different slip maker) that was beautiful and buttery smooth, but it tarnished my nickel silver bolsters every time.

It shouldn’t happen with veg tan leather, but it does with Horween for some reason. Maybe because chromexcel is produced in close proximity? I don’t know. But W&C shows no such issues.
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Do you plan to make any #35 slips?
 
I suspect this thread will gradually dwindle away soon so I'll do what I can for now to prevent it.

My fourth, and probably last, Churchill arrived today. I bought this one from a dealer who provides individual pics and I'm more than satisfied with the color of the Ebony wood on both sides. That brown streak under the shield is some kind of reflection or camera phenomenon and I don't see that brown patch under the front pin either with my spectacled eyes. This one has the best snap on both blades of the four Churchills that I own. Nothing at all to complain about. Very pleased.

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