GEC #47 Harvester and #74 Cotton Sampler. First 2023 run.

[Will Power]

My #74 is a little disappointing with this shield cutout work.

Mmh not so good no, mine is excellently fitted, flush and square. You might try a strop loaded with green and polish it a bit with it, might tone it down, wear will help too I suspect.

 

[Alex.Y.]

Late to the party I hear you cry! Well just glanced at our friend from Iceland's posting...we will have call it a draw as it arrived yesterday as well! The exact collection time was 19.29 yesterday and I think Iceland is 2 hours behind but remarkable they appear the same day!

I must send greetings to @paulhilborn who very kindly helped obtain the knife for me and it WOULD have beaten Jacques Mi has the packet not been sent back to paul as it was about to leave the USA for some odd reason, conspiracy... I'm deeply impressed with it, don't find the pull light on mine and I've oiled the Micarta for a more uniform look. Best GEC for some years I feel .

Very nice looking it became, man!

Also, given that an unjigged stripe near the lanyard tube is clearly visible here, I feel I should finally ask if anyone knows why did this happened? Is that because of the tube itself so the jigging machine... erm... slipped on it and landed a bit further? Or their jigging tool is pretty narrow and had to go twice on a single cover and missed a spot? I see that "line" on every example.

 

[Jiki]

Very nice looking it became, man!

Also, given that an unjigged stripe near the lanyard tube is clearly visible here, I feel I should finally ask if anyone knows why did this happened? Is that because of the tube itself so the jigging machine... erm... slipped on it and landed a bit further? Or their jigging tool is pretty narrow and had to go twice on a single cover and missed a spot? I see that "line" on every example.

The slabs are jigged before holes are cut and assembly. The jigging process is very guarded and secret, so I don't think anyone outside of a few at GEC knows the answers you seek. Mine does not have that.

 

[Alex.Y.]

The slabs are jigged before holes are cut and assembly.

Yeah, forgot about that really...

The jigging process is very guarded and secret, so I don't think anyone outside of a few at GEC knows the answers you seek.

I thought maybe someone has at least an idea on that. I'd guess they use something like a hand jigging device pictured in David Anthony's book "GEC, An American Tradition", but more industrial. Some rotating cylinder with jigging studs maybe.

Mine does not have that.

Cool! You are lucky.

 

[Jiki]

Cool! You are lucky.

Not really, these types things do not bother me.

 

[Badger28]

I’m loving this run. A little funky, affordable, and just plain cool. Good user knives with some really neat GEC details.

 

[Old Engineer]

This one came in this morning :

This is a very well built knife . It is the first Jigged Micarta Knife that I have ever had and will most likely be my last one . Personal Preference only . The only thing I dislike about it is that the corner edges are not a little rounded off . Since I will most likely never use it , I will not even try to sand the edges down . Every thing else is IMO Spot On and I am very happy that I have it and now the set .

Harry

 

[Jiki]

This one came in this morning :

This is a very well built knife . It is the first Jigged Micarta Knife that I have ever had and will most likely be my last one . Personal Preference only . The only thing I dislike about it is that the corner edges are not a little rounded off . Since I will most likely never use it , I will not even try to sand the edges down . Every thing else is IMO Spot On and I am very happy that I have it and now the set .

Harry

Just a couple weeks of pocket time has mellowed the edge micarta quite a bit. Just my experience.

 

[HullK]

Got these late last week, really like both.

 

[echoscout]

 

[Heynowwww]

 

[Alex.Y.]

Is it normal that on my example micarta is witish, very rough, with threads exposed here and there?

It is actually worse in person than on the pictures. Can anyone suggest a method to make it look better? Sandpaper maybe?

 

[Heathenhymnal]

Is it normal that on my example micarta is witish, very rough, with threads exposed here and there?
View attachment 2114843
It is actually worse in person than on the pictures. Can anyone suggest a method to make it look better? Sandpaper maybe?

Mine is pretty similar. I've had the same result doing really rough textured micarta in my own projects so I think it's pretty normal for rough texturing. In my experience is smooths out and gets darker with use and handling. Could certainly take some high grit sandpaper to it though.

 

[Jiki]

Is it normal that on my example micarta is witish, very rough, with threads exposed here and there?
View attachment 2114843
It is actually worse in person than on the pictures. Can anyone suggest a method to make it look better? Sandpaper maybe?

I believe that is the nature of the beast. Once it is jigged it really can't be polished as you would find on traditional micarta. As I stated before the edges soften with use, I carried my sampler for 3 weeks and the edges got much softer. However not polished at all.

 

[birdsbeaks]

Is it normal that on my example micarta is witish, very rough, with threads exposed here and there?
View attachment 2114843
It is actually worse in person than on the pictures. Can anyone suggest a method to make it look better? Sandpaper maybe?

The youngsters today think that style of Micarta finishing is the cat's pajamas. The more dessicated in appearance - the better, as far as they're concerned.

I myself was initially caught off guard by the smooth finish found, for instance, on the recent Micarta variant of the 25 Beerlows. My preference lies somewhere between that and your pic, but ultimately - I'm fine with all of it.

Personally, I can't help myself but to fix what ain't broke -- and so, since I know the edges will soften and its appearance gradually change over time from the accumulation of oils and normal handling; I figure I'll just force the crisis with a dab of mineral oil and days (weeks) of honest use and copious fondling.

 

[Alex.Y.]

Mine is pretty similar. I've had the same result doing really rough textured micarta in my own projects so I think it's pretty normal for rough texturing. In my experience is smooths out and gets darker with use and handling. Could certainly take some high grit sandpaper to it though.

Thanks, I'll definitely try sandpaper. I can't stand it's current state. Would never thought I'll need to touch up a new GEC knife, apart from the sharpening.

Once it is jigged it really can't be polished as you would find on traditional micarta.

That's sad. I never actually liked micarta until I got me a GEC 62 in polished black linen micarta, it was something absolutely different from lot's of Chinese things I've seen, and even from Benchmade. I think I overlooked that ragged character of jigged one in every picture I've seen here, lol.

The youngsters today think that style of Micarta finishing is the cat's pajamas. The more dessicated in appearance - the better, as far as they're concerned.

I'm not with them on that, if I got you right. I love me a polished one, like on some other GECs.

I figure I'll just force the crisis with a dab of mineral oil and days (weeks) of honest use and copious fondling.

Speaking of oil, my Harvester's handle was kind of soaked in it. I guess they made that for the purpose you mentioned.

Overall, that one gave me a slight feeling of China, ha-ha. I know, I tend to wine (as some would name it) a lot here, but that's usually in a "harmless" way. But that 47 is a first GEC knife I can honestly say I am a little bit of disappointed with. Hope sandpaper will help a bit. Oiling and frequent use might be a solution as well, but I don't like handling oily things, and a pruning knife is not something that I see a lots of use in.


UPDATE: it took 5 minutes and 400 to 2500 grit sandpaper to make it satisfying enough to forget about the initial issue. I think GEC would need 30 seconds or less to achieve the same.


It is even a bit shiny on the tops.

 

[Heathenhymnal]

Thanks, I'll definitely try sandpaper. I can't stand it's current state. Would never thought I'll need to touch up a new GEC knife, apart from the sharpening.


That's sad. I never actually liked micarta until I got me a GEC 62 in polished black linen micarta, it was something absolutely different from lot's of Chinese things I've seen, and even from Benchmade. I think I overlooked that ragged character of jigged one in every picture I've seen here, lol.


I'm not with them on that, if I got you right. I love me a polished one, like on some other GECs.

Speaking of oil, my Harvester's handle was kind of soaked in it. I guess they made that for the purpose you mentioned.

Overall, that one gave me a slight feeling of China, ha-ha. I know, I tend to wine (as some would name it) a lot here, but that's usually in a "harmless" way. But that 47 is a first GEC knife I can honestly say I am a little bit of disappointed with. Hope sandpaper will help a bit. Oiling and frequent use might be a solution as well, but I don't like handling oily things, and a pruning knife is not something that I see a lots of use in.


UPDATE: it took 5 minutes and 400 to 2500 grit sandpaper to make it satisfying enough to forget about the initial issue. I think GEC would need 30 seconds or less to achieve the same.
View attachment 2116095
View attachment 2116096
It is even a bit shiny on the tops.

Awesome! Glad you got it to how you want it! Looks like it should still be plenty grippy too.

 

[Jiki]

UPDATE: it took 5 minutes and 400 to 2500 grit sandpaper to make it satisfying enough to forget about the initial issue. I think GEC would need 30 seconds or less to achieve the same.

So by saving 30,000 seconds everyone still has the option for the finish they want.

 

[Bradleyo]

Here’s mine

 

[sf fanatic]

So by saving 30,000 seconds everyone still has the option for the finish they want.

If I’m not mistaken I believe our Porch friend Will Power achieved similar results by just oiling the covers. See post #237. Either way they look great!