GEC #48 Dogleg Jack

They're really nice. They have a nice pull, almost what I would consider light-to-medium. The profile feels great in the hand. The two-bladed is definitely interesting, but the spey blade looks thin (blade height-wise) to me for how long it is.
 
Yeah, I've seen 'em up close...:D

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It's a great pattern in a great size - long enough to provide a good blade length, but it still rides slim in the pocket. :thumbup:
 
Fairhaven, I assume you're talking about the new single blade #48 with big clip that GEC just finished? I have one in so far and I'm waiting on a few more before I take/post any pics. The one I have is one of the single blade models GEC is calling their Dogleg Jack this time around. I found the fit and finish nice as all of GEC's #48s but this one also had a slightly lighter pull than I expected. Maybe a 4 on the pull scale, kind of like the 440C #48s GEC made in 2012 but with a big clip. Being a big clip and single blade, this model is also easy to pinch open. I think these are great if you have problems opening a hard sprung knife. I find this one to be easier to open than the original GEC made Scagel Fruitports or the newer Northfields Hawthorns on spring tension alone.

The 2 blade models have the same big clips that GEC has used in the past on the dogleg (actual) jacks (because they also had pen blades) and on the Western trappers. The spey blade is the one they used on the original trappers that came out in 2010. This time around there was an SFO specifying the large clip with the slim spey so that's what they made.

I guess I only have 2 complaints this time around... The first is the naming of the single blade model. To me a jack should have a pen blade *like the middle knife in Smithhammer's pic above*. They should have came up with a different name for it. The original *single blade* ones with the narrow clip blade, like on *similar to* Smithhammer's Improved Trapper and Diamond jack (left and right), were just called Slimline trappers. The second complaint is that I've found the jack configurations to be my favorite iteration of the #48 and I wish they made a few with pen blade secondaries this time around.

edit: added some clarifications in between the **
 
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Good points, Trand and I would agree.

Btw, the #48 in the middle above is a 2-blade jack, pen behind the main:

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Yep, I forgot to mention that part. Perfect example of what they could have put out this time around and it would actually be a jack :)
 
Thanks for the information. I have a #48 (the new ones) in stag, ebony, and red jigged in the single clip (dogleg jack) on order. I really like single blade clip knives and this looked like a winner for me. Thanks again. I will post a review when they arrive.
 
I just got my 2 ebony tidioutes in. One trapper and one jack.

Love the jack, handsome knife that's easily pinchable but with confident snap.

The trapper, on the other hand... This is the first GEC knife I've ever handled that had a lazy snap. Hard to even believe, but it does. The pull is probably a 2-3 and the snap is too weak for me to consider tolerable. The pull and snap on the spey blade are fine. This one's going back.

In good news, they did a really nice job on the pins with these. Not proud, not sunk... just right.

Oh... and they're nice and sharp.
 
Pics of the single blade... This is my first 48 and I LOVE the way it feels in the hand! Great size, balance, it's nice and slim and extremely pocket friendly!

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With an 85 for reference...

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I'm waiting on the Northfields as well, but figured I'd post a pic of the ebony and maroon micarta ones I got this week. I prefer the standard clip blade as opposed to the muskrat clip. These make an awesome single blade knife. I think this is my absolute favorite pattern that GEC makes. Perfect size and the handle shape really melts in your hand. For the two blade models, I have to say that I prefer the muskrat clip and straight Spey though because they sit lower in the handle.

I agree with Trand that these single blades shouldn't be called jacks. I always consider a jack style to be 2 blades that open on the same end. Truth is, I tend to ignore the names.... the knives themselves are great!

Here they are next to a black lip pearl LG:

The pull is a bit lighter on these but both of mine still have good walk and talk. The maroon is actually pretty dark. Had a hard time getting a good photo of it. Will try again when the Northfields arrive.
 
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I received one Northfield yesterday. I have a couple more on the way, but the postal service is lagging. I figured I'd post a couple more pics of these in the meantime.

GEC has done a fantastic job on these. The pins are at perfect depth with the heads just being kissed by the buffer. Nice medium pull with excellent walk and talk, along with the back spring being flush in open and closed positions. The half stops are still a little off, but that doesn't bother me. Overall, these are very well done.



Slightly better pic of the maroon micarta:
 
2Dead said:
The second complaint is that I've found the jack configurations to be my favorite iteration of the #48 and I wish they made a few with pen blade secondaries this time around.
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Trand, do you think that this might have been due to the success of Derek's Hawthorn?
 
draggat said:
I received one Northfield yesterday. I have a couple more on the way, but the postal service is lagging. I figured I'd post a couple more pics of these in the meantime.

GEC has done a fantastic job on these. The pins are at perfect depth with the heads just being kissed by the buffer. Nice medium pull with excellent walk and talk, along with the back spring being flush in open and closed positions. The half stops are still a little off, but that doesn't bother me. Overall, these are very well done.

Slightly better pic of the maroon micarta:
Click to expand...
Beautiful!!

pmew said:
Trand, do you think that this might have been due to the success of Derek's Hawthorn?
Click to expand...
Possibly. I can see the popularity of the Hawthorns inspiring GEC to make their own version. Perhaps they inspired the Buckeye Trapper SFO which led GEC to make a few more clip blades for their own knives.
 
I've been carrying my single blade for the first time today, and I love the size of this knife. It's smaller than I thought it would be, and so slim and easy in the pocket. I think I need to try a double blade one next. Great size for a pocket knife.
 
I tried so hard to get a hold of one of the single blade tortoise shell acrylic version they just released but I wasn't able to secure one. Seems like every dealer I contacted I would be second on their list but they only ended up getting 1 from GEC. :(
 
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