GEC #72 Wharncliffe Lockback

[Rick]

Not too shabby. This sample of GEC's #72 lockback locks up tighter than any I've messed with so far. There's still a RCH of vertical play, but none laterally. And! I'm amazed to report that it actually sports a reasonable facsimile of something vaguely resembling a cutting edge. Nothing to write home about, but it can kinda/sorta make its way through a sheet of printer paper without tearing . Way ta go, GEC!:thumbup: (Sarcasm, in case you missed it.)

I managed to find one with some relatively black ebony scales (lucky #13!) amid those with an abundance of brownish streaks, but the ebony still isn't quite as nice as the stuff GEC used on a limited run of Scouts for Cumberland a few years back. After a bit of Renaissance Wax I think it's looking pretty nice, all things considered.

I complained about the boxy Wharncliffe profile in another post, and just to reiterate the point here: I sure wish GEC would give their Wharnie spines a continuous tapering curve from tip to tang, rather than stamping 'em out with a rectangular profile that decides to begin its curve somewhere around the halfway point. They did give the blade a nice thickness taper, so the point is relatively fine without seeming inordinately fragile.

Note how far the Wharncliffe blade extends beyond the handle in the closed position compared to the clip point. The handle is noticeably slimmer in ebony compared to the red stag version, so that helps to keep things pocket friendly.

All in all, I think it's a very nice knife, and IMO, a decent value, as well. Recommended.

 

[.41Dude]

YOU are THE MAN :thumbup: :thumbup:

Great pictures. I love the stag AND the Ebony.

 

[coyote711]

Beautiful knife, Rick. I did a double take (or triple) on this photo, looking and wondering why the spine of your knife was green and why the blade was soooo thin ..... . (And I'm not even blonde ). That certainly shows how even the swedges are on this beauty. Wonderful photography as usual! :thumbup: Love that red stag, too!!!

 

[Brennanscott]

Is the fit and finish usually that good on GEC's? That is pretty impressive looking for a production slip joint. I am really starting to fall in love with these.

 

[Mack]

Now that is a lockback I could really fall for.

 

[DennisStrickland]

fantastic pics rick as usual. you certainly are a good friend to gec. although you are'nt timid in construction critiques your pics are absolutely seductive. my ebony wharnie should be here tomorrow. it seems like the total black ebony we have in the cumberland scout will not make an appearance for a while.if i may ask a personal question;are you a professional photographer?dennis

 

[Rick]

Thanks, guys.

Beautiful knife, Rick. I did a double take (or triple) on this photo, looking and wondering why the spine of your knife was green and why the blade was soooo thin ..... . (And I'm not even blonde ). That certainly shows how even the swedges are on this beauty. Wonderful photography as usual! :thumbup: Love that red stag, too!!!

LOL (literally) - I never noticed that. It really does look like the blade is paper-thin and part of the backspring is missing! Now, a really good photographer would have avoided that weird green reflection...somehow .

 

[cj65]

Great pics Rick. GEC really looks great. I wish I could find them in a local brick and mortar store. Do you go anywhere in L.A? I shop at Recon1, but not much traditional. I also have been to Plaza Cutlery (hundreds of slipjoints in stock!) at Orange Co. Plaza, but would love to know if there is somewhere I am missing. Thanks,

Chris

P.S. I do a lot of work in L.A. right now, and will be in the future, would love to find some new shops.

 

[dc50]

Awesome photos, also thank you for the review.

That's the knife I've been debating on ordering, whether I should go with the Wharncliffe or Clip point? I really like the looks of the Wharncliffe, but I suppose its limited in use over the Clip blade.

You were saying there is some blade play, is it enough to make one disappointed in the knife?

 

[Rick]

Is the fit and finish usually that good on GEC's? .

I think so. Like most any production manufacturer, GEC's quality can vary slightly from knife to knife; some have a slight gap here, or a hint of play there, and an occasional light scuff or scratch isn't unheard of, but in my experience, GEC is probably as good as it currently gets for the asking price, as long as you favor their decidedly robust designs and don't mind sharpening a brand new knife with a dull factory edge.

if i may ask a personal question;are you a professional photographer?dennis

You're very kind, my friend, but heck no. I'm a novice with a lot to learn.

 

[Modoc ED]

Very, very nice Rick. The ebony scales are great. The blade's swedge is extremely well done. GEC is turning out very solid knives these days.

 

[Rick]

Thanks again.

Great pics Rick. GEC really looks great. I wish I could find them in a local brick and mortar store. Do you go anywhere in L.A?

The truth is, I'm too cheap and lazy to seek out the brick and mortar knife stores. The interwebs are just so convenient and competitive price-wise that I haven't felt compelled to visit a local shop in years.

You were saying there is some blade play, is it enough to make one disappointed in the knife?

In my experience, GEC's lockbacks don't lockup as tightly as those from some of the other popular lockback manufacturers like Case, Buck, Queen and even Rough Rider, but the amount of blade play is typically negligible from a functional standpoint, and only really an issue aesthetically. Most of the GEC lockbacks I've handled have just a hint of vertical play, but you occasionally get a hint of lateral play, as well. It's not a deal-breaker for me, but there is room for improvement. Sadly, if you expect a "bank vault" lock-up from the #72s, you may be a little disappointed.

 

[Brennanscott]

Thanks Rick, I'm gonna have to pull the trigger on one of these. That stag one in the picture is just insane.

 

[jujigatame]

Really nice pictures Rick. Is the blade tip close to poking out above the liners at all when closed or is it safely down below?

Also, and this ties in to your comments on the overall shape of the blade, the amount of pinchable blade in the closed position makes me think this model doesn't need the long pull. To my eye the pull just accentuates the straightness of the back half of the spine. Short of GEC shaping the blade as you describe, maybe just not having the pull would make it look a little less linear. (Hey, alliteration. My English teacher would be proud. )


-- Nate

 

[mhawg]

I like the ebony with some texture like that.

 

[Rick]

Ah - the vagaries of the #72 Wharncliffe. If you've owned a few lockbacks, you know that the blade often "floats" against the pivoting lockbar in the closed position: you can push it deeper into the handle against the spring tension. Well, being a Wharnie, this particular blade has a loooong way to go before something impedes its travel; in this case, the tip will eventually contact the internal lanyard tube (!), though I don't see this occurring under normal circumstances unless you mash it down there intentionally, as dumb-ass here is demonstrating below.

On the plus side, the wide profile of the closed knife slims down under tension, so it fits into various slip cases, etc., that seem too small at first glance. In this case (heh), a free cheapy clip-sheath from Mike Latham.

Really nice pictures Rick. Is the blade tip close to poking out above the liners at all when closed or is it safely down below?

Thanks, Nate. The tip is reasonably well-seated, but I can see how it might eventually be a close thing after a few sharpening sessions, as which point (ho!) the kick might need to be taken down a hair. As it is, I can run my finger across the handle at that point (ha) without feeling the tip.

Also, and this ties in to your comments on the overall shape of the blade, the amount of pinchable blade in the closed position makes me think this model doesn't need the long pull. To my eye the pull just accentuates the straightness of the back half of the spine. Short of GEC shaping the blade as you describe, maybe just not having the pull would make it look a little less linear. (Hey, alliteration. My English teacher would be proud. )

This blade could easily be pinched open by an elephant wearing welding gloves, so the pull is really only there for show. I completely agree about the long pull accentuating the boxy blade profile. The plain-Jane Tidioute version's standard nail-nick makes the blade profile appear a little more graceful, but I tend to favor the fancy-ass accouterments of the Northfields.

 

[DennisStrickland]

rick has certainly profiled gec pocketknives as well as any previous commentator." gec is probably as good as it currently gets for the asking price---if you do'nt mind sharpening a brand new knife with a dull factory edge." my friends i only wish i could have stated the summation as supremely.
dennis

 

[Mad_Maxx]

really nice combo there!

 

[neeman]

You just tipped me over the edge. I will be getting one

Great photos

 

[cnas122]

That is a great looking knife. Awesome score. The swedge and pull on that is killer