GEC 86’s for 2023

As promised, reporting in. Very solid. Pretty heavy for it's size and single blade configuration. I can only imagine how the harness version must feel. Pull is totally 9/10. Glad it has more or less enough space to pinch it open, for I am not using my nails on this, no sir. One of the few GECs which required some edge fixing out of the tube, but it wasn't a big deal. Bocote on this run seem pretty consistent (in a good way), much less randomness in texture than, say, last 83s.

Overall, while many people seem to think of 86 frame as a golden mean in the matters of size and pocketability, I'd say that it should please modern knife lovers more, because it corresponds to modern folders' proportions. For me personally 86 is on the bigger side, comparatively.

Well, at least I finally got me a substitute for the Cocobolo 15 that I missed a few years back.

IMG_20230910_180910.jpg
 
Alex.Y. said:
For me personally 86 is on the bigger side, comparatively.

View attachment 2316631
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It's always interesting to read others' perceptions of a knife I'm familiar with and find how vastly they can differ. I was just thinking about how the 86 is of a pleasantly polite size - leaning, for me, somewhat toward the smaller end of the spectrum, comparatively. 🤷

https://imgur.com/a/IAIA9Yu
 
I’m sitting with this one this morning and probably every weekend for the foreseeable future. I managed to get a bocote river jack and a Waynorth ebony from this run as well. I like them both very much, but this one is my favorite. It’s the first GEC barlow and spear I’ve carried (I can’t take the Beerlow very seriously) and the action is nice and robust.IMG_4453.jpeg
 
Frank.K said:
I’m sitting with this one this morning and probably every weekend for the foreseeable future. I managed to get a bocote river jack and a Waynorth ebony from this run as well. I like them both very much, but this one is my favorite. It’s the first GEC barlow and spear I’ve carried (I can’t take the Beerlow very seriously) and the action is nice and robust.View attachment 2316707
Click to expand...
Very nice! The marrow pattern on that one reminds me of the double-diamond grips commonly found on 1911 pistols.
 
Alex.Y. said:
Overall, while many people seem to think of 86 frame as a golden mean in the matters of size and pocketability, I'd say that it should please modern knife lovers more, because it corresponds to modern folders' proportions. For me personally 86 is on the bigger side, comparatively.
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Agree with this. As a modern knife user coming into traditionals, the 86 is a gateway drug. Proportions just perfect for me. I find 3 3/4" (closed) to be about the minimum for me (so far).
 
I agree, the 86 frame is on the big side. GEC does 4 “standard jack” type patterns. There’s a 14, which everyone agrees is unambiguously small, there’s a 15, which goes by the name of “boys’ knife” but is more of a standard size, possibly verging on smaller, there’s the 77, which is standard (and some find a touch large) and then the 86, which is an XL or Jumbo size (for a traditional jackknife.)

Personally I like the 77 best and wish they’d stop with Barlows and do some more yankee jacks on that frame.

86 in either single or two blade configuration is a pocket anchor for me. If I carry something that big I expect to be doing some serious cutting, and I’ll bring something appropriate for the purpose…. Like a linerlock 23 or 73 ;)
 
GaiusJulius said:
I agree, the 86 frame is on the big side. GEC does 4 “standard jack” type patterns. There’s a 14, which everyone agrees is unambiguously small, there’s a 15, which goes by the name of “boys’ knife” but is more of a standard size, possibly verging on smaller, there’s the 77, which is standard (and some find a touch large) and then the 86, which is an XL or Jumbo size (for a traditional jackknife.)

Personally I like the 77 best and wish they’d stop with Barlows and do some more yankee jacks on that frame.

86 in either single or two blade configuration is a pocket anchor for me. If I carry something that big I expect to be doing some serious cutting, and I’ll bring something appropriate for the purpose…. Like a linerlock 23 or 73 ;)
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Looking through the archives, those 77 Yankee Jacks are super appealing.
 
Frank.K said:
I’m sitting with this one this morning and probably every weekend for the foreseeable future. I managed to get a bocote river jack and a Waynorth ebony from this run as well. I like them both very much, but this one is my favorite. It’s the first GEC barlow and spear I’ve carried (I can’t take the Beerlow very seriously) and the action is nice and robust.View attachment 2316707
Click to expand...
Agree with your thoughts on the marrow. It’s been sticking pretty close to my pocket since I got it. I normally switch out carries more often, but this one has staying power.
 
birdsbeaks said:
It's always interesting to read others' perceptions of a knife I'm familiar with and find how vastly they can differ.
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So true!
birdsbeaks said:
I was just thinking about how the 86 is of a pleasantly polite size - leaning, for me, somewhat toward the smaller end of the spectrum, comparatively. 🤷

https://imgur.com/a/IAIA9Yu
Click to expand...
Yeah, comparing it to my 97 makes it look rather compact too. But when I thought about modern folders I primarily considered an "EDC" segment, which I see as medium sized knives by modern standards, like Spyderco Delica and Para 3, Ontario RAT 2, Ka-Bar Dozier Folding Hunter, CRKT CEO, Boker Kwaiken Air... well, most of popular moderns are about that size. Something like Cold Steel Large Voyager, or Ontario RAT 1, or Spyderco Military etc. would be in the larger group, as I see it. Just explaining my perception.

Bobby Dylberg said:
Agree with this. As a modern knife user coming into traditionals, the 86 is a gateway drug. Proportions just perfect for me. I find 3 3/4" (closed) to be about the minimum for me (so far).
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Funnily enough, I got into traditionals partly because they are mostly compact and elegant compared to the modern knives. For example, my Ontario RAT 2 has almost the same blade length as GEC 86, but their handles differ in about +1cm, and 86 wins here.

GaiusJulius said:
There’s a 14, which everyone agrees is unambiguously small
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It's just a bit smaller than most current Barlow knives, those from RR, Boker, Rodgers, for example. Meanwhile, 25 Barlow has exactly the same length, just a bit wider (chunkier). My point is, both 25 and 14 represent a traditional Barlow knife size-wise more accurate than a 77, but not as accurate as 15, which I personally would name a standard.

Long story short: I agree that 14 is kind of small, but I disagree that it is too small. 😀
 
TheIncredibleHoke said:
Agree with your thoughts on the marrow. It’s been sticking pretty close to my pocket since I got it. I normally switch out carries more often, but this one has staying power.
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Yes, the bone is solid and the bolster classy. It would be just as epic with sawcut or smooth bone. Some of the real marrowy ones are pretty special though.
 
Alex.Y. said:
One of the few GECs which required some edge fixing out of the tube
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Oh, well, just checked out of curiosity - most GECs of mine have same edge burr near the point, where cutting edge is going upwards, and in all cases burr direction is from mark to pile side. Could have been expecting more from some sharpening, but modern folders sometimes have something similar too, some Spydercos, for example.
 
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Alex.Y. said:
Oh, well, just checked out of curiosity - most GECs of mine have same edge burr near the point, where cutting edge is going upwards, and in all cases burr direction is from mark to pile side. Could have been expecting more from CNC sharpening, but modern folders sometimes have something similar too, some Spydercos, for example.
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I might be wrong, but I believe that CNC grinding is for components only.... Once the knife exits assembly, the edges are sharpened by a wizened old Geezer with a Lucky Strike stuffed in his lips....
 
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