GEC #86 2021: Angus Jack, 2AB, Spring Street Barlow (BF Knife)

If those pins are proud, as in not peened all the way to the bone, then that's best to let GEC fix. The fact that they are domed is normal, as some knives have spun pins rather than hafted. If you grind them down just some, I'm afraid you won't like the way it looks. If you're careful, you can haft them down all the way, just be very careful to avoid needing to refinish the handle to make it look factory. Not undoable, but I wouldn't recommend anyone tackle this as her/his first finishing project.
 
yup, had a modder mess up a tc scales on a blade swap he ended up cutting into bone when he was doming those pins.
 
traumkommode said:
If those pins are proud, as in not peened all the way to the bone, then that's best to let GEC fix.
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Oh my yes. I can just catch a fingernail under one, so I do think it's reasonable to ask them about sending it back in. Otherwise I wouldn't dream of touching it.
 
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Yes, the pins on my knife are not as flush as on my other GEC knives, but, please, can we all agree to NOT send these knives back to GEC for this reason? They would be rid of us for sure if we did that. It is just a minor cosmetic issue which the large majority would never notice if they carried the knife every day for the rest of their lives. It is debatable whether this is even a flaw or not. The pins on my Forum knife are only slightly higher than those on my other GEC Sawcut Bone knives. It seems like the factory errs on the side of protecting the handles. Truth be told, my Bose custom knives are the same way!

This hobby can quickly lead to obsessiveness if you let it. (And this is from someone who won’t own a knife with a blade even slightly off center or with the tiniest bit of blade play!) It is just my gut feeling that any issue with these pins is just too trivial to be a valid concern given how well the knives are made, how beautiful they are, and how reasonable they were priced. Complaining might make us look ungrateful.
 
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Flush pins on smooth bone or wood covers always look very nice. For a knife with jigged or sawcut covers, I look at the domed pins we get as maybe a more secure fastener than we would've gotten with a smoothie. Sometimes that rivet head winds up half-in/half-outside of a jig trough, or partially on a bevel - and you can see (if you try) a bit of daylight under a part of it. As long as that rivet head is making contact at some point, to me, I'd say that pin is seated.

But yeah, I like 'em when they're all kinda Frenched in - like the headlights on a '50s custom car! ;)
 
Was away from home last month when this got in, just getting around to carrying it today.
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Leslie Tomville said:
It seems like the factory errs on the side of protecting the handles.
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GE Jr said:
For a knife with jigged or sawcut covers, I look at the domed pins we get as maybe a more secure fastener than we would've gotten with a smoothie. Sometimes that rivet head winds up half-in/half-outside of a jig trough, or partially on a bevel - and you can see (if you try) a bit of daylight under a part of it. As long as that rivet head is making contact at some point, to me, I'd say that pin is seated.
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Very thought-provoking; thanks for that.
 
Finally have all of the GEC 86's that I have ordered . Unable to get outside to get some good photos , so I took some in the Kitchen . All 3 of them are verrrrry well put together . The typical F & F items are all fine . Centering , Gaps , Domed Pins , pull , , and very smooth action . Would like to have more RED than BROWN showing in the Forums Knife , but it is the one that I got . Really like the Bolsters on all 3 of them . The Bolster on the Forums Knife shows a lot of class . We now have 3 different Barlow Bolsters and 4 different sizes to collect . Nothing wrong with that !!!!!!!


Harry
 
I carry my Angus Jack in a leather pocket organizer, and a few weeks of carrying it that way has started to make the brown lines of the ebony to show through more from rubbing against the leather which I wasn't expecting, but it adds some nice character.

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If I could walk into a cutlery store and choose a knife to put in my pocket it would be the satin bolster / satin blade green micarta. For the collection the bone wins, it's a beauty. Prefer SS over 1095 and the sawcut isn't as pronounced on my Bladeforums as I was hoping for so any ya'll who aren't happy with yours please let me buy it. I'll sand those pins a little and love them. Have thousands of acorns in my yard, free for the taking but you'll have to rake them up!

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traumkommode said:
That's some drool-worthy bone, Paul.

You, too. Thanks for showing them off.

I started carrying pocket knives as a kid, and I always carried some kind of traditional knife. When I received my first GEC made barlow, I wished they would produce one in stainless. Prior to the #86 frame, I would have wished for it on the #77 frame, but I do favor the #86 now that it exists. The wait was worth while:

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Thanks Andrew, Dan sf fanatic sf fanatic really helped me out and sold me a beauty. A nice trio you have there :thumbsup:
 
TE59 said:
Could you get away with sanding the pins down at all?
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No!! Don't you dare. The pins look perfect!! Just how they are supposed to!!

"Quite proud rivets on the spring of my BF..."
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They look perfect!!


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I would not even consider sending then in, unless the bone scales were moving! They look perfect!! Of course, a hand peened pin will be able to catch a fingernail underneath it. It is a proud pins, gently tapped down. But it is nice and round so not abrasive or sharp!!

That is what is so great about the old time domed pins...if the scale gets loose...take a tiny hammer and spend a few minutes gently tapping and they are good as new!!!

The domed pins are one of the absolutely endearing features of these knives!!

People are so used to epoxy glue and flush sanded rivets/pins, or counter sunk spun pins... they have forgotten or maybe never experienced a proud domed hand peened pin!!
 
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