GEC and sharp knives....

R

Relee1

Joined
Oct 31, 2013
Messages
315
GEC is about to ruin it's reputation for giving us less than sharp knives. The last three knives I've purchased from them (Washinngton St. 77, Tidioute 77, and now the new Wall St. 99, have been shaving sharp. Have I just been lucky, or have any of you experienced the same thing?

Dang, with sharp blades, the knives they're putting out are darn near perfect! What am I supposed to complain about now?
 
GEC did recently change the way they sharpen their knives. As recently as a month ago, I believe.
 
Yep, definitely have improved their edges recently. Still have a long way to go literally, take it from the meat of the blade all the way to the tip. When they elect to grind and sharpen their clips and spearpoints as well as they do their wharnies then I will let them rest on their laurels. Until then, I hope they keep their nose to the grindstone ;)
 
I got to the bull nose and bull buster. Bothe were as sharp as a butter knife. The bull buster I got yesterday. And the bull nose 8 months ago. Maybe just me but nether were well close to sharp.
 
singin50 said:
GEC did recently change the way they sharpen their knives. As recently as a month ago, I believe.
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Please, do tell. I'd be extremely interested. I knew they could work out the issue if they tried, fine cutlers throughout the process.


I haven't bought one new since the forum knife, but the problem I had wasn't bad sharpening but incomplete sharpening. As in the tip was ground uneven, shallow, or not at all. I look forward to some ones I should have coming with great anticipation!
 
I think it would take a little more than butter knife blades to ruin their reputation. I'll take a dull GEC over just about any other production knife out there. It is safe to say that most of us know how to sharpen, that is the easiest aspect of a knife to remedy, but as far as build quality, there isn't much we can do about that and GEC is top notch in that aspect, IMO.
 
My Washington jack came in with a great edge. I just stropped it and good to go.

Gabe
 
I just got a couple of #15's and a Bull Buster that were shaving sharp straight from the tube. I still dressed them on the strop a bit to really get 'em to pop. Could just be the luck of the draw.
 
It has been my understanding (and experience) that GEC intentionally sends their knives out with "ready-to-sharpen" edges (but sounds like maybe they have changed that recently). And it's not been a problem for me as I often re-profile the edge of most of my carry knives anyway (I use the Edge Pro Apex and have gotten pretty good at putting a wicked edge on just about anything!).

Anyone else have this understanding?
 
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esnyx said:
I think it would take a little more than butter knife blades to ruin their reputation. I'll take a dull GEC over just about any other production knife out there. It is safe to say that most of us know how to sharpen, that is the easiest aspect of a knife to remedy, but as far as build quality, there isn't much we can do about that and GEC is top notch in that aspect, IMO.
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^^^ thats the word, IMO
 
I have to agree with the original poster. I have received a 77 Marlow, a 77 in sun brite, and finally a H10 fixed blade in 1095 steel. All have been very noticeably shaper than any other GECs I had bought previously ( I think I am closing in on 20 other GECs). The H10 was very nearly scary sharp. Shaper than any of the 3 moras I have out of the tube.
B.
 
link2derek said:
It has been my understanding (and experience) that GEC intentionally sends their knives out with "ready-to-sharpen" edges

SNIP

Anyone else have this understanding?
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In all the thousands of posts I have read over the years on any of the hunting, fishing, and knife sites I frequent, I have never heard that once but here. Never. Ever.

It takes a real fan of a brand to buy a knife and say, "well, it's finally here! I can't wait to spend the next 2 - 3 hours on this brand new premium knife to sharpen it to a usable edge!" And while I don't know a soul at GEC, I don't really believe they are saying in their production area, "hey... don't sharpen that! The guys that buy our knives love to get 'em dull so they can reprofile that angles and then sharpen them any way they want".

I do read many, many posts that folks put up to brag about this knife, or that knife that came "hair popping" sharp, "tree topping sharp", "shaving sharp", etc. Seems the overall consensus is that buyers would rather have knives that are properly ground to the correct bevel for the blade, then sharpened to a nice edge when buying a premium production knife.

Also, there have been a lot of threads on this very subject concerning GEC. Didn't someone more directly connected to the GEC folks like Mike Latham or Derrick (KSF) post that a really nice edge on these knives would be cost prohibitive?

I think the overall public appreciates a knife that is ready to cut out of the box and consider that part of a "quality knife". While no doubt everyone here on BF can get their knives quickly as sharp as they want and maintain them easily in top condition, I don't think that is the case at all for the general public. I only have one friend that can get a knife as sharp as I do, and that takes him much, much more time than it does me and he hates to do it. I am surrounded by hunters, construction guys, fishermen and outdoor enthusiasts all the time, and even though they use their knives frequently, none can sharpen more than to a "usable" edge. For them, a good factory edge is not only demanded, but prized.

Robert
 
^^^ Curious, how many GEC’s have you owned? The answer to that may be instructive to your comments.

Over the past couple of years, I have purchased about 40-45 GEC's (which includes 26 Northwoods knives), and not one of them came "hair-popping" sharp, not even close. In fact, almost all have been dull enough that they needed immediate attention if they were going to be carried and actually used (and I'm sure this is something that escapes the "general public"). And I don't recall if I heard it specifically confirmed by others here on BF or on YT knife vids (or both), but it has been a point made by others. I guarantee that others here have had the same experience (including some above) – i.e., dull edges right out of the box from GEC, ready for the (perhaps sophisticated) user to sharpen to his or her liking.

But please don't misunderstand me - I love my GEC's (especially the Northwoods stuff!), but I know that I am going to have to sharpen them if I want the kind of performance that I demand from an EDC knife – and that doesn't bother me in the least. I guess that makes me a “real fan” because I don’t mind sharpening a $100+ knife (and actually kind of enjoy it).

Maybe I’m being esoteric, but I’m simply sharing the experience of someone who owns 40 GEC’s. Perhaps, on the flip side, some folks out there are too much of a fan themselves to admit that their longed-for and cherished knife came with a less-than-sharp edge. And that’s completely possible (it’s called “being in denial”). But me? I live in Realville.

And, you know, now that I think about it, most other traditionals (Case, Schrade, S&M, Queen, etc.) I have owned came with duller than acceptable edges as well. In truth, the only factory edges that I would consider good enough to be "prized" have come on tactical style knives (Spyderco in particular comes to mind), anything by Chris Reeve, and most every custom piece that I've ever owned (the 50th Anniv. Buck 100’s are pretty decent, too). And I think the only reason folks like a factory edge on a used knife is to provide some comfort in the fact that the previous owner didn’t muck it up. But if the knife has a dull factory edge to begin with (and I suppose standards vary depending on the depth, or lack thereof, of the user’s experience), then that point is moot anyhow (pun intended).

But, in the end, I suppose that “sharp” is in the eye of the beholder. So, to each his own. But me? I have the Edge Pro on standby if anyone wants to see what "sharp" really looks like....
 
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esnyx said:
I think it would take a little more than butter knife blades to ruin their reputation. I'll take a dull GEC over just about any other production knife out there. It is safe to say that most of us know how to sharpen, that is the easiest aspect of a knife to remedy, but as far as build quality, there isn't much we can do about that and GEC is top notch in that aspect, IMO.
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I'd agree with this :thumbup:

I get the impression that GEC have been putting more effort into their factory edges recently. Having said that, my Stag Jack had the worst GEC edge I've encountered, the only one I've had to re-profile. I'd be interested to know more about the new system, it's got to be better than the old 'swipe, swipe' system.

link2derek said:
It has been my understanding (and experience) that GEC intentionally sends their knives out with "ready-to-sharpen" edges
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I'm not sure that there's ever been anything deliberate about it, indeed there was a claim made here http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/1081944-When-would-you-send-a-knife-back that "every GEC knife will cut paper before it leaves the Factory".

It's a shame GEC knives ever acquired a reputation for being dull out of the box, and I hope things improve, but like most here, I'd rather have an otherwise well-made knife, with a well-ground, but dull edge, than a sharp knife with other flaws. GEC's steels are great and easy to sharpen, and their prices reasonable I think. I really like what GEC have done with traditional knives, and what they will hopefully continue to do for a long time. I just worry that some potential customers may be put off by the prospect of buying a knife with a dull edge.

I think the most consistently sharp traditionals I've encountered are Rough Rider knives! But I prefer GEC :)
 
Nice post, link2derek, and I am glad you didn't take my comments as being combative. It wasn't meant to be.

As far as my comment on sharpness, my original statement was:

I do read many, many posts that folks put up to brag about this knife, or that knife that came "hair popping" sharp, "tree topping sharp", "shaving sharp", etc. Seems the overall consensus is that buyers would rather have knives that are properly ground to the correct bevel for the blade, then sharpened to a nice edge when buying a premium production knife.

I didn't single out GEC or any other maker. Many folks, myself included are completely pleased when any knife comes to me "ready to go". This includes the original poster/starter of this thread that mentioned his last THREE GECs came "shaving sharp"! His experience is clearly different from yours, so someone is getting some GEC love. My point was that it seems to me (like you, ready to admit I could be wrong!) that folks prefer a factory sharp knife, as borne out by the original poster's reason to start this thread.

I will admit it at the risk of being burned at the stake, I am not in love with GECs. If it is a pattern I like from them, I already have something similar from another manufacturer. As some have posted here, as I am getting along in life, I don't really need most of the knives I have (about 125 traditional folders, plus my hunting/camping knives, plus my large folding work knives) now and have put a stop to buying until I sell some of the ones I have now. So while I always study the GECs I see at the monthly gun show, none have really caught my eye enough to purchase. Pretty knives though, look like they could take many years of good, hard work.

Back onto sharpening, sadly for me I remember when all the CASE, BOKER, and EYE knives I bought all came sharp. Even in their day, 60s to mid 70s, they weren't considered premium knives (like say, a PUMA) but they always came sharp. I miss that. It was a nice touch, and after watching the CASE video posted here so many times, I realize that it takes a qualified technician literal seconds to get a nice factory edge. I have also seen the professional knife sharpeners take awful, abused, nicked an chipped blades and get them back to nasty sharp in just a minute or two with paper wheels. I always wonder why it couldn't be done easily in manufacturing of the knife when the manufacturer starts out with a clean new blank, profiled to shape, ready to sharpen.

All of that being said, still not picking on GEC. I am a fan of Queen and have bought several over the last few years until I decided I didn't need any more. Out of the last 10 to 12 I bought, two came sharp. The one I expected to be the least sharp was their Country Cousin, and it was really sharp. The other was their gunstock pattern. The others were OK to fair, all needed attention before carrying as a useful cutting tool. After so many dull knives, I learned on this very sub forum to lower my standards and expectations on my knife purchases and to look at receiving a sharp knife as kind of a bonus, a little extra from the manufacturer.

It did take me a while to accept that, though. All of the American made as well as off shore made Kershaws I purchased in the last several years have come extremely sharp. My last CASE came fairly sharp. Off shore knives I have purchased such as Boker (Solingen) and Rough Rider have come sharp. So have other less expensive beaters that I use as work knives. Now I have my "mind right" and use the simple rule of thumb that if it is a domestically made knife, regardless of price, I will have to rebevel and sharpen when I get it. If I don't, I like the knife more right off the bat.

All I need is the rule book, and I am glad to play along.

Robert
 
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esnyx said:
I think it would take a little more than butter knife blades to ruin their reputation. I'll take a dull GEC over just about any other production knife out there. It is safe to say that most of us know how to sharpen, that is the easiest aspect of a knife to remedy, but as far as build quality, there isn't much we can do about that and GEC is top notch in that aspect, IMO.
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Well said:thumbup:
 
Inquiring minds want to know; so I asked the person that puts the edge on the GEC knives if anything has been changed in recent history - No.
 
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