GEC and Traditional Knife Buttons/Pins

[waverave]

I couldn't find an official button/pin thread and thought it would be cool to gather photos and information in one place. You see them in photos but distributed across many different threads.
The pins may seem trivial and not everyone cares about them in the same way. I believe the pins, the artwork on the tubes, the stories that sometimes accompany the knives and even the name of the knives are all part of the creativity, collaboration and history that goes into them. Some of the top collectors on the planet contribute to the story, design and artwork on some of these knives. The pins are not offered with every run and, when they do, they are only included in one out of every four tubes. All of this adds to the allure of the pins and helps describe why, to some collectors, they add both monetary and personal value to the knife.
The purpose of this thread is to showcase the pins, knives, artwork, and other items that go along with the knives to make them special.
I don't have a lot myself but I am always excited to get one and would love to check out what everyone else has

 

[joeradza]

I've bought and sold nearly 100 GEC knives and I've had great satisfaction in receiving high quality examples at all times. My luck with pins.... NOT. I don't think I've seen more than 5 or 6. I'll take that tradeoff.

 

[mrknife]

neat! here are a bunch of mine

the pins are fun to collect

 

[waverave]

I've bought and sold nearly 100 GEC knives and I've had great satisfaction in receiving high quality examples at all times. My luck with pins.... NOT. I don't think I've seen more than 5 or 6. I'll take that tradeoff.

Sorry you haven't had good luck with those. It is those kinds of odds that make them appeal a little more to me. Of course, they are rather meaningless with respect to the quality of the knife or the actual use of the knife but it is like winning a little mini-lottery when you get one in the tube.

 

[waverave]

neat! here are a bunch of mine

the pins are fun to collect

Oh cool some Rendezvous pins too I need to get me one of those (in person!)

 

[joeradza]

Sorry you haven't had good luck with those. It is those kinds of odds that make them appeal a little more to me. Of course, they are rather meaningless with respect to the quality of the knife or the actual use of the knife but it is like winning a little mini-lottery when you get one in the tube.

No biggie. Like you said, a mini lottery which I've won big time with the knives. The pins are meaningless.

 

[mrknife]

Oh cool some Rendezvous pins too I need to get me one of those (in person!)

those are on the house during the rendezvous!! couldve sworn there was a 2016 one but its not with the bunch that or im mistaken.

 

[B.F.U]

those are on the house during the rendezvous!! couldve sworn there was a 2016 one but its not with the bunch that or im mistaken.

Yep. I don't recall their being a pin for the 2014 or 2015 Rendezvous though, or I'd think I'd have kept them. I don't know how I got multiples of a couple. Maybe I'll do a giveaway.

 

[mrknife]

Yep. I don't recall their being a pin for the 2014 or 2015 Rendezvous though, or I'd think I'd have kept them. I don't know how I got multiples of a couple. Maybe I'll do a giveaway.

ah yes, thats in the tube!!! thats why its not with the rest! thanks again wlfryjr for making sure i got that knife

 

[Elgatodeacero]

the creativity of the folks at GEC is amazing.

 

[Nature Boy]

I don’t usually pay too much attention to the pins, but this one is my favorite:

 

[Peregrin]

I don’t usually pay too much attention to the pins, but this one is my favorite:
View attachment 1079674

Thanks for posting a knife with your pin!
More knives guys! Thanks!

 

[wlfryjr]

ah yes, thats in the tube!!! thats why its not with the rest! thanks again wlfryjr for making sure i got that knife

I really enjoyed that year.

 

[Lostball]

The 77 pattern was popular for pins.

 

[matfox]

Nice ones all, and I really like that Oregon Trapper!
Finally I'm back to Imgur this weekend, so here is the Possum.

 

[Corso]

seem a bit pointless to me

The knives speak for themselves

 

[waverave]

seem a bit pointless to me

The knives speak for themselves

I agree a pin doesn't do anything for the quality of a knife. But they are just as pointless as the artwork on the tubes. Would you prefer those were plain white, for example? Or perhaps that each knife was only a number (06) and no name associated with it (Pemberton). It is all part of the creative process that results in the knife. Some of the artwork was derived or created by some of the top collectors on the planet and quite a bit of thought and creativity go into the name and story and everything you get along with the quality knife. Just sayin...

 

[Rookie82]

If you are the type of person who buys the knife, takes it out of the tube and drop it in your pocket, and throw all the rest away; then I agree all the extra stuff is pointless.

If you are a collector, having the tube in nice condition, and the pin, and a CoA, are all extremely important to have along with the knife. It is a complete package.

It is just 2 different mindsets, depending on what your intentions are for buying the knife.

 

[Corso]

Fair points

my only GEC is a recent #14 - its in my pocket right now

the tube and badge are somewhere...

 

[Kiteman72]

I love the GEC buttons! Stoked to see that the 97 is getting one!

I ordered both 06 Templars and will be quite disappointed it I don't get at least one pin.