GEC Blade Etches

[pertinux]

Martineden recently asked in his Moose Thread,

Question: how is your feeling about the large writings on the GEC blades? As I mentioned, I didn't like them. What do you think about them? I would like writings on the blades, but many many times smaller.

The etch on my Northfield White Owl is well-proportioned to its blade, and its design itself is pleasing to my eye and consistent with the look of the knife. I am not buffing it out or treating it in any special way, and would be glad it it persevered.

Thankfully, I am also fine with its fading-- a good thing considering that I can't use the knife and save the etch.


On the other hand, had the unfortunate emblems on my Tidioute wharncliffe Little Jack and #26 Tango not been removable, I would have been very disappointed about the former (especially since the billboard etch was crooked) and would not have purchased the latter.

So to answer Alfredo's question, "It depends." If nothing else, I know not to buy a knife if the etch is the main draw (because I use my knives, and the etch would disappear sooner than later), nor to avoid one because of its etch.

~ P.

 

[martineden]

Thanks Pertinux for having opened this interesting thread.

Of course, we are speaking here about personal feelings, so I may speak just for myself and what is below is just IHMO.

This is what I feel as a proportioned writing:


But this is what I considered a writing a way too large, dispoportioned, and I don't like it at all :-(


My question now is: do you feel like me about it? Or do you like large writings on the blade?

 

[Jack Black]

I agree, the smaller writing and traditional fonts look much more congruous with the knives and altogether more pleasing to the eye.

 

[Modoc ED]

Thanks Pertinux for having opened this interesting thread.

Of course, we are speaking here about personal feelings, so I may speak just for myself and what is below is just IHMO.

This is what I feel as a proportioned writing:


But this is what I considered a writing a way too large, dispoportioned, and I don't like it at all :-(


My question now is: do you feel like me about it? Or do you like large writings on the blade?

A little metal polish will take that "Missouri Trapper" etch right off the blade. The Northfield etch looks fine on the primary edge and will fade into the patina eventually.

 

[Will Power]

The etch on that Trapper is overdone and vulgar to my eye at least. Hideous font too.....Just imagine if that were a stainless blade lot more tricky to get off! The GEC Squirrel&Acorns are pleasant though.

Engraved blades are even worse. However, certain stamped blades can be interesting (rarity thing I suppose)

Design, proportion, execution.

Some blade etchings do look nice e.g. Böker do a good etch, and the GEC Candle End Harness Jack had tasteful etching, but I'm usually relieved when they vanish

 

[Modoc ED]

Use the Search option and you'll find many threads about blade etches - especiall GEC etches. Here's one.

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/955657-Embarrassing-GEC-Calf-Roper

The embarrassing Calf-Roper - before and after.

 

[black mamba]

Before and afters of my Tidioute Cuban in 1095.

As you can see, the etch is still quite visable even with heavy patina from much use.

 

[richstag]

Hi P,

I don't like them. None of them. I don't like them so much that before I realized you could get them off easily, I did not consider GEC.

Kevin

 

[markpmc]

I haven't paid that much attention to GEC etching on a conscience level. Now I realize that I've avoided the models with the large etch.

I assume by 'removes easily' that Fitz takes it right off?

 

[Fanglekai]

I wish they would not etch the blades but flitz solves it.

 

[pistonsandgears]

I think some don't care for the bull nose etch but I actually like it. I don't plan on doing anything to purposely remove the etch, but I will be using this knife so eventually the etch will disappear.

 

[pistonsandgears]

The Missouri Trader etch like the Missouri Trapper etch I don't really care for, a bit over done I think.

 

[Humppa]

About GECs blade etches... something that followed me home and even later

I really like some of their etches; some of them are just overbuilt, imo. On all of my real users, I don´t care about them. I have used my sunday knife, the #66 Moose for a long time. I´ve tried to keep any patina away from the blade. I got it from my wife for the anniversary and I´d like to keep the knife like I got it - some symbolic like I want the relationship keep on the "unpatinaed" way. On all the others, I don´t care about it.

I even like the look, when the patina is half gone and half there. All just aestithics. IMO.

 

[DrPenguin]

Not a fan of the etchings.... but they disappear fairly quickly if its a carrying knife so I ignore them. Wish I could say the same about those hideous serial numbers they insist on putting on their bolsters. I do remain fairly adamant about not buying the models with them.

Eill

 

[dougkn]

Wish I could say the same about those hideous serial numbers they insist on putting on their bolsters. I do remain fairly adamant about not buying the models with them.

I prefer those...I like the idea of having a true limited edition. When I bought my first GEC I wanted a 23 with the serial number.

 

[sturzi]

I'm not a fan either, but the patina takes care of it fairly quickly.

The only etch I actually don't mind is the northfield un-x-ld one. Don't know why, but somehow I like the design (but not so much that I prevent a patina).

 

[waynorth]

Many older knives used to be etched, quite "blatantly"! Now most etches have disappeared, long worn off. Of course the goal of an obsessive collector like myself, is to find examples of those gaudy things, because they bring back some of the fine flavors of the old days. Like a nicely structured and aged wine!!
I willingly obliterated a Bullwinkle etch, an etch which was my idea I'll have you know, to achieve the best home-made patina I could. It took a minute or two to remove it.
But I am keeping an example or two in hopes that my grand children will take an interest in knife collecting!
Etches are so ephemeral they hardly matter on a user knife. But to remove this one;

would be tragic, and frankly, stupid! A Remington collector will tell you, that etch adds $500 to the knife!!

I certainly wouldn't let an etch stop me from buying a nice knife. But an etch might cause me to buy one! On an old knife, for obvious reasons.
On a new knife, I might consider the artistic value of the etch, along with the quality of the knife itself.

 

[biglmbass]

Not a fan of the etchings.... but they disappear fairly quickly if its a carrying knife so I ignore them. Wish I could say the same about those hideous serial numbers they insist on putting on their bolsters. I do remain fairly adamant about not buying the models with them.

Eill

I like all but the most gaudy etches. IMO the Missouri Trapper & Trader etches are too big, though that alone would not keep me from buying one if I saw one I liked. Speaking of too big, I'm glad to see they no longer use the large block style "1 OF 50" on the blades of serialized knives. Regarding the serial numbers on bolsters, I too prefer them without when I can find them. I will say though, I think the older ones with the script style font were less noticable than the block style they're now using.

 

[Doug Add]

As I commented in Alfredo's thread, I prefer nothing on the blade. However, I think the primitive bone etch is tastefully executed, and I actually like it.

Good thing that I am like pertinux, in that I don't mind it disappearing with use, because it is almost completely gone (under direct light I can still make out BONE).

 

[matt1987]

I don't mind the knife brand etch or the "ppp" or "1of x" but anything else is kinda cheesy IMO. At least a patina can somewhat camouflage the etch so it's no biggie.