GEC brand knives

E

elbowroom

Joined
Mar 28, 2011
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I'm going to purchase my first GEC knife. Any suggestions for a good starting point. I am completely open to length of blade; I like small blades and larger perhaps up to 3.5". Thanks
 
They have so many patterns, and different levels of fit/handle material it's hard to give a meaningful recommendation.

I personally like the aesthetic of the Northfield UN-X-LD sub brand, lots of horn and antler, with carbon steel blades. I do often recommend a stockman pattern as a good all-around traditional. A stockman in jigged bone or burnt stag, is a classic.
 
I have two Missouri #42's, a Trader and a Trapper, both in Ebony Wood. I prefer the Trader Lockback because it was easier to open when I first got it and because the Trapper is too bulky for pocket carry...I already carry my phone, wallet, money clip, keys, and pocket change. The Missouri Trapper did ease up a bit, I had to clean it out with WD40, oil it up, and let it sit open for a couple days. Now...I don't know if all this worked or if I just got used to it, but it's a great knife, just not for me.

I picked up a used Scout #73 with Cocobolo scales on the exchange and I gave this one to my brother, it was too small for my taste.

Quality on all three was great. I will probably let the Missouri Trapper go on the exchange as soon as I stop being lazy.
 
You should just look at their website and check out all their different patterns then narrow it down from there. I just wouldn't even know where to start with as little information as you have given us lol. They has so many different patterns but you really can't go wrong with any of them. Keep your eye on the exchange to because you can find good deals on them there you just have to check it multiple times a day religiously to be able to get them before somebody else. I personally like the 66 Calf Roper and Serpentine Jack patterns, 76 Outlaw Jack, the 15 Boys Knives and the TC Barlow version, the 68 White Owl is a great pattern I could just keep going on and on lol.
 
I would be looking at the Pemberton, pattern #6
gec_06_022013_3.jpg


Conductor, pattern #33,
gec_33_041113_1_A.jpg


White Owl, pattern #68, also available in long pull spear blade, my favorite blade
gec_68_012612_5_22.jpg


Boys Knife, and TC Barlow (sold out), both pattern #15, also available in long pull spear blade, hard to find
gec_15_032013_1.jpg


My favorite covers are Ebony and Stag (Not Fat), and I prefer single spring and single blade knives. This site has all the patterns listed, click away and let us know what you end up with. Some people really like the #25 pattern. The 85 is also awesome.

here is patterns, left to right, 15, 85, 25
null-1.jpg


read through this thread, http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...uot-Traditional-Knife-quot-are-ya-totin-today and you will quickly get a sense of what people are carrying

All patterns vary in bolsters, cover material, blade shape and number, and nail nick type. Bolsters and covers are fancier in Gec Northfield than in Gec Tidioute
http://www.knivesshipfree.com/?cPath=457
 
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I would look through this thread of BF members' group shots of GEC knives-- so helpful to try to understand size and feature comparisons when one cannot hold the knives first-hand. See what catches your eye, ask questions if need be.

Have fun!

~ P.
 
Everyone's tastes are different; just pick one that interests you. Chances are you'll end up owning several different patterns anyhow... :D
 
A good starting point would be the #73, one of GEC's original patterns. Still one of their best. Not too small, not too big, just right.

- Christian
 
Your suggestions have helped but I see I've got my work cut out for me. Not as easy as say someone looking for their 1st Spyderco and a good starting point would be perhaps a delica or endura or even tenacious. I see this is more involved. Thanks I'll research some more.
 
My question is why are they so expensive? I mean they're all around $100 bucks, which I think is quite a bit of money. Why so much?
 
elbowroom said:
My question is why are they so expensive? I mean they're all around $100 bucks, which I think is quite a bit of money. Why so much?
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Because they are handmade in the US, to consistently high standards, and with materials that are not inexpensive. And they are often limited runs, which means little to no cost savings as a result of large-run, mass production.

They are generally just about the best you can get without going custom, imo.
 
elbowroom said:
My question is why are they so expensive? I mean they're all around $100 bucks, which I think is quite a bit of money. Why so much?
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Made in USA, low production totals, premium materials, pinned shields. You get what you pay for. Also, they're not all $100+; the new run of GEC #15 boys knives price roughly $70-$90 depending on handle material and whether the model has one or two blades. I thought they were very expensive too when I first started looking at traditionals, but soon discovered the represent good quality at a fair price (as long as you're not looking at stag or primitive bone which run more $$$). Good luck with your search; let us know what you pick up.
 
elbowroom said:
I'm going to purchase my first GEC knife. Any suggestions for a good starting point. I am completely open to length of blade; I like small blades and larger perhaps up to 3.5". Thanks
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You should go to the Great Eastern Cutlery website. Look around,get all the information first hand from the Manufacturer. They also have a list of Authorized Distributors. Most Distributors have a Website of their own with detailed descriptions and pictures of each knife.
 
elbowroom said:
My question is why are they so expensive? I mean they're all around $100 bucks, which I think is quite a bit of money. Why so much?
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They are a small company making (arguably) the best production knife in the world right now. But behind the curtain are 21 hard American workers. So do reverse math...

They turn out about 75 knives per day. With 21 employees that comes to 2 1/4 hrs labor for each knife. So if you feel like $20/hr is a good wage (I have no idea what they get paid), that would mean labor runs $45 per knife. And that only includes the salary, and no benefits - which I am sure they have. I don't even have a guess what materials cost, but just for kicks lets include tooling and say $10 per knife. I expect the average shipping to a distributor runs $12; which can be broken up by how many knives were ordered (some order 1-2 of each, some order 6-12 of each).

So, if the average knife cost the factory $45 (labor) + $10 (materials / tooling) + $1(shipping) = $56
In a perfect world the factory would want to profit, so let's say they sell it to a distributor for $70.

Now these numbers are my guess and you can substitute your own. But the 75 knives per day and 21 employees is very close. Everything else depends on the pattern and handles. A Lumberjack takes nearly twice as much time as a Bullnose, I would guess. Stag these days cost 5-6 times what acrylic does, again, my guess.

Their knives vary from $50 to $200+, with the average probably being $75-90.

I wish they were more economical as well, but until they are fully automated (which is not going to happen), it is still fine Americans doing the labor by hand one knife at a time.
 
I'd agree with the #73 and add the #72 Cody Scout. My reason is that personally I'm not a big fan of knives with two main blades as I find them uncomfortable to use. at the moment you'll struggle to find much variety from dealers in the #73 pattern with a single main or a main and pen secondary blade, they'll mainly have two main blade knives in stock. The #72 Cody scout has a useful Bullnose main blade and decent sized pen which doesn't get in the way and is pretty much the same size as a #73

Here's mine

 
knifeswapper said:
They are a small company making (arguably) the best production knife in the world right now. But behind the curtain are 21 hard American workers. So do reverse math...

They turn out about 75 knives per day. With 21 employees that comes to 2 1/4 hrs labor for each knife. So if you feel like $20/hr is a good wage (I have no idea what they get paid), that would mean labor runs $45 per knife. And that only includes the salary, and no benefits - which I am sure they have. I don't even have a guess what materials cost, but just for kicks lets include tooling and say $10 per knife. I expect the average shipping to a distributor runs $12; which can be broken up by how many knives were ordered (some order 1-2 of each, some order 6-12 of each).

So, if the average knife cost the factory $45 (labor) + $10 (materials / tooling) + $1(shipping) = $56
In a perfect world the factory would want to profit, so let's say they sell it to a distributor for $70.

Now these numbers are my guess and you can substitute your own. But the 75 knives per day and 21 employees is very close. Everything else depends on the pattern and handles. A Lumberjack takes nearly twice as much time as a Bullnose, I would guess. Stag these days cost 5-6 times what acrylic does, again, my guess.

Their knives vary from $50 to $200+, with the average probably being $75-90.

I wish they were more economical as well, but until they are fully automated (which is not going to happen), it is still fine Americans doing the labor by hand one knife at a time.
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Mike, I don't think anyone could have said it better. Hit the nail on the head, squarely.
 
There are so many fantastic patterns and variations it's easy to get overwhelmed. Think about the size you want, if you want one blade or multiple blades, and maybe what kind of cover material you want, whether that's stag, an exotic wood, bone or one of their synthetics. You have to think about blade shapes as well: spear, clip, coping, spey, wharncliffe, etc.

This is just the beginning, there are so many details: lanyard hole, bail or none, bolster style (slanted, straight, pinched), bolster grooves or engraving (like on the TC barlow), how strong the pull is, easy open or not, the type of nail nick (long, matchstriker, crescent), and on and on and on...........

I like my #85 EZ Open Jack. Single blade about 3", about 3 7/8" closed, natural stag covers. Has a half stop, nice pull and snap to it, and the spear blade is useful.

As for cost...GEC is known as being one of the best if not the best production slipjoint company right now. Their quality is consistent and buying sight unseen usually isn't a problem. They tend to make knives to high standards, no gaps, strong springs, and they have premium features like pinned shields, swedges on the Northfield line, and they use premium cover materials, with probably the best stag you'll find outside of customs.
 
I just glanced at my excel sheet that I track my knives with. I have 12 GEC knives at an average price of $77.08.
My least expensive was $53.95 and my most expensive was $122.00.
I would say all are a good value.


jwh
 
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