GEC Churchill or Bull Moose

C

CraigTbone

Joined
Mar 4, 2019
Messages
121
A year or so ago I was inspired to get back to my traditional knife roots. Started carrying in 5th grade about 50 years ago.

I have been carrying Titioute Calf Roper lately. A great knife that enjoy very much. I have been considering a two blade knife and like both the Churchill and the Bull Moose.

A bit of research reveals that the Churchill is a single spring while the Bull Moose is two. I do not know enough about these two options to make a decision. Are there advantages or disadvantages to these two configurations?

The Churchill is the closed length that I like, the Bull Moose is a bit longer.

Both have a clip blade. I like the sheep foot blade on the Churchill over the pen blade on the Bull Moose.

The rounded ends of the Churchill I like over the slightly squared ends of the Bull Moose.

So the single spring vs. two spring feature might make the difference. Any thoughts?
 
Sounds like you would prefer the Churchill. I don't own either model, but the Churchill is the one I'd choose if I was the one buying it. I'll let others, with some actual experience with the knives in question, give their two cents.
 
I have both, love both. From the way you describe what your looking for, I'd suggest the Churchill, between the two.

Then again, having all three, from the way you describe what your looking for, the #82 Possum skinner would be better than the other two. That's just my .02 though.

Btw, welcome to the porch!
 
CraigTbone said:
A year or so ago I was inspired to get back to my traditional knife roots. Started carrying in 5th grade about 50 years ago.

I have been carrying Titioute Calf Roper lately. A great knife that enjoy very much. I have been considering a two blade knife and like both the Churchill and the Bull Moose.

A bit of research reveals that the Churchill is a single spring while the Bull Moose is two. I do not know enough about these two options to make a decision. Are there advantages or disadvantages to these two configurations?

The Churchill is the closed length that I like, the Bull Moose is a bit longer.

Both have a clip blade. I like the sheep foot blade on the Churchill over the pen blade on the Bull Moose.

The rounded ends of the Churchill I like over the slightly squared ends of the Bull Moose.

So the single spring vs. two spring feature might make the difference. Any thoughts?
Click to expand...
And to further elaborate, the bull moose is a 2 spring, therefor it's noticeably thicker. Its Not overly big, but you know there is a knife in your pocket. It has a full clip, and a FULL spear, not a pen. If you want something with a smaller secondary, the moose is out it the equation.

Between the Churchill and the possum skinner, while the #35 is shorter, the #82 is more slender, much less broad, and sure feels like it weighs less. The #82 is less noticable in the pocket, and the muskrat clip is a slicing machine.

One advantage of the Churchill is the clip is much more robust, if that makes a difference to you. Not saying the clip on the #82 isn't, but the stock on the #35 clip is alot thicker.
 
I currently only own the Churchill but I did own a Bull Moose for a short time.

Based on your comments, I think you would like the Churchill better. Mainly because you like the Calf Roper and I think you might miss the short Sheepsfoot blade if you went with the Bull Moose.

Both are great patterns. You could always get one of each and then you'll know for sure.
 
Reading your description, I will concur with some of the above that the recently released #82 possum skinner may be your golden ticket. I really like the bull moose because it's more substantial in hand but I also have the #82. Both are great but the #81 bull moose gets the pocket time. I like that it fills my hand more, primarily, but I had also spent a year using it before the possum skinner came out. I think had I gotten the possum skinner first, I would be using that instead as I love a wharncliffe and clip point combo.

I don't have the churchill but it is one I would like to snag from the used market if the opportunity presents itself. I do have a preference for 3" blades so trappers an moose patterns is where I tend to reside for traditionals, but sod busters and barlows are nice as well. I never got used to 3-blades after trying a few times with large stockmen and large and small whittlers.

Good luck working through the decision and let us know what you decide.

Just to show my biased opinion, here's my bull moose collection, before getting the possum skinner and I just snagged a case moose this week. The case moose is intriguing, the spear side has a cutout like an easy-open model. I like it, but I bought that one for the collection.
jyCkusYl.jpg


The natural micarta is my user of the bunch.
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The Churchill is a great pattern and that thin Sheepsfoot is a heck of a cutter. It rides nice and slim in the pocket and the overall smoothness of the design makes a nice "worry stone".
In my opinion the pull is kind of light, maybe a high four or low 5, but the action is buttery smooth with a crisp snap and a real pleasure to open and close. For everyday carry its an excellent choice.
 
What can you tell me about one vs. two springs?

The Possum Skinner seems like a great knife but it is 4 1/8" closed length. The Calf Roper at 3 1/2" is a very comfortable size. Bull Moose at 4" might be acceptable.

But I am curious about the differences in the spring configurationz.
 
CraigTbone said:
What can you tell me about one vs. two springs?

The Possum Skinner seems like a great knife but it is 4 1/8" closed length. The Calf Roper at 3 1/2" is a very comfortable size. Bull Moose at 4" might be acceptable.

But I am curious about the differences in the spring configurationz.
Click to expand...

I think the biggest noticeable difference is in the thickness, think 1, 2, 3-layer swiss army knife, if you're more familiar with those products. There is a weight difference also.

From spring functionality, I think individual springs can allow for a simpler and more reliable spring as it's one spring per blade but I've never really noticed a difference of this personally, given most of my experience has been with 2-blade, 2-spring traditionals as the 3-blade and up never grabbed me much. Most 3 and 4-blade traditionals will have 2 springs. I think there tends to be a difference in effort to open the blade more often when sharing a spring, but again that could just be because of more blades and more chances as it's always been with 3 and 4 blade options for me.

Really, I think it comes down to thickness as the primary difference but I'm sure someone more educated than I can give better input on that.
 
Well with the bull moose, you have two full size blades, so you have two full sized springs. Adds more width and weight than a stockman or jack, which have a smaller (thinner) 2nd spring.

And while the #82 comes in at 4 1/8", it feels smaller in pocket than the #35 Churchill, honest.
 
I like the Churchill for a nice every day pocket knife. Great size, single spring is cool, easy to carry and comfortable to use. Get the Bull Moose if your day requires a little more frequent or harder cutting needing a full grip. It's a little wider and heavier and both blades more substantial.
 
The Churchill is a real gem! I love the way the blades nestle together. While I like the Bull Moose, the Churchill is more comfortable in the pocket.
Mike
 
Totally biased response from me, Churchill. This is because single-spring opposite end knives I always prefer over 2 spring Jack patterns, I like the design finesse of having a blade from one spring making for a thinner knife and the skill of having them nest in the frame-when done properly and GEC are very good at single spring construction. The other attraction for me at least, is that the Churchill will not have half stops ensuring smooth opening and closing. This too I prefer over half-stop arrangements.

The Churchill has a robust Clip and a very useful Sheepfoot, with its broad yet quite slim handle I find it super in the hand. Moose knives have never attracted me much as you have two big thick blades from different springs, a heavier and bulkier carry-many may like that though, but Clip/Spear combo doesn't move me much, I much prefer them as singles or mated to a smaller blade.

At the end of the day, both are very decent knives but I also think the 35 Churchill EE frame is more aesthetic. The 82 Skinner Turkish Clip/big Wharncliffe is a wonderful carry too, slim and ergonomic.

Thanks, Will
 
CraigTbone said:
What can you tell me about one vs. two springs?

The Possum Skinner seems like a great knife but it is 4 1/8" closed length. The Calf Roper at 3 1/2" is a very comfortable size. Bull Moose at 4" might be acceptable.

But I am curious about the differences in the spring configurationz.
Click to expand...

A couple of tings that come to mind in addition to what has already been mentioned: A knife with 2 blades that each ride on their own spring will likely have less chance of the blades rubbing together when you open one of them. Not a big deal to me but some folks find blade rub very bothersome.

Also, I personally avoid opening 2 blades on the same spring in a manner that stresses both ends of the spring. I snapped a backspring in two by doing that once so I don't do it anymore. The only time I've really had the need or desire to stress both ends of a spring is when I'm taking pictures of the knife so this is not a big deal either. In those cases I just open one blade fully and the other blade partially so that only one end of the spring is stressed.
 
Thanks for all the input folks. Most helpful.

The Possum Skinner looks like it would be a fantastic knife. For me it is a bit longer than I prefer at 4.25" closed. I have a Queen Stockman (love this knife) that is 4" folded and that is about as long as I want to pocket carry.

I do not find the Churchill as aesthetically pleasing as other knives such as the Stockman because it is straight while many other patterns have some bend to them. Straight is a bit boring in comparison. But for me function is first. The Churchill seems very optimised for pocket carry: thin single spring, nicely rounded ends.

So I have asked these questions about GEC knives. I have a bit of loyalty to GEC because they make a good product and they are located in the state that I live in. However, are there any other companies that make a similar knife to the Churchill that is worthy of looking at?
 
CraigTbone said:
Thanks for all the input folks. Most helpful.

The Possum Skinner looks like it would be a fantastic knife. For me it is a bit longer than I prefer at 4.25" closed. I have a Queen Stockman (love this knife) that is 4" folded and that is about as long as I want to pocket carry.

I do not find the Churchill as aesthetically pleasing as other knives such as the Stockman because it is straight while many other patterns have some bend to them. Straight is a bit boring in comparison. But for me function is first. The Churchill seems very optimised for pocket carry: thin single spring, nicely rounded ends.

So I have asked these questions about GEC knives. I have a bit of loyalty to GEC because they make a good product and they are located in the state that I live in. However, are there any other companies that make a similar knife to the Churchill that is worthy of looking at?
Click to expand...

Similar only in size and shape is the Case 45 pattern. 6345 would be the bone handled 3 blade version but I think there were some 2 blade versions made as well. Very similar in shape to the Churchill with a blade selection similar to your Calf Roper except that my 6345 has a Pen blade in place of the Spey blade.

Also made in the state that you live in.

Sorry I don't have any pics handy right now but a Google Image search for "Case 6345 knife" should turn up some good examples.
 
But if the straight handle is what OP doesn't like about the Churchill, how about a serpentine double-ender? Would the CSC forum knife and last year's Buck be options?
 
You may want to take a look at other options if you don't care for the shape of the Churchill. Personally, despite how functional a pattern is, if I am not 100% in love with its looks its more likely to spend time in the drawer than in my pocket.
 
CraigTbone said:
The Possum Skinner seems like a great knife but it is 4 1/8" closed length. The Calf Roper at 3 1/2" is a very comfortable size. Bull Moose at 4" might be acceptable.
Click to expand...

Possum Skinner is going to feel smaller in pocket than the Moose. Smaller in hand, too, which may or may not be to your preference. I find both the Churchill and the Skinner to be ideal EDCs for me. Lightweight, thin, rounded corners, amazing secondaries that cut like lightsabers. They're both great knives.
 
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