GEC conductor with bail. Half whittler?

[navihawk]

Does GEC still make a conductor 2 blade with a bail? Also, I thought I saw someone say the main blade was big enough for bigger jobs for its smaller frame size.

 

[arizonaranchman]

I love my 2-blade #33, but to me the blade is too thin for whittling. It's a fantastic slicer, but not sure that I'd say it's a good whittler.

 

[navihawk]

Thanks. Looks small I guess. What's it say on the bail? The bail looks like nickel silver which is a plus. Can I have a shot at the blades laying inside?

 

[Will Power]

Plenty of Half-Whittlers are small, CASE does one smaller than this. The GEC 57 isn't exactly hulking either but it does have a very decent Wharncliffe master.

My experience of the Conductor is that it is an excellently 'nested' knife offering little or no blade-rub.

 

[navihawk]

Thanks Will. From the pictures, it looks like a nice quality gem to throw in your pocket.

 

[Will Power]

Thanks Steve. It's got a lot more Clip blade than the much liked Peanut, and many seem to manage with that one OK.

Here's my stainless one in Burnt Stag (Cyclops Works)

 

[2Dead]

It depends on what you do with your knives. I don't really whittle so I can't comment on that other than saying other actual whittlers I've had had really thin blades too. For my purposes, a #33 works great, especially in an office setting. I use the secondary for opening packages/letters etc with the main blade kept clean for food stuffs if needed (will part a bagel very well, just rotate it). About the only thing that I would use it for that it doesn't work well for would be to cut a messy hero.

I believe all the Northfields have bails. That's actually what it says on the bail too, Northfield. Most of the ones with coping blade secondaries were a CKnet SFO (there were a handful of short runs too, like 3 in ivory, and a bail-less Tidioute in Buffalo Horn). None of the Tidioutes have bails. 440C with bail and pen secondaries is available on 3 SFOs, don't know how many are left though.

Eta, 1 of the sfos is under Great Eastern and in American Elk. It's bail actually says 'Great Eastern', not 'Northfield'. The other ones under the Dog Paws brand, it's hard to tell if their bails are stamped.

Here's a pic I took with a few small knives closed. The #33 with bail is the top one and is one of the CKnet SFOs. This one looks like it has a slightly thinner main blade than my other conductors (I only visually checked my users I had out though)

 

[navihawk]

Thanks Trand. I don't whittle either. It looks nice and thin. Comparable to the peanut.

 

[arizonaranchman]

Blade rub s very faint/minimal. I love the Coping blade as a secondary.

The bale has "Northfield" imprinted in it

 

[arizonaranchman]

Sorry for the poor photograph, this was taken with my iPhone in and attempt to capture the printing of the bale...

 

[navihawk]

Thanks Az. Despite the small size it looks well put together.

 

[arizonaranchman]

Case Peanut on top. GEC #33 Conductor at bottom for size comparison.

 

[navihawk]

Not much difference at all. Thanks again for the pictures.

 

[Will Power]

Well I find there is an appreciable difference between the two knives, including the blade width,thickness& length.

It could of course be my natural bias in favour of single-spring knives....

Thanks, Will

 

[navihawk]

I like the single springs too Will. I carried a Cozy Glen Canoe around for a few years. Looks like the handle has a good half inch on the peanut also.