GEC..dull blades

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dan oliver

Joined
Jul 8, 2006
Messages
166
I just received from TSA ( great service by the way), three GEC knives:1)Northfield Barlow Stag, 2) Northfield single blade 3) Tidioute Barlow EZ Open

Nice fit & finish; pretty even. But they are easily the dullest blades in my house...kitchen knives included. It doesn't seem like they paid enough attention to the cutting edge. I've started one on my Sharpmaker, but it appears it will be a slow process. My Case CV sharpened so much faster.

Has anyone else had a similar experience? Is this the defacto standard in the slip joint market?

Thanks for your consideration.
 
Both of the Gec's that I ordered were dull as butter knives( one actually had a usable utility edge) and complete and utter piles of shite. One was sent back to dealer for a full refund. The other I was on a mission to make it sharp after that effort produced no results( by the way the F&F was absolutely horrible) I called and emailed Gec(that was a month and a half ago)and still have not heard back from them. After that I decided to do a little torture testing. loosened up the blades with very little effort. I do not have a scientific way to test blade strength but I am pretty sure I should not have been able to snap a blade in half with bare hands( no vice or tools involved). I do not like a constant reminder of a failed product and a bad purchase so it was tossed in with the rest of the trash a week ago. I know people love them but I do not and that is my own personal experience. I will stick with case, a comparable model was half the price, razor sharp and the F&F is spot on.

Just so you know the one Gec that I received actually came serialized and supplied with a SIGNED card from someone at the factory that showed that it was personally checked before it was sent out...go figure!!! I guess they must have been asleep when it got to their desk.
 
I've got several of them, and sharpness seems to be about 50/50. At least they don't have huge ragged edges like all of my new Case knives have had.
 
I've had to sharpen the 8 or so GEC's I've bought.

It's the only issue I've had with them though; they're otherwise really fine knives.

And they do end up taking a super fine edge.
 
I bought a #25 about two weeks ago with a main spear-blade and a secondary clip. Both were hair-popping sharp, and the F&F were impeccable. Backsprings are strong as hell, but I guess you can't have it all.

No issues with GEC at all, personally. Maybe it's a hit or miss kind of thing.
 
That's weird. I keep hearing about GECs shipping dull, but that hasn't been my experience at all. I have a dozen or so, and they've all been nice and sharp right out of the box. I haven't had to touch the edge on any of mine. I may just be having a lucky streak with GECs.

Now Case on the other hand..... almost all of those need to hit the stones before they can go in my pocket.

It's a good thing that sharpening is fun!
 
moonwilson said:
Now Case on the other hand..... almost all of those need to hit the stones before they can go in my pocket.
Click to expand...

Interesting...all of my recent Case knives have come in very sharp! :)

A couple of CV's were so sharp that I even posted about them.
 
As the proud owner of a whopping five slip joints, I haven't had to touch up any of them. My Soddie Jr. was awesome, and I paid of a visit down to my "local" Bass Pro Shop that I was near for business yesterday, acquiring a nice stag Case Large Stockman in the process. The Stockman wasn't hair-felling sharp, but it was the display case knife, and I didn't expect it to be. Just a hair under extremely sharp, though.

My China Bucks also came nicely sharp out of the box.
 
Interesting to me that others are having the same problem. I could never buy another GEC. I have an email into the seller, TSA to see what my options are. I liked TSA's service and I hope they have some ideas. Some of you seem to have had some similar problems with Case. I am not sure what the slip joint makers are thinking, but dull blades are un acceptable. These GEC's are a little sharper than butterknives, but not by much. I really wouldn't carry them as a result.
 
I don't care as long as the blade steel they use is capable of taking a nice edge. And GEC's 1095 is amazing! I couldn't imagine carrying a knife before putting my own bevel on it.
 
Mine needed some work, but once I got'em the way I want'em........ Wow! Very pleased. Take and hold a great edge. Much like my Case CV's. M
 
sir woodley said:
Mine needed some work, but once I got'em the way I want'em........ Wow! Very pleased. Take and hold a great edge. Much like my Case CV's. M
Click to expand...

Do they hold an edge better than Case CV?
 
Last 2 GECs I got were butterknives. I dont quite understand them not showing up shaving sharp. I have handled all the ones in my local shop and to the knife they all needed a good sharpening. No reason to not buy them though. Like Capt Carl says, I dont know who doesnt do their own sharpening on a carry knife. Ifs it for a collection, who cares how sharp it is...your not going to carry it.
 
Knarfeng, From "my" experiance, I'd have to say about the same, maybe GEC a "hair" better. Thats just from my EDC usage. Not any professional testing. :) Both so great though.
 
My two GEC's have came with usable, but unremarkable edges. I am still quite fond of them though, as that is their only real fault and is easily corrected. On the other hand, is it too much to expect a new knife to be sharp?
 
knarfeng said:
Do they hold an edge better than Case CV?
Click to expand...

I'd say so. I've had 2 GECs, but got rid of one (Both have 1095, not 440C). The other, a wharncliffe Barlow in Frontier bone, has definitely held it's edge better than a CV or SS Case. i don't have a Buck in 420HC, so I can't comment on that.

Having said that, I usually trade off between the GEC Barlow & a Case Seahorse Whittler. What can I say? I love wharncliffe blades.
 
i have only 2 GECs, F'nF is acceptable but not outstanding, blades arrived dull. i have 100s of USA made knives for comparison: Case, Queen, Schrade, CSC, etc. all new unused. the Queens are as dull as the GECs, all the rest are better. (Case knives often have a burr on one side, easily removed)
i don't think the GECs higher price make them a worthwhile deal.
what continues to baffle me is that of my about 30 Rough Rider knives, all but one arrived truly shaving sharp and the 2 i have been using for over 1 year are keeping their edge very well. average price for these about $10.
so why is it that GEC and Queen consistently send out pathetically dull knives ?
i do not understand this.
roland
 
rprocter said:
i have only 2 GECs, F'nF is acceptable but not outstanding, blades arrived dull. i have 100s of USA made knives for comparison: Case, Queen, Schrade, CSC, etc. all new unused. the Queens are as dull as the GECs, all the rest are better. (Case knives often have a burr on one side, easily removed)
i don't think the GECs higher price make them a worthwhile deal.
what continues to baffle me is that of my about 30 Rough Rider knives, all but one arrived truly shaving sharp and the 2 i have been using for over 1 year are keeping their edge very well. average price for these about $10.
so why is it that GEC and Queen consistently send out pathetically dull knives ?
i do not understand this.
roland
Click to expand...

If I were guessing USA Knives blades are this way because of liability issues, both at the work place and the finial customer......
 
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rprocter said:
so why is it that GEC and Queen consistently send out pathetically dull knives ?
i do not understand this.
roland
Click to expand...

I don't really understand it either; though I wouldn't say that my GEC knives are "pathetically" dull.
Rather, they're sort of "utility" sharp. :)

And with Queen, I find it's hit-or-miss.
Many, even most, of my Queen knives - especially recently - have been nicely sharp right out of the box.
 
Don't have any GEC's, but I do have a comment.

I don't place much importance on sharpness OOB. Of all knife parameters: fit, finish, solidity of the blade, blade style, blade steel, blade heat treat and sharpness, the one parameter that I can easily change is the sharpness. Shucks, I'm gonna have to sharpen it sooner or later anyway. I am much more concerned about everything else.

Some of my favorite knives are knives that weren't particularly sharp out of the box. YMMV.
 
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