GEC fit and finish advice needed

D

d.weglarz13

Joined
Jun 4, 2008
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Few questions about GEC fit/finish that I need some help on. And its really been bothering me what I should do. I bought my first GEC knife and would like to hear from you guys what your opinions are on just the small details like gaps, pin show through the bolsters, stuff like that...and your opinions on my first one, and if I should send it back or just keep it and be happy.

Let me start by saying I already spoke to both the vendor and GEC, both were more than willing to make me happy, so I am just trying to figure out if I should go for a repair or an exchange. And figured you guys always help me, plus didn't really want to tick off the company by calling back and asking a million questions.

1.First, a bit of pin show on one bolster.......GEC said easily polished to fix it, so no big deal I think.
2.Blade just ever so slightly hitting the back spring.....again GEC says its no big deal to tweak it.
3.A few weird bevels, down the spine side of the handle where the bone is, on one side the bevel looks as though it was sanded a bit too close to the liners, instead of a nice even bevel down the handle. Its not such a big deal I guess, as really the bevels on the entire handle along the bone are not perfect at all and maybe gives it character. Its hard to get a pic of, but I'll try to get one up in a bit.
This doesn't seem to be fixable to me, since you can't add any material to the handle, just take it off, and on the one side (spine side) one handle cover is already too close to the liner on one side. Its the Northwoods #44 Madison Barlow, so its already also a very thin knife.
4. There are also gaps along between the liners and back spring, almost 1/3 down the handle on both sides of the back spring, which seems to look like the back spring itself wasn't sanded perfectly flat on either side, but thats what it looks like to my eyes anyway. The gaps aren't huge, but you can see them if you carefully look with any light behind. Maybe a sheet of paper could fit through, but not more than that. I don't think that GEC will rip the knife apart to fix this, and probably would rather exchange it for me anyway since then we are getting into custom work almost I fear.

Now, again I want to say that I do know these are production knives, and not crazy 800 dollar customs. So, if you guys say that none of them are really perfect, and they all have some imperfections but usually minor, then I will just send her in for a bolster polish and an adjustment of the blade tapping the spring. I am not sure that GEC can fix any gaps, or obviously add material to the beautiful bone, so if with materials like bone its always a bit off, then I will keep it. Hey, if they are all like this to some point, then the exchanged knife could be just as "not perfect."

But, I really just had to ask your opinions. I don't want to sound unhappy with my first traditional, because I really do love this thing. And, if I exchange it, I may get one with not so beautiful of a dark bone, like the one I got now.
Again, both the vendor and company are willing to make me happy, I just don't know if I should risk exchange, since I picked the knife from some pics, and seemed to be the most dark and uniform on both handle covers with no blemishes or light spots that the vendor had in stock.

Thanks again for your opinions and suggestions, and thanks for you guys and this forum....

Dave

sorry for the long post
 
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Hard to say just based on descriptions.

I have a couple of GECs that I consider to be absolutely perfect.
I have a couple of others that, if I focus on it, might be said to have minor flaws.
As you say, they are production knives, and there is some variability in them.
 
I would say put all of your concerns in a letter to GEC when you send it. If it comes back and is not up to snuff, send it back to us.

Honestly, the blade hitting on the spring would bug the heck out of me and I would send it in for that in a NY minute. The other things sound like they are pretty normal for a production pocket knife. Ben and I both looked at the knife going out and didn't see anything out of the ordinary. (that doesn't mean it isn't, just that it didn't stand out to us).

If you are used to modern folders, they are made by machines and some of them are as near perfect as they can possibly be. GEC knives are made by people--craftsmen. If I look hard enough at any knife I can find flaws. Most of them just don't bother me that much.

Again. It is your knife and you need to do what makes you feel comfortable. IMO, GEC makes the best production slip joints in the world right now, but they are far from perfect.

Hope that helps.
 
I don't think you're being silly.You are being discerning.You recognise quality.
I think the blue bone -is it stonewashed blue bone? will be consistent across the knives that were made with it.
Bone is a natural material and subject to minor imperfections which may be termed "character".Are you able to check them out in person before exchanging?
Worst case scenario-you exchange it for one that comes with the same "defects" but even nicer scales(slim possibility).
If you send it back it will get tweaked by expert tweakers.
good luck with it.
 
Dave,
If it were mine, I would probably send it to them and have them do their best to make it better without ripping it apart.
You said that the bone is beautiful, so I would want it to keep it somewhat intact in that respect.
The nice thing about G.E.C. is that the scale material varies in appearance and makes each knife an individual.
 
I think you should definitely replace and include your reasons why. If the replacement isn't to your satisfaction then ask for a refund. No need to be really bothered friend.

I also have a Madison Barlow and I don't have any of those problems. Except...today I did notice just the smallest chip in the blade hitting the back spring about halfway down. Looking into the handle I see a slight rise in the back spring at this same point.

Because everything else is so nice I think sharpening the blade a little and also trying to sand off a little of the inner back spring will be my course of action. Is the back spring supposed to be totally flat/smooth inside?
 
Seems apparent from your opening that you will always notice the inconsistencies and be unhappy with it. Send it back and let the dealer hand select a replacement if he his willing. Ask him to select one with slabs "most dark and uniform on both handle covers with no blemishes" of those he has with good fit and finish.
 
payton206 said:
I also have a Madison Barlow and I don't have any of those problems. Except...today I did notice just the smallest chip in the blade hitting the back spring about halfway down. Looking into the handle I see a slight rise in the back spring at this same point.

Because everything else is so nice I think sharpening the blade a little and also trying to sand off a little of the inner back spring will be my course of action. Is the back spring supposed to be totally flat/smooth inside?
Click to expand...

That is probably where the pin goes through the spring, I probably wouldn't touch it.

If the blade hitting the spring bothers you, put some scrap leather in the blade well over the bump. I have done this to 3 of my GEC's and it has fixed the problem.
 
Ryan Sumner said:
If the blade hitting the spring bothers you, put some scrap leather in the blade well over the bump. I have done this to 3 of my GEC's and it has fixed the problem.
Click to expand...

It's a problem that shouldn't need to be corrected as it's a problem that should not exist. I'd return it.
 
N.E.Tim said:
Dave,
If it were mine, I would probably send it to them and have them do their best to make it better without ripping it apart.
You said that the bone is beautiful, so I would want it to keep it somewhat intact in that respect.
Click to expand...

^^^ This. My GEC has bone handles that don't perfectly transition into the bolsters and the swedge is almost imperceptibly non-symmetrical. But I really am a perfectionist. I probably could find a fault on an $800 custom--I've honestly never even held one, but I have an amazing attention to detail. 😄 All that said, my knife has nice bone that matches pretty good on both sides of the knife and it's my EDC. So I don't care as much about the minor flaws that it has.


Michael
 
As to your first 2 concerns, I would send it back for repairs. These are easy fixes. As far as the gap concerns, it would help to have some pictures, to see how large a gap you're talking about. You say you could run a piece of paper through them, I would like to see that. I've never owned a GEC that you could do that with.
 
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For a ~$100 knife, I don't like to see gaps or blade rub..... the bevel wouldn't be too big a deal as long as it wasn't silly.

GEC has sold me some great knives and a couple went back to the factory for adjustment. They are good people. I'd send it to them with a letter explaining the issues.
 
Guys, thank you. I will be sending her in for a quick adjustment for those things. Hopefully she will come back even better.
This thing really has me going. I am just kicking myself for not getting a traditional before, and always having to have the newer tech folders out there. I think i will be selling most of my more modern ones.

And, this won't be my last GEC/Northwoods knife, thats for sure. But, I think this one will stay in my pocket for many years to come, along with any new ones.

I really do appreciate all your guys advice, sometimes things like this just bother me and need to ask for some other opinions.

So, thanks again. Now I can't wait to get it back so I can cut some steak!

Sincerely,
dave
 
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