GEC Furtaker Trapper - Yellow Rose

coyote711

coyote711

Joined
Sep 19, 2009
Messages
1,679
I received my Yellow Rose Furtaker Trapper today, and first off I want to say a big "Thank You to .41Dude" - it was your thread a few days ago that gave me the push I needed! My hat is off to you, sir! :thumbup:

I don't know where to start - I love everything about this knife! This is the easiest opening GEC I have ever had - you may think I'm blowin' smoke, but it's easier to open than the EZ Open series. That's probably due to this being a longer knife, hence more leverage. Also NO half stops on the Furtaker, which also contributes to a smoother opening knife.

The big wharncliffe blade I can pinch open - and I don't mean "pinch it open if I concentrate with all my mind, grip it as tight as I possibly can, and maybe get it part way open half the time I try" - I mean without much thought it pinches open all the way! (FYI, I'm a 60 year old man and probably not the strongest person in the room, either).

The clip blade lays real low, but there is a cut-out in the scale & liner that makes it easy to get your thumb nail in there. Again, one motion from fully closed to fully open!

I like the trapper pattern because you don't have to flip the knife over to access the second blade. And for me personally, I like the wharncliffe blade better than a spey blade.

F & F is up to the usual GEC standards. Both blades centered in the liners when closed, and no play in the blades when open. And despite the ease of opening & closing compared to every other GEC I've owned, this still has a very nice walk & talk!

The biggest knife I'm usually comfortable pocket carrying is in the 3 1/2" - 3 5/8" range. This knife measures 4 1/8". I was on my way to take a walk in the woods this afternoon, drove by the mailbox on the way, immediately tore open the box when I saw what had arrived (:D:D:D), pulled out my other knives, dropped this baby in my pocket and proceeded to walk the woods. No problem. This baby pocket carries just fine! :thumbup:

Sorry to ramble on, but you know how it is when you get a new knife! ;)
 
Nice buy! That modified wharncliffe (or whatever it is) and skinner blade are a perfect pair.

I love that equal end frame. I am about to grab a Furtaker Trapper with the beaver shield, bubinga wood or whatever. The big jack I've got is bigger than I thought I would ever carry but it just fits the hand so well---like a twinkie with blades.
 
i agree that the pattern is a highly useful design. i really was attracted to the yellow rose in that pattern but i'm at the stage i need to be really selective since everyone only has so much money.after the bubinga & burnt stag in that pattern i decided to see what was coming down the road.
 
Keith,

I received mine and I agree with everything you said. I bought mine from the same place as you. Are they new, I know they say from collections, but I can't see any pocket carry at all. I do like the warne blade.
 
joesrx said:
Keith,

I received mine and I agree with everything you said. I bought mine from the same place as you. Are they new, I know they say from collections, but I can't see any pocket carry at all. I do like the warne blade.
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Joe, I believe they came out with these only about a month ago - I think Dennis Strickland had posted that in another thread. (Someone correct me if I'm wrong). They had the Muskrat Furtaker out for longer, but the Trapper pattern in the Furtaker is new. Look on the tang of the wharnie blade - the last 2 digits indicate the year of manufacture.

Glad you like yours too, Joe! This one's a keeper! ;)
 
all are 2010 i beleive. the order was woods 1st , then acrylic & burnt stag next, the yellow rose was the latest release. mike latham will correct me if i'm wrong.yellow rose has been a good one for gec. 73s, muskie furtaker, trapper fur & now the big 23 single blade.[4.5 in.] i think i got them in order. the slight shading towards lightness at bolsters must be the magic.i'm waiting for the stock whittler, if it comes.
 
Thanks Keith now I have to order one. I have been juggling between a Furtaker and a Stockman. Now I think I want the Furtaker and no worries I wanted Yellow Rose above all any way.


HAK
 
coyote711 You are welcome :D:D:D:D

VERY happy you like it. Nice review. I second (again) how easy it is to open

and the nail cut out allows plenty of grab room for the second blade.

Now I keep looking at a Yellow Rose version (dangit) ;)

I have had good luck with toting mine in the coin pocket of my Levi

"Carpenters" but have to use a small SAK belt pouch for other types of pants.

It is a solid chunk of knife.

I have a smooth bone Model 23. The smooth bone has many subtle beautiful

colors that are hard to see in pictures. Is the Yellow Rose like that?

Again congratulations on your new baby.
 
HAKnPocket said:
Thanks Keith now I have to order one. I have been juggling between a Furtaker and a Stockman. Now I think I want the Furtaker and no worries I wanted Yellow Rose above all any way.


HAK
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HAK, what pushed me over the edge on the Furtaker was the ease of opening & closing and the lack of halfstops. This Furtaker feels pretty much like any other slipjoint for opening & closing, not like a bear trap at all - yet it is unmistakably GEC! To me that's a good thing. YMMV! ;)
 
Keith I really think its the Yellow Rose Bone that throws me over the edge. I am not a huge fan of half stops but I make due if I like the overall feel of the knife. Does the stockman/cigar pattern have half stops? I really like the versatility of the three blades but I think I I can get by with out the speyish type blade. Now to ask for forgiveness since I have to order the Furtaker now.


HAK
 
.41Dude said:
coyote711 You are welcome :D:D:D:D

VERY happy you like it. Nice review. I second (again) how easy it is to open

and the nail cut out allows plenty of grab room for the second blade.

Now I keep looking at a Yellow Rose version (dangit) ;)

I have had good luck with toting mine in the coin pocket of my Levi

"Carpenters" but have to use a small SAK belt pouch for other types of pants.

It is a solid chunk of knife.

I have a smooth bone Model 23. The smooth bone has many subtle beautiful

colors that are hard to see in pictures. Is the Yellow Rose like that?

Again congratulations on your new baby.
Click to expand...


Thanks .41Dude! :thumbup:

Wanna know what's funny? You've got one in Stag and are thinking about getting one in Yellow Rose; I've got one in Yellow Rose and now I'm thinking about getting one in Stag! :D I didn't want to spend the money on Stag to start with until I was sure I would like this knife. Based on your thread from the other night I thought I'd like it, but ya never know. Now that I know I love it, I'm thinking the Stag would put it right over the top!!! Always the money thing to consider, though. ;)

This Yellow Rose is hard to describe. I personally like smooth bone (which this is), and if pushed, I'd have to say I like smooth bone maybe a little better than jigged bone. There are subtle variations in the yellow color, and it is a deep, rich yellow! I'm going to have to reserve final judgement until it ages for a while. I think right now I'd have to say that I might like natural bone a little better.

Take care and thanks again for your help the other night!

Keith
 
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My Northfield whittler in antique amber bone-- yes to half stops.
Tidioute big jack in burnt grizzly cut bone-- yes (bigtime!) to half stops.
My Northfield stockman in coppertone acrylic does NOT have half stops, but still snaps like a gator. Wonderful pulls on the stockman.
 
This one of the few knives where I'm tempted to get a second one. The question is... tractor green bone, or eggs and hot sauce acrylic to go along with the burnt sky one I already have?
 
joesrx said:
Keith,

I received mine and I agree with everything you said. I bought mine from the same place as you. Are they new, I know they say from collections, but I can't see any pocket carry at all. I do like the warne blade.
Click to expand...

Joe, I got to thinking and remembered that collectorknives is a distributor for GEC, so I would guess a lot, if not most, of the GEC's he sells are new ones. I don't know if you've ever went to the GEC site, but they list all the authorized distributors for their knives. They also have an explanation of their tang numbering system, and a "New Release" section that tells when a particular knife was released. For example I found out that the Yellow Rose Furtaker Trapper that I have was released on February 26, 2010 - I didn't know that before, but it's pretty cool because February 26th is my Mothers birthday. This knife will have a special place in my heart from now on, knowing that!

(I'm no good at providing links, but if you google great eastern cutlery you'll get it. Googling gec doesn't get anything).
 
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all gecs i've seen from the mail order sites are mint. if used they mention that aspect & amount of use. now there is an edc section which are slight blems which are heavily discounted, these are labeled as such. these blems are not construction problems but things like a pin set too deeply or bone color doe'st match on both sides.some rare ones may have a slightly lazy blade. hope this clears it up a little.
 
.41Dude said:
Good morning.

I wanted to share this. I just purchased this SAK pouch for my Furtaker.
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Thanks for the link! Is the 111mm pouch too big for the Furtaker? Looks like the 91mm would only fit up to a 3 1/2" knife, or is there enough extra fabric in the "hood" to accommodate a larger knife?
 
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I am trying the shorter as an experiment. Not sure yet. The 111mm is too long for the Furtaker. Furtaker drops down just enough so you cannot grab it.
When the shorter one gets here I will post how it fits.

:)
 
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