GEC knives available at normal retail channels?

[Sid Post]

I have looked off and on for a GEC slipjoint for years without success at normal retail. I am looking for a user so, paying 200% or more at eBay or similar places isn't really viable.

Do GEC knives ever hit retail or, do knife flippers and their bots take them all to eBay?

TIA,
Sid

 

[sf fanatic]

I have looked off and on for a GEC slipjoint for years without success at normal retail. I am looking for a user so, paying 200% or more at eBay or similar places isn't really viable.

Do GEC knives ever hit retail or, do knife flippers and their bots take them all to eBay?

TIA,
Sid

Sid, generally speaking we don’t discuss the buying and selling of knives on this sub forum. I will say that if you had a paid gold membership you could purchase a GEC 2023 Forums knife at retail.

 

[kamagong]

Hi S Sid Post . You asked this question at a fortuitous time. Assuming you like the design of this year's forum knife (made by GEC), you will be eligible to purchase one as long as you upgrade to a Gold membership or higher. Move quickly, the forum knives will not be available for much longer.

 

[birdsbeaks]

Sid, generally speaking we don’t discuss the buying and selling of knives on this sub forum. I will say that if you had a paid gold membership you could purchase a GEC 2023 Forums knife at retail.

Hi S Sid Post . You asked this question at a fortuitous time. Assuming you like the design of this year's forum knife (made by GEC), you will be eligible to purchase one as long as you upgrade to a Gold membership or higher. Move quickly, the forum knives will not be available for much longer.

What these gents have said is your very best bet.

 

[CujiWuji]

And to answer your question, for the most part they don't stay very long on any retail site. You may have some luck in the Facebook groups, otherwise you'll need to be quick on the trigger when they drop to normal sites.

 

[Just Tom.]

I have looked off and on for a GEC slipjoint for years without success at normal retail

I first heard about GEC when I first started browsing Blade Forums. Folks seemed to really like them, and they seemed kinda cool, but when I discovered you couldn’t just BUY one, I lost interest immediately. I am absolutely not willing to jump through the sorts of hoops you need to to get one.

If they ever went to making just a couple of standard models and producing them in sufficient quantity to sell to retailers, I might change my mind. Even then, they would probably cost more than I am willing to spend on a knife.

 

[SoansoMcMasters]

I first heard about GEC when I first started browsing Blade Forums. Folks seemed to really like them, and they seemed kinda cool, but when I discovered you couldn’t just BUY one, I lost interest immediately. I am absolutely not willing to jump through the sorts of hoops you need to to get one.

If they ever went to making just a couple of standard models and producing them in sufficient quantity to sell to retailers, I might change my mind. Even then, they would probably cost more than I am willing to spend on a knife.

While I don’t personally follow your practice, it is more than reasonable. If GEC’s goal is put a great knife in as many hands as possible… they could do a better job of it, even doing relatively small runs of knives.

 

[jmgruber]

While I don’t personally follow your practice, it is more than reasonable. If GEC’s goal is put a great knife in as many hands as possible… they could do a better job of it, even doing relatively small runs of knives.

I don’t think that’s their goal

 

[afishhunter]

good luck. As others have stated, upgrade to Gold and order the 2023 Forum knife, if you like it, is your best bet for a new GEC at retail.

Most normal drops seem to sell out at online shops inside 1 second. Several have complained they put one in their cart, yet they are sold out before they can checkout immediately.

The days of a GEC (especially a popular GEC) staying "on the shelf" for a week or longer ... heck! An hour or longer! Are long gone, likely never to return.

I suspect more than one GEC dealer puts his or her entire stock up on ePrey as soon as they're released.
Why sell for retail when ePrey lets you sell out how ever many you received for 3x retail or more inside a couple minutes?

I can't see any other way the "flippers" on ePrey have several of each cover opetion available as soon as the run is released, and all the dealers are "sold out" in under a second on the more popular patterns, such as the 15.

To be honest, I am surprised the '23 Forum knife didn't sell out the day the ordering opened. There are only around 600 of them. There must be more than 600 Gold members who want one and have the funds available.

 

[hhmoore]

Luckily, I discovered GEC when they could still be had. I've already sold off my extras (at reasonable prices, I might add) and I have little interest in more, especially in the current market.

 

[SoansoMcMasters]

I don’t think that’s their goal

I think it would be much more “traditional” if it was their goal, at least in my own romanticized notions of the past.

They could still fill their current niche as a kind-of-quirky and hip maker of great quality boutique goods (knives). It seems so obviously like a win/win that I must be missing something.

Anyway, can’t wait to get my forum knife, which will join my other forum knife as the only two GECs I’ve been able to purchase new!! Thanks BladeForums and all the folk who make it happen!!!!

 

[FranklinG]

good luck. As others have stated, upgrade to Gold and order the 2023 Forum knife, if you like it, is your best bet for a new GEC at retail.

Yup. The 2023 Forum knife will probably be my only 2023 GEC. Last year, I was able to get three (!) at retail, and one of them was the 2022 Forum knife. I avoid the secondary market for these.

 

[birdsbeaks]

I think it would be much more “traditional” if it was their goal, at least in my own romanticized notions of the past.

They could still fill their current niche as a kind-of-quirky and hip maker of great quality boutique goods (knives). It seems so obviously like a win/win that I must be missing something.

Anyway, can’t wait to get my forum knife, which will join my other forum knife as the only two GECs I’ve been able to purchase new!! Thanks BladeForums and all the folk who make it happen!!!!

They're a very small operation requiring highly skilled craftsman, operating in a part of the country where the turnover is high and replacements, especially highly skilled ones, are not readily available - and it's all driven by the vision of essentially a single very passionate man.

I work for a company with plenty of resources, both human and financial, and scaling up operations is still risky and difficult. I'd have nightmares if you told me I had to figure out how to scale a company the size of GEC up to what would be needed to fill the current demand while still maintaining the level of quality that the demand is contingent upon. And what are the long-term projections of the current demand - enough to meet ROI? When do they actually start making a profit after sinking all those resources into scaling up? What if, tomorrow, everyone decides that Belarusian Meteorite frame locks are the greatest thing since sliced bread and the traditional market dries up entirely?

I would love to live in a world where GEC-quality knives were cheap and plentiful and I will once again invite anyone who thinks they can do it to please make the attempt. I promise I will be one of your customers - if you can pull it off.

The fact is, anyone who wants or needs a good quality knife can get one within their budget. Not everyone wants or needs a GEC. A $20 digital Timex generally keeps as good time as a $20k Rolex - but for those who prefer a Rolex, it isn't really about that.

 

[SoansoMcMasters]

They're a very small operation requiring highly skilled craftsman, operating in a part of the country where the turnover is high and replacements, especially highly skilled ones, are not readily available - and it's all driven by the vision of essentially a single very passionate man.

I work for a company with plenty of resources, both human and financial, and scaling up operations is still risky and difficult. I'd have nightmares if you told me I had to figure out how to scale a company the size of GEC up to what would be needed to fill the current demand while still maintaining the level of quality that the demand is contingent upon. And what are the long-term projections of the current demand - enough to meet ROI? When do they actually start making a profit after sinking all those resources into scaling up? What if, tomorrow, everyone decides that Belarusian Meteorite frame locks are the greatest thing since sliced bread and the traditional market dries up entirely?

I would love to live in a world where GEC-quality knives were cheap and plentiful and I will once again invite anyone who thinks they can do it to please make the attempt. I promise I will be one of your customers - if you can pull it off.

The fact is, anyone who wants or needs a good quality knife can get one within their budget. Not everyone wants or needs a GEC. A $20 digital Timex generally keeps as good time as a $20k Rolex - but for those who prefer a Rolex, it isn't really about that.

I think they could achieve what I said without any change in personnel or size. Make half as many different models and replace all of that slack capacity with two core models that you make lots of. Same amount of knives total, but half of them are two models, the other half is fun stuff. Now supply can build to the point of access for everyone interested for those two models.

I obviously don’t know squat about squat, but I wasn’t suggesting they find more skilled craftsmen or procure additional manufacturing space or equipment, etc…

 

[birdsbeaks]

I think they could achieve what I said without any change in personnel or size. Make half as many different models and replace all of that slack capacity with two core models that you make lots of. Same amount of knives total, but half of them are two models, the other half is fun stuff. Now supply can build to the point of access for everyone interested for those two models.

I obviously don’t know squat about squat, but I wasn’t suggesting they find more skilled craftsmen or procure additional manufacturing space or equipment, etc…

I understand. At the end of the day, I think the limiting factor is that Bill is going to make the knives he wants to make and if history serves as a guide, he doesn't seem to like to make the same knives over and over.

I used to complain about it. I must now be in the acceptance stage where I just try to enjoy what we've got for as long as we've got it. I wish Bill health, wealth, and an abnormally long life!

 

[mrknife]

i doubt it. sadly between the people who actually like the knives, the garbage who only buy them for flipping and those who buy them to force trades, you may have a difficult time buying what you actually want. the hobby is not what it once was. Gec is sadly a victim of its own success. For too long I have observed this market and those who operate in it, and I have grown sick and tired of them. good luck. the old days are gone.

 

[Jack Black]

Sid, generally speaking we don’t discuss the buying and selling of knives on this sub forum.

 

[Alex.Y.]

I think they could achieve what I said without any change in personnel or size. Make half as many different models and replace all of that slack capacity with two core models that you make lots of. Same amount of knives total, but half of them are two models, the other half is fun stuff. Now supply can build to the point of access for everyone interested for those two models.

But who's going to decide which models those two should be? And why two? Why not three, or four?.. These are good questions, aren't they.

 

[Will Power]

S Sid Post If you watch the Exchange with a hawk-eye you might well find reasonably priced users. Depends which pattern you want and bear in mind the cost of new retail GECs has risen a good deal as well.

 

[jc57]

What if, tomorrow, everyone decides that Belarusian Meteorite frame locks are the greatest thing since sliced bread and the traditional market dries up entirely?

I am already on the waiting list for a Belarusian Meteorite frame lock. Gotta have the right connections to get in on it, though. I especially like the one in chainsawcut tyrannosaurus bone handles.