GEC new #43 pattern, who’s excited?

Heirphoto said:
With all of the different GEC patterns I have owned the past few years it is the #43 that stands out to me. It is the only pattern that I still feel I "need" to own more of. I really don't need a knife this large for most tasks but it fits my hands so well, has a nice easy pull and just seems suited to most tasks despite the larger size. Great slicer, large enough to process apples and other fruit, pointy enough for many detailed tasks and hefty enough for heavier things in the yard and garden.

Really feel like if I could only own one or two slipjoints the #43 would be one of them and my #48 2 blade the other. Right now I have the micarta which I carry and a jigged cherry that still sits on my desk. The micarta was to be my yard/garden knife, the cherry my EDC. Somehow a green bone keeps calling to be a dressier EDC knife though. Stag and orange bone are pretty but just not my thing. The #43 gets carried either loose in my pocket, in a leather slip or a little belt sheath depending on what I am doing each day.
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I agree with you about the #43 . I also have a few GEC and I would put it right up there with the 73's , 77's , 78's and 35's that I "FEEL " that I need to have . There for sure are a lot more that are nice to have but the #43 , now that is a knife . I might feel the same way about the #23 & #42 , but I have never handled either yet . Now if I could get a #47 with either a Sheepfoot or Lambfoot blade , that would be an Outstanding working knife too .

Harry
 
These three all actually came from the Oregon Show. I bought a show knife of course, and then got the Stags from dealers. I bought one, then found the other that I liked even better so wound up with them both!! Bill at GEC said he doesn't know when he'll find stag this good again, so I feel lucky. I will part with one, but not right away.
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As usual, the scratches are on the scanner glass!:rolleyes:
 
My #43 in micarta handled a lot of work this weekend. Diced up onions, tomatoes and lettuce for tacos on Friday. And also did a great job cutting bailing twine and weed eater cord today. The thing just keeps slicing. After a quick strop and wash, the knife again was working in the kitchen tonight cutting up aspergras and broccoli. It's a great knife and I think the handle and how it fits my hand is why this knife is so enjoyable to use.
 
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I don't have many GECs but out of the ones I do have I think I may like my 43 frontier bone the best. I have had it in my pocket everyday except for two and there isn't much I would be hesitant to put it to work on. I have only had to run it across the beaver teeth twice and it has't lost that razors edge. If they ever do a run in white bone or ironwood i will be first in line as long as there is no cloud on it. I just really hate that that cloud shield.
 
This knife has been getting the business. It's spent the past few days cutting weed whacker line, irrigation line, bags of soil, zip ties, stubborn weeds, and a variety of food. I'm impressed; it's a nice size and feels comfortable in hand. Spent over a year with a #71 in the pocket as my ”dirty work knife, ” but this could quickly take it's place. Hope to see this one day released with any form of locking mechanism.

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StoneBeard said:
This knife has been getting the business. It's spent the past few days cutting weed whacker line, irrigation line, bags of soil, zip ties, stubborn weeds, and a variety of food. I'm impressed; it's a nice size and feels comfortable in hand. Spent over a year with a #71 in the pocket as my ”dirty work knife, ” but this could quickly take it's place. Hope to see this one day released with any form of locking mechanism.

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I agree. A lock on the 43 would make it nearly perfect. A liner lock that way theres no up and down blade play! Haha
 
StoneBeard said:
This knife has been getting the business. It's spent the past few days cutting weed whacker line, irrigation line, bags of soil, zip ties, stubborn weeds, and a variety of food. I'm impressed; it's a nice size and feels comfortable in hand. Spent over a year with a #71 in the pocket as my ”dirty work knife, ” but this could quickly take it's place. Hope to see this one day released with any form of locking mechanism.

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Wow

Congrats on that knife.


The stag is beautiful.


I really love the 43 pattern

My fav pattern so far
 
Mitt said:
I don't have many GECs but out of the ones I do have I think I may like my 43 frontier bone the best. I have had it in my pocket everyday except for two and there isn't much I would be hesitant to put it to work on. I have only had to run it across the beaver teeth twice and it has't lost that razors edge. If they ever do a run in white bone or ironwood i will be first in line as long as there is no cloud on it. I just really hate that that cloud shield.
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I would have purchased the 43s in camel bone or wood but i do not like the cloud shield..

An olean shield , oval or double bomb would have been great..


I have one in red jigged bone,
One in micarta and one im stag..



Ahhhhhh


The stag is my favorite.
 
toppygray82 said:
I would have purchased the 43s in camel bone or wood but i do not like the cloud shield..

An olean shield , oval or double bomb would have been great..


I have one in red jigged bone,
One in micarta and one im stag..



Ahhhhhh


The stag is my favorite.
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Im thinking an ironwood with a star or crest would look great in a 43.
 
toppygray82 said:
I would have purchased the 43s in camel bone or wood but i do not like the cloud shield..

An olean shield , oval or double bomb would have been great..


I have one in red jigged bone,
One in micarta and one im stag..



Ahhhhhh


The stag is my favorite.
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Lol, good thing GEC offers something for everyone because I'm exactly opposite of you regarding shield preference. I can't stand the hotdog shield. I much prefer the keyhole shield, so I went with camel and stag.

Stag is my favorite too. The stag GEC used on these is very nice.
 
Maybe an odd question, but would anyone with a 43 Beaver Tail mind commenting on how the ends of the handle feel?

Comparing them to, say, the Northfield cocobolo or the Tidioute micarta, the end of the Beaver Tail handle (by the lanyard hole) looks like it's "sharp," not rounded. But I know from the 74 Mustang I used to own that sometimes those sharp-looking ends are actually rounded just enough to be incredibly comfortable in hand -- which isn't always evident in photos!
 
Dadpool said:
Maybe an odd question, but would anyone with a 43 Beaver Tail mind commenting on how the ends of the handle feel?

Comparing them to, say, the Northfield cocobolo or the Tidioute micarta, the end of the Beaver Tail handle (by the lanyard hole) looks like it's "sharp," not rounded. But I know from the 74 Mustang I used to own that sometimes those sharp-looking ends are actually rounded just enough to be incredibly comfortable in hand -- which isn't always evident in photos!
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So I just went and felt around the back end of all three of my 43’s and the Beaver Tail is definitely the sharpest on those edges by the lanyard hole. That being said I find the jigged wood to be the most comfortable in hand of all three.
 
Copperberry said:
So I just went and felt around the back end of all three of my 43’s and the Beaver Tail is definitely the sharpest on those edges by the lanyard hole. That being said I find the jigged wood to be the most comfortable in hand of all three.
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Thanks, Copperberry!
 
toppygray82 said:
Wow

Congrats on that knife.


The stag is beautiful.


I really love the 43 pattern

My fav pattern so far
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Thanks, Toppy! Over a week in the pocket and I can confidently say this is a great pattern. This being the first Stag knife I've committed to carrying I couldn't be happier with it's looks and performance.

Great looking stag this morning gents!
 
Going on a week with this knife, and I now see why it’s so well loved. They really got the grind right, and the subtle swelling at the butt makes for a secure grip. Much like the Bullnose 71, it is very light and slim in the pocket for such a useful blade size.
I’m looking forward to seeing a patina develope as well as seeing the micarta develope some character.

This is truly a home run.

Thank you, @Chief!
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You guys are killing me with that stag! Somehow all the really nice ones slipped by me.

I pulled out a couple of Madison Barlows from 2 years ago to compare with the 43. While the pull on those is a little heavier, they actually didn’t lighten these new 43’s all that much. Still has plenty of walk and talk.

I have to say, I love the clip with the nick inside the cut swedge. I wish GEC did that more often.

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