GEC VS Tuna Valley

E

Epicurian

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Sep 12, 2010
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Could someone comment on the differences between these 2 brands? I'm familiar with GEC primarily using 1095, while Tuna Valley seems to use more high end stainless, like ATS34.

How do F&F compare, etc...
 
I've only got one Tuna Valley, a Cigar Congress in 440. I'm sure it's a GEC knife as many TV's were. Now I'm pretty sure they'll all be made at Queen. The f&f on mine is certainly as nice as any GEC I've owned. Seems as though they're pricing themselves between GEC's and the Case/Bose collaborations. Last summer I had the opportunity to visit both makers in Titusville, and I really preferred the GEC knives over the Queens. But things and owners at Queen have changed, and I think the verdict might still be out on the quality of the new Queen knives. I certainly hope they rise to the challenge, and I'm sure others here have more experience and will chime in. Hopefully both companies will prosper for a long time!
 
Borrowed dealer pic. I picked up one of these in a trade with a forum member. Made by Queen and it's really good. I now understand the attraction to ebony.

tv_ebony_zpsdf4e215c.jpg
 
markpmc said:
Borrowed dealer pic. I picked up one of these in a trade with a forum member. Made by Queen and it's really good. I now understand the attraction to ebony.
Click to expand...

Nice one Mark. I like the looks of that!
 
The tuna valley does look like great knives ,I dont have none yet,Werent the first 2 made in house at gec then it was made in house in queen.i really like the trapper model
 
Epicurian...................

As Roseskunk mention the Tuna Valley product with ATS 34 is made by Queen Cutlery ( Tuna Valley being a seperate company but also being owned by the same individuals that own Queen Cutlery).................with that being said there hasn't been enough comments posted to say what the new stuff is like from either of these two companys......though the use of the older Japanese ATS 34 steel is nothing new Queen has been using it on their Schatt&Morgan File & Wire Series since 1991 as well as many other companies so its a proofing stainless......................... and as far as Great Eastern there's enough posts that I'm sure you've already formed your own opinion....
 
I'm not nit-picking Jim,but several of the Tuna Valley Knives were made by Queen for Tuna Valley before the change of ownership at Queen. Just to illustrate the convoluted workings of the American Knife Industry.
 
So does anyone have a handle on the various sfo's that tuna valley has run through gec and queen?
 
Didn't GEC make a run of the 76 Outlaw for Tuna Valley, with the donkey shield?
They look nice to me, but I'd rather save the coin and go straight to the source.
 
wouldestous said:
1. my inner adolescent snickers at the name.
2. nice looking knife.
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You need to control your "inner adolescent" as comments like this simply will not be tolerated in this forum. Your one and only warning about posts like this.
 
puukkoman said:
Didn't GEC make a run of the 76 Outlaw for Tuna Valley, with the donkey shield?
They look nice to me, but I'd rather save the coin and go straight to the source.
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The 76 Outlaw with Donkey Shield I believe was a SFO for Charlie Dorton? And branded Krack-A-Jack Cutlery.
 
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markpmc said:
Borrowed dealer pic. I picked up one of these in a trade with a forum member. Made by Queen and it's really good. I now understand the attraction to ebony.

tv_ebony_zpsdf4e215c.jpg
Click to expand...

How do you like it for EDC? I am going to be seeing the owners of Queen at a knife show coming up. I might have to get another one from them.

Ryan Daniels had some Tuna Valley made by GEC last April, and some from Queen last December. For Queen, they were a trapper lockback that markpmc posted, and a cotton sampler. I thought they did a good job on both. I believe that a listing for Tuna Valley is on the Queen site.

I think that Tuna Valley and GEC are near the top of the game, below the Case Bose annual line and the Buck custom shop knives (still hoping that CJ asks the guys to start making slipjoints in the Custom Shop). While I would like to have seen the lockback trapper a little tighter, that is just my opinion, and not in any way, shape or form a defect. You really can't go wrong with either brand.

Mark, did I send the Tuna Valley advertising sheet with that? Might have more information on that.
 
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silenthunterstudios said:
How do you like it for EDC?
....

Mark, did I send the Tuna Valley advertising sheet with that? Might have more information on that.
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I haven't been able to do more than fondle it. But soon ...
I don't think I was an ad sheet in the package.

I'm getting more and more interested in TV. As one who has not been overly kind to Queen based on my 2009 Moose; I'm very impressed with this TV lockback. Maybe I'll get it out for Wooden Wednesday....
 
Perry Miller revived the brand once he had the trademark in hand and picked GEC to make them for him. Seem like Perry told me at one time that the original company itself had Case Cutlery connections back in the old days. Ken Daniels bought the trademark from Perry while he was still at GEC and had them start making some from existing tooling to sell through parallel venues by Ryan. Once Ken left GEC, Queen was contracted to produce the series and I am sure it will continue down that path for the near future. They seem to be nice knives and I am sure the demand will stat intact; but these contracted trademarks never seem to get a large following. Maybe this one will be the exception.
 
kamagong said:
What about the black box Winchesters?

- Christian
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They may be one of the better examples of a successfully resurrected brand, but knives made in the late 1980's still sit on the maker's shelves (or at least did last time I ordered). Not what I would call a booming success. The popularity of a series of knives 20 years after the last one was produced is not really the group I was speaking about.
 
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