GEC Wharncliffe Lockback in Ebony

[2manyknives]

These knives have been well covered in earlier posts and there are some very nice photos available that have been posted by other members.

This is not a review as such but some observations after owning one for around six weeks and carrying it to work each day for the past month or so.

I like the knife and will start with the negatives and get them out of the way. The first negative comment will not surprise anyone familiar with GEC – the knife was delivered without a workable cutting edge. It was blunt. This is hardly a discovery on my part and I know many of you don’t see it as an issue but I do. The primary function of a knife is to cut things and a knife that cannot fulfil its primary function as delivered, is not fit for purpose. I won’t dwell on it any further but it annoys me – it is not as though the folks that build them don’t know how to sharpen a blade.

The second issue is that when the blade was closed, the tip of the blade was exposed. It was obvious to the touch and to the eye. The tip was not out far enough to cause serious injury but enough to cut skin or the inside of a pocket. GEC is presented as a maker of high quality cutlery and I regard this as a quality issue – it was easy to detect and should have been resolved before the knife left the plant.

OK – most of the bad stuff off my chest. I sharpened the knife and it is now very much fit for purpose. The 1095 takes a great edge and touches up easily. That straight Wharncliffe edge is so easy to sharpen.

Fit and finish on the knife is first class – wood to metal fit is great, grind lines are symmetrical, the shield is nicely inlet and the ebony looks really good. The blade has quite a dramatic swedge that runs full length. I am ambivalent about the swedge – it looks racy but I am not sure that it adds anything functional and is a bit uncomfortable when you choke up on the blade and press down for any fine cutting.

Here is the knife when I first received it - all shiny and new

I removed some metal from the kick and got the tip back under cover. Unfortunately when I sharpened the knife it was just enough to just expose the tip again. I took some more off the kick and it is back under control. All of this was simple enough but I don’t believe that a user should have to do this to a quality product.

The knife is light and fairly thin. It carries well in the pocket but I have been keeping it in a KSF pocket sheath at work. All quite unobtrusive and it protects the knife well – as long as you don’t have a thing about quick deployment it is a good carry method.

The blade comes delivered with a nice polish but don’t expect this to last with 1095 if you use it. The blade stains quickly and there is no point in resisting it – just keep it clean and don’t let it get to the stage of rust or pitting.


Here is the knife after a month or so of daily use

Overall this is a great knife – nicely made from quality materials and is as practical as it is handsome. I had a thought that GEC could take this a bit further out of the traditional arena. With a 440c stainless blade and black or ivory micarta scales this would be a wonderful knife for use in more hostile climates and would give any modern design a good run.

 

[DennisStrickland]

2many great articulate review with excellent pics. these reviews with out emotive outbursts are quite refreshing. indicitive of intelligent clear cognition. we can certainly accomplish informative reports that convey honest & illuminating characteristics w/o screaming from mountain tops & igniting flares when speaking of cutlery products. hats off to 2manyknives. --dennis

 

[glocktenman]

I like the look of that knife. I saw one with some dark brown or black bone handles that looked well also. Looks like you've got it going in the right direction now with a few corrections. Enjoy it!

 

[Will Power]

Very balanced review which offers the reader a lot, thank you.

I agree with you about more stainless use on GEC, I'd admire the ivory micarta idea and dream of a stainless Spear with Longpull and swedge. With the Wharncliffe blade,I think this works and looks better with just a nail nick and no longpull. Returning to the stainless issue, GEC claim that collectors show reluctance to buy this and greatly prefer carbon, maybe, maybe not, but I do believe an issue of single blades in a larger frame would be received well. Their stainless is good metal too.

The bluntness thing is very irritating indeed and, in a way, a bit insulting to the buyer. I do hear that the latest patterns are emerging keen, so perhaps GEC read and learn? Hope so. One issue that annoys me on some of their knives, and appears on your example is when one of the pins is sunk much deeper than the others leaving a hole. For some reason, I expect my knives to have nice rounded smooth pins on the handles and no 'pores' or 'glory holes' It's a minor quirk though and can be fixed yourself using a piece of brass pin tubing(done it).

GEC have had a very good impact on Traditional knives, no question about it. Having been in operation only since 06 they've put out some really desirable knives, knives that can collect and look pretty and knives that can work and look pretty!

 

[Seals]

Nice review.I just snagged one in jigged bone out of the exchange sub forum.I couldnt be happier.It did draw my eye to the tip when closed.It is just borderline,but barely hides the tip which is good enough.It had a patina beginnig which is something most here like i know,but i prefer a bright blade myself.A little polish brought it right back.It came with a nice V edge the original owner put on.Ill probably give it a strop and thats it.The knife functions velvet smooth and easy with a tight lockup.Its on my hip in a sheath and will get used.

 

[arty]

I have the regular 72 original model in red bone. The tip is slightly out - enough for me to need to use a sheath in the pocket.

 

[thejamppa]

Everytimne I see wharnie #72 I kick myself for not getting one, especially ebony and now its too late...

 

[reader1]

My thanks to 2manyknives for his review, and to all of the serious comments by BF members.

I learned a couple of things that I should have known before.

1. Production knives offer great divergence in quality even in the same batch. My Ebony #72 has reddish streaks in the Ebony that have grown on me. It came out of the tube: blade centered perfectly; sharp enough that the blade catches on my fingernail - not sharp enough, but not dull; blade tip is definitely not exposed - my Queen #39 will poke you unless you remember the 2manyknives solution, and remove metal from the kick; as an old guy with weak nails, I like the long pull, but both of my#72s are easily pinched open - neither nail nick nor long pull needed.
2. 2many knives and other posters have reminded me that a pocket sheath will protect the beautiful shiny bolsters on GEC knives.

My thanks to all.

 

[TLARbb]

That is one handsome knife. I just do not quite understand why GEC (or anyone else for that matter) would ship a knife with an exposed tip. What about that is "OK"? I know, not hard to fix, but it is one of my pet peeves to have to "finish fitting" a knife for the manufacturer. In GEC's case, their knives are certainly not entry level price point.

I am like you though, I'd have fixed it and used it like you did; it's just that situation kind of rubs my fur the wrong way.

Ed

 

[TLARbb]

Overall this is a great knife – nicely made from quality materials and is as practical as it is handsome. I had a thought that GEC could take this a bit further out of the traditional arena. With a 440c stainless blade and black or ivory micarta scales this would be a wonderful knife for use in more hostile climates and would give any modern design a good run.

I'd like to see them do this as well. It would make a really good user and it would hold it's own with any modern folder in any non personal defence task, but I have a shotgun for that anyway. - Ed

 

[tomcrx]

Nice review.I just snagged one in jigged bone out of the exchange sub forum.I couldnt be happier.It did draw my eye to the tip when closed.It is just borderline,but barely hides the tip which is good enough.It had a patina beginnig which is something most here like i know,but i prefer a bright blade myself.A little polish brought it right back.It came with a nice V edge the original owner put on.Ill probably give it a strop and thats it.The knife functions velvet smooth and easy with a tight lockup.Its on my hip in a sheath and will get used.

That is a nice wicked edge you put on that knife. Looks like it is a great cutter

 

[Rick]

Very nice review.

I've had to file the kick on every GEC Wharncliffe user I've purchased so far. At this point (ho), I'd say that slightly exposed points -- or at least those that are flush with the liner edge, which is still close enough to nick you -- on GEC Wharncliffes are, often as not, a rule of thumb.

FWIW, I've noticed that different GEC patterns react differently to having their kicks filed. The #26 and #62 backsprings remained flush with the liners after some serious kick adjustments, while the #72 lockback's spring went slightly shy after a very judicious kick filing.

The good news is that GEC listens. We complained about the dull edges and they started doing something about the problem as of late '10. They still need a touch-up to get 'em the way most knife knuts like 'em, but the new GECs in my experience have been sharp enough that many users will be content to put them to work fresh from the tube.

I'm very pleased with my ebony lockback, but I too think the arrangement of the swedge and pull could have been better. The #62 layout (top) is more user-friendly with its swedge cut further out toward the point and higher pull. IMO, it looks nicer that way, too.

 

[2manyknives]

Rick - nice clear pics. I also prefer the swedge arrangement on the 62 - I guess these types of things are more about personal taste than whether they got it right or wrong.

It is encouraging to read the comments about GEC dealing with their blunt edges.

It is also encouraging to be able to post critical comments about a knife and have them taken in context. My criticisms are about a knife that I have a high opinion of and it seems that you have all responded in that vein. GEC has got it 99% right which makes the other 1% stand out so clearly.

regards

Pete