Good GEC all-rounder for dipping a toe into carbon steel traditionals? (Found!)

Dadpool

Dadpool

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My small collection of traditionals is entirely stainless, but I want to give a carbon steel traditional a try to see how I like it. I didn't know whether I'd like traditionals when I bought my first one, and I wound up falling in love with them. I can't shake the nagging suspicion that I'm missing out on something by having never tried a carbon steel traditional, and I won't know until I try it.

When I thought about where in my life one of those might fit, here's what I came up with:
  • GEC - I've drooled over so many gorgeous GECs that don't come in stainless that I know this is the brand I'm after for this experiment
  • Good for food prep - I want this knife to acquire a patina through regular use, and using it for cooking/eating accomplishes both goals
  • Probably a single blade - Not married to this one, but one blade for everything will help ensure that blade gets used
  • Probably a clip or spear point - My experience with traditionals has shown me that these are both excellent all-rounders
  • Brass liners - I'm already "carbon-shy," so having hard-to-get to parts of the knife be maintenance-free sounds like a good idea
  • Not tiny - I love my Case Peanut, but it's not my first choice for food prep

A single-bladed #15 TC Barlow or #77 Barlow looks just about perfect, and the Barlow is my favorite pattern, but I wish myself luck finding one of those. :p The #14 Boy's Knife also looks good; I own a #15 Boy's Knife in stainless, and it's a dandy little knife. The #42 Missouri Trader looks like it could fit the bill, but it calls out to me less than the others.

I'm open to knives that don't fit all of these criteria, especially if you've got a similar use case and love the knife you're using.

What am I overlooking? Overthinking? Underthinking? :D

Update: I bought a 77 Barlow, and have been enjoying the heck out of it. Thank you for all of your recommendations!
 
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Lots of good questions to ponder there. I would have said a 71 bullnose but a couple of your qualifications rule that out. As I think about it more, I have to ask, a 14 boys knife in stainless?
 
Was that at typo about having a #14 in stainless? They were only done with carbon steel. The #42 Missouri Trader was done in stainless. If you like the pattern, personally that is the one I would use for food prep.
 
Yes, too many patterns in my head -- that was a typo. It's a #15 Boy's Knife from last year's run. Corrected, thanks!
 
Plenty of great #74's still out there. lMO this knife fits your description perfectly!
 
Ramrodmb said:
I would have said a 71 bullnose but a couple of your qualifications rule that out.
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I like Sodbusters, and a drop point blade would be fine. With the Bullnose it's the liners that give me pause. And maybe they shouldn't, I don't know.

LastRodeo said:
The #42 Missouri Trader was done in stainless. If you like the pattern, personally that is the one I would use for food prep.
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It does seem like a good "food blade." I have a Mustang, and the blades look pretty similar to me. I should take a harder look at the #42s.

Thank you both!
 
I don't typically use my pocket knives for food prep. I will cut and apple or other fruit though with them. That said, for actual food prep, I find anything 3 1/2" and under too small for the task at hand. So my recommendation would be to look for something in the 3 3/4" and above for food prep.
 
You're right, there's a baffling array of choices

If you want to cut foods with it to gain patina then I think opting for a single-blade is much the better idea. One point I'd disagree is over brass liners, they often get verdigris, green brass bleed, but since most Traditionals have them rather than NS or steel or stainless liners you're stuck with them.

From the GEC range I've been delighted by the 73 pattern. This is mid sized and can deal with larger food items, big apples, oranges, onions with ease (the onion family give a great patina) the Drop-Point blade is extremely versatile and stays low in the frame. Many handle choices and some have a liner-lock if you prefer the locking aspect. You can carry these in your pocket without problem too.

Have a look at CASE's Slimline Trapper in Yellow delrin and cv, a long but lightweight knife that it also up to food prep, picnics. I like the Barehead look and it's very comfortable in the hand. Carbon Opinels No.s 6-8 are certainly great food knives, very cheap too so they should give you a good indication if you are going to like carbon or not without the expense of other knives.

Regards, Will
 
007hunter said:
Plenty of great #74's still out there. lMO this knife fits your description perfectly!
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True! I can't put my finger on why it's not grabbing me for this experiment. I own and love a stainless Mustang, and maybe that's it -- I'm trying something new, so a new pattern is appealing.
 
BigBiscuit said:
That said, for actual food prep, I find anything 3 1/2" and under too small for the task at hand. So my recommendation would be to look for something in the 3 3/4" and above for food prep.
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That's a good point. I was thinking about this week's menu, and apart from a rather large tomato, all of the chicken, spinach, onions, and bread I cut up would have done fine with a 3 1/2" blade. But that won't always be the case.

Will Power said:
One point I'd disagree is over brass liners, they often get verdigris, green brass bleed, but since most Traditionals have them rather than NS or steel or stainless liners you're stuck with them.

From the GEC range I've been delighted by the 73 pattern. This is mid sized and can deal with larger food items, big apples, oranges, onions with ease (the onion family give a great patina) the Drop-Point blade is extremely versatile and stays low in the frame. Many handle choices and some have a liner-lock if you prefer the locking aspect. You can carry these in your pocket without problem too.
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I hadn't thought about brass and verdigris at all. Also a good point!

The 42, 73, 74 -- and I swear there's at least one more along those lines -- all blend together a bit for me when I'm browsing GEC's archives. But I hadn't looked closely enough at the #73. Good suggestion. :)
 
48 is a good size for food. 77 is a good overall size. Keep an eye out for the next run of either pattern.
 
jc57 said:
48 is a good size for food. 77 is a good overall size. Keep an eye out for the next run of either pattern.
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I've never seen a single-bladed #48 (heck, I don't think I've ever seen a non-woodcock version, though I know they exist!), but I'll keep an eye out. Good point on future runs, too; I'd sort of assumed #77s were a distant, secondary-market-only memory.
 
I wouldn't rule out the #12 Toothpick. I used to own one but I never used it. I don't use my pocket knives for food prep anyway so I couldn't comment on that but I think the #12 is worth consideration.
 
I'm adding the Wall Street and Toothpick to my mental list. I hadn't considered either of those.

Thank you all for the excellent suggestions!
 
IMG_1532.jpg


73 above.

15 Sheepfoot is worth considering too, it's nice & long

IMG_1696.jpg


77 single blade

99 Wall St lockback

47 Viper with large Wharncliffe

IMG_2260.jpg
 
Will Power said:
73 above.

15 Sheepfoot is worth considering too, it's nice & long
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I've never tried a sheepsfoot for food prep. Doesn't the blade shape make it less than ideal for some food tasks? (For general EDC use, I love sheepsfoot and Wharncliffe blades.)

That #73 is flat-out gorgeous! The jigging and the long match-striker pull make for a very attractive package.
 
Only problem with THAT 73 I show...yes it's a looker but it has a 9.8 spring that's horrific even for me :eek: Others are thankfully milder.

The 15 Sheepfoot cuts most veg and is a fine slicer, maybe not so good for fine chopping herbs but otherwise works very well. I use the Crown Lifter version as you get a nice knife for cutting sausage, tomatoes, cheese and it will open beer or ciders too, bliss!
 
This is a #71 Bullnose (sodbuster jr.) and I'm going to recommend that for what you want to do. The 42 (or a Northwoods Madison Barlow) would be better for "food prep", as Bob (BigBiscuit) mentioned, because these pocket knives have blades that are really too short to do kitchen work. I didn't really like the Madison Barlow I had and sold it quickly. They'll cut apples, and that's how I patina mine, but I'm not going to chop vegetables for a stew with one. The bullnose handle is about as comfortable as a knife handle can be. You can also go stainless with a Case Sodbuster Jr., and they way they grind their blades, you're not under-knifed with the TruSharp.

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I sent GEC an email asking if we could have stainless Bullnoses. I've sent them emails asking for other things, too, and I don't ever hear anything. But, I can hope.
 
There were a number of single-blade 48's made, including in stainless. It has been a few years though - maybe 2012?

The 12s are an underappreciated pattern. I have three of them - two in the single-blade Toothpick style and one in the 2-blade Powderhorn Jack style. The Powderhorn Jack is my most often carried GEC knife.
 
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