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

[BearBug]

IMO nothing looks more like a pea ring knife than the 73 single drop points. I enjoy them. I like pen blades in jacks for putting strawberries and peeling apple skin. I agree on the size thing. I use my Madison Barlow for kitchen food prep non raw meat. Great blade length and thin blade, nice n slicey.

 

[Dadpool]

Some of my favorites are the GEC #63, #64 & #65 patterns. The long, thin blades work very well for food prep with lots of handle to grip.[/URL]

I came veeeeery close to buying a #65 Ben Hogan for exactly that reason. But I slept on it and figured I'd kick myself if I didn't try my favorite pattern as my first carbon-steel traditional.

Your foursome is lovely, and I especially like that all of them have a nice patina going. :thumbup:

I'm late to this party, but my sheepsfoot #15 was my do it all knife for one month.

That's a great-looking 15!

 

[Dadpool]

I use my Madison Barlow for kitchen food prep non raw meat. Great blade length and thin blade, nice n slicey.

I can see it. The Madison Barlow is a good-looking knife, to boot.

 

[Jolipapa]

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?

+1 :thumbup: wort a try, especially if you want to use it in the kitchen as well.

 

[Ironbut]

You did good on that 77, Dadpool. I have one in green & am still looking for saw cut 77's in chestnut & red.

 

[Dadpool]

You did good on that 77, Dadpool. I have one in green & am still looking for saw cut 77's in chestnut & red.

I love when folks use side-on light in their knife photos -- it really brings out different aspects of the bone. This is a perfect example, so light and fresh! :thumbup:

 

[Ironbut]

I love when folks use side-on light in their knife photos -- it really brings out different aspects of the bone. This is a perfect example, so light and fresh! :thumbup:

Well thanks, Dadpool, but very little thought went into it. I laid it on an old walnut stump in the back yard one morning & took a pic with my iPad.

 

[Bugdoc]

I don't like to prep food with folders, the blades are short and they catch raw food particles (grease, bacteria). I much prefer fixed blades, a Mora or other Scandi camp knife.

 

[Bugdoc]

Not to hijack the thread too much, but food prep seems high on your list. You might check out our Fiddleback Forge knife maker for some really cool fixed blade knives esp. a Nessmuk. I don't have one but have often thought it would make a great all around fixed blade.

 

[Dadpool]

Not to hijack the thread too much, but food prep seems high on your list. You might check out our Fiddleback Forge knife maker for some really cool fixed blade knives esp. a Nessmuk. I don't have one but have often thought it would make a great all around fixed blade.

Thanks! I don't have an appetite to add a fixed blade to my kitchen at the moment, just to use a folder for light kitchen duty.

 

[HeathH]

So, not to be "that weird Opinel guy" but have you considered a carbon steel Opinel?

I have one in my desk at work as a food knife. Super thin grind, decent carbon steel that I can sharpen in a couple of seconds on the bottom of my work coffee mug. If you hate it, chuck it in a tool box as you can get them for about $10. Plus, they come in basically any size you can imagine. Very easy way to dip your toe into carbon steel traditionals, and you may just like it

 

[Dadpool]

So, not to be "that weird Opinel guy" but have you considered a carbon steel Opinel?

I did, but it's still a good recommendation. I have a stainless Opinel I take camping, and it's just dandy at all sorts of camp chores.

I don't love how my Opinel feels in-pocket, and this knife is spending a lot of time there.

 

[BladeCommander]

For dipping your toe in, I would recommend some of the "less expensive" patterns. The 77 barlows, while excellent, are more sought after and tend to demand higher prices.

As already previously recommended. These are common and usually easy to find at reasonable prices.
#73
#72
#74

#15
has a recent run with a few different blade shapes available. Great size too

There are so many patterns available, just watch the exchange for something that you like in your budget. Overall GEC doesn't really make any duds that you have to be wary of.

 

[Dadpool]

Thanks for the recommendations! :thumbup:

I've updated the thread title to reflect the fact that I bought a 77 Barlow and have been using for for the past few days.