Great Eastern Cutlery Help?!

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SuzukiGS750EZ

Joined
Dec 30, 2008
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Can you give me a run down of the GEC knives and patterns, etc? As far as what steels they use, what their larger knives are, recommendations? I carry a spyderco paramilitary 2 most of the time or a chris reeve carbon fiber sebenza 21. I'd like to add in a traditional knife that i can drop in my pocket but i don't like the thinner handled stockman patterns. I'd like a nice stout traditional knife. Maybe a single blade or multiple. But larger. Any way you can ask a bunch of questions (i know not much about traditional knives) to dwindle it down a bit? Handle materials are another one i'd need help with. My limit is $150ish. Depending on what the knife is, i'd like to keep it around 100, but i can stretch to 150 if it's something that i think i'd enjoy a lot.
 
DLT Trading seemed to have a good online selection of GEC knives. I bought model 72 through them . I like the fact it is a lockback model .
 
I have always favored the GEC #42 for something fairly big. The #23 is essentially the same knife, but bigger. The #42 two blade version it is more comfortable carried in a pocket slip, but the single blade version is pretty comfortable in a pocket. I believe it's 4.25"closed length. The Northwoods Madison Barlow (made by GEC) is the same size if you wander over to KSF's web site. I doubt they have any in stock.

I prefer jigged bone, but they were made in various handle scale materials.

Most of their knives are in 1095 carbon steel. Some of the Great Eastern branded ones are 440C. I like the carbon steel myself.
 
I think the 23, 42, and 98 are probably their biggest knives. They also just did a run our MudBugs for Smith & Sons that are rather large. GEC uses 1095 steel with some 440C sprinkled in. The only time you'll spend more than $150 on a GEC is on the secondary market. GECs website has a "Collect by Pattern" section that will show you the majority of the knives they've made.

Traditionals are usually handled in bone, stag, wood, acrylic, or Micarta. All but the Micarta will have variations from knife to knife. Stag is usually the thicker of handle materials.

Keep an eye on the Traditionals section of the Exchange for knives that are no longer in production. That big auction site is another good place to look. GEC has a list of their distributors on their website.

Check the "What traditional are you totin'" thread for images of different patterns to find what strikes your fancy.

Enjoy Traditionals. Hang around the porch. The knowledge base, respect, and friendship is unparalleled here. Welcome!
 
I have the 2015 forum knife from CSC. But it's too thin for my liking! I was looking on websites but there's so many patterns to choose from. It's overwhelming.
 
I understand your sentiments on "overwhelming". The #42 and #23 are two blade jack knives with the blade pivots on the same end of the knife. The two blade version of the #42 is called the Missouri Trapper. GEC has not been making these two knives in a while. The #23 I read was their very first pattern that they made when they started out. I believe the #23 is 4.5" closed. It is too big for my pockets and I find the 42 just as useful. Some people view these as pocket bricks.
 
If you're looking for a biggun and don't mind looking at different manufacturers, look at Lion Steel's Big Opera in stag. Brett (KBA) recently did a review of it. It's huge. In your budget, as well.
 
The stag versions are generally the most expensive (excluding stuff like Mammoth Ivory or Elephant Ivory). They will generally be the thickest.

I have the LionSTEEL Small Opera in stag. It's a single blade lockback traditional and real nice at 4" closed. D2 steel I believe.

In the Queen/S&M line, the large Gunstock is another nice big one. Yes it was made in stag.
 
What besides stag is a nice material? I've been infatuated with stag handled knives since i was little. I'd like to keep it a natural handle, no g10, micarta, etc. Ebony? How about a flat ground drop point? I saw the opera, not really my style. I'd like a slip joint if they make them in a larger blade.
 
Generally GEC uses various woods and bone (both saw cut [like the old Schrades], smooth, and jigged. All of these are very nice. The main blade on the two blade #42 is about 3" sharpened or 4.5" to the bolsters and the #23 is probably 3.5" and 4" as I believe it is 4.5" closed. The 98 is beastly as I recall, but I have never handled one.
 
You can get a lot of GEC's for $100 or less. For a good size look at the #73 2blade models. But you'll need good fingernails...
 
Here is a pattern I am liking currently. It is #74 in Cougar Clawed Jigged Bone. May not be stag, but also not quite as expensive. These can still be found at many of the GEC dealers for under $100.

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I love the look of this blade and nickle bolsters. Maybe even the handle. Are there any available patterns (i look and find that a lot of the are unavailable) similar to this in maybe a dark wood or stag or something classy? I don't like the lighter woods.
IMG_7151__03831.1431386565.1280.1280.JPG
 
SuzukiGS750EZ said:
I love the look of this blade and nickle bolsters. Maybe even the handle. Are there any available patterns (i look and find that a lot of the are unavailable) similar to this in maybe a dark wood or stag or something classy? I don't like the lighter woods.
IMG_7151__03831.1431386565.1280.1280.JPG
Click to expand...

That is the 73 pattern, one of my favorites. If you look around you can find it in ebony or stag but I can only find the two blade version right now. The 74 pattern is very similar and the same size as the 73 and you can get it with ebony or bone handle. Although the 73 and 74 are smaller than the Para 2, you will find that the blades work quite well because of the thin primary grind. Definitely better than the Para 2 that I have. The 1095 blades will not hold an edge as well in abrasive material, but they are real cutters due to the geometry.

Look through the thread for the 74 pattern that is pretty active right now to see what is out there. It just came out so a lot of dealers still have stock of the ebony and bone versions.

As noted by Mike, the 73 pattern has strong springs, so you need strong fingernails.
 
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Howdy. I'm a big fan of the 72 and it's still available in rosewood and stag if you hunt around a bit.

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(didn't rehost images because both are from paid dealer sites but can do so if hotlinking is a problem)


72 is the same size as the 73 but doesn't have as strong a pull (in my limited experience).
 
Looked all night. Still no closer to finding "the one" lol. I can say that i like the drop point, flat ground. I like the nail nick like on a SAK opposed to that longer groove to open the blade. I want stag for sure. Although i do like the woods. Nickel bolsters, im not crazy about the brass. Length and weight aren't too big of a deal for me. I've pocket carried a 110.
 
If you want a big hoss of a traditional look at the 98 pattern i love mine but outside of that i enjoy the 77 and 15 patterns alot
 
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