Guardians of The Lambsfoot!

[btb01]

Hey Guardians, hope you’re all doing well. Had a bit of a rough weekend here — sick kid and a sick dog — but things are looking up.

Although I’m a big fan of both GEC knives and the Lambsfoot blade, I was really planning on sitting out on the new #88 pattern. Then the opportunity presented itself (right place, right time sort of thing), and I figured why not give one a try.

For my taste, at least, I have to say that my instincts were spot on. This thing is just a bit… odd. It feels bulky in hand (probably in pocket, too), mainly due to the high sitting Lambsfoot blade, and the lines all look a bit goofy to me. It’s certainly well-made, with a nice pull and snap that has been missing from some recent GEC runs, but I think it’s a strange choice of pattern to throw the Lambsfoot on.

 

[Prester John]

Hey Guardians, hope you’re all doing well. Had a bit of a rough weekend here — sick kid and a sick dog — but things are looking up.

Although I’m a big fan of both GEC knives and the Lambsfoot blade, I was really planning on sitting out on the new #88 pattern. Then the opportunity presented itself (right place, right time sort of thing), and I figured why not give one a try.

For my taste, at least, I have to say that my instincts were spot on. This thing is just a bit… odd. It feels bulky in hand (probably in pocket, too), mainly due to the high sitting Lambsfoot blade, and the lines all look a bit goofy to me. It’s certainly well-made, with a nice pull and snap that has been missing from some recent GEC runs, but I think it’s a strange choice of pattern to throw the Lambsfoot on.

Very interesting knife (I love the green one best), but it seems to me the lambsfoot belongs as a single blade, and not a secondary. Beautiful, nevertheless.

 

[cigarrodog]

Another ace pic Harvey How are you getting on together?

Thank you Jack. We’re doing OK. Thanks for your inquiry.

Hey Guardians, hope you’re all doing well. Had a bit of a rough weekend here — sick kid and a sick dog — but things are looking up.

Although I’m a big fan of both GEC knives and the Lambsfoot blade, I was really planning on sitting out on the new #88 pattern. Then the opportunity presented itself (right place, right time sort of thing), and I figured why not give one a try.

For my taste, at least, I have to say that my instincts were spot on. This thing is just a bit… odd. It feels bulky in hand (probably in pocket, too), mainly due to the high sitting Lambsfoot blade, and the lines all look a bit goofy to me. It’s certainly well-made, with a nice pull and snap that has been missing from some recent GEC runs, but I think it’s a strange choice of pattern to throw the Lambsfoot on.

It is odd, but for me, that’s the point. The white acrylic Yeti is really cool.

but it seems to me the lambsfoot belongs as a single blade, and not a secondary. Beautiful, nevertheless.

I agree with you. I’m ready to convert one of them if I can find a competent person who doesn’t have a mile long waiting list.

 

[euroken]

 

[Jack Black]

Hey Guardians, hope you’re all doing well. Had a bit of a rough weekend here — sick kid and a sick dog — but things are looking up.

Although I’m a big fan of both GEC knives and the Lambsfoot blade, I was really planning on sitting out on the new #88 pattern. Then the opportunity presented itself (right place, right time sort of thing), and I figured why not give one a try.

For my taste, at least, I have to say that my instincts were spot on. This thing is just a bit… odd. It feels bulky in hand (probably in pocket, too), mainly due to the high sitting Lambsfoot blade, and the lines all look a bit goofy to me. It’s certainly well-made, with a nice pull and snap that has been missing from some recent GEC runs, but I think it’s a strange choice of pattern to throw the Lambsfoot on.

Sorry to hear about your rough weekend Barrett, I hope everyone is OK now I'd quite like to examine one of these knives, but judging on looks alone, they do look...odd I'm still fascinated by the thinking behind this knife, particularly from such a traditional cutlery company as GEC. The Lambsfoot they (eventually) made for Charlie is superb, but Charlie put a lot of thought into that knife, and based it on a genuine historic example. I think it's great that they think the Lambsfoot blade has further mileage, and I'm glad that more folks will get to try one out, but if the Lambsfoot was at its best on a Sowbelly frame, and with a secondary Turkish Clip, I suspect that, bearing in mind that so many cutlers produced these knives, in large numbers, over a 150 year period, some other cutler would have produced a knife like this. While there is certainly an inherent conservatism, among Sheffield cutlers, (certainly for much of the 20th century, at least), we see Lambsfoot blades on differing frames, and in differing forms. I'm not saying that a Lambsfoot blade won't work on a Sowbelly frame, I'm sure it's a better choice than not having a Lambsfoot at all, but even though I love my Hartshead Barlow, and think that the blade works well on a straight frame, on which it is commonly found, I still think the blade works best on a Swayback frame.

Very interesting knife (I love the green one best), but it seems to me the lambsfoot belongs as a single blade, and not a secondary. Beautiful, nevertheless.

Gotta agree with you Vince, 100% I think it's understandable that those who are not used to carrying a Lambsfoot think that a secondary blade would add something, giving a more versatile package, but the Lambsfoot is so versatile alone that I doubt I'd hardly ever use the Clip, if at all, and adding a secondary blade is always a compromise

 

[JohnDF]

My - hands down- favorite Lambfoot.

Thank you very much, Harvey.

I hope you're getting along well with your new Sowbelly.

Nice looking horn on that Big ‘Un, John.

Thank you very much, Barrett.

and the next thing he had my head in his beak!"

Not something you hear everyday outside of a Sci-Fi movie.

sick kid and a sick dog

Bummer, I'm glad they are getting better.

For my taste, at least, I have to say that my instincts were spot on.

Sometimes our first impressions are correct.

 

[JohnDF]

I'll give my thoughts on the new Sowbelly from GEC...
I figure this is a much safer place to speak on GEC knives without upsetting too many people.
And I will keep my comments to the Lambsfoot blade alone, this is the Guardian's thread after all.

I, like many of you, find the Lambsfoot blade to be an odd choice for that knife... there is nothing historical about it.
I think making it a Trapper with two full sized blades was an odd choice too. One of those blades is ALWAYS going to be in the well when the other is open, and if it's the non-Lambsfoot that's open, then the Lambsfoot blade is going to run straight across all those curves which is going to nullify any ergonomics of the handle shape. I think it would have been much smarter, if they were going to insist on using a Lambsfoot blade, to use it as a true secondary and make it much shorter like most companies do with the small Sheepsfoot blades. That's where you would have really seen the value of the Lambsfoot blade, it wouldn't have stood up as high as a Sheepsfoot, it would have been more tucked into the frame, and would have added to the ergonomics of the pattern rather than taking away from it.

Hope I didn't offend any GEC fans out there, it wasn't my intention.

 

[Fodderwing]

Thanks Dwight Yes, indeed, it had been in storage for years, before I came across it

I'll bet you about passed out the first time you saw that box of horn!

I saw a bald eagle Saturday, over 131 between Kalamazoo and Grand Rapids.

Gorgeous horn Jer.

I will join Jack and carry my Horn Lambsfoot again today

I'm telling you John that is one fine lamb horn centerfold.

Always love seeing that one, Dwight, those covers are outstanding!

Thank you Barrett. I'm in agreement with you about the 88 but like Vince said that white one is beautiful.

 

[JohnDF]

I'm telling you John that is one fine lamb horn centerfold.

Thank you, Dwight.

 

[Jack Black]

Thank you Jack. We’re doing OK. Thanks for your inquiry.

Good to hear my friend

It is odd, but for me, that’s the point. The white acrylic Yeti is really cool.

I guess there's worse things than odd!

I agree with you. I’m ready to convert one of them if I can find a competent person who doesn’t have a mile long waiting list.

Have you tried J jsdistin ?

Fine-looking threesome there Ken

Not something you hear everyday outside of a Sci-Fi movie.

Sometimes our first impressions are correct.

True

I'll give my thoughts on the new Sowbelly from GEC...
I figure this is a much safer place to speak on GEC knives without upsetting too many people.
And I will keep my comments to the Lambsfoot blade alone, this is the Guardian's thread after all.

I also, like many of you, find the Lambsfoot blade to be an odd choice for that knife... there is nothing historical about it.
The blade doesn't fit the handle shape at all and makes GEC's lack of downward cant even tougher for use with the big bolster in the way.
I also think making it a Trapper with two full sized blades was an odd choice. One of those blades is ALWAYS going to be in the way when the other is open, worse yet if it's the non-Lambsfoot that is open because the Lambsfoot is going to run straight across all those curves which is going to nullify the ergonomics. I think it would have been much smarter, if they were going to insist on using a Lambsfoot blade, to use it as a true secondary and make it much shorter and tucked into the frame, like most companies do with the small Sheepsfoot. That's where you would have really seen the value of the Lambsfoot blade, it wouldn't have stood up as high as a Sheepsfoot and wpould have added to the ergonomics of the pattern rather than taking away from it.

Hope I didn't offend any GEC fans out there, it wasn't my intention.

Interesting perspective John I sure hope GEC will do another run for Charlie at some point I also think an AC-sized Lambsfoot would be nice

I'll bet you about passed out the first time you saw that box of horn!

It was a great find Dwight, like those Damascus Lambsfoot blades, and the vintage Sambar

View attachment 1814551

Those covers are stunning Dwight I'm glad Miss Lucy can't read my thoughts!

I've been really enjoying carrying this Old Friend again today

 

[TrailWalker]

That black one is a beauty! Am I seeing an assisted open button there?

 

[cigarrodog]

I hope you're getting along well with your new Sowbelly.

Swimmingly.

hank you Barrett. I'm in agreement with you about the 88 but like Vince said that white one is beautiful.

I don’t which is more beautiful. The hafts or the tree.

Have you tried J jsdistin ?

No. I guess I shoud try.

 

[Fodderwing]

I don’t which is more beautiful. The hafts or the tree

That is a triple trunk river birch. About 6 or 7 years ago I sat during a thunderstorm and watched a 70 ft pine tree fall directly on the birch and flatten it down on the ground like 3 blades of grass. Unbelievably with a little help the entire tree was slowly raised back up over about 6 months and seems to be no worse for the wear now.

 

[btb01]

Interesting perspective John I sure hope GEC will do another run for Charlie at some point I also think an AC-sized Lambsfoot would be nice

I’d love to see a slightly-less-long-and-slim Lambsfoot from GEC, something a bit shorter but somewhat beefier as well, if that makes sense.

 

[euroken]

That black one is a beauty! Am I seeing an assisted open button there?

No, all are traditional slip joints. The black one originally had a spey blade that's been customized to a lambsfoot blade by glennbad !

 

[Pt-Luso]

A gallery of appealing lambsfoot photos follow. Kudos to all of you for sharing them!

Thank you so much for the part that touch me, Gary.

 

[Pt-Luso]

Handsome file work there, José.

Many thanks, Barrett.

 

[Pt-Luso]

 

[Jack Black]

That black one is a beauty! Am I seeing an assisted open button there?

I sure hope not!!

That is a triple trunk river birch. About 6 or 7 years ago I sat during a thunderstorm and watched a 70 ft pine tree fall directly on the birch and flatten it down on the ground like 3 blades of grass. Unbelievably with a little help the entire tree was slowly raised back up over about 6 months and seems to be no worse for the wear now.

Incredible

I’d love to see a slightly-less-long-and-slim Lambsfoot from GEC, something a bit shorter but somewhat beefier as well, if that makes sense.

It does make sense Barrett

 

[Fodderwing]

No, all are traditional slip joints. The black one originally had a spey blade that's been customized to a lambsfoot blade by glennbad !

If you can find time I'd love to see more images of this rig. It looks to be very special and caught my eye immediately.