I like the GEC acrylics

[Gmountain]

Strange, eh? I know that other handle materials will hold value and are more traditional, but GEC does make some fine looking acrylics.

I have several, and now the new Cranberry Big Jack is really catching my eye.

 

[neeman]

I agree!
It is translucent in places and catches the light.

My one and only GEC

 

[joe-bob]

I dunno...I'm underwhelmed.

 

[neeman]

I dunno...I'm underwhelmed.

Acylic is not a big move as a new material
Think how many 'traditional' knives were made with celluloid!
The look is very similar but now stable

I understand it is quite different from bone or wood.
There are very few colorful knives about and I am pleased to have one.
It has its own quite modern style with a trad knife.
My Lady Friend calls it my "Bling!" knife
A lot of non-knife folk, when they see it, comment on how they like the look.

 

[Will Power]

I don't have any GEC acrylic but certainly do like the look of much of it. Particularly the 'Dead Skunk' black,cream and red,all the colour without the smell.....

Acrylic is the modern day version of celluloid,some very fine knives came in that-some vanished pretty quick too....

 

[Gmountain]

They are much nicer in real lif than in photos.

 

[xbxb]

I like them also here is a picture of mine. (This is a collectorknives.net photo --- I'm not that good at photography.) The picture really does not do them justice you have to hold them in your hand with a little sun or light shining on them. You can see into the acrylic itself, and I find them to be pretty tough. I also like how it feels in your hand. It's a good knife.

 

[Ice Tigre]

The fancy swirly stuff just scream "cheap import junk" to me... Its just hard to get past memories of overly flashy plastic handled $.99 type cheapies..

Its not the use of celuloid or acrylic that bugs me, its just the swirly/bright combinations stuff that registers that way to me. *shrug*

But I gotta say, that one xb just posted, that is Gorgeous! it has depth... it fools with my depth perception and looks like its got offset layers.. Wow. :thumbup::thumbup: Makes me think Golden era, 1930s New York City architecture, and elegance... think its the smooth creamy white and grey/silver doing that. Very Nice!


G.

 

[moonwilson]

I have a few of the acrylics, and they're very nice. My "dead skunk" #53 cuban is probably the nicest- it looks pretty cool.

The knife in the picture is from GEC's website. I think mine actually looks better than the one in the picture.
I just wish that someone could figure out how to make acrylic with the same level of detail and complexity you see in some of the fancier celluloid knives. Like Fight'n Rooster used to use. Some of that stuff was ridiculously cool.

Sorry Mckgreg, I had to jack your image. I'm not lucky enough to have my own one of these.

Here's a relevant thread:
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=614004&highlight=end+day+celluloid

Edit: while poking around thanks to this thread, I checked out GEC's "new release page" and they've put out a few very pretty new acrylics. Check out that "orange crush" Moose! One of those is on its way to my greedy little mitts.

 

[berzerker]

I've got the "Big Jack" in smooth buffalo horn, which has the same translucent look as the acrylic. I bought the knife in horn as I wanted something less brittle than bone and less costly than stag. Now you've got me jone'sing for something in acrylic.

The knife is really fine; a nice in-between when I don't want to go large with a Pioneer or Sunfish, or small with the Scout-framed "Jack."

 

[moonwilson]

The #53 pattern is the hotness. I can't wait for GEC to put out something similar, but just a little smaller. Like a serpentine or a dogleg frame.

I wouldn't turn my nose up if they put out a few acrylics that were just solid colors- maybe plain yellow- like Case's "yaller" knives.

 

[Rick]

That "Lave Lamp" acrylic is great stuff! I love the understated colors. :thumbup:

 

[moonwilson]

One of the things I've noticed about the GEC acrylics is that they take the trouble to match the scales. They use the same piece of acrylic, sliced down the middle- for both sides of the knife. Which means the curves and funky elements on both sides line up if you look at the top or bottom. Each side is a mirror image of the other. Very cool. I don't know if other companies do that (I've never seen it)- but it's an indication of how seriously GEC takes their craftsmanship.

 

[Gmountain]

I like this one a lot:

 

[knifeswapper]

There is no composite handled made knife that looks more like the samples from 100 years ago than that Green Velvet in the group shot. It is harder to work with a composite also. I have always been a "natural handles" man myself; but there are only so many ways to do bone...

Mike Latham
CollectorKnives.Net

 

[moonwilson]

My Northfield "Orange Crush" "Moose" arrived today- and it's every bit as handsome as I had hoped. The scales really are something else- lots of depth and interest in that acrylic. It is a gorgeous knife, with nice proportions, dimpled, slanted and threaded bolsters, and very attractive blades with deep, crisp pulls and swedging. With centered blades- perfectly finished pins and good edges, this knife has a lot going for it..... BUT.

I thought GEC had gotten the memo about their "bear trap springs". On the pull-o-meter, this thing rates a 9.5 or 10 out of 10. And for some reason, both blades have half STOPS. The pull to get the blade going after the stop is as hard or harder than the pull from the closed position. What gives? None of my other "Cubans" have half stops. None of my other Cubans have bear-trap springs. This thing is a real monster- a nail killer if ever there was one. Why did GEC put such evil springs on what is otherwise a perfect knife? Does anyone actually LIKE a knife that takes a focused, concentrated effort to get open?

I don't know. I like everything else about this knife but the springs are really too much.

 

[Will Power]

It sounds bad,possibly even dangerous.....

But, if I'm forced to choose I prefer monster springs to some weak snappers.

GEC SHOULD be addressing this over sprung tendency though,nobody wants to use pliers to open a knife!

 

[dalee100]

I like them also here is a picture of mine. (This is a collectorknives.net photo --- I'm not that good at photography.) The picture really does not do them justice you have to hold them in your hand with a little sun or light shining on them. You can see into the acrylic itself, and I find them to be pretty tough. I also like how it feels in your hand. It's a good knife

Hi,

I'm not real big on acrylic either. Preferring natural materials. But that one reminds me of the Art Deco look from the 1930's. I remember similar looking designs in my Grandparents homes when I was young.

I could carry that one.

dalee

 

[xbxb]

I gotta tell you that is one of the reasons I bought the knife, I'm kind of a nut for art deco, have always loved it. But I've got to tell ya those rooster acrylics are very nice.

 

[berzerker]

Stiff springs just give me more incentive to buy an acrylic piece for the edc rotation.

I'll be the dissenting voice.

I've got a bunch of their "nail breakers" and I like them that way. No problems getting them open, and they break in with use. The action responds well to a good flushing with oil, then lubing with Tuf-Glide. You really do need to get the grit out before they pull smoothly.

If I wanted soft springs I'd buy Queen or Case. I find soft springs much more dangerous than stiff.


None-the-less, if you've got to have a softer pull, I've found most of the sellers of GEC will look through their stock to find a knife suiting your preference.