Lets talk GEC!

[solphilos]

my deepest regret is that I wasn’t aware of GEC in time to snag one of those #25’s.

You and me both! There are a lot of GEC patterns that I’d love to get my hands on and likely never will, but the 25s are something special. They are smaller than I’d typically carry, but they are the most beautiful knives in my eyes. Calling knives “pocket jewelry” has almost become cliche, but those little guys really fit the description.

 

[Fixall]

That’s a real possibility. I have a 5 GECs and use them all with the exception of the new TC Barlow. I bought it to use, but now that they are fetching $400+ on the secondary market I am hesitant.
I have no plans to sell it but that makes it real hard to drop it in my pocket.

As soon as my lightbox is here, I'm going to shove my TC into an apple all the way to the kick and take a picture for this thread. That's what I have to say about TC resell prices.

 

[mrknife]

I agree with you folks : You can lead a horse to water , but you have to have a bucket to milk a cow . Now some recent knives . GEC did a very good job on both of these . The Pull on the 23 is around a 7 .


Harry

Very nice Harry! good to see you got them!

 

[mcc850]

Tell us another story, Grandpa Wayne!
For legitimacy purposes these should always begin "back in my day..."

You are on a roll today brother. Been getting some good laughs out of me. Cheers

 

[Pàdruig]

That’s a real possibility. I have a 5 GECs and use them all with the exception of the new TC Barlow. I bought it to use, but now that they are fetching $400+ on the secondary market I am hesitant.
I have no plans to sell it but that makes it real hard to drop it in my pocket.

Personally, the only thing that gives me pause when considering using a knife is if I have an inkling that I might move it along down the road. That is usually the case with patterns that I don't take to right away - I will usually put them away and check them out on a later date.

The TC Barlow, I have no such reservations - especially with this one. The biggest slap-in-the-face to flippers that I can muster is to use this new TC with great delight and abandon. Its value is to me alone - no one else is entitled to give a care.

 

[HEMI 49]

@EngrSorenson who invited you to stick up for Mike? FYI, I was a Microtech Certified Dealer 20 years ago with a link to my website on their web site. Sold hundreds of them here and paid to advertise on Bladeforums and Knifeforums. Am retired three times with over six figures income yearly, running a knife company is below me. Don't crap on me.

Quite an ego..... Any other superlatives you'd like to share?

 

[bbfish]

After looking closer at your avatar, realized it is not my photo. Very close but not mine, I apologize for that mistake. Did you take it?


Never said GEC was in the "Fix all the problems inherent in a capitalist system" business that you quoted. Don't try to put words in my mouth. GEC is responsible for GEC's (mis)management. If you are satisfied with GEC's current distribution system, my opinion is you are in a small minority.

You must be a blast at parties.

 

[cbr1000]

Tell us another story, Grandpa Wayne!
For legitimacy purposes these should always begin "back in my day..."

Oh, I like that. Could be a new thread

Back in my day I remember when the GEC production schedule was at times 3 pages long.

 

[skx013k2]

S skx013k2 if you are close enough to the factory to make the trip, many folks are reporting success buying current production knives in person. Which pattern are you looking for? Maybe I can help.

Not super picky. Mostly looking for a jackknife, stockman, Barlow, or similar pattern in the 2.5-3” blade length. Of the ones I see available, the Boys knife with the chain would be perfect, except I’d end up taking the chain and metal holder off - seems like a shame to do that to the knife (unless someone tells me that’s an easy task w/o damaging the knife). #97 would be too big to carry. Little ramblers would likely be too small.

going to the factory might be the right move.

 

[bax229]

@EngrSorenson Am retired three times with over six figures income yearly, running a knife company is below me.

Good for you

 

[solphilos]

The TC Barlow, I have no such reservations - especially with this one. The biggest slap-in-the-face to flippers that I can muster is to use this new TC with great delight and abandon. Its value is to me alone - no one else is entitled to give a care.

You make a good point. I’ve been itching to put this knife to use, I think tomorrow I’ll give in and just enjoy it. After all, that’s why I bought it. It’s far to nice to leave in a tube hidden from the light of day.

 

[black mamba]

Most of you guys are GEC babies. I remember when specific knives stayed on Mike's website for months (sometimes many months), and then I was surprised when they finally sold out. I remember posting about GECs on this forum and having hardly anyone know what I was referring to. I bought my first one thirteen years ago, and still have it.

Oh, for the good old days!

#53 Big Jack in Grizzly Clawed Jig Bone

 

[Pàdruig]

You make a good point. I’ve been itching to put this knife to use, I think tomorrow I’ll give in and just enjoy it. After all, that’s why I bought it. It’s far to nice to leave in a tube hidden from the light of day.

Life is too short to not enjoy the things you love.

 

[2Dead]

I haven't posted much in a long time but I want to say I do hope those of you who want one of these GECs do get them and for fair prices. I've kept myself out of the game, just using the ones I have while I patiently wait for that stainless #48 jack I'm sure will listed in the next production schedule update. Or the one after that. Definitely. Anyway, here is pic of the last GEC I bought which was over 5 years ago.

 

[black mamba]

Say hey, Trand, welcome back!

 

[mrknife]

Not super picky. Mostly looking for a jackknife, stockman, Barlow, or similar pattern in the 2.5-3” blade length. Of the ones I see available, the Boys knife with the chain would be perfect, except I’d end up taking the chain and metal holder off - seems like a shame to do that to the knife (unless someone tells me that’s an easy task w/o damaging the knife). #97 would be too big to carry. Little ramblers would likely be too small.

going to the factory might be the right move.

its easy, in fact I had some points at collectors knives to spend and grabbed an ebony one due to the points possibly expiring. Low and behold he did his reserves not that I was able to get in on any. But itll be another fun project. The tension on those springs varied. Some of them were pretty easy to pull apart. At the other rendezvous, I was able to pull the ones on the bone handled knives apart with just my fingers. But the micarta, I messed up even with pliers due to how heavy the tension was on the spring.

 

[mrknife]

I haven't posted much in a long time but I want to say I do hope those of you who want one of these GECs do get them and for fair prices. I've kept myself out of the game, just using the ones I have while I patiently wait for that stainless #48 jack I'm sure will listed in the next production schedule update. Or the one after that. Definitely. Anyway, here is pic of the last GEC I bought which was over 5 years ago.

theres that legendary background, long time no see pal! One of my favorite patterns!

 

[5K Qs]

Yeah I remember coming around in 2015 and there were #25 Barlows at nearly every GEC Dealer along with #78's and my all time favorite The #16 Canoe. (Witch is long over due for another run if anybody from GEC might be listening lol)

I remember that, too!
I joined BF in the summer of 2014, and had never heard of GEC knives until I started hanging out on The Porch. I would occasionally look at dealer sites that carried GEC, and for months I was trying to decide if I could justify spending $80 (IIRC) for a pocket knife, and if so, would I go for the ebony or the rust red jig bone #16 canoe, both of which had been released on my birthday in 2012. Eventually, I decided I couldn't spend that much on ONE knife, but I continued to periodically look at the knives (it may even have been on the CK site) until they finally disappeared.

The current discussion in this thread is fascinating and thought-provoking (although occasionally too ad hominem for my tastes), even though I'm not a customer of GEC and never will be. But I do wonder why the discussion hasn't been moved, since it seems to violate this policy from the Guidelines:
"We want the forum to focus upon the discussion of traditional knives...not the purchasing process, prices nor vendors and their websites."
Seems like the type of discussion that usually ends up in the GBU feedback forum.

- GT

 

[skx013k2]

its easy, in fact I had some points at collectors knives to spend and grabbed an ebony one due to the points possibly expiring. Low and behold he did his reserves not that I was able to get in on any. But itll be another fun project. The tension on those springs varied. Some of them were pretty easy to pull apart. At the other rendezvous, I was able to pull the ones on the bone handled knives apart with just my fingers. But the micarta, I messed up even with pliers due to how heavy the tension was on the spring.

Just want to make sure I understand, the bracket on the ebony wood boys knife is just tensioned and pops out easily? Obviously, I’ll be left with a couple holes in the covers, but otherwise no big deal?

 

[mbkr]

Of the ones I see available, the Boys knife with the chain would be perfect, except I’d end up taking the chain and metal holder off - seems like a shame to do that to the knife (unless someone tells me that’s an easy task w/o damaging the knife).

Its an easy task w/o damaging the knife.