Lets talk GEC!

Got these two in the mail today. Really love the Old Barn Chestnut. The Burnt Orange is a little less burnt and a little more orange than I was hoping, but still a good looking knife.

3045D727-D1B4-4C71-BAD8-D3EDB56133D7.jpg
 
Strange that they use old barn chestnut with their stainless steel knives. The recycled chestnut handle would like very nice against a blade patina. Conversely, some wood like ebony looks best with shiny steel.
 
Camillus said:
Strange that they use old barn chestnut with their stainless steel knives. The recycled chestnut handle would like very nice against a blade patina. Conversely, some wood like ebony looks best with shiny steel.
Click to expand...

I actually like the contrast of the chestnut, satin bolsters/shield, and bright polished blade. The covers on mine don't match very well but it's a great knife.
 
Yes, not suggesting it looks bad shiny - just seems a perfect handle material to match up with a patina.
 
Camillus said:
Strange that they use old barn chestnut with their stainless steel knives. The recycled chestnut handle would like very nice against a blade patina. Conversely, some wood like ebony looks best with shiny steel.
Click to expand...

I've thought the same thing, but they've used "reclaimed chestnut" for years with their stainless blades. I've been tempted but still haven't bought any yet.
 
I swear I am a very lucky person when it comes to a lot of things, and completely unlucky with others. With picking the GEC scale to reserve I fall into the later category. I'm a University of Texas grad who loves burnt orange, but man those long groove burnt orange jigged scales just don't do it for me. I passed on the 92 jigged for snake wood, and love the jigging on those when I saw it. I just need to stick to ebony I think.
 
Still resisting the Boy's Knife, at least until I have my Beer Scout(s) and get a chance to join the lolly scramble for the #14 Charlows.*

If I do turn around and seek one out, however, I'm almost positive it's going to be that old chestnut. GEC's "old woods" have been absolutely outstanding lately and (as mentioned earlier in the thread) I don't think I've seen one yet that didn't look excellent.

* I'm still laboring under the delusion that I can convince Charlie to do a run of scratted #14 ancients. :D
 
Thanks, Steve and Paul! :)

btb01 said:
The Burnt Orange is a little less burnt and a little more orange than I was hoping, but still a good looking knife.
Click to expand...

Nice pair! I love how orange the Boy's Knives turned out. If the Navy Knives (that I've seen) are like banked coals, these are more like coals midway through burning out -- both have the same quality, but with very different looks.
 
I see they have started working on the #14 boys knife and #14 Barlows I can't wait to get both of them in my hand's. It will help with the pain of watching all these beautiful #15 passing me by:cool: lol. I'm hopeing the 14s come out as good and im sure they will. The hardest part is the waiting :D
 
t.willy said:
I see they have started working on the #14 boys knife and #14 Barlows I can't wait to get both of them in my hand's. It will help with the pain of watching all these beautiful #15 passing me by:cool: lol. I'm hopeing the 14s come out as good and im sure they will. The hardest part is the waiting :D
Click to expand...

Prepare for the lolly scramble!
 
TsarBomba said:
D2 is exactly what I was thinking of when I read his post. It'll patina, but not too much. It takes a nice, somber grey color when it does. It'll resist active oxidation through some pretty rough conditions. And it's tougher than a brick outhouse when heat-treated properly.

Patina in my view is personalization. I didn't feel like my big #75 was "mine" until it started to take on some color. My Opis, my stockman, my EDC Barlows, I can recognize nearly all of them by the patina on the blades alone. It's character. The knife is telling a story, and it's a story I've shared with it.

Not everything has to be shiny to have value, even if it's only sentimental.
Click to expand...

I wish more people agreed that "Not everything has to be shiny to have value". I definitely agree, especially regarding old knives. But it is the original factory finish that has historical value to me. A lot of old knives are buffed, removing all of the original finish as well as patina.

I like 1095 since it easily takes a very nice edge and performs well. I also like 440C. It's interesting that a lot of "in use" photos show GEC knives being used to cut fruit and other foods. Fruit knives are typically plated or made of ivory or another material that will not patina or rust. 440C may be more practical than 1095 for some folks. Both steels have their pluses and minuses.


tdkfm said:
I swear I am a very lucky person when it comes to a lot of things, and completely unlucky with others. With picking the GEC scale to reserve I fall into the later category. I'm a University of Texas grad who loves burnt orange, but man those long groove burnt orange jigged scales just don't do it for me. I passed on the 92 jigged for snake wood, and love the jigging on those when I saw it. I just need to stick to ebony I think.
Click to expand...

It's the same for me with elk and stag. I really need to individually pick those materials.
 
Man, GEC just continues to impress. My second most recent, a #18, had no issues and pretty much perfect construction. For some reason, however, the stainless #15 just seems to be on another level. Perfect centering, no gaps at all, perfectly snappy at a 6 or 7. Now it isn't exotic materials, and the sharpening though better still leaves some to be desired, but the construction is on the same level as the hand made slipjoints I've owned and looked at.

Looking forward to the #14s.
 
Last edited:
texmex03 said:
I know this isn't possible but can GEC now give me a steel that is stainless but still gets a patina. Now that would be impressive I could have it age well but never worry about rust or pitting.
Click to expand...

Since patina is a form of rust, you have described the steel equivalent of an oxymoron.
 
knarfeng said:
Since patina is a form of rust, you have described the steel equivalent of an oxymoron.
Click to expand...
Truth.

If you want a patina, it has to be carbon. Even D2 and some other "semi stainless" mostly will just discolor or full on rust, rather than the middle ground patina that people seem to prefer. Stainless steel still scratches, dings, etc from use which I find to be good aging.
 
Anyone know when the Mustangs are gunna be let loose?
I see them on gec site but no dealers appear to have ghem yet.Im keen to not miss out on one.Only penalty is they have the three hardest to choose from scales ever.
Id be ecstatically happy with any one of them.
 
meako said:
Anyone know when the Mustangs are gunna be let loose?
I see them on gec site but no dealers appear to have ghem yet.Im keen to not miss out on one.Only penalty is they have the three hardest to choose from scales ever.
Id be ecstatically happy with any one of them.
Click to expand...

I just paid for my reserve yesterday and the notice said that the "Expected release date is 18th Jun 2016". This was for the knife with jigged bone covers.
 
Dadpool said:
Looks like the #74s are close! I just paid for my burnt orange bone version.

I love the way the sweep of the jigged lines in this bone matches the curve of the handle, and I can't wait to see what the "backwards #47" is like in person. :)
Click to expand...

The 74 is an tiny bit longer than a 47.
 
meako said:
Anyone know when the Mustangs are gunna be let loose?
I see them on gec site but no dealers appear to have ghem yet.Im keen to not miss out on one.Only penalty is they have the three hardest to choose from scales ever.
Id be ecstatically happy with any one of them.
Click to expand...

Factory shipped Wed, which means a couple dealers will have Thur but most Fri/Sat
 
knifeswapper said:
Factory shipped Wed, which means a couple dealers will have Thur but most Fri/Sat
Click to expand...

Sounds good.

I think it would be really helpful to regularly blog this type of update... more so for stocked knives. But notice could also be blogged a few days in advance for preorders. It's probably more helpful for buyers than dealers...the knives will get snatched up either way....but some updates would just take a quick blog post.

I'm looking forward to these knives. Should get the 15 today.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top