Lets talk GEC!

blee · Oct 3, 2016

rye_a said:
I just got a notification that Charlie's #35 SFO will ship early this week. Looks like I'll go from no equal end jacks to two by the end of the week!

Hmm... I didn't see these in production, and GEC is closed Oct 3-7 this week.

SadSappySucker · Oct 3, 2016

I never did mention this here, but a few months ago I was working on this guy's house. He was a real friendly and talkative guy. Apparently my boss had informed him that I was "the knife guy." So while he were talking about other mutual interests he pulled something out of his pocket and tossed it to me. Being the clumsy and uncoordinated person that I am I dropped it. Thankfully I was over grass at the time, because when I picked it up off the ground I was amazed that it was a GEC 23. I mean I don't get to shocked when a stranger pulls out a spyderco I or benchmade, but a GEC really surprised me. So I looked it over and handed him the 77 Barlow that was in my pocket at the time.
It might not sound all that interesting, but it blew my mind at the time. Other than him I've only seen one other guy(someone who I introduced to GEC and the likes) in the real world carrying an upper end traditional.

Stropping Young Lad · Oct 3, 2016

Erik, I think I'd be pretty excited to stumble upon a fellow GEC lover. That's pretty cool!

Closest I've come was a Case collector.

Travman · Oct 3, 2016

Charlie's SFO version of the 35 pattern was listed for sale earlier this evening.

Cory Hess · Oct 3, 2016

Erik, I'd be blown away as well. I have yet to encounter somebody in the wild that is carrying a slipjoint that wasn't an Old Timer. This doesn't include people that I've given knives to or met at a knife show or similar function.

SadSappySucker · Oct 3, 2016

It really was something else. I don't think he was a collector by any means. In fact I'd be willing to bet that he used that same knife everyday like a normal person.

It was well used and had jigged bone handles.

Travman said:
Charlie's SFO version of the 35 pattern was listed for sale earlier this evening.

Gorgeous!!!!

johnny twoshoes · Oct 3, 2016

Here is an interesting story while on the subject of being blown away by other people carrying GEC knives. My girlfriend works at a local gas station and was dealing with a customer who pulled out one of the GEC Rendezvous knives to open an envelope. She spied it right away "because of the acorn" and asked the gentleman if it was indeed a GEC Rendezvous knife. I think he was shocked she knew what it was. He replied that it was and that he bought it second hand as he wasn't able to attend the Rendezvous this year. She pulled up my posts on here of mine and showed him pics. Apparently he is also a member, but frequents a different forum more often. So if you see this "Dave", hi and hello!

SadSappySucker · Oct 3, 2016

That is really cool! I mean I'm guessing that was a fairly limited release, so the odds of that happening to someone who will actually recognize it is slim.

texmex03 · Oct 3, 2016

Never met another GEC person. I did get two in my office and one outside my office to start buying GEC knives though. They all have the Barlow envy too.

Primble's photo of a GEC 77 dark chestnut was what got me to want a GEC.

tdkfm · Oct 3, 2016

I've got a buddy at work who was buying up case knives and is now into GEC, but that's about it. It seems harder to discover fellow traditional knife person than modern pocket clip guys. I usually carry one of each and tend to spot pocket clips when I see people carrying.

Will Power · Oct 4, 2016

Here in Europe, I've never met ANYONE who knows what a GEC is or even carries a Traditional pocket-knife at all! If it wasn't for the Forum and all the connexions I've made with enthusiasts in the States and Europe...well, I'd think I was the only only one.....

The Forum and by association, the Postman is my window on reality

However, some knieless people have admired some of my carries so that's gratifying.. :thumbup:And one particularly cute colleague is showing great interest..

but she seems to like Moderns, Autos in particular..

blee · Oct 4, 2016

Travman said:
Charlie's SFO version of the 35 pattern was listed for sale earlier this evening.

I see it on that site, currently showing no stock. The reason I thought Charlie's SFO would come after the BF knife was a comment he made here.

waynorth said:
...
I added the 150 Ebony HJs to fill out the order to 500 knives, the optimum order for pricing (for both knives!). We both get a break as a result.
The BF knife will be HJ-9.
The Ebony will be HJ-10, and won't be released for a while.
...

Pt-Luso · Oct 4, 2016

blademan 13 said:
Sweet! Is that the Green Tea bone? What's the bear inlay?

Is the Bear shield symbol of AMKCA (Allegheny Mountain Knife Collectors Association).

rye_a · Oct 4, 2016

blee said:
Hmm... I didn't see these in production, and GEC is closed Oct 3-7 this week.

My guess is that Charlie was gracious enough not to draw attention from the BF annual knife.

blee · Oct 4, 2016

rye_a said:
My guess is that Charlie was gracious enough not to draw attention from the BF annual knife.

I think you're right. The 500 knives were probably made all at once in order to get the pricing, but Charlie didn't want his SFO to compete with the BF knife.

tdkfm · Oct 4, 2016

Will Power said:
Here in Europe, I've never met ANYONE who knows what a GEC is or even carries a Traditional pocket-knife at all! If it wasn't for the Forum and all the connexions I've made with enthusiasts in the States and Europe...well, I'd think I was the only only one..... The Forum and by association, the Postman is my window on reality

However, some knieless people have admired some of my carries so that's gratifying.. [emoji106]And one particularly cute colleague is showing great interest.. but she seems to like Moderns, Autos in particular..

Hmm, at least she won't try to take your knives. I'm also thinking this could be a sign that she is a bit more adventurous

I'm not sure why, buy it does surprise me a little that traditional knives wouldn't be more popular in Europe.

draggat · Oct 4, 2016

tdkfm said:
Hmm, at least she won't try to take your knives. I'm also thinking this could be a sign that she is a bit more adventurous

I'm not sure why, buy it does surprise me a little that traditional knives wouldn't be more popular in Europe.

I occasionally scan the euro knife sites. Takes a little google translate fu, but I mostly see Euro traditionals, with a few modern Euros thrown in. A few American moderns, but those are few and far.

I believe GEC made some Schrade branded autos a few years back, but they are hard to find and pricey! Definitely cool though!

Dadpool · Oct 5, 2016

Cory Hess said:
Erik, I'd be blown away as well. I have yet to encounter somebody in the wild that is carrying a slipjoint that wasn't an Old Timer. This doesn't include people that I've given knives to or met at a knife show or similar function.

Ditto on the first part. I don't think I've ever met a fellow knife knut in the wild, never mind a fellow fan of traditionals -- let alone a fan of GEC knives in particular. If I did, I think I'd buy a lottery ticket that day, and avoid going outside if there happened to be a thunderstorm.

Will Power · Oct 5, 2016

tdkfm said:
Hmm, at least she won't try to take your knives. I'm also thinking this could be a sign that she is a bit more adventurous

I'm not sure why, buy it does surprise me a little that traditional knives wouldn't be more popular in Europe.

There may be several reasons: quite a lot of US sellers refuse to sell overseas, extra import tax to be paid, lack of visibility and Europe has quite a lot of its own Traditional styles.

Still, this place helps promote interest in GEC.:thumbup::thumbup:

My colleague was very pleased with a very sharp small RR knife I gave her, she cuts fruits&stuff with it now. Progress! :thumbup: But she really likes this Mikov auto I have from the Czech Republic. I think it rather crude and vulgar, she laps it up

Stropping Young Lad · Oct 5, 2016

Will Power said:
There may be several reasons: quite a lot of US sellers refuse to sell overseas, extra import tax to be paid, lack of visibility and Europe has quite a lot of its own Traditional styles.

Still, this place helps promote interest in GEC.:thumbup::thumbup:

My colleague was very pleased with a very sharp small RR knife I gave her, she cuts fruits&stuff with it now. Progress! :thumbup: But she really likes this Mikov auto I have from the Czech Republic. I think it rather crude and vulgar, she laps it up

Sounds like a cheap date, I like her!

I see Lamnia sells GEC now, so that's something.