Lets talk GEC!

tstaut said:
I have a clip washington jack with the pen removed. Previous owner had it done but it's a perfect mod, makes for a wonderfully slim carry!

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HJ version
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JITDC said:
Just got this one in the mail today! A big thank you to RCMAZ for contacting me on the WTB forum section recommended to me by Arizonaranchman. RCMAZ offered up a gorgeous unused GEC 77 Barlow in Dark Chestnut Brown. This is the knife listed in my signature. He even included a copper Molon Labe challenge coin and leather pocket pouch along with a very nice personal note. What a fantastic knife and I can't speak highly enough about the good folks like RCMAZ on this forum.

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That's a beauty! Great blade combination too.
 
JITDC said:
Just got this one in the mail today! A big thank you to RCMAZ for contacting me on the WTB forum section recommended to me by Arizonaranchman. RCMAZ offered up a gorgeous unused GEC 77 Barlow in Dark Chestnut Brown. This is the knife listed in my signature. He even included a copper Molon Labe challenge coin and leather pocket pouch along with a very nice personal note. What a fantastic knife and I can't speak highly enough about the good folks like RCMAZ on this forum.

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Great score! That was really nice of RCMAZ to let that one go.

According to GEC's production totals, they only made 48 of those. CONGRATS!:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:
 
Wow, I picked up that same 77 from a member here a while back. It my favorite GEC. Had no idea they were so limited. Enjoy, it is an awesome blade combo.
 
Camillus said:
My old knife! Glad it finally arrived. I should make it clearer that shipping from Australia takes about three weeks.
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Thank you, I am very happy with it.
Already i have search this one for a long times. Now I search one with Elk covers.:thumbup::D
 
Really nice Pt-Luso. It's always nice to see what models others like. But then, that just gives me ideas which thins out the wallet. Thanks for posting.
 
joeradza said:
Really nice Pt-Luso. It's always nice to see what models others like. But then, that just gives me ideas which thins out the wallet. Thanks for posting.
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Thank you Mr. Alan, I would like to have more but it is very difficult to buy GEC's from Portugal.
The amounts payable in customs are very high !!!
 
Railsplitter said:
Great score! That was really nice of RCMAZ to let that one go.

According to GEC's production totals, they only made 48 of those. CONGRATS!:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:
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I had no idea that the production totals for the 77 clip/whatrncliffe blade were so small. Is that total across all scales or just for the saw cut dark chestnut scales? GEC noob, how do I check those production totals? Thanks!


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I've had a mixed experience with GEC recently. I posted a while back that I had stopped buying knives sight unseen due to some minor defects in knives I had ordered, which would have prevented me buying those knives if I had known.

I have had better luck recently with this Stag #72 a particularly special find:



Unfortunately I had purchased an earlier one that was a bad miss - the stag was so thin as to almost be non-existent in some parts of the handle. The third one I picked up - pictured below- was very good, but I will sell it due to the upgrade.

The rosewood 72 I bought (third from top in this photo) was a disappointment. Excellent blade snap but the wood itself isn't like the rosewood handles of antique tools. I dont know why this is- perhaps that older rosewood is misnamed, or no longer available? Search for rosewood handplane handles and you'll see what I am referring to.



The ebony northfield 72 pictured at the bottom is absolutely flawless and fantastic, even if it might lack a little character compared to the other knives. I like the blackwood, because the first ever GEC I bought is the Tidioute blackwood 72 pictured right at the top, which is a lifetime keeper.

Unfortunately I have another issue with the rosewood - the central pin on the backspring is working loose and starting to protrude from the cover. I have had to send it back to GEC for repair.



I hope GEC will fix this up without issue, as its a good knife and has great walk and talk - hope it retains it after surgery!

Anyway now that I have a few GECs I have a better idea of what I like in a traditional knife. I would like to see more knives like the bladeforums 2016 forum knife- with a bit of personality/character, multi-blades, really traditional materials like horn and stag, and beautiful covers like snakewood and well jigged bone. I hope to see more of this from GEC - keep up the good work!
 
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Pt-Luso,

I've only heard great things about GEC's service. I'd be pretty hopeful that your knife will come back great, though I understand your disappointment.

Funny how our tastes change as we get more experience with traditionals. I'm fining myself gravitating away from Jack knives and favoring stockmans, splitback whittlers, and other knives that have more than one blade on a spring.
 
Yeah that's definitely where my taste is headed. I don't go for the really quirky traditional patterns like Toothpicks, or French Kate, but even though my appetite for the 72/73 pattern seems unquenchable, I've gotten a little bored with the other jack knives in various very similar configurations - GEC seems to do an awful lot of them. Some of my favourite patterns are Stockmans (including 98's which I've grown fond of), 92's, whittlers, Beer Scouts, Eureka Jacks and Weaver Jacks. These seem to hit the right note of being a bit unusual, but not aggressively so.



I'm still waiting for GEC to produce a really great small knife, and something tells me they are too? I haven't kept track, but it doesn't seem like they've repeated many of their smaller patterns (Edit I forgot the 25) Some concepts like a small 83 or a small 56 seemed great ideas, but they don't seem to found a classic pattern yet, like maybe GEC is looking for (like a Victorinox cadet). I hope they do produce a classic small knife, or else move onto other projects.
 
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I agree about their small knives. The 18 Coyote is too skimpy and the 14 certainly didn't make any connexion with me and I have smaller hands and like a small knife. but it's tricky getting the proportions right. In my experience, small knives need thicker handle slabs for grip and comfort.

Their 25 is a very good small knife but it has a broad handle. What I'd like to see is a svelte Penknife with not too much bolster but thick scales, an improved Norfolk (that long weak wharncliffe is not my thing) or a tip bolster single spring. Queen's No.26 is a fantastic Small Stockman, right all round so too the Jack version. GEC have rather bloated or long Stockman knives, authentic for sure but I think they'd find a big public for some sleeker knives.

The 83 is I think a first rate compact lockback though, I'd never want to get rid of my two versions. The 81 Dixie has FANTASTIC blades and lines but if it were 3.25/3.5" well it would seep all away!:cool::D
 
I think a new run of 3.5" #66 Calf Roper Stockmans is in order. It would please a mix of tastes in the big and smaller department.
 
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