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The BladeForums.com 2024 Traditional Knife is ready to order! See this thread for details: https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/bladeforums-2024-traditional-knife.2003187/
Price is$300$250 ea (shipped within CONUS). If you live outside the US, I will contact you after your order for extra shipping charges.
Order here: https://www.bladeforums.com/help/2024-traditional/ - Order as many as you like, we have plenty.
Lets talk GEC!
- Thread starter rockgolfer
- Start date
Not counting the Farm and Field, has GEC made a shadow pattern? Sitting here with my CSC BF knife thinking GEC could do a great job on something along these lines but couldn’t find anything. I know I’ve seen some recovered. How about just bolster tips? (Forgive me if that’s not the right term). I used to not like them but for some reason their growing on me...
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Yes it most certainly is. I can't wait to get my hands on them.lol
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Kind of but not really... As far as I remember, only the F&F line have had true shadows but they did make a few patterns under the 'Templar' moniker. Namely the #12, #48, and #63. These knives had acrylic slabs as covers but also had barn hinge bolsters on top of the acrylic. If you looked on the side you could see the acrylic cover the scale completely with the barn hing bolster not touching the brass scales at all.
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I had the same thought. I used to think "bolster tips" (not sure if that's the right word either, but sounds good to me) were odd, but I'm starting to dig them. It would be a nice way to change things up. This is one thing I love about GEC, they are always pushing for new things. It would be easy for them to just kick back and crank out standard stuff that is pretty much guaranteed to make money. But we see interesting stuff all the time. Consider, for example, the first time they did the whaler--that must have been a leap of faith. We've seen knives with "beer scouts shields" and bails! Now we are seeing bails and chains. The "ancient" barlow was an interesting project. I think for such a young company, it's remarkable how many patterns they've produced. It's actually quite aggressive in my opinion. A knife with "bolster tips" would be really neat and add additional variety to people's collections.
Those are different, hadn’t seen them before. I think one of the reasons I like a shadow pattern is getting more cover material to admire. Not so much a fan of acrylics for the most part. Usually a nice wood with a lot of grain/character catches my eye.
I'm really impressed by the #71 Bullnose in OD Grean Linen micarta I got today. It definitely feels nicer than the others I've had (I think I've had and sold 3 plus a Bullbuster). Perfect centering, strong (7.5-8) but smooth (enough) and manageable pull (also pretty pinchable), tip nowhere near proud (awesome), no blade rap, great looking covers, and really well sharpened. I got this for two reasons; 1) my girlfriend has specifically pointed out this knife in these covers the last two times they've made them as being good looking, so hey it's pretty much the cheapest GEC so why not and 2) I'm going on a trip this weekend and want to have a GEC knife to take that I don't have to worry as much about losing and not being able to replace. I am glad I got one. I find it interesting that they're printing the labels on the tops of the tubes now, but moreso I'm surprised that they didn't already now that I think of it.
Sabercat
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I wonder if Chris (and / or anyone else who has ever handwritten those labels) has kept track of how many of those tiny stickers they have filled out.I'm really impressed by the #71 Bullnose in OD Grean Linen micarta I got today. It definitely feels nicer than the others I've had (I think I've had and sold 3 plus a Bullbuster). Perfect centering, strong (7.5-8) but smooth (enough) and manageable pull (also pretty pinchable), tip nowhere near proud (awesome), no blade rap, great looking covers, and really well sharpened. I got this for two reasons; 1) my girlfriend has specifically pointed out this knife in these covers the last two times they've made them as being good looking, so hey it's pretty much the cheapest GEC so why not and 2) I'm going on a trip this weekend and want to have a GEC knife to take that I don't have to worry as much about losing and not being able to replace. I am glad I got one. I find it interesting that they're printing the labels on the tops of the tubes now, but moreso I'm surprised that they didn't already now that I think of it.
I agree with you that I can't believe they've done it by hand this long.
Nice knife too by the way!
Will Power
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Tip-Bolsters are a very elegant feature but they can only appear on certain patterns, due to strength and construction issues, I believe. A Shadow can employ a Bird's Eye pivot whereas Tip-Bolstered knives cannot, just a small pin.
They should also try their hand at fully sunk-joint patterns, CASE offer a number of these...
They should also try their hand at fully sunk-joint patterns, CASE offer a number of these...
Fox79
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I’m really looking forward to my two bull noses. I have a canvas and Muslin coming.
B B.F.U . - I’m glad to hear your positive reviews on this run. I’ve seen a few folks post on other forums that 1) the pull is way too stiff, and 2) guys getting blade rap that nicked the cutting edge.
For the price you can’t beat them compared to other GEC models.
I’m thinking of forcing a patina on the blade by leaving it in a potato over night. I’ve been hesitant to do that on any other pattern. I figured I can really make the knife mine.
B B.F.U . - I’m glad to hear your positive reviews on this run. I’ve seen a few folks post on other forums that 1) the pull is way too stiff, and 2) guys getting blade rap that nicked the cutting edge.
For the price you can’t beat them compared to other GEC models.
I’m thinking of forcing a patina on the blade by leaving it in a potato over night. I’ve been hesitant to do that on any other pattern. I figured I can really make the knife mine.
knifeswapper
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8 is stiffer'n snot - it ain't no city boy knife.
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GOOD!!!
Yeah, I almost didn't get one because I saw the same. It has a much stronger (and also less smooth) pull than the other recent runs. 4ish maybe 5 on the #43 I have, 5.25ish on the #77, I recall the #56 being around a 5.
I consider my #45 to be about an 8.5 and I had a #23 and whatever the smaller version of the #23 is that were pretty early and were like 9. I'd consider 19 unusable.
I hope they make the pull a little less strong on the upcoming #46s than on my #45.
I might get a red linen also. Seems silly to me to have two, but on the other hand... I like knives.
Lives up to its name!
Elgatodeacero
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My sense is that the evolution and variation in GEC knives reflects that the owner and employees truly love what they are doing.
They are also succeeding and that allows for creativity and some risk taking.
This is a golden age for GEC. I hope everyone at GEC is blessed with good health and long life!
Does anyone know who has been writing all the labels for ten years?! Probably 150k labels?! Do we have a picture of him or her? Or them? Pen brand and ink?!
I used to think it was a dealer writing the end label but noticed all were same or similar.
Will knife enthusiasts look back and refer to the early years as “hand written label” years or something similar? Like when Smith and Wesson dropped the 5 screw construction.
They are also succeeding and that allows for creativity and some risk taking.
This is a golden age for GEC. I hope everyone at GEC is blessed with good health and long life!
Does anyone know who has been writing all the labels for ten years?! Probably 150k labels?! Do we have a picture of him or her? Or them? Pen brand and ink?!
I used to think it was a dealer writing the end label but noticed all were same or similar.
Will knife enthusiasts look back and refer to the early years as “hand written label” years or something similar? Like when Smith and Wesson dropped the 5 screw construction.
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Did you ever handle one of the older NW Forest Jacks, with the wharncliffe? Those were probably the roughest I've ever had. Wonder what you would rate them.
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10.5 out of 10! Nail breakers and not pinchable. Got rid of a beautiful mammoth ivory version for that reason. I simply could not open it without having Final Destination type thoughts lol.
knifeswapper
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The only modern production 9 I have handled is a #25 from nearly 10 years ago that had a secondary that I ripped two nails off trying to open. I actually sent a handful of them back to the factory. My 10 rating is for blades that are welded shut - so 8 is pretty stiff. I also now have a force gauge that measures the force to move a blade from full open to half closed - the bullnose came in at 2.9lbs.
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I know it has nothing to do with what we're currently talking about here but man i wish they'd run some more #92s. The jack knife though not the talons, well what the hell I'm sure they'd run the talons anyway afterwards but damn I'm DYING for a run of eurekas.
Elgatodeacero
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I received a couple 71's today (blows the Case Sodbuster Jr. out of the water), and even though the end labels are now computer printed, as is usual for GEC they didnt just print black ink end labels folks. Each label is now printed in an ink color that matches the handles for that knife, which is hilarious attention to detail. I love GEC.
black mamba
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The #92 IS a very special pattern. I feel many are not acquainted with a Eureka pattern, but anyone who has one loves it. The other thing that makes a #92 special is the spring tailored to the secondary, the wrap-around spring, a very custom touch not found often enough on two-blade jacks.
