Lets talk GEC!

Hey y'all, I just won the bid on a stag 735108 ECL. This particular knife doesn't have the 735108 stamped on the blade in the pictures. I own a couple other 08 knives and they have the numbers. Is this common, does anybody know? Thanks
 
They made 50 of this one with numbered bolsters and another 135 without. What I'm referring to is the identification numbers that are usually on the tang. This one doesn't have any.
 
2006 and 2007 knives do not have the 6 digit model number stamped on them anywhere, just the year. I have a 2008 #23 Pioneer linerlock that also just has the 2008 stamped on the tang, but other knives from later in the year have the full 6 digit model number. Also in 2008 they changed from running consecutive serial numbers on all knives of the same pattern, even though they had different cover material. My linerlock is serial #29, but they only made 19 with burnt stag covers. I also have quite a few 2007 Cubans with the serial number higher than the production total for that cover. By the end of 2008, knives were serialized consecutively only within their own cover material. All of these changes took place early in 2008.

Now, look at the production total pages from GEC's website: http://greateasterncutlery.net/blog/production-totals-06-present/
From 2009 to present, they list the knives in numerical order of the pattern number (23s before 48s before 73s, etc.). But from 2006 through 2008 they are listed differently, and I believe (no proof of this) they are listed in the order they came off the production line, with the #73s first, followed by the #23s, then the rest of the patterns. So it makes sense that the 2008 #23s and #73s still were stamped under the old system of the production year, but following the #23s they changed to the 6 digit model numbering system.
 
singin50 said:
To my knowledge the only GEC knives without tang stamp numbers on them are the Northwoods.
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There were also some knives made for smkw that just had the year and maybe Bradford stamped on them. I used to have the #23 and #73 they did.

black mamba said:
2006 and 2007 knives do not have the 6 digit model number stamped on them anywhere, just the year. I have a 2008 #23 Pioneer linerlock that also just has the 2008 stamped on the tang, but other knives from later in the year have the full 6 digit model number. Also in 2008 they changed from running consecutive serial numbers on all knives of the same pattern, even though they had different cover material. My linerlock is serial #29, but they only made 19 with burnt stag covers. I also have quite a few 2007 Cubans with the serial number higher than the production total for that cover. By the end of 2008, knives were serialized consecutively only within their own cover material. All of these changes took place early in 2008.

Now, look at the production total pages from GEC's website: http://greateasterncutlery.net/blog/production-totals-06-present/
From 2009 to present, they list the knives in numerical order of the pattern number (23s before 48s before 73s, etc.). But from 2006 through 2008 they are listed differently, and I believe (no proof of this) they are listed in the order they came off the production line, with the #73s first, followed by the #23s, then the rest of the patterns. So it makes sense that the 2008 #23s and #73s still were stamped under the old system of the production year, but following the #23s they changed to the 6 digit model numbering system.
Click to expand...

Great info! Thank you.

Do you know what the first knives / runs are that GEC did their own dyeing and jigging on?
 
Logan, I think it was just about the same time frame, early to mid '08. They started out using Culpepper's, and I have 53/54 framed knives from '08 that still have Culpepper bone, but maybe starting with the #25s in 2008 GEC started using their own. Again, just a hunch from what I've seen, and from the order of the production totals in '08.

Maybe Mike from CK.net (knifeswapper) will chime in, he probably knows the details.
 
Very true, Jeff. Forgot about the first two years of production, where they only put the year on the back of the tang.
 
You guys have the time line down pretty close; I'm gonna stick my neck out and say that the Bradford Bullets are 'in house' bone, but that is a guess.
 
I agree with you, Barry. GEC made very few bone handled knives in the first two years, and many of those had stag bone covers in various colors. Culpepper was the master of those.

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2008 Green Mountain, 2008 Carved Pumpkin, 2008 River Blue, 2007 Brimstone
 
Wow, those are all very nice examples, guys! Somewhere round here I have some bone that GEC used in the early days. I did have a buffalo handled #23 but unfortunately it had to make a trip back to GEC for new covers, a few years ago.
The handles started pulling away from the frame, but they did a great job, replacing it with stable bovine/cow bone covers.
But nothing like what Charlie and Jeff are showing!:cool::cool:
 
Thanks Charlie, I'm missing the one GEC calls burnt carved stag bone, but they never made a Cuban stockman in it. It looks like Case's 6.5 bonestag, with a more natural coloration. I think I've seen johnny twoshoes show a knife with those covers.
 
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