Lets talk GEC!

MerryMadMonk said:
Ron, it is one of the most popular patterns they've made. Folks who don't ordinarily carry a traditional are fans of the Viper. It will be utter madness when the Viper is released again!
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I think this is what makes the 93 so popular. Same general style as the 47. Swayback with sheepsfoot/wharncliffe Blade. A very practical & popular pattern.
 
MerryMadMonk said:
Trand, I don't have a 47 Hayn Helper, but I do have a 47 Viper. To my uncalibrated eyes the 47 & the 93 frames look the same. So I took the calipers to a 93 Ram's Foot and the Viper. The handle width of the 47 Viper averages about 1mm wider than the 93 Ram's Foot. The closed length of the 47 is about 1.05mm shorter than the 93.
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Thanks for checking. Its hard to gauge any size differences without them together. Doesn't seem like there's much difference though. Is there maybe a difference where the spine starts rounding out for the butt of the knife? My #47s have a definable point where the rounding starts.

black mamba said:
The size difference is small enough to fall within the grinding/finishing limits of the knives. This makes me wonder if one has half stops and the other does not. That difference was enough to make the #53 and #54 patterns separate, when every other detail was identical.
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I was wondering about halfstops too. I know the #47s have them but wasn't certain on the #93.

ISKRA said:
Make it a new run of 68 pony jacks! Even if not in stainless, they're long overdue.
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I'm not opposed to more jacks. I keep harping on the the stainless jacks because imho GEC makes awesome jacks and in these last 13 years, they've made tons of 1095 jacks, of which I own in many patterns, but have only made 1 stainless jack and that was for a SFO branded in another company's name. When they do make a knife in stainless, its usually single bladed, 2 full sized blades, or a pen knife configuration. I don't mind single blades, but I find jacks more useful. I don't usually need 2 full blades and prefer the smaller pen configuration as GEC slims the knife down ever so slightly with thinner stock spring and blade. Pen knife configurations... honestly I'm a fan of. Maybe a stainless #35 Churchill...
 
2Dead said:
I'm not opposed to more jacks. I keep harping on the the stainless jacks because imho GEC makes awesome jacks and in these last 13 years, they've made tons of 1095 jacks, of which I own in many patterns, but have only made 1 stainless jack and that was for a SFO branded in another company's name. When they do make a knife in stainless, its usually single bladed, 2 full sized blades, or a pen knife configuration. I don't mind single blades, but I find jacks more useful. I don't usually need 2 full blades and prefer the smaller pen configuration as GEC slims the knife down ever so slightly with thinner stock spring and blade. Pen knife configurations... honestly I'm a fan of. Maybe a stainless #35 Churchill...
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I totally agree with you, two bladed jacks with a pen secondary are my favourite knives. A clip/spear main and pen secondary, that's my favourite blade combo. I don't care as much about stainless because imo GEC's 440 doesn't get quite the same crisp look as their 1095 and I don't live or work in terribly humid conditions that would make me really appreciate stainless steel, especially because it's harder for me to sharpen. But I am not opposed to it either. I imagine a stainless cattle knife on the 35 frame would be a hit, or just a stainless churchill. I don't think it's all too likely though. At least not anytime soon ...

I wonder why they haven!t done any more pony jacks. It's not like they're not popular. o_O
 
So, being both bored and curious, I went through GEC's production numbers. Below is a (hopefully complete) list of patterns made under the GEC brand each year. I generally didn't include marked SFOs except the 2009 jack because I own one and know it exists as the only jack. To my knowledge, all the folding blades under GEC have been stainless but the fixed blades can be stainless or carbon depending on the model and year. I included the steel type if different than 440C if I own one and could confirm it wasn't 440C. In general, if a blade has the 'Cyclops' or 'Cyclops Steel Works' marking then it was 440C (Titusville Iron Works or TIW is generally used for 1095). They may have changed the stampings since 2014, I'm not really sure. My 2014 H10 is marked '440CSS' instead of 'Cyclops'. I believe the majority of the fixed blades are 1095 instead of stainless.

Single bladed
2008 - #73
2009 - #23
2010 - #12
2010 - #25
2012 - #48
2014 - #47
2015 - #63
2016 - #15
2016 - #74

Two bladed jack
2009 - #73 for Cripple Creek with 420hc

Full double bladed
2006 - #73
2006 - #23
2007 - #73
2007 - #23
2008 - #73
2008 - #23
2009 - #73
2010 - #53
2011 - #73HP
2012 - #48
2012 - #73
2013 - #73HP
2013 - #65F (420HC)
2014 - #48B
2015 - #63F

Three bladed
2008 - #53

Opposite end full bladed configuration
2008 - #53
2010 - #53

Opposite end pen configuration
2011 - #33
2011 - #61
2012 - #68
2012 - #89
2013 - #62

Lockback
2011 - #72
2014 - #42
2018 - #99

Fixed blade (not all confirmed as some have been made in 1095 under the GEC brand)
2007 - #50
2007 - #60
2009 - #10
2009 - #50
2009 - #60
2010 - #50
2010 - #60
2010 - #H23 (1095)
2010 - #H73
2011 - #23
2011 - #H73 (1095)
2012 - #H10
2012 - #H23 (1095)
2012 - #H73 (1095)
2014 - #H10 (1095 and 440C)
2014 - #H20
2015 - #H50
2015 - #H60
2015 - #F905/6 (420HC)
2016 - #H10
2016 - #H73
2018 - #H20

HP = Hoof Pick, F = Fish knife with scaler blade, B = Bird knife with gut hook.
 
All this talk of shields... It's getting me thinking about the unique shields they've done. I guess the boot is included, but the boot had no connection to the knife I could find. I like the banana, the beaver, the whale, and the saw. Among others, and hopefully more unique shields to come.
 
I would be in on a Pony Jack but what I wish GEC would run is a TEXAS JACK on the 81 frame with the high top clip like on the last run of 77s, I would probably buy at least one of every flavor they make.
 
2Dead said:
So, being both bored and curious, I went through GEC's production numbers. Below is a (hopefully complete) list of patterns made under the GEC brand each year. I generally didn't include marked SFOs except the 2009 jack because I own one and know it exists as the only jack. To my knowledge, all the folding blades under GEC have been stainless but the fixed blades can be stainless or carbon depending on the model and year. I included the steel type if different than 440C if I own one and could confirm it wasn't 440C. In general, if a blade has the 'Cyclops' or 'Cyclops Steel Works' marking then it was 440C (Titusville Iron Works or TIW is generally used for 1095). They may have changed the stampings since 2014, I'm not really sure. My 2014 H10 is marked '440CSS' instead of 'Cyclops'. I believe the majority of the fixed blades are 1095 instead of stainless.

Single bladed
2008 - #73
2009 - #23
2010 - #12
2010 - #25
2012 - #48
2014 - #47
2015 - #63
2016 - #15
2016 - #74

Two bladed jack
2009 - #73 for Cripple Creek with 420hc

Full double bladed
2006 - #73
2006 - #23
2007 - #73
2007 - #23
2008 - #73
2008 - #23
2009 - #73
2010 - #53
2011 - #73HP
2012 - #48
2012 - #73
2013 - #73HP
2013 - #65F (420HC)
2014 - #48B
2015 - #63F

Three bladed
2008 - #53

Opposite end full bladed configuration
2008 - #53
2010 - #53

Opposite end pen configuration
2011 - #33
2011 - #61
2012 - #68
2012 - #89
2013 - #62

Lockback
2011 - #72
2014 - #42
2018 - #99

Fixed blade (not all confirmed as some have been made in 1095 under the GEC brand)
2007 - #50
2007 - #60
2009 - #10
2009 - #50
2009 - #60
2010 - #50
2010 - #60
2010 - #H23 (1095)
2010 - #H73
2011 - #23
2011 - #H73 (1095)
2012 - #H10
2012 - #H23 (1095)
2012 - #H73 (1095)
2014 - #H10 (1095 and 440C)
2014 - #H20
2015 - #H50
2015 - #H60
2015 - #F905/6 (420HC)
2016 - #H10
2016 - #H73
2018 - #H20

HP = Hoof Pick, F = Fish knife with scaler blade, B = Bird knife with gut hook.
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What is this a list of? I think I missed a previous post...
 
waverave said:
What is this a list of? I think I missed a previous post...
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Its a list of GEC's "stainless steel" knives in support of my request for more stainless steel from GEC, specifically a GEC 2 bladed (1 long 1 shorter pen/coping etc) jack. They still technically haven't released one under their brand in 13 years of operation while making at least some of the other basic types.
 
2Dead said:
Its a list of GEC's "stainless steel" knives in support of my request for more stainless steel from GEC, specifically a GEC 2 bladed (1 long 1 shorter pen/coping etc) jack. They still technically haven't released one under their brand in 13 years of operation while making at least some of the other basic types.
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Excellent...I would love to include that information in my database. How did you put that together though they don't identify the SS necessarily in the production totals. Do you mind if I use your information? I've made my database available to all.
 
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L.H.S said:
All this talk of shields... It's getting me thinking about the unique shields they've done. I guess the boot is included, but the boot had no connection to the knife I could find. I like the banana, the beaver, the whale, and the saw. Among others, and hopefully more unique shields to come.
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I'm secretly waiting for another guitar shield but on something that appeals to me :) There is a pattern, material and blade combo out there just waiting for the guitar shield :p
 
waverave said:
Excellent...I would love to include that information in my database. How did you put that together though they don't identify the SS necessarily in the production totals. Do you mind if I use your information? I've made my database available to all.
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Since I had my box-o-15s out, figured I could quickly snag a photo and post my two SS 15s given current stainless/Cyclops discussion.

upload_2019-6-28_10-46-53.jpeg
 
waverave said:
Excellent...I would love to include that information in my database. How did you put that together though they don't identify the SS necessarily in the production totals. Do you mind if I use your information? I've made my database available to all.
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Sure you can use the information. I just used GEC's production totals off of their website. In general, all Tidioute and Northfield models are 1095. It used to be a given that if a folding knife had the GEC brand and an acorn shield that it was a 440C knife unless it was one of a short list of exceptions. GEC made a few SFOs in 2008 like the #735108EC that are branded GEC and have an acorn shield but are not 440C. The way to tell if it was 440C was if it had the Cyclops Steel Works stamp on the blade because that's what GEC marked 440C knives with. Like they do with Tidioute Iron Works or TIW on 1095. I can confirm this up to about 2014 because I have/had examples of each type of the GEC branded ones, including a 420HC #735108EC. I'm not sure if they kept the Cyclops branding after 2014. I remember talk on the forums that it might not continue. My 2014 H10 doesn't have the Cyclops stamp but is instead marked 440CSS. I'm assuming the later folding GECs still have the Cyclops stamp but can't confirm myself. GEC branded fixed blades are a different story. I though that they too were all stainless and 440C if they had the acorn shield but I have examples that have the shield but have the TIW stamp, not Cyclops. These are definitely not stainless steel. On my list, I marked those I could personally confirm in parenthesis. I believe GEC has marked all blades later as either Cyclops, TIW, Carbon, Stainless, or the type of steel used.
 
The #735108EC I used to have but mentioned above.
Edit: I think there were 2 or 3 handle covers on the single blade. There may have been a 2 bladed version as well, I don't remember. I don't believe GEC has marked any other SFOs under the GEC brand since these knives.
Edit #2: Here's a link about this SFO and specifically this knife too https://www.allaboutpocketknives.com/knife_forum/viewtopic.php?t=21330

 
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They used the Cyclops stamp on the 2018 Wall Streets (440C)...
xEhziuk.jpg
 
2Dead 2Dead Trand, some useful scholarship there thank you and that Ivory bone fixed is stellar!

I'm totally with you on the stainless front, keep hoping that GEC has the ability and WILL to invest some of its profits in new blade stamping machinery so they can offer more stainless knives. The argument is that stainless is too gruelling on their existing machinery. This may or may not be the case but there's a desire for modern all stainless construction with Traditional patterns and materials.

I agree, a Churchill, particularly a Spear version would be most attractive. Have there been any stainless Spears while we're on that one? A Eureka is a grand candidate for stainlessisation ;):cool:

Thanks, Will
 
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