Lets talk GEC!

Hey everyone, new guy on the forum- but I’ve been lurking on this GEC thread since early 2018. I was raised with Case knives and my late father steering me away from carbon steel- probably because he didn’t want to have to worry about maintaining his daily carries.

Anyway, I found out about GEC during my hunt for a new knife. Finding myself displeased with my odds of getting a satisfactory Case knife I read up on GEC and bought my first: a #35 Churchill in maroon micarta.

My eyes are open. I now proudly own 5 GEC with a 6th (#93 Cocobolo!!) on its way. My wife is already rolling her eyes. Some wives worry about their husbands cheating- mine worries about the next GEC release.

I’ll post some eye candy when I get a minute
 
Looking back, I became attached to pocket knives, and knives in general, about seventy years ago. Most of my family was born in, or from, Bowie, Texas, named of course for James Bowie so appreciation of knives was in the air. Maybe in the water too. Every adult male, and later on my school pals all carried some kind of pocket clasp knife as did I.

Like many of us here I have had more knives than I can remember, many of which I wish I still had. For a number of years, working on our small farm in Colorado I routinely carried a Buck 112 in a self-made sheath along with a small SAK. Then children and the corporate world intervened and it was mostly some variety of small pocket knife, including my old SAK.

I discovered Spydercos and began a few years romance with those until, a couple of years ago I saw a photo of a Great Eastern Cutlery #44. I knew nothing about the knife or the company, but after a lot of reading I figured it would be a good one to have, so I naturally bought one. I was floored by the quality and the derivation from older, traditional patterns. Then I watched that three part Crawford County YouTube video in which Bill takes us through the complete process. I was even more impressed, especially about GEC’s drive for hand made quality and the people who make that happen.

So, I now have a few GECs, patterns that really appeal to me. All but one are users because that is what knives are meant to do. All the Spydercos but one are gone and that one will get sold as well.

As I write, I am carrying a #82 Possum Skinner Elderberry Jigged bone along with a #93 canvas micarta. Sometimes I carry three GECs. Sometimes I just like to take them out and look at them.
 
Happy to see these SS / micarta kitchen knives released by GEC. Nice and lightweight, should be perfect for food prep. Could have been sharper.

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cjtamu said:
My first GEC. Father's Day present from my wife. 2007 GEC #73EC in snakewood. Never used, never carried. I'm over the moon. Just a beautiful knife, machining, fit, finish, snap are amazing....should I carry it? I don't care about the future value of the knife, it's not going to be sold or traded. I've never owned ANYTHING that was a shelf queen. If I buy something it gets used, some more gently than others. I'm thinking of buying a slip and carrying it occasionally on office days. Won't get any hard use there. Just wondering if others with similar knives carry theirs on occasion.
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Use it. My most treasured knife is a 2011 #73. Also a Father's Day present. I EDC'd it for a few years. Then I got twitchy. I carry other knives now as well, but this #73 is still my primary carry. I carry and use it probably six days out of every seven.

I have since been given other knives, but this is the one that I value above all others. Whenever I ask my daughter to get "my knife" this is the one she knows to look for.

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black mamba said:
The way I look at it, with golf or most other hobbies, when you spend your money . . . it's gone. At least with GECs, you can usually get your money back, and sometimes a lot more, after enjoying them for a while.
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With one caveat: Imagine dying unexpectedly and your wife selling all those GEC´s for the price you told her you paid for them :-D

This year has been very unexciting so far. Not a single release made my heart race. My excuse for getting my first GEC was to commemorate my first child being born, with the matching year stamp. This year the second child is comming so I was looking to get something really special from this years production. I was hoping for #15 TC barlow single clip blade with long pull and nice bone covers. No luck... The announced run of #77 might do it, if I will be able to get one. But I expect early reserve to be launched sometime at night (downside of being European), so I probably will have to bet on #86´s.
 
Sabercat said:
If I smell what you're cooking...I thought they swore that off.

Not that they can't change their mind of course!
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Sometimes when you think you smell lasagna it turns out to actually be spaghetti and meatballs.

EngrSorenson said:
Hey everyone, new guy on the forum- but I’ve been lurking on this GEC thread since early 2018. I was raised with Case knives and my late father steering me away from carbon steel- probably because he didn’t want to have to worry about maintaining his daily carries.

Anyway, I found out about GEC during my hunt for a new knife. Finding myself displeased with my odds of getting a satisfactory Case knife I read up on GEC and bought my first: a #35 Churchill in maroon micarta.

My eyes are open. I now proudly own 5 GEC with a 6th (#93 Cocobolo!!) on its way. My wife is already rolling her eyes. Some wives worry about their husbands cheating- mine worries about the next GEC release.

I’ll post some eye candy when I get a minute
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Very cool! Welcome

Chief said:
Happy to see these SS / micarta kitchen knives released by GEC. Nice and lightweight, should be perfect for food prep. Could have been sharper.

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GECfixed-2.jpg
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I really like those. I might get the clip point and have a kydex sheath made for it.
 
Chief said:
Happy to see these SS / micarta kitchen knives released by GEC. Nice and lightweight, should be perfect for food prep. Could have been sharper.

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GECfixed-2.jpg
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I agree could be a little sharper :) I ended up with two steak knives, a paring knife and a slicer :thumbsup:
I'm glad I waited for the muslin micarta versions because I wasn't digging the rounded handles on the Bunkhouse versions. The SS and micarta handles make for outstanding durability I expect these to last forever.
 
Shaggy - case in point is the GEC #77 Barlow I scored a few days ago. Just received it today. Took me awhile to obtain it due to it being so elusive. Got it from a private party. My God they get scarfed up quickly so I had to be quick on the draw and shuck out some big cash to have it. I too am late to the traditional collecting game. Due to the high prices attributed to the frenzy buying environment my collection will be necessarily small. But it will have some nice knives in it. This #77 sleeps next to my #78 American Jack in white bone. I keep asking myself "how many do I need"? Yeah, that's right...but how many do I want?!!
 
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Bill beer said:
Shaggy - case in point is the GEC #77 Barlow I scored a few days ago. Just received it today. Took me awhile to obtain it due to it being so elusive. Got it from a private party. My God they get scarfed up quickly so I had to be quick on the draw and shuck out some big cash to have it. I too am late to the traditional collecting game. Due to the high prices attributed to the frenzy buying environment my collection will be necessarily small. But it will have some nice knives in it. This #77 sleeps next to my #78 American Jack in white bone. I keep asking myself "how many do I need"? Yeah, that's right...but how many do I want?!!
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The 77 Barlow is one of just a small handful of traditionals that could cause me to say, “Yep. I’m done.“
 
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