Little Big Knife: GEC #26 Sleeveboard Carver

[Rick]

GEC's puny 3" Sleeveboard doesn't seem to garner all that much attention around these parts, but it's quickly becoming one of my favorite EDC patterns. The combination of a short disappear-in-your-pocket handle length coupled with an extremely stout build make this one tough little brute of a pocketknife.

Ergos are very good for such a small knife. The handles is just long enough to provide a good three-finger grip, and choking-up with your index finger along the blade spine offers a comfortable feel with excellent point control for fine work.

The "Little Carver" weighs-in at 2.3 ounces, the 2" Wharncliffe master blade is ground from 1/8" stock, and the handle thickness is 1/2" at its widest point with some fairly chunky burnt stag scales. Neither blade has a halfstop and both are a firm '6 1/2' to '7' on the pull scale; firm enough to inspire complete confidence without breaking nails. There's no blade play anywhere and each end of the single backspring is flush both open and closed.

Thanks to a catchbit and the fact that the master blade is asymmetrically ground to accommodate the stubby 1.2" coping blade, there was no crinking required, so both blades are nice and straight, but despite the obvious care displayed here, the secondary blade's point inevitably rubs the pile side of the master blade when it's opened. I file that under 'no big deal,' but YMMV.

 

[Rick]

There’s one serious caveat: The point of the master blade sticks out of the handle by around 1/16" when closed; enough so that it can snag your pocket, and it will definitely bite you when using the coping blade. The tang kick comes to a sharp point straight from the tube and needs to be filed down until the point lays below the liner edge, so be prepared to spend five minutes taking care of that if your sample is like mine. I've seen at least three other examples with exposed points.

My only other complaint is pretty typical of GEC: both blades had mediocre factory edges, but 1095 sharpens-up slicker 'n' snot, so that's no big deal.

The pics show the knife after filing down the kick:

 

[joe-bob]

Those look like great little knives. I've learned to give them a pass on the sharpness, but the tip of the blade sticking up outside the frame is just wrong.

 

[Modoc ED]

That's a very nice looking knife Rick. You are right -- they are very stout knives. I have two of GEC's #25 Pattern Jack knives both with the Wharncliffe blade and they are very well built. One of them is a single blade and the other has two blades. Neither of them needed the kick filed.

This is my GEC Northfield Wharncliffe Arrowhead Jack. It is my favorite of the two #25s that I have.

Another thing you said Rick really hit the nail on the head -- they disappear into your pocket and you never know they're there.

Those Wharncliffe blades are deceptive when looking at them. They don't appear to have a very sharp point but the point on those blades is very sharp and easily penetrate objects. If it could talk, the web of my left hand could attest to that.

Thanks again for the post Rick and once again, that is a very fine looking knife.

 

[SteelSnob]

Thank you for the review. I was seriously considering one of these but that exposed tip is a deal breaker for me. If that's a common trait for this model I won't be buying one.

 

[Rick]

Thanks for the comments, guys.

Those Wharncliffe blades are deceptive when looking at them. They don't appear to have a very sharp point but the point on those blades is very sharp and easily penetrate objects. If it could talk, the web of my left hand could attest to that.

Yes, indeed. They taper-grind the Wharnie blade stock extremely thin toward the point, so it may look stubby but it's needle-sharp.

Thank you for the review. I was seriously considering one of these but that exposed tip is a deal breaker for me. If that's a common trait for this model I won't be buying one.

Ah, c'mon, SS. Your dealer might be able to find you one with a well-seated point, but even if it's exposed, the big ol' kick is hanging way out there where there's plenty of elbow room to work the file without hitting anything. I had it fixed in a few minutes without even bothering to use a vise, and I'm not half as handy as a lot of the guys around here.

 

[SteelSnob]

Do you have any pics of how it looks after filing? I would be afraid I would ruin the overall beauty of the knife.

 

[Rick]

Do you have any pics of how it looks after filing? I would be afraid I would ruin the overall beauty of the knife.

Those pics are after filing . The kick had a pronounced point before it was filed.

 

[SteelSnob]

Well if I can have the dealer find one that's not exposed I'll give one a try. Thanks again.

 

[DennisStrickland]

great pics rick & may i say you are very careful with the treatment of your users. i had kept my collection down to only 2 in this pattern however the stag puts a totally different perspective on this pattern.my fat hands deter somewhat my usage of a small knife such as these but i certainly ca'nt deny the strong visual attraction of these little jewels. thanks again for such great pics.

 

[Dr. Pepper]

Any chance of a comparison photo between the sleeveboard and a #25 barlow?? I bought a single blade barlow after studying the photos for a long time but I have always wondered just exactly how much wider and thicker the big end of the sleeveboard is.

 

[nphelps4130]

Nice pictures Rick! Interesting to hear there are no half-stops on this model. I like that nice fat backspring. Thank you for the great review.

I have a #25 wharncliffe that I also needed to file the kick. Like you said, it only took a few minutes and there is plenty more kick to file away as needed as sharpening removes some blade over time. I also have a EZ-open that did not need the kick to be filed, by the way. I also find myself carrying one of these 2 quite often (including right now). The #25 pattern is a little tank; your #26 knife even more so. Awesome stuff.

 

[GRIM 62]

Fantastic looking little knife,I dig it !

 

[Knife Crazied]

I really like that. :thumbup:

 

[Modoc ED]

Ya know, I've run across several guys that actually rig a piece of toothpick between the kick and the back spring so the point does sit up above the frame so as to open the knife as it is being drawn from the pocket. Mostly, they do this on larger knives but I've also seen it done on small knives. Maybe not so much now that one hand opening knives are readily available now-a-days but some still do.

Both my #25s have half-stops on all blades.

 

[coyote711]

Yes, indeed. They taper-grind the Wharnie blade stock extremely thin toward the point, so it may look stubby but it's needle-sharp.

Absolutely true, but I snapped off about 1/16" of the point on one of mine. I was cleaning out some crud in the wood tray of a bird feeder - dug the point in the corner and scraped sideways with it, which I've done many times with other knives without damage. Turns out it was knife abuse on this particular blade ; I had just got the knife and was eager to use it for something, but didn't realize just how thin the point actually was. Just an FYI & caveat for any users out there - slicing or pull cuts only!

Rick, that is a gorgeous knife, and your photography, as usual, is stunning!!! :thumbup:

 

[Gmountain]

Thanks for the photos. I have been thinking of ordering one. I guess I will now. For some reason, I thought it was much bigger.

 

[Modoc ED]

Rick -- I have a machinist's rule and both wharncliffe blades on my two #25s measure 2 1/8".

Oh, and I took down the Collector Knives photo and put up a picture I took this AM.

 

[Rick]

Thanks again for all the comments.

Any chance of a comparison photo between the sleeveboard and a #25 barlow?? I bought a single blade barlow after studying the photos for a long time but I have always wondered just exactly how much wider and thicker the big end of the sleeveboard is.

I don't have a Barlow version, but the #25 and #26 patterns all use the same frame. The Sleeveboard has a wider master blade (0.62") because it pivots at the wide end of the frame, but other than that, the handle dimensions should be identical.

Rick -- I have a machinist's rule and both wharncliffe blades on my two #25s measure 2 1/8".

 

[Will Power]

Outstanding photography:thumbup: You must be doing it for a living....
Really shows how nicely finished GECs are.
For anybody nervous of doing a little 'maintenance' filing, just wrap some tape round the bolster/scales to protect the knife.