My first GEC(tidioute)

bigfoot1127 · Oct 26, 2015

While being on my honeymoon in Tennessee I persuaded my new wife to accompany me to the smokey mountain knife works for an innocent walk through that ended up with me picking up this great eastern cutlery huckleberry boys knife in Gabon ebony wood under the line of Tidioute.
Let me just say this, I have been collecting traditional a for a while, but wow! GEC's fit and finish are exceptional.
Here are a few pics !

I have been using the knife nonstop for apples and everyday chores, so the patina has just started to form. I cut up apples for baked apples and trimmed 2 racks of ribs last night.

I also picked up an UN-X-LD single blade which I don't have pictures of yet.

RobbW · Oct 26, 2015

Congrats! You got a great-looking knife that's also a great user. It's also now tied to a wonderful family memory. :thumbup:

r redden · Oct 26, 2015

Very Nice.:thumbup: Only problem with GEC knives is the fact that once you own one your wallet will start getting thinner (HeeHee).

willard0341 · Oct 26, 2015

I've just discovered gec myself. 2k later and a bunch of little tubes. Haha enjoy and take care

bigfoot1127 · Oct 26, 2015

r redden said:
Very Nice.:thumbup: Only problem with GEC knives is the fact that once you own one your wallet will start getting thinner (HeeHee).

I definitely hear that.. I picked up 2 knives while I was there, and am eyeballing more than a few more.

Will Power · Oct 26, 2015

The 15 is a most versatile pattern with many options, good size for most hands & pockets too. But, there is that must have more factor...

Only real cure is either bankruptcy or taking up residency on a desert island with no Internet...

:thumbup:

swaybacksteve · Oct 26, 2015

That patina looks just right! Congrats on your GEC:thumbup:

bigfoot1127 · Oct 26, 2015

Will Power said:
The 15 is a most versatile pattern with many options, good size for most hands & pockets too. But, there is that must have more factor... Only real cure is either bankruptcy or taking up residency on a desert island with no Internet...:thumbup:

I'm working on the must have more part.. Lol. It just seems that to get the fit and finish like the GEC, you have to spend hundreds more. I don't mind paying for it, but there comes a point where in price I don't want to use the knife for fear of damaging it or hurting collectibility.
For the price the GEC/northwoods and tidioute are good collectors and good users.
Not as sloppy as Case most of the time.
I have a ton of case and love them, just seems quality is hit or miss.

Will Power · Oct 26, 2015

Generally I'd agree, I do have plenty of recent CASE knives that are fine. They have a different feel about them from GECs and they do cost less which is important. The thrill factor does rest with GEC for the main, as there's usually something to look (drool..) forward to

Thanks, Will

mrknife · Oct 26, 2015

Will Power said:
The 15 is a most versatile pattern with many options, good size for most hands & pockets too. But, there is that must have more factor... Only real cure is either bankruptcy or taking up residency on a desert island with no Internet...:thumbup:

yup, i remember my 7th gec 15 pattern. sadly lost out on a bid for a clip yesterday

KBA · Oct 26, 2015

Echoing everyone else's comments on the pattern. A great knife. :thumbup:

I'm more impressed that SMKW even had them. When I was there in June no one had even heard of GEC, not even in the back at the antique section. It must have been "honeymoon luck."

I had to settle on a China made glued slab of plastic on my honeymoon knife.

Wonderful patina on that one as well. Hang on to that one. The future kiddos may want dad's honeymoon knife.

All the best

HST · Oct 26, 2015

Congrats.

bigfoot1127 · Oct 26, 2015

KBA said:
Echoing everyone else's comments on the pattern. A great knife. :thumbup:

I'm more impressed that SMKW even had them. When I was there in June no one had even heard of GEC, not even in the back at the antique section. It must have been "honeymoon luck."

I had to settle on a China made glued slab of plastic on my honeymoon knife.

Wonderful patina on that one as well. Hang on to that one. The future kiddos may want dad's honeymoon knife.

All the best

They didn't have a ton of them, but there were about 15 of them when I went there. A lot of moose patterns with various blades, a couple of jacks, farm tools, one beer scout and a few huckleberry 15s in 1 and 2 blade configuration.
I snagged the 15 2 blade huckleberry and 1 UN-X-LD single blade stag limited edition which I'm not sure of the pattern of off the top of my head. Will get more pics!

I will be holding onto this knife for the long haul, it's already made a home in the pocket as soon as it cleared smkw's doors.
They were at the old knife/antique case.
Talk to Tommy. Good guy, but did buy a knife I was eyeing before I decided on it lol but it's all good!

Grateful · Oct 26, 2015

Great looking knife, great blade combination for edc.

Jim

Kitten Party · Oct 26, 2015

Congratulations and an excellent choice!

Ramrodmb · Oct 26, 2015

Love the Sheepfoot! My favorite blade profile. Especially when paired with a pen. GEC- " NAILED IT " Again!

CoffeeCat2112 · Oct 27, 2015

Great knife! The 15s are wonderful in just about any configuration, for sure!

bigfoot1127 · Oct 27, 2015

And here is my other new single blade knife from northfield un-x-ld In natural stag serial and run number 50, purchased at the same time as the 15. This one I think is going to stay in the display case.

The Burgh · Oct 27, 2015

Yep, I just joined the traditional crowd - crossing over from the dark sides of custom fixeds and semi-production/production folders - with a Tidioute #15, clip & pen, ebony with translucent golden streaks at the ends of both scales.

Problem: Not sure I want to stray outside the GEC boundaries & have fallen in love with the clip/pen combination. Sooooooo, on to my next #15!!!

bigfoot1127 · Oct 28, 2015

The Burgh said:
Yep, I just joined the traditional crowd - crossing over from the dark sides of custom fixeds and semi-production/production folders - with a Tidioute #15, clip & pen, ebony with translucent golden streaks at the ends of both scales.

Problem: Not sure I want to stray outside the GEC boundaries & have fallen in love with the clip/pen combination. Sooooooo, on to my next #15!!!

I've been collecting for a good amount of time, and for a production knife, GEC has the fit and finish of a semi custom. It's hard to ignore the quality, but Case, Schatt and Morgan, Queen, all have excellent knives, even if they are occasionally hit or miss.