New to the Coke Bottle pattern, questions.

lentuk

lentuk

Joined
Jun 21, 2005
Messages
717
I recently discovered the large coke pattern for pocket carry, I prefer larger patterns and own a couple of GEC 97s but finally got around to carrying one.
My question is the front bolster differences, bolsters like the GEC 97 are straight like a coke bottle and the other patterns I see labeled as coke bottles are curved like the copperhead pattern.
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Ive seen several varieties, schatt and morgan also used to have a smaller or "medium" coke bottle that had a rounded top, no copperhead bolster. ironically, i generally dont like them myself and have often considered modifying them to have the flat.
 
I believe the more straight edged bolster is the older traditional style. The updated copperhead style came about later, and was a nice feature that concealed the back edge of the tang area so it doesn't have a sharp corner exposed. It also gives your finger a good grip area when using the knife.
 
The "coke bottle" moniker isn't actually an official pattern name - more slang than anything. Large swell center folding hunters and more modestly sized jacks were being made well before Coke bottles (as we know them today) were in wider circulation.

All that to say, any knife that is built on an unequal-end, swell-center frame can be correctly called a "coke bottle" frame, bolster shape not mattering in the least. I think the copperhead style is a more modern feature, much like the "coke bottle" name.
 
waverave said:
Interestingly enough, that smooth bone version is one of my favs…even amongst the GECs. I always hoped that GEC would make a medium coke bottle pattern like that.
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Easy to see why that's a favorite.... that's a very classy looking knife... love the clip blade (with only one pull)
I would own a 97 if GEC made the ebony version with only one pull.... I'm really put off by the two pulls.... makes a nice knife look cluttered and cheesy... IMHO, of course...
 
hornetguy said:
Easy to see why that's a favorite.... that's a very classy looking knife... love the clip blade (with only one pull)
I would own a 97 if GEC made the ebony version with only one pull.... I'm really put off by the two pulls.... makes a nice knife look cluttered and cheesy... IMHO, of course...
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I don't mind the double pull as much. What deters me from using the Northfield 97s is the saber grind - it's a traditional grind on a large folding hunter but it does not compare when it comes to the cutting performance of the full flat ground Tidioutes. I was hoping to get a Micarta 97 re-covered in Ebony but the fellow I reached out to stopped doing re-covers at the same time and I haven't found another yet to take on the project.
 
hornetguy said:
Easy to see why that's a favorite.... that's a very classy looking knife... love the clip blade (with only one pull)
I would own a 97 if GEC made the ebony version with only one pull.... I'm really put off by the two pulls.... makes a nice knife look cluttered and cheesy... IMHO, of course...
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and much stronger spring tension, boy those were anemic
 
mrknife said:
and much stronger spring tension, boy those were anemic
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Interestingly, the pulls run the gamut from a "3" to a healthy "6" on that entire run. It's puzzling to me why there was such a lack of consistency.
 
Pàdruig said:
Interestingly, the pulls run the gamut from a "3" to a healthy "6" on that entire run. It's puzzling to me why there was such a lack of consistency.
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if it was a six, id likely have kept mine. some of them if it was almost possible to wrist flick open.
 
Pàdruig said:
Interestingly, the pulls run the gamut from a "3" to a healthy "6" on that entire run. It's puzzling to me why there was such a lack of consistency.
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It's a GEC :) Queen seemed to get it consistent.
 
I got very lucky on those and my 97 is about 6, but it still isn't enough even for a light sticking action (tried once, half-stop saved the day).
 
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