Northfield or Tidioute

dc50

dc50

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Aug 14, 2006
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As of late,I've purchased a few GEC's without even thinking, they are all the Tidiout label. Just curious, is one brand superior than they other, or is this just good ole merchandising?
 
Northfield gets the premium handle materials- genuine stag, mother of pearl, etc. Other than that, I don't think there is a difference.
 
The real experts will chime in but in addition to the aforementioned differences the Northfield also has swedging and offers different blade grinds (such as saber etc.) beyond the standard "flat" grind normally seen on the Tidioute models.
 
Funny they seem to cost pretty much the same, sooo does this mean I should be collecting the Northfield instead? :D
Thanks guys!
 
Really is a matter of personal preference. Northfield will have higher end scale material as stated above (stag, horn, MOP, etc.), slanted bolsters, pinched bolsters, long pulls, swedging, etc. The Tidioute label will lack this level of finish. The GEC label will generally have Northfield level scales with Tidioute blade finishing on 440C blades as opposed to the 1095 on the Tidioute and Northfield.

Since most people buy based upon scale preference, I really wouldn't worry about label, but that is my thought. I have an equal number of Tidioutes and Northfields in my collection. But then, I am not a huge fan of stag (gasp, I know).
 
Heck I just counted mine up.

30% Northfield = #73, Harness Jack, Barlow

70% Tidioute = Moose, Big jack, Cattleman, Mink, Lockback, Toenail, Toenail.

<shrug> What this means is I don't know. All Good just different.
 
I'm not a big fan of stag either mainly because of the thickness on many styles. I recently chose a Northfield Dogleg simply because I liked the swedge and long pull on the main blade. The primitive bone scales are also very nice looking but it was the blad shape that drove the decision.
 
Good stuff guys, seems I'm partial to wood handles, they feel warmer. :D
 
Northfield has many occasion beautiful swedges and under northfield label you're bound to find more often long pulls (that's depending on the pattern though). Bit like said, usually Tidioute's are bit simplier done. Simplier jigging, no stag, usually no swedges (or smaller and less profound than Northfields) and no saber grounds I think.

I got:
Tidioute:
# 73 single blade scout Tractor green

Northfield:
# 73L locking scout Texas Yellow Rose
2x # 25 single whancliffe jack knife burnt stag
# 12 Toothpick Bloodred bone, saber ground
# 61 4 blade Congress blood red bone
# 48 Slimline dogleg trapper is on mail.
# 36 Sunfish ancient walnut Double pull

Not that I am partial for northfield, I just fancy swedges and bloodred jigged bone
 
I have both.

I like the look of the swedges and long pulls on the Northfields however some of the Tidioute material looked too nice to pass up. The American Elk as an example. Personal preference man, personal preference.
 
Also, the Northfield knives usually have polished blades (with a few exceptions), whereas Tidioute has a matte finish on the blades.

They only run elk on the GE branded knives (if you found a see a Tidioute with elk, point me to it. :) )
 
Handle materials and embelishment aside, you get the same level of fit and finish on both brands. Both are very well made and have the same heat treatment on the blades. I own a few examples of each and can say that they all sharpen up and cut equally well.

-nate
 
It is a Great Eastern Brand EO. with the American Elk I always thought it was a Tidioute.

Lesson learned.
 
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I paid less for my Tidioute cattle rancher, than I would have for the Great Eastern or Northfield version. Looking back, I wish I would have gotten the GEC or Northfield, both had the long matchstriker pull, instead of the standard nail nick.
 
I am a sucker for slanted bolsters, pinched bolsters, long pulls, and swedging, they add class to a knife; so I'll pay the extra $8 for a Northfield.
 
the quality on the tiduote & northfield is the same --excellent. most northfields will have polished blades & more fancy work on the bolsters. the great easterns are nearly always 440c steel with their famous orange peel polish. one thing about this brand of knives is they are inconsistent. i have tiduotes with mirror polished blades & northfields with glazed blades. i usually go with the ones due to handle selection. if a tiduote & northfield are both offered in ebony i usually opt for the northfield. the construction & heattreat of their 440c & 1095 is uniform thru out the entire inventory.
dennis
 
I buy them according to how they interprete an individual pattern. I like longpull and slanted bolsters on some knives on others it can be over fussy. Much depends on the scale material too. For example, the Dogleg Jack Tidioute in Frontier looks to my eye the best of the range. Northfield swedging/longpull on this knife would look best with SPEAR blade! We live in hope.....
 
I was looking at the Tidioute Half-Congress with teal jigged bone. What made me get the Northfield version with burnt stag is the fluted (is that the correct term?) bolsters.
 
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