Poll: When did you get your first GEC?

[CelloDan]

I bought my Waynorth Blackjack in 2019. I chose it after reading all the favourable GEC reviews on the internet. That same journey led me here.

Hi WalleyeBob, I caught my last Walleye in 2019, made for some good eating and posed for pics with my first GEC too

 

[Jon0385]

My first GEC was this stainless steel 48 in 2015 (can you believe it was still in a store 3 years after it was made!!!), while waiting for the beer scouts to be released:
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My first was in 2015 waiting for the beer scout run too

 

[lambertiana]

My first was in 2007, this ebony 73 SFO from Cumberland Knives, back when Northfields still had satin blades:

 

[rdrogers]

Really admire that one, vivid colours and amusing name, pretty rare too...

Thanks, Will

Thank you. It has really grown on me over the years. It’s insanely pocket friendly and the thin blades are nice and slicey.

 

[knowtracks]

Like Eric I have been around since the beginning.
About 2000 I discovered Queen's Schatt and Morgan line and began to deal with Clarence Risner. Clarence first told me about Bill and his influence on the Annual Reproduction Series or Keystone Series and also the File and Wire Series. By 2005 Clarence and Charlie teamed up with HJ #1, Charlie had found his true mate in Bill and I learned much more about this true Master Cutler. Both Charlie and Bill have a love and an "eye" for traditional pocketknives and what a ride it has been! I honestly believe that we are witness to a rebirth of tradition pocketknives that without Bill Howard might never have happened. I have had many conversations with Charlie about Bill's prowess as a Master Cutler, I don't know how many time Charlie has told me that " there is nothing that Bill can't do" from forging the TC bolsters to dying bone. Everything is done "in house" with the exception of heat treat. Bill knows how to build em so they look right!
Anyway I was in line for the first offerings also and have been a BIG fan Of GEC and of Charlie's SFO's ever since.




Dave

 

[ISKRA]

Around Christmas 2016 Will Power very generously gifted me this 66 slim from 2014. My car seat swallowed it for about a year but I managed to find it again. Still one of the best built knives I own and a much appreciated gift.

Not that long after, I bought this 73 jack from 2009. I still have it.

 

[VentureDan]

By “most recent run,” are you referring to caplifters, or beer scouts? The caplifters on the #85 are not as good as the caplifters on the #15, in my opinion.

Yeah, the #85... caplifter doesn't work so well. Haven't tried the #15 caplifter yet.

 

[VentureDan]

Ah! Cool! I heard the second half of that story, but not the first. That’s a well traveled knife. I sincerely regret not getting to know Charlie Mike.

Sure- there are better whittlers and more legitimate carvers out there (@Jiki) but it’s a fun way to use these tools.

That chain is impressive! Nice work.

 

[VentureDan]

In 2013 during PA deer season, my father uncle and I visited Case, Queen and some no-name knife company called GEC. After walking in off the street, Miss Chris greeted us as we looked at the knife displays. She asked if we wanted a tour. Just the three of us! It was great. We had just left the Queen plant and we couldn't get a tour, just looked through the showroom. While being guided through the plant, a man with an oil stained hat and glasses kept popping in to listen to the tour. I thought who is this guy? After the tour, Chris invited us into company store and the same guy popped in. Not as a salesman but sort of looking over our shoulder and as we looked over the recent releases from that era. My uncle picked a honey jigged bone 76 outlaw jack, my father and I picked different branded 53 TK Cuban pens. Still perhaps my favorite. Bill was sort of seeing what caught our eye, answered our questions and at the end introduced himself. We didn't know who owed the company, so we just thought he worked there. We had no idea he owed it, lol. He was doing a little market research that day. My first and still one of, if not, my favorite.....

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That's a great story - sounds like you found GEC before it got insanely popular. Plus, fun recollection of how you met Bill.

 

[VentureDan]

Like Eric I have been around since the beginning.
About 2000 I discovered Queen's Schatt and Morgan line and began to deal with Clarence Risner. Clarence first told me about Bill and his influence on the Annual Reproduction Series or Keystone Series and also the File and Wire Series. By 2005 Clarence and Charlie teamed up with HJ #1, Charlie had found his true mate in Bill and I learned much more about this true Master Cutler. Both Charlie and Bill have a love and an "eye" for traditional pocketknives and what a ride it has been! I honestly believe that we are witness to a rebirth of tradition pocketknives that without Bill Howard might never have happened. I have had many conversations with Charlie about Bill's prowess as a Master Cutler, I don't know how many time Charlie has told me that " there is nothing that Bill can't do" from forging the TC bolsters to dying bone. Everything is done "in house" with the exception of heat treat. Bill knows how to build em so they look right!
Anyway I was in line for the first offerings also and have been a BIG fan Of GEC and of Charlie's SFO's ever since.
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Dave

Wow, Dave! That story and those knives are something else. Amazing pieces to have in a collection.

 

[VentureDan]

I started collecting GEC in 2013. At the time I was mainly interested in collecting Canal Street Cutlery SFO's but once I found GEC, that was it. I don't recall exactly which was the first, but it was either a Northfield #12 Powderhorn in cocobolo or a Northfield #48 single turkish clip in Looking Glass Abalone. For the life of me, I can't seem to find pictures of eaither right now

Over the years, I managed to get in on most of the SFO's and Northfields but then last year I decided to start liquidating the collection. I have a few left that I may or may not keep just because I have other interests these days.

They truly are great knives. My recommendation to the newbs is to READ THE FORUMS!! READ EVERYTHING ON THE GEC WEBPAGES!! I constantly see questions around here that could be easily answered if the askers would just read through everything on GEC's websites. There is a wealth of information there, it just takes a little time.

Good advice on reading the forums, Steve, and the GEC website!

 

[VentureDan]

I bought my first GEC in 2015.

This was my first group shot, about a month later.

Like Harry @Old Engineer said, I have a few more now.

Man that's a great group. What's the one right below the beer scout, second from the top? Those covers are outstanding.

 

[VentureDan]

2018, I had just purchased a benchmade bugout for a work knife. Not sure why, but I was searching on the internet for some additional knife info and stumbled onto bladeforums. By chance I entered the traditional forum and knew instantly these were the knives I was looking for. Shortly after I purchased a rust red 14 on the exchange, followed by an ebony 14 from a dealer. Guess you could say I went a bit crazy picking up 14s.
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That's a great collection. I haven't had the chance to pick up a 14, yet, but would like to. The more GECs I get, the more I gravitate towards the smaller ones... I guess they are closer in size to the first Imperial "pearl" handled pocket knife I got for my 9th birthday, which is what started my knife collecting 40 years ago.

 

[VentureDan]

Got my first right when they started up from Cumberland Knife Works. Wound up with one of every knife produced in 2006 with the exception of the cassein knife. Those were fun times, the knives actually stayed on the shelves for at least a day rather than the three seconds we have now lol. Nothing wrong with that though, just reflects the quality of the knives Bill's putting out there.

Here's a few of 'em:

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Eric

Eric, that white bone with the leaf pattern is incredible. Thanks for sharing those pics.

 

[CyberRacer]

I "discovered" GEC's in 2018, about the same time that I started viewing knives in general as more than just tools. Like a lot of folks I was drawn in by the Beer Scout from a few years earlier. Such a great concept. My first GEC was a 44 gunstock in ebony. I still love that knife. After that I picked up a 46 Whaler and was shocked at the mass of the thing when I pulled it out of the tube!

I used to collect sneakers, but dropped it after every release I was interested in would sell out in seconds and then show up in quantity for a huge mark-up on eBay. It didn't take too long after jumping in on GEC for much the same thing to happen. I love may of the GEC patterns, but really don't want to participate on that level.

 

[JohnDF]

I used to collect sneakers, but dropped it after every release I was interested in would sell out in seconds and then show up in quantity for a huge mark-up on eBay. It didn't take too long after jumping in on GEC for much the same thing to happen.

So, you're saying it's your fault then?

The #66 Slim has been on my radar for a long time, but they never pop up... you are very lucky to have one.

 

[CyberRacer]

So, you're saying it's your fault then?

Sure, if you want to look at it that way. I guess I'm part of the demand going up. GEC makes an outstanding product and I like many others realize it. Just not part of supporting the inflated prices since I don't play in the aftermarket.

 

[JohnDF]

Just not part of supporting the inflated prices since I don't play in the aftermarket.

Right there with ya.

 

[ArchVV]

My first GEC was a #92 with chechen rosewood, purchased in 2014. It's still one of my favorites. Shortly after, I picked up a #73 with cocobolo. This one is so well made it serves as my benchmark GEC. I really embraced the brand after the 2016 run of #77s, however. I kept the red jigged bone version, gave the green one to my dad, and sold the other two on the exchange (for the price I paid too!).

 

[btb01]

Man that's a great group. What's the one right below the beer scout, second from the top? Those covers are outstanding.

That’s a #77 Washington Punch Knife in Smooth Autumn Gold Bone, one of Charlie’s waynorth Harness Jack SFOs (HJ#8, I believe).