Queen vs GEC

2Dead said:
Ahh, my mistake then. Please send me a link to the list or a PM. I'll be happy to contribute with what I have in my collection. None of my (3) Tidioutes have half stops.
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Thanks for the PM, Trand.

PM coming your way.
 
thesouthernguitarist said:
Okay, I hate to start yet another thread pretty much asking, "Which one". It shows that I am a little unexperienced. :D I have decided that I am willing to drop about $80-$100 on a really nice folder. Its a toss up between the Queen Cattle King (stockman) or a GEC of some sort. Most likely pioneer trapper style. How do they compare in quality? Fit and Finish. Etc.. Thanks for reading & Merry Christmas
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IMO, it depends on what you want in a knife.

GEC
-like their alloys better. 1095 and 440C are dinkum to me. Wish they made more 440C. Sharper OOB and easier to reprofile than Queens.
- The springs are fairly stiff, 7+ on a scale of 1-10.
- They make less common patterns.
- The fit and finish is top notch with lots of exotic handle materials.

Queen
-Don't care as much for the D2. Harder to get the edge I want on it and they are duller OOB.
-The springs are just right to me. I have several Queens and all of them rate 5 on a scale of 10 for spring pull.
-The designs are the more common standards.
-The fit and finish are top notch, but they don't offer as many handle materials.
BTW, I have a Cattle King. I find it too large to carry in the pocket all the time. They also make a 3 7/8" stockman. I have one of those as well. I'd recommend that.
 
knarfeng said:
IMO, it depends on what you want in a knife.

GEC
-like their alloys better. 1095 and 440C are dinkum to me. Wish they made more 440C. Sharper OOB and easier to reprofile than Queens.
- The springs are fairly stiff, 7+ on a scale of 1-10.
- They make less common patterns.
- The fit and finish is top notch with lots of exotic handle materials.

Queen
-Don't care as much for the D2. Harder to get the edge I want on it and they are duller OOB.
-The springs are just right to me. I have several Queens and all of them rate 5 on a scale of 10 for spring pull.
-The designs are the more common standards.
-The fit and finish are top notch, but they don't offer as many handle materials.
BTW, I have a Cattle King. I find it too large to carry in the pocket all the time. They also make a 3 7/8" stockman. I have one of those as well. I'd recommend that.
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Not to get too off topic, but have you tired any of the Moore Makers? Some of the higher end bone handled MMs are made by Queen, use 1095, and have nice bone scales.
 
I find the "working" series of Queen to be better than their ACSB. I didn't like the maple, but the cocobola and the zebra wood. The #9 stockman comes in at 4 inches and I can't feel it anymore in my pocket. It feels like the strongest stockman I've ever owned, and the Mooremaker for its size is just as stout. The 1095 on the MM is easy to sharpen and takes a wicked edge due to the size. The Queen has taken me quite a bit to get the blades where I want them, and I think theres a bit more on the clip to be done.I use whetstones and hard arkansas with oil.
 
Steve, I've enjoyed the pictures of that Zebra Stockman you've posted. May have to get one but I like the ACSB...can't decide! You say it carries in the pocket well? Must be a bit like the Böker 4" Stockman which is OK but the CASE Large is too large except for my coat pocket-fine knife mind.
 
I'll add my +1 for Moore Maker. I've been EDC'ing an XL Stockman for a couple of months. F&F are excellent, and after re-profiling on a Lansky kit, it cuts as well as any knife I've ever used.
Carries better than it's size would suggest, as well.:thumbup:
 
Willgoy I like the ACBS but there's something about that wood. I go for the worry stone factor too. The knife has a good feel to it. The D2 was wavy or gaulled from polishing so I put some emery to the blades when I was reprofiling it. Crocused to about 420 and the satin finish just adds to the natural wood. If I can get my act together with some picture taking I'll post some more up.
 
I don't have any GEC's but feel compelled to comment on my only two Queens. My Queen Dan Burke barlow came with the edge of the main blade hitting the back spring so that I always have a lovely ding in the edge. Both blades had wobble, and the secondary blade (wharncliffe) is bent so that it will not really take a nice razor edge like a straight edge should.

My Queen Country cousin also came with blade wobble and the blade is also bent about 5/8" from the tip.

One affordable knife and one not so affordable and both had issues that to me are unacceptable at any price. I'm done with Queen for a while.
 
My Queen Country Cousin has a weak snap and if you ease it down it won't close all the way. This is after even a good cleaning and oil. Like hoopster it also hits the back spring. I'm thinking of trying GEC next.
 
I am amazed by the "Luck of the Draw"
Two excellent companies, and the range of experience and luck at what gets dealt to us the buyers.

I have had not so good 'luck' with one company, but they always made it up to me by their customer service
And good customer service tilts me to continue with that company
 
neeman said:
I am amazed by the "Luck of the Draw"
Two excellent companies, and the range of experience and luck at what gets dealt to us the buyers.
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I've heard some people refer to this luck of the draw as the "slipjoint lottery." Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose.

- Christian
 
Neeman, I agree 100%. I own about 3 dozen GECs and a dozen or so Queen/S&Ms, plus almost a dozen Cases. Of those 50+ knives, not one had a problem worth sending back. A few uneven grinds, one or two nicks slightly off angle, a few butter knives and a couple with a very little light showing between liners or scales, but that's it. I guess I'm just blessed.
 
Maniacal Pete said:
I think I selected the Queen Sodbuster over the other brands precisely because it was D2 steel and I wanted to check that out.

Bill
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This is the second reference I've noted here about a Queen knife having a blade made from D2. Are all Queen blades made from D2?
Also, I've never heard of the knives made by GEC. What does GEC stand for?
Thanks. :)
-Bruce
 
As MHill states, GEC is Great Eastern Cutlery. They started producing knives in 2006 or 2007 under the Great Eastern Cutlery, Northfield, and Tidioute brand names.
 
...and yes, most Queen knives are D2 (with the exception of their Doctor pattern, I can't think of any that aren't). Schatt & Morgan, however, which is also a brand under the Queen umbrella, uses 420HC (same steel as the Buck 110 & 112).
 
puukkoman said:
...and yes, most Queen knives are D2 (with the exception of their Doctor pattern, I can't think of any that aren't). Schatt & Morgan, however, which is also a brand under the Queen umbrella, uses 420HC (same steel as the Buck 110 & 112).
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Queen has run the gambit of blade steel over the many years of their existence. They were the 1st company (1940s) to use 440 class stainless steel in their production knives. (Which wasn't very well received so they changed their stamp from stainless to "Queen steel") Up until 1998 Queen still used carbon steel in their Hawkbill, TL-29 & the #83A Jumbo Hunter.
Queen's 1st use of ATS-34 in a production knife was in the Schatt & Morgan Annual reproduction series in 1999 and again in 2000. 1999 was also the 1st year that Queen used ATS-34 in the File & Wire series of knives. That series & steel continue today. 2002 was the 1st year for D-2 and 420HC steel in their production knives.

All information from "American Pocketknives" by David Krauss

Dave
 
thesouthernguitarist said:
Well actually, I do have a spyderco sharpmaker. I forgot to mention that. But i am in the process of perfecting the technique. I think I am leaning towards the GEC due to the fact that my sharpening skills are inadequate.
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With a sharpmaker, you will be able to sharpen both knives equally well. That is of course if the factory edges are not obtusely ground. If they are you are going to need a diamond hone for either d2 or the 1095. The GEC's that I have are no easier to sharpen than the queen d2's I own. With both companies, try to handle the knife you are actually buying. You can get odd grinds from both of them, although queen does seem to be a bit more habitual about obtuse grinds. Both of them though, once properly profiled, are ridiculously great cutters that hold their edges for a long time. The major point here being don't get fooled into thinking that 1095 is easier to sharpen: at least not GEC's.
 
Just got my new American Elk Toothpick From GEC.
I'll post pics when thing slow down a bit around here.
Initial impression? One Word:

Wow.

pete
 
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