Question on GEC #23 knife...235109

B

billg1949

Joined
Sep 29, 2011
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27
I have one of these: 235109 single blade. I'm an old coot with diminshing strength in my hands. This one has a half stop and a "pull" of about 8-9 (out of 10) a real (for me) nail ripper. Other than that....i really love the knife. it has nice burnt stag handles great balance and just plain handsome.

My question is....have there been any made in 2011 or 2012 without half stop.... with or without lock....and is the "pull" of the blade easier on these compared to the 09 models? i have a 2011 #68 and the pull is firm but quite manageable.

Thanks...............Bill
 
I don't know much about them except that the two blade #23 I have is a bear trap. I think mine is also from 2009.

You might want to check the GEC website under "Collect By Pattern". They list all the #23's that were made and I saw some liner locks in there. I know the lockbacks are much lighter on the blade pulls. Not sure about the liner locks.
 
My two #23's are both firm. After time working them, they have really softened up!

Have you tried leaving the blade partially open for a few days (in a safe place of course)?
 
+1 on the "leaving the blade partially open for a couple days" I've done this on more than 1 knife that was stiffer than I liked. I find the highest point on the cam (half stop) and leave her open. :D I check it after 24 hours.


Dave
 
In 2011 they came out with #235111T models that have a lanyard tube. Both of mine are much easier to open than my other #23s, not bear traps at all. They both still have half stops.
IMG_1720.jpg

IMG_2816.jpg
 
Bill........

Stick with Trand on this one...for some reason in 2011 the #23's seem easier to open than other years and that's including 2012 as well.........and regarding half stops the pattern has always been made with them liner lock or not.....
 
For those that have a #23 linerlock or a #73 linerlock for that matter, you ought to be very happy that they have half-stops. The half-stops give you that little edge should you be a tad slow getting your finers/thumb out of the way of the blade when closing it - especially the ones with the very stiff springs.

I have a few of each model and have learned to just take em as they come. I don't have any though that I'd rate the pull below a 7 on a scale of 1 to 10 whether linelocks or not.

Good sturdy knives.
 
maybe an alternative would be the #42 trader - almost as big, but with a backlock, which should be lighter and smoother than the slipjoint and has no half-stop.
 
My 73 Beaver tail had a real bear trap spring for a few months but eased up after use and oil while it was getting broken in. Still has a strong spring but easy to open. Hopefully yours will do the same with some use.
 
The half stops go along with the "square and clean" end joint. The design is based on the original 1123 pattern Remington Bullet knife. The Remingtons had bear-trap springs, and GEC has a penchant for adhering to the original features of the antique patterns they resurrect.
I for one would hate to see them change!!:eek:
I hope leaving your blade partly open (on the cam) solves your problem!
I'm approaching codgerdom, but can still get my Remington open!
Most days!!:D
 
Here's a thread started earlier (by mdsmith) on the same topic . . .
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...g-the-pull-on-a-slip-joint?highlight=softened

. . . and in that thread is referenced a post by another member (sitflyer) with a practical solution that may work:
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...l-of-the-Month-Barlow?p=11116697#post11116697

I have the same GEC/Schrade Fire & Ice Trapper pattern that mdsmith mentioned in his thread (acquired through a trade with spketch), and sitflyer's solution seems to have improved the pulls a little on mine. I think I'll try a little longer "box time" and see if the pull softens up a little more. I don't mind a stiff pull on blade opening, but some of the GEC's I've had have been crazy strong.

~Chris
 
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I am sending my 23 single and double blades in to GEC, whenever I get around to boxing them up and sending them. They are bear traps. My first 73 two blade trapper turned me off of the company for many years. After a couple years, it smoothed out, but still had more snap than I wanted, and I traded it. I picked up a 73 from a buddy, and I think he might've smoothed out the tang because it was an older model. I picked up another 73 this June, a single blade, and it had the nicest pull I've seen. Almost perfect. I'll see how their Warranty service does with my 23's, but I'll probably have to send my 73 single blade back to show them what I want. I'm not doing anything to mine except cycling them open and closed.
 
thanks all for your advice. I'm going to give my 23 a "time out" for a few days. i'll report back on the results.

Bill
 
billg1949 said:
thanks all for your advice. I'm going to give my 23 a "time out" for a few days. i'll report back on the results.

Bill
Click to expand...

I'd be interested to hear what results you get and the number of days in "time out". I know there won't be a science to this technique, but it's definitely a workable solution for some of these beautiful GEC's with too-strong pulls.

Good luck and do let us know what you find.

~Chris
 
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OK folks!! here is the result: it went from an 8.5 "pull" to a 7.5. of course this is purely subjective but i can definitely live with this pull! i actually started on Tues night even though i didn't post till today. So.....48 hrs made a big difference. I'm going to do another 48 hrs and see what happens then. Thanks for all your advice.

will update again on Sat night .............Bill
 
orca8589 said:
Here's a thread started earlier (by mdsmith) on the same topic . . .
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...g-the-pull-on-a-slip-joint?highlight=softened

. . . and in that thread is referenced a post by another member (sitflyer) with a practical solution that may work:
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...l-of-the-Month-Barlow?p=11116697#post11116697

I have the same GEC/Schrade Fire & Ice Trapper pattern that mdsmith mentioned in his thread (acquired through a trade with spketch), and sitflyer's solution seems to have improved the pulls a little on mine. I think I'll try a little longer "box time" and see if the pull softens up a little more. I don't mind a stiff pull on blade opening, but some of the GEC's I've had have been crazy strong.

~Chris
Click to expand...

I have both of those lovlies (large and small). I did not need to leave mine open. I just opened them a lot!
 
When I sent my #73 back due to hard opening it was gone six weeks. I had left it partially open for a while, oiled the joints and worked opening/closing. Didn't seem to help much at that point. Don't really know what GEC did to it but when it came back it was still a pretty stiff pull but soon after that it has become much better and now I carry it almost every day. Still a rather strong pull but it pulls smooth. I'm happy with it.
 
Bigfattyt said:
I have both of those lovlies (large and small). I did not need to leave mine open. I just opened them a lot!
Click to expand...

They're amazing knives, that's for sure. The issue for me is how long it would take the springs to yield a little more easily, just with regular opening & closing. My thumb & thumb nail ache after just a few minutes with the large Schrade F&E Trapper.

I guess there is something to be said for GEC following the old Remington specs for spring tension - this old Remington Stockman (top knife in pic) still has pretty stout springs, even for a knife that's seventy or more years old. The one good blade, the spay, snaps open & shut with authority.
Stockmanpatterns10-5-2011022.jpg


It'll be interesting to see if today's GEC's have that kind of strength two or three decades from now.

~Chris
 
Last update......its been 96hrs with the #23 spring under max tension. Subjectively it has gone from an 8.5 down to a 7.0.....maybe even a 6.5.
I can easily live with that. Thanks again to all............Bill
 
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billg1949 said:
Last update......its been 96hrs with the #23 spring under max tension. Subjectively it has gone from an 8.5 down to a 7.0.....maybe even a 6.5.
I can easily live with that. Thanks again to all............Bill
Click to expand...

Bravo!! :cool:
 
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