Reprofiling GEC's

[black mamba]

Buck and Spyderco always come very sharp, and for a reasonable price, so we know it can be done.

 

[bonky]

I dunno. Buck seems to do a pretty fair job of offering a well made budget knife with a sharp edge.

Yes, and in stainless steel at that.

I do love GE knives, but have yet to receive one with an edge that's satisfied my definition of "sharp". Thankfully, that is easily corrected, but why would they not send out their product at it's best? If a bone-head like me can do it, I'm pretty sure the folks at GE can do it with ease.

 

[mtangent]

The Scandinavians, like Helle & Marttiini, put out sharp knives cheaply.

 

[Jack Black]

Thanks for the thought out reply, Jack. I completely understand what you are saying

I think we have exhausted this one, or at least I have for now.

Yes, I agree, there are a lot of production companies here that put out some nice and scary sharp edges.

Kevin

Thanks for the conversation Kevin, a pleasure, I'm sorry I was falling asleep there and on my 'last legs'

The arrotini.

Thanks for the interesting link Christian, first time I've been able to give a name to these gentlemen

I do love GE knives, but have yet to receive one with an edge that's satisfied my definition of "sharp". Thankfully, that is easily corrected, but why would they not send out their product at it's best? If a bone-head like me can do it, I'm pretty sure the folks at GE can do it with ease.

Yep

 

[Jack Black]

In relation to the old Sheffield grinders, it’s worth noting that while they may have benefited from ‘inherited knowledge’ and had the advantage of being able to learn from the man sitting next to them, they did not acquire their personal skills over decades. Sadly, most did not live past their early thirties, because the working conditions at the time (particularly the constant inhalation of stone dust from the wheels) was so hazardous to their health.

According to G.H. Lloyd’s The Cutlery Trade (London 1913), in 1830 to 1840 four out of five fork grinders died between the age of 20 and 39. In 1865, the average age of death for a scissor grinder was 32, the same for edge tool grinders, while a table knife grinder might live to the grand old age of 35. Lloyd goes on to say that of 290 razor grinders working in 1865, only 21 had reached the age of 50.

Even in more recent years, I’ve known young cutlers who turned out exceptionally good work, and all would have considered putting the final edge on a knife to be a rudimentary skill.

 

[okbohn]

According to G.H. Lloyd’s The Cutlery Trade (London 1913), in 1830 to 1840 four out of five fork grinders died between the age of 20 and 39. In 1865, the average age of death for a scissor grinder was 32, the same for edge tool grinders, while a table knife grinder might live to the grand old age of 35. Lloyd goes on to say that of 290 razor grinders working in 1865, only 21 had reached the age of 50.

I think that deserves a gasp! I wonder what the average life expectancy was then? I think I would be finding other work.

 

[kamagong]

According to G.H. Lloyd’s The Cutlery Trade (London 1913), in 1830 to 1840 four out of five fork grinders died between the age of 20 and 39. In 1865, the average age of death for a scissor grinder was 32, the same for edge tool grinders, while a table knife grinder might live to the grand old age of 35. Lloyd goes on to say that of 290 razor grinders working in 1865, only 21 had reached the age of 50.

I've even read that the grindstones, formerly made of natural material, would occasionally explode, killing those in the immediate vicinity.

- Christian

 

[akadave2]

Buck and Spyderco always come very sharp, and for a reasonable price, so we know it can be done.

I have 6 or 7 Spydercos...not sharp enough for me...some of my GECS came that sharp easily.

 

[akadave2]

The Scandinavians, like Helle & Marttiini, put out sharp knives cheaply.

Now Helle! Man those things come scary sharp sometimes!

 

[Jack Black]

I've even read that the grindstones, formerly made of natural material, would occasionally explode, killing those in the immediate vicinity.

- Christian

Yes, it could happen for a number of reasons, natural flaws, uneven wear, stones been left sitting in the trough of water overnight, causing them to be heavier on one side, and there were even a few cases of deliberate sabotage with gunpowder. I posted some information about a grinding hull called Sheperd's Wheel in one of my Sheffield threads a while back, a grinder famously went through the roof there with the grindstone still under his chin!

 

[Modoc ED]

I've even read that the grindstones, formerly made of natural material, would occasionally explode, killing those in the immediate vicinity.

- Christian

Yes, and it can happen today Christian with these new-fangled electric hand grinders. You have to be careful to use the right grinder stone (pourous for pourous metals/non-porous for non-pourous metals) or else the grinding stones can load up and have been know to explode/give-way.

I don't have the technical/scientific explanation for it but I saw it happen on the shop floor of a garage where I once worked. A guy was grinding away on a piece of steel preping it for welding but using the wrong kind of grinding wheel and all of a sudden, the grinding wheel let go and shattered into pieces.

 

[ferdinand]

Only experience I had with GEC was a stockmen I got from my folks for Christmas. It wasn't sharp so I hit it with the slack belt till I got a burr and then flipped it and pulled the burr off on each blade. It's sharp to me I test sharpness the way my Pop does. You lay the blade almost flat on your palm callous and whittle a little translucent cut no blood or pain just says "hey I'm sharp"

 

[Bigfattyt]

Honestly, most knives I receive that are 'sharp' from the factory are modern knives and the funny part about it is they are 'sharp' because they have a burr.

At GEC its just a human holding these blades to an electric sharpening wheel. Doesn't take much to throw off that angle here and there. The other thing is that GEC's new honing leaves the edge with either a wire edge or over buffed from my experience. The blades with the burr can be easily brought to shaving sharp with zero honing, just a little stropping. With that said I go around on this topic. I would love for GEC to have a professional sharpener honing all of these knives to perfection, but that is so unrealistic IMHO.

Then you have the fact that most are 1095. 1095 is so easy to sharpen for the user that this should not be a huge deal. I do get folks just entering and learning wanting there knives all ready to go right onto the sharpmaker and stuff like that. I would think the only way to really get what people want here is to have a jig lined up to that grinding wheel or an automated sharpening process.

A lot of the sharper knives you get from manufacturers have been sharpened on a grinding belt and then stropped on a buffer. There are a few that use leather belts for the final stropping, but not many that I know of. I have received a few GEC knives that seemed to be ground to a right angle, but even then a little time and you have a great edge to your liking.

Since I have been on these forums from the time of 2007 (not that long) I have watched a few manufacturers directly take criticism from the forum members here. Some manufacturers really stepped up their sharpening, but for the most part you end up with sharper knives but sloppier edges. Consider a shop putting a 120 grit belt edge on a knife. Real quick, easy to make even. They run it down a buffer real quick to take care of the burr a bit and there you have it. A semi sharp edge to your door. Now I can take this edge and do with it what I like. Another option the maker sets up all new sharpening grinders and belt systems and attempts to train an employee to sharpen like a real pro (trust me its not that easy, some guys just make it look easy). Well now you have knives with rounded tips, choils thinned to drastically, mini recurves near the ricasso.

I for one would rather receive a nice even edge that need a bit of work than a failed attempt that really takes work to clean up.

Kevin

This pretty much sums up my feelings as well.

I want an even edge grind. What I really care about is that the primary grind is even and thin enough at the edge that when I sharpening it to my liking, it will actually cut.

I have knives that you get the edge to a hair splitting edge, and they just won't cut, because the primary bevel is just too darned thick behind the edge!

 

[Omega Leather Works]

I only have experience with my single GEC, but the grind, not the bevel, but the blade grind was not all that even. The thing is, it looked good, and if I had sharpened by hand I may never have noticed, but with a guided sharpening system it became apparent from the variance in bevel height across the length of the edge.

I ended up regrinding the whole blade myself and now like the results.

Here's how it looks now.

It's an excellent edc. I can't wait to get more, but just like most knives, I'll expect to put a little time into making it mine.

 

[richstag]

That is pure awesome. Great work

I only have experience with my single GEC, but the grind, not the bevel, but the blade grind was not all that even. The thing is, it looked good, and if I had sharpened by hand I may never have noticed, but with a guided sharpening system it became apparent from the variance in bevel height across the length of the edge.

I ended up regrinding the whole blade myself and now like the results.

Here's how it looks now.

It's an excellent edc. I can't wait to get more, but just like most knives, I'll expect to put a little time into making it mine.

 

[Sonnemann]

That reminds me of the Kerry Hampton treatment that someone had on their SBJ. I like the idea of a thinner regrind!

 

[avoidspam]

All good reasons for convexing in my book

 

[shrapne1]

i was inspired by Strigamort and full flat ground my #25, and put an edge on it with some water stones, and cut some food to make it patina. I really like the satin finish on yours Strigamort:thumbup:.

 

[Omega Leather Works]

i was inspired by Strigamort and full flat ground my #25, and put an edge on it with some water stones, and cut some food to make it patina. I really like the satin finish on yours Strigamort:thumbup:.

Thanks guys, and especially you shrapne1 for your kind comments via email.

Edit- btw, that is an outstanding looking knife. I love the covers! Might be my favorite yet actually. Wow...