Rosewood or other?

GBPacker

GBPacker

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Aug 19, 2014
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Hi everyone - I'm struggling to decide which two GEC's to make my first and am hoping to get some opinions of Che Chen rosewood. I'm considering other materials as well (ebony, blood red, and possibly burnt stag), but the rosewood seems to be a bit more available and a slightly more affordable option to start with. Thanks in advance for any help you all can provide.
 
The woods are cheaper to buy (rosewood, ebony, african blackwood, etc.). I have one knife in rosewod and love it. Rosewood looks good after oiling it a few times.
It soaks it up pretty fast. I have a lot of old rosewood furniture that I have used lemon oil over the years and it looks beautiful.....
 
Stag is always nice, G.E.C. gets thiers from the biggest and best dealer in the world. and they also gets first dibs on the best of the best.
I like bone and wood also. rosewood is a great wood but imo Gabon Ebony is the best and it is the true Ebony and the hardest according to the Janka scale.
 
I have a couple in the rosewood and like it. Should be plenty durable and I would guess that it will darken somewhat over time. I have seen some vintage knives with rosewood that are hard to distinguish from ebony.
 
I have one in chechen rosewood, and it's very nice. The grain is more open and textured than some other common handle woods and the color is a stunning brown-red, not quite as red as most cocobolo but similarly figured.

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Welcome to the porch. I love a pitch black African Blackwood and the Chen Chen Rosewood. However, some patterns just seem to be made for other materials imo. Which pattern(s) are you thinking about?
 
You should also consider that Stag and Rosewood are generally used on the Northfield UN-X-LD branded knives which have Polished blades, lined bolsters, an upscale Inlay Shield, etc. The Ebony handled knives are generally Tidioute Cutlery branded knives with less bells and whistles. And before every body jumps in with their Northfield Ebony knives, I said "generally". As I have said before, nothing at GEC is carved in stone.
 
I'm looking to pick up a matching set of two -perhaps a little OCD type behavior- and am considering the following:

Rosewood-
42LB Trader
47 Viper

Blood Red Bone-
47 Viper
74 Ranch Hand

Cocobolo-
47 Ranch Hand
68 White Owl clip w/bail

Burnt Stag-
92 Talon
12 Toothpick

I do seem to be drawn to the UN-X-LD line and prefer two blades max on a knife. Appreciate the replies so far.
 
#9 Esquire in Cocobolo
#23 Bull Lock in Cocobolo

From your list of sets, the #68 and #47 would be my choice. The #68 is my favorite Great Eastern pattern, and cocobolo perhaps my favorite handle material.
 
Thanks Bob, I edited the previous to show 74 Ranch Hand instead of 47, but appreciate the input.
 
The Northfield 47 in che chen rosewood has been in my pocket every day since I bought it. I couldn't be happier with it. The rosewood has a lot of character and darkens with oil and use, although not everyone wants their wood to darken. The rosewood and ever-darkening patina make a beautiful pair.

The 47 isn't for everybody, but I couldn't recommend it more. GEC knocked this one out of the park.

Here's mine:
 
I've never been fond of wood handles.

But just the other day I pulled out a well used '60s Case sheep's foot whaler with some kind of wood. Maybe walnut?

Boy that thing took an easy edge and the old, dry, used wood just drank up the coconut oil I finish all my knives in that will touch food.

Carrying it around the last few days have really been changing my mind on woods.

I'm thinking the more grain and pattern, the better. It will age and take on oil beautifully. Cocobolo or the rosewood would he a good bet. My experience with both woods in gun grips and stocks would suggest that Cocobolo is richer while rosewood is brighter.

I like the idea of Ebony. Especially Gabon ebony. I like the density and hardness for a wood. But for some reason it falls flat for me in practice.
 
I couldn't decide on a matching pair so I went ahead and put in for a couple early reserves -

#77 Barlow in African blackwood
#99 wharnie in Gabon ebony

and depending on the color-
#99 wharnie in jigged bone
 
Why'd you have to go and do that!? Early reserves are likely to take a while so maybe... :D
 
Here are a couple eraser knives that I believe are rosewood and ebony, and my personal camp knife and a John Lloyd in rosewood. I really like the stuff!

Eraser3.jpg

Eraser1.jpg


62AB13FF-9303-4637-B7E3-9F2B7087F0DB-3825-0000058843AD0FE1.jpg


Can anybody explain what the Che Chen part if GEC's name signifies? Breed/place of the tree? Proprietary name??
 
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