School Me on GEC

Trout Hound

Trout Hound

Joined
Sep 28, 2014
Messages
693
Howdy Y'all,
I'm fairly new here, and while I love traditional folders, I must admit that I was not that familiar with GEC until I noticed that they seem to have a very loyal following here. If I understand correctly, they represent a higher standard of quality than, say, Case or Buck, but still don't require a guy to take out a second mortgage in order to get one. Correct? Are there any other firms, especially American made ones, that offer comparable quality in the same price range, or do they stand alone there? What else do I need to know? Thanks!
 
Case,G.E.C and Buck are all great knives. That said I have Case knives that are on par with G.E.C knives. G.E.C imo have a better average in terms of quality control etc.

I like them all. not much help I guess.
 
Yeah, GEC lets some stinkers out the door but they get it right the great majority of the time.

On the whole their quality is better than say, Buck, Queen, or Canal Street, and for a reasonable increase in cost.
 
I stumbled into the traditional world back in February and have already accumulated around 35 slip joints of various brands including Case, Queen, Rough Rider, Buck, etc. Based on that limited experience I can honestly say I prefer GEC's design, F&F, and overall quality. At their price point I think they are hard to beat.

But that said... don't limit yourself to just one brand. For example, it's hard to go wrong with a Case. Many Case patterns can be had for nearly half the cost of a similar GEC and the quality is still very good. Many folks like the design of the newer Queen/S&M patterns. I personally don't, but that's just me. And if you're on a super tight budget look no further than Rough Rider. Yes, they're an import and dirt cheap but the quality is surprisingly good for the money.

And if you really want to expand your horizons then start looking into the vintage market. There's no end to the possibilities.

Traditionals are a wide and richly varying field. Enjoy the diversity!
 
GEC quality is reliably very high for it's price range. However in my experience a good Case pocket knife can rival a GEC, but Case can be hit and miss with this. GEC is nearly always very good to outstanding.
 
I'm a big GEC fan.

Just one step down from custom.

They are more expensive than other brands, but the quality is on another level.
 
I was raised on CASE pocket knives and have seen their quality diminish and then rebound as of late. To me GEC is simply outstanding. CASE was at it's prime circa 1970's and earlier.

I compare the 1970 & earlier CASE knives with GEC today:thumbup:;)
 
It's the consistent high quality that sets GEC apart from most. Their knives are modern production combined with the look and feel (and carbon steel ;) ) of the old knives that we wish could have bought back in the heyday of cutlery firms that are long gone and fondly remembered. Take this armchair knifenut psychology for what it's worth but I really believe there's a certain intangible something to them that scratches an itch a lot of people had for a knife "like they used to make 'em."
 
Bigfattyt said:
I'm a big GEC fan.

Just one step down from custom.

They are more expensive than other brands, but the quality is on another level.
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Hm, I like GEC a lot too, but to describe them as one step down from custom is a bit of a stretch I feel. The annual Case/Bose knives are one step down from custom and the GEC knives are a couple steps, or at least one big step down from that. That isn't a knock on GEC at all though! They are also 1/4 the price of those Case/Bose collab knives and I think they are fantastic production knives and great values for the money. But to say they are just one step down from a custom knife isn't fair to the huge leap in quality you find in a quality custom.

I have some custom knives and I have some GEC knives. The difference is not small, but I still buy GEC because they are fantastic for what they are, which is top of the line standard production knives. They need not be any more than that in my eyes. They are priced very fairly for what they are and I appreciate them very much.

I have a few Case knives as well and some are pretty decent, but GEC is a very noticeable step up in almost all cases and a definite step up in consistency.

I have yet to see any other brand making knives of comperable quality and consistency at this price.
 
jujigatame said:
It's the consistent high quality that sets GEC apart from most. Their knives are modern production combined with the look and feel (and carbon steel ;) ) of the old knives that we wish could have bought back in the heyday of cutlery firms that are long gone and fondly remembered. Take this armchair knifenut psychology for what it's worth but I really believe there's a certain intangible something to them that scratches an itch a lot of people had for a knife "like they used to make 'em."
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And I defintiely agree with this! GEC isn't trying to compete with custome, they are trying to make knives like they were made many decades ago with a similar level of quality and consistency. It's a very hard thing to find these days and I think we're all very thankful to have GEC filling that need.
 
slide13 said:
Hm, I like GEC a lot too, but to describe them as one step down from custom is a bit of a stretch I feel. The annual Case/Bose knives are one step down from custom and the GEC knives are a couple steps, or at least one big step down from that. That isn't a knock on GEC at all though! They are also 1/4 the price of those Case/Bose collab knives and I think they are fantastic production knives and great values for the money. But to say they are just one step down from a custom knife isn't fair to the huge leap in quality you find in a quality custom.

I have some custom knives and I have some GEC knives. The difference is not small, but I still buy GEC because they are fantastic for what they are, which is top of the line standard production knives. They need not be any more than that in my eyes. They are priced very fairly for what they are and I appreciate them very much.

I have a few Case knives as well and some are pretty decent, but GEC is a very noticeable step up in almost all cases and a definite step up in consistency.

I have yet to see any other brand making knives of comparable quality and consistency at this price.
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I have seen, and held customs that did not have the same fit and finish as most of the GEC's I have held. For more money..........

I won't name makers.


Honestly, I have had a few GEC's where if the top of the spine (where it drops down to the tang) were machined more square, they would fool me for lower priced hand made/customs. They are not perfect, but for the price, they sure offer a darned fantastic finish. Ive held a few perfect customs (obviously priced a lot more than GEC).

I have, and carry and use a lovely custom by J. Oeser, and I can still get a smile and enjoyment out of GEC's. There are still tons of models I want.

Of course, I am also a fan of cheap users like the Opinel, so I like all kinds.




If I had the ability and knowledge, and good source, I would also love to collect old knives. I just lack the knowledge, and feel like everything is going for inflated p
 
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Thank you all for the quick and informative responses. Sounds like I definitely need to add one of those to my wish list.

Follow up question: Day in and day out, would Case be the highest quality "working man's" production knife? I'm thinking about a knife that will definitely be a good one, but that won't have me crying like a little girl if it falls out of my pocket and I run over it with the tractor tire.

Thanks.
 
Welcome, Trout Hound.
Yes, GEC makes fine knives, on the whole, but I have knives of equal quality (with a few of better quality) from other production makers that cost considerably less. They may, in fact, produce a smaller percentage of outright duds than others, but GEC gets a disproportionate amount of praise around here, for sure.;) One must compliment the King's robe, even if he has none on.:eek: That's just from my personal observations.:D
 
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Bigfattyt said:
I have seen, and held customs that did not have the same fit and finish as most of the GEC's I have held. For more money..........

I won't name makers.


Honestly, I have had a few GEC's where if the top of the spine (where it drops down to the tang) would fool me for customs. They are not perfect, but for the price, they sure offer a darned fantastic finish.
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I agree. For the price, GEC is fantastic, and maybe there are custom makers out there turning out knives that don't measure up, but when talking quality customs they really are in a different league. Pick up a Bose, Erickson, Dowell, etc and the difference is pretty drastic...as it should be for the price difference.

Again, I'm a GEC fan too, they do what they do very well at a great price for what you get. I just think saying they are one step down from a custom to be a bit generous.

As deskil says, you can also find quality knives for less from other makers, but I find they are much more hit or miss in those cases. GEC delivers a consistency of quality that I think is, presently, unmatched in the production slip joint arena.
 
Trout Hound said:
Howdy Y'all,
I'm fairly new here, and while I love traditional folders, I must admit that I was not that familiar with GEC until I noticed that they seem to have a very loyal following here. If I understand correctly, they represent a higher standard of quality than, say, Case or Buck, but still don't require a guy to take out a second mortgage in order to get one. Correct? Are there any other firms, especially American made ones, that offer comparable quality in the same price range, or do they stand alone there? What else do I need to know? Thanks!
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I would say that Canal Street Cutlery is on a par in Quality and is a bit less pricey. They do not make anywhere near as many patterns as GEC under their own name and they make a higher percentage of stainless than carbon bladed knives. The are currently producing KaBar's line of doghead pocket knives among other projects.

IMO, Queen is having some growing pains with the change in management. Current quality seems a bit spotty. Queen knives made prior to ~2008 are very very fine and are considerably less expensive than GEC.
 
It's not unusual to get a Case that's as every bit as good as a GEC.... it just doesn't happen as often. Inspecting before you buy is good if you can, but lots of shops don't offer much in Case's CV line.

That being said, GEC makes more variety and offers most of their line in Carbon Steel. They are consistently better in quality and usually offer little touches over Case.... they are usually about double the price though.

Canal Street is generally as good, but don't offer as many patterns and options as GEC.

Buck is the least expensive, but most hardy of the knives available.


I really like all of them for different reasons.
 
paulhilborn said:
I was raised on CASE pocket knives and have seen their quality diminish and then rebound as of late. To me GEC is simply outstanding. CASE was at it's prime circa 1970's and earlier.

I compare the 1970 & earlier CASE knives with GEC today:thumbup:;)
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While I don't have any from that era, I still say the ones I've handled definitely rival GEC. I gave my son a 1970s red bone peanut that was superb. Worn, but the f&f and w&t was wonderful. I need to find another peanut, but I want to find one like that. Totally different knife compared to current offerings.
 
slide13 said:
I agree. For the price, GEC is fantastic, and maybe there are custom makers out there turning out knives that don't measure up, but when talking quality customs they really are in a different league. Pick up a Bose, Erickson, Dowell, etc and the difference is pretty drastic...as it should be for the price difference.

Again, I'm a GEC fan too, they do what they do very well at a great price for what you get. I just think saying they are one step down from a custom to be a bit generous.

As deskil says, you can also find quality knives for less from other makers, but I find they are much more hit or miss in those cases. GEC delivers a consistency of quality that I think is, presently, unmatched in the production slip joint arena.
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I totally agree with this, but the higher end slip joint makers like Bose are on the order of magnitude's more expensive than some of the entry price custom makers. Those are not the price range of custom's I'm thinking at all.

I have seen both Reese and Tony Bose knives in person, and no one would compare them to a GEC and say "I can't tell the difference".

If I put a J. Oeser down on the table, no one is going to not notice the differences immediately between that and a GEC. It is immediately apparent.

If you lurk the for sale forum, you can often see hand made slip joints that are not too much more than GEC's, and in nice patterns too. (And occasionally in the description will state the issues, like blade play, non flush springs, etc etc). They still represent a steal for a hand made knife in nice patterns, and I would not hesitate to buy one from the makers I'm thinking for the prices they charge.

There is also the issue of diminishing returns the more expensive you get, which is another whole separate discussion.
 
paulhilborn said:
I was raised on CASE pocket knives and have seen their quality diminish and then rebound as of late. To me GEC is simply outstanding. CASE was at it's prime circa 1970's and earlier.

I compare the 1970 & earlier CASE knives with GEC today:thumbup:;)
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This is exactly the way I feel too about the comparison between Case and GEC. Thanks Paul! :thumbup:
 
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