Should I or Shouldn't I? 2012 GEC BF Knife

[Stich2442]

I expect to sharpen any knife I get before I'm happy with it. I sharpen utility knife blades before I use them. Depending on what I'm doing, I sometimes sharpen single-edge razor blades before I use them.

I wish all knives came with a unfinished edge( except for Swiss Army knives, they seem to be more common among non knife people, who are just looking for a all around knife ) I never really feel a knife is mine until I have sharpened it the first time. Different knives I like different angles, multi bladed knives I like different angles for different task.
Pete

 

[Fanglekai]

Mine came dull as could be. Wouldn't even tear paper it was so dull. The other gec I own was just as dull ootb. The grind on my #85 is uneven. It's laughable that people on here claim a $115 knife is cheap and you can't expect an edge. It's not cheap. That's more than most people will spend on knives in a lifetime. Even rough rider knives come sharper than this for $7. A knife should be useable out of the box.

 

[22-rimfire]

I also think a knife should be useable out of the box. It doesn't have to be perfect and make me bleed just by looking at it, but it should be sharp.

I felt this was a warranty issue, but I was thinking that maybe I was being a bit too picky about things. I got both kinds of responses. But what I wasn't sure about is what experiences other folks here had with their BF knife and my impression is that there aren't many complaints about GEC knives in general. Any factory can produce a dud. Same with guns.

I bought it to use, but have some reservations about that. On the other hand, I am no knife collector and if unused, it will just sit in the tube for the next um-teen years with me picking it up every now and then.... ooh, nice knife.... I have considered just buying another one when they hit the shelves and sharpen and use the crap out of it. Yep... I'm torn. It is only money.

I don't expect custom knife quality from a factory knife, but as Fanglekai said, $115 is not a cheap folder knife. So, yes... I'm torn. If it were a Spyderco, I would have just sent it back to the factory and moved on. But this is the 2012 Traditional BF knife!

My favorite GEC is the #36 so far. I just love this big knife. My burnt stag Ben Hogan is right up there too! Lovely knife.

 

[markpmc]

I reprofile every knife I buy. It's not a big deal if you're going to use it.

 

[thawk]

I really don't have a stake in this issue, but when you buy a knife, it is not unreasonable to expect the knife to have sharp blades. The different responses here seem to depend on the ability to sharpen blades, and are valid opinions either way. If you are not an expert in doing sharpening/reprofiling, and possibly not invested money and time in the craft of sharpening, which is not an easy task to master, it can be a disaster and make your really cool knife look bad. Some guys use every knife hard that they own and don't care about scratched blades. Others like them to look new, keep them sharp, and use or display them with pride. Some may want it sharp as hell and not use it. Any opinion is OK, but I would much prefer it if when you buy a knife, it is pretty doggone sharp whether you paid 10 bucks or 150. The reason a run of knives like this are not all sharp is because they preferred to get them out the door instead of having someone make sure each knife had two sharp blades, and it was not a mandatory specification of the deal. If they were all exactly the same sharpness, there would be something else, like a centered blade for someone to find fault with. I did not get one this year, but they sure look great. I think they probably passed QT. If it were me, I'd find one of my friends here that is a whiz and have them sharpen it just like I wanted, but sending it back and asking GEC to do it is OK too, and I bet they would be glad to do it.

 

[kamagong]

Traditionally slipjoint companies have struggled with sharpening knives. I don't know why, it just is. Besides, comparing anyone's knives to Spyderco is just unfair. Spyderco sets the gold standard for OOTB factory sharpness. They developed and sell sharpening equipment!

- Christian

 

[akadave2]

I reprofile nearly every knife I get. I had to to it a little to the BF knife and now both blades are shaving sharp and developing a nice patina. Dont send it back do it yourself. Its time you learned to care for your knives that includes edge maint.

 

[akadave2]

I really don't have a stake in this issue, but when you buy a knife, it is not unreasonable to expect the knife to have sharp blades. The different responses here seem to depend on the ability to sharpen blades, and are valid opinions either way. If you are not an expert in doing sharpening/reprofiling, and possibly not invested money and time in the craft of sharpening, which is not an easy task to master, it can be a disaster and make your really cool knife look bad. Some guys use every knife hard that they own and don't care about scratched blades. Others like them to look new, keep them sharp, and use or display them with pride. Some may want it sharp as hell and not use it. Any opinion is OK, but I would much prefer it if when you buy a knife, it is pretty damn sharp whether you paid 10 bucks or 150. The reason a run of knives like this are not all sharp is because they preferred to get them out the door instead of having someone make sure each knife had two sharp blades, and it was not a mandatory specification of the deal. If they were all exactly the same sharpness, there would be something else, like a centered blade for someone to find fault with. I did not get one this year, but they sure look great. I think they probably passed QT. If it were me, I'd find one of my friends here that is a whiz and have them sharpen it just like I wanted, but sending it back and asking GEC to do it is OK too, and I bet they would be glad to do it.

The issue is, my sharp and your sharp may be worlds appart. I have seen friends knives that are acceptably sharp to them that might as well have been butterknives to me. Most of the time I get a new knife with a serviceable edge nothing more.

 

[22-rimfire]

Its time you learned to care for your knives that includes edge maint.

Oh, I am way beyond that point in my life. I have been sharpening knives for nearly 50 years. But I still have attention lapses and scratch up the sides of blades when I freehand the sharpening (my preferred approach).

And yes, my sharp and your sharp can be two different things. I understand that perfectly.

 

[Modoc ED]

The reason a run of knives like this are not all sharp is because they preferred to get them out the door instead of having someone make sure each knife had two sharp blades, and it was not a mandatory specification of the deal

I think that's exactly what happened with the 2012 BF knife. Serveral people have complained about the wharncliffe blade not being sharpened on these knives. Overall great knives - just a few dull ones in the batch. Disappointing yes but nothing to get in a snit about - just sharpen the edge and move on.

 

[MT Damascus]

just sharpen the edge and move on.

Exactly, learning to sharpen knives freehand and understanding the "edge" will enhance your knife collecting and using for life. Of course that is just my opinion


Kris

 

[Robert.B]

Mine came dull as could be. Wouldn't even tear paper it was so dull. The other gec I own was just as dull ootb. The grind on my #85 is uneven. It's laughable that people on here claim a $115 knife is cheap and you can't expect an edge. It's not cheap. That's more than most people will spend on knives in a lifetime. Even rough rider knives come sharper than this for $7. A knife should be useable out of the box.

For a knife with no gaps, perfect pin seating, flush and clean bolsters, thin grinds, crisp corners and drawn/cut swedges, unique well done jigged bone $115 is extremely cheap for what you're getting.

 

[waynorth]

For a knife with no gaps, perfect pin seating, flush and clean bolsters, thin grinds, crisp corners and drawn/cut swedges, unique well done jigged bone $115 is extremely cheap for what you're getting.

I couldn't agree more! It's a great knife - even better than I expected, and I expected an exceptional knife. I achieved a measure of satisfaction putting edges on the blades, and noticing how well they stand up - have only stropped it since.

 

[22-rimfire]

For a knife with no gaps, perfect pin seating, flush and clean bolsters, thin grinds, crisp corners and drawn/cut swedges, unique well done jigged bone $115 is extremely cheap for what you're getting.

Oh I think your cheap and my cheap are pretty far apart. I don't think regular Case knives are cheap. So you can guess exactly how I feel about GEC.

I think I am going to just sharpen it myself (with bench stones) by the way. It is not worth all the hassle of sending it back to GEC.

 

[Robert.B]

Oh I think your cheap and my cheap are pretty far apart. I don't think regular Case knives are cheap. So you can guess exactly how I feel about GEC.

I think I am going to just sharpen it myself by the way. It is not worth all the hassle of sending it back to GEC.

Never owned a Case knife with the things I mentioned in that post (especially the crisp grinds point)...handled a bose collab that did, but those are more expensive than a GEC.

 

[thawk]

I think its a great knife too. My main point was that it takes too much time for a lot of individual attention to the blade edges for companies to devote time to do it if they can sell it anyway. I also agree I would appreciate my obsession a lot more if I was an expert knife sharpener. I admire those who can. I still think a dull $100 knife is kind of missing the point of a quality tool. All points of this discussion are well taken, and I really have no disagreement with any of the opinions offered. Especially that of 22-Rimfire.

 

[Peregrin]

There's a lot of things that make a good knife and a lot that make a bad knife. To me construction is more important then whether a knife has a decent edge but... IMO there just isn't any excuse for a new knife, especially one that costs in the neighborhood of 100.00, to come with a dull blade.

I did get a 2012 BF knife and the Wharncliffe is duller then dull. I haven't decided to use it yet. If I do I'll sharpen it, but that doesn't excuse the manufacturer from providing me a usable knife.

Maybe I want to gift the knife, without having to put my edge on it. Maybe I want the recipient to make the decision if they want to split atoms with it. A knife should be sharp out of the box.

From Merriam-Webster; knife - "a cutting instrument consisting of a sharp blade fastened to a handle".

To the OP. If I was you, I'd send it back and let GEC get it right.

 

[neeman]

I am a little confused about the responses

When Queen market a $50 knife with poor factory grinds, there is a lot of flak
When GEC market a $120 knife with poor factory grind, there is a lot of suck it in and sharpen it yourself

Picky depends on the price of the knife
Acceptable F&F is different from a $35 knife to a $120 knife
But when I get a $35 knife with obtuse factory grinds, then the QA of the factory is at fault
And if I was in the US, I would return the knife under warrenty to be resharpened

We all know what working sharp means
A $120 knife should come working sharp, and the end user should not need to sharpen it to make it useable

As Gary says

To the OP. If I was you, I'd send it back and let GEC get it right.

 

[Fanglekai]

For a knife with no gaps, perfect pin seating, flush and clean bolsters, thin grinds, crisp corners and drawn/cut swedges, unique well done jigged bone $115 is extremely cheap for what you're getting.

My complaint had nothing to do with any of that. A knife is meant to cut things. The blades were so dull I dragged them across my skin and it didn't even leave a mark. That means I'll have to spend a lot of time to carefully profile 2 blades and not scratch them up.

I have a wicked edge sharpener. Sharpening is no issue. The issue is knives should be able to cut out of the box. Otherwise put a note on there saying you have to profile the edge. It's time I have to invest before I can even carry the knife and that's ridiculous. It's hard to believe knife enthusiasts accept that it's ok for knives to arrive completely butter knife dull.

 

[Robert.B]

My complaint had nothing to do with any of that. A knife is meant to cut things. The blades were so dull I dragged them across my skin and it didn't even leave a mark. That means I'll have to spend a lot of time to carefully profile 2 blades and not scratch them up.

I have a wicked edge sharpener. Sharpening is no issue. The issue is knives should be able to cut out of the box. Otherwise put a note on there saying you have to profile the edge. It's time I have to invest before I can even carry the knife and that's ridiculous. It's hard to believe knife enthusiasts accept that it's ok for knives to arrive completely butter knife dull.

If you want the perks of a custom we have a plethora of amazing craftsmen on this forum who I'm sure could make you a knife in the $400 - $1500 price range with everything you may require. They slipped up and some were sent out dull which if its that big a concern i'm sure you can send it in and have them grind it, mine wasn't dull but it wasn't refined, no GEC knife (or other production knife I've ever owned) will be because its up to the owner to put those hair popping edges that do require time. We can agree on a basic working edge, they slipped up there, but its not a deal breaker and if you use your knives as they're made for then your edge wont last forever.

PS. 3M make great masking tapes to protect the blades finish if you're concerned by scratches.