The GEC 42 Party - I got there eventually

2manyknives

2manyknives

Joined
Aug 9, 2006
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The Great Eastern 42 Missouri Trader has been covered previously in this forum – indeed it was the positive presentation of the 42 hereabouts that led me to get one.
So I am a bit late to the party as this knife has now been in circulation for a while but I am happy to report that the good words others have had to say about the 42 were well spoken.
GEC has delivered a beautifully proportioned, very well made classic lockback. Mine is in ebony wood with 1095 steel. I have a real soft spot for this pattern of knife.

Here it is compared with a Queen Mountain Man lockback. Clearly the two knives share some bloodlines – the Queen is a bit larger all round. The GEC is a better size in my view.


gec421.jpg


Fit and finish on the GEC is very good. The knife was actually sharp as have been some other recent GECs – good to see. There is no lateral blade play to speak of though there is some degree of vertical play – its not that bad.

Here it is with the rest of my GEC lockers

gec422.jpg



The 42 is second from the top. Above it is a 23 liner lock in Cocobolo. Underneath is a 72 in Strawberry bone and 440c. Below that is a 73 liner lock in stag and at the bottom, my much carried and used 72 Wharnie in Ebony and 1095.

I have one request for GEC. Can I please have a 42 lockback in 440c and ivory micarta. I would be a happy man. For a while.
 
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Great looking knives! All of them :)

Thanks for such a well organized thread with good photos and thoughts.

Kevin
 
thanks for the comparison photos, especially the mountain man vs. 42. I'm waiting for my #42 copperhead bone to turn up any day now. the vertical play issue sounds a bit worrying though, for me a backlock should be completely solid.
 
Stunning looking knives.

Could you give the blade lengths of the mountain man, 42 and 72 measured bolster to tip?

Would love to more about your thoughts comparing the 3 in your hand doing different tasks?

I'm interested that the 72 and 42 look so close in size but my Shrade 5OT looks close to my Buck 500 and in the hand is a much smaller knife. Odd how that happens.
 
Thank you for the pics and review, I want one of each :D
Seriously though, I wish GEC would remake the wharncliffe bladed 72, I almost bought one as my first GEC but opted for a 2 blade 73 instead. When I went back to buy the wharncliffe they were sold out everywhere I looked.
 
The 42 is a bigger knife tham the 72 - more so than the pics suggest. There is also more depth in the blade. The weight difference is noticeable but I am aware that the grip materials are different so this might account for some of it. To me the 72 is a nice compact pocket knife. The 42 is a better knife for heavier duty stuff and would not be out of place in a belt sheath. If I had to choose one it would be the 42.
 
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