The unofficial, non binding, carries no weight, 2020 forum knife possibility discussion thread

I unfortunately missed out on this years forum knife. I will definitely not miss out on 2020 and hope that GEC will be the go to maker again.
 
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The forum knife discussions are always interesting and spirited, bringing out the various brand fans and detractors - none more lively than the whole "GEC versus everyone else" debate.

One of the broadest appeals of having a GEC-made forum knife is the fact that they are among the few manufacturers willing to provide us with a Forum SFO - something that has been proven again and again over the years. That said, one of my criticisms is that we can no longer count on being the voice that leads to the development of a new pattern. We are stuck with something that is currently on their schedule and though we may get some variation from the general runs, our choices are limited - as evidenced by the most recent forum knife. I would not have chosen the Sheepfoot blade but that was what was offered to us...

Despite the rash of F&F issues that followed the Buck SFO from 2018, it was a real pleasure to experience the development process. The dealer was awesome, the choices were wide and varied, and Buck proved to be more than accommodating. I would not hesitate to throw my name in the hat for another Buck.

The issue of "flippers" has been touched on and it certainly would be a nice respite to not have to deal with such nonsense. I feel that the Buck SFO dampened the flipping efforts significantly and it was nice to see the surreptitious efforts of the unscrupulous few go unrewarded.


I don't have much of an opinion on what I would like to see made for our next forum knife as I will be buying one or two regardless. We can always be guaranteed a fine knife from GEC, one that will definitely hold its value. Buck has proven to be most accommodating and has a nice assortment of materials and models to choose from - where they lack in fine F&F, they make up in rugged durability. I really wish Case was easier to work with, it would be cool to see what we could come up with in that regard.
 
cbr1000 said:
All the GEC forum knives turned out great and the GEC dealers amazing.
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The 2018 Forum knife (2 blade Buck 301) turned out daRn nice, and SK Blades is an Amazing dealer, too.

I'm sure GEC makes a fine knife, and I will never "bash" them.
I'll never own one (unless one is gifted to me, and there is a less than zero percent chance of that happening) as they are far outside my price range, and I've read here on the forums that they regularly have a … "difficult" … shall we say? average pull of over 7 or 8.

I'm sorry, but a heavy pull is a "deal killer" for me. I have less than zero desire to fight with my knife to open it.
A heavy pull does not make a slipjoint "safer"; quite the opposite, in fact.
A backspring does NOT keep the blade from closing when in use. The normal cutting action forces the blade open. A back spring only needs to keep the knife from opening on your pocket when not in use, and to keep the blade from flopping half closed when open but not cutting anything at the moment.

It seems to me (and I may be mistaken) that GEC concentrates on the "Collector"/"Safe Queen" market.
The number of knives of every run of every pattern made, is far short of meeting the demand for that pattern or patterns.
Yes. I understand GEC is a relatively small manufacturer, and may lack the manufacturing capacity to meet demand.
I don't know if that is the reason they do not make enough of any pattern to meet the demand.

I do not possess a safe. Hence I have no need or use for a "safe queen". (Truth to tell, even if I did possess a safe, I would still have no use for a "Safe Queen", just as I have no use for a gun, (regardless of how fancy and pretty) that is only suitable to be used as a "wall hanger".)

I am not, never have been, and never will be, among those GEC wants for a customer.
If I want a knife, I want it now.
I do not want to spend weeks, months, or longer trying to find one on the secondary market at an inflated price.
Nor do I have any desire to wait possibly more years than I have left for them to do another run, and hope that they do not sell out in 10 or 15 seconds (or inside 2 minutes at the most), after it is released.

From what I've seen, GEC gives us one … maybe two choices of whichever pattern or patterns they have scheduled to produce, and limit the options pretty much to one or two handle materials and/or if there is a shield.

Buck. on the other hand, gave us a choice of any knife in their line-up; slipjoint, lockback, and fixed blade. We had a choice of at least five different blade steels, a choice of natural or synthetic covers, with several choices with-in both categories. On the multi-blade knives, we were obviously given a choice of how many and which blades, since the 2018 Forum Knife was a 301 Stockman, which is normally a three blade knife, and the Forum knife has but two. (The majority vote was to omit the Spey/Budding blade :( ) We also had a choice of nail nick or long pull - on one or both blades.
In short, many more options than GEC has ever offered … at least since I have been a member of the forum, at any rate.

I won't be able to buy a 2020 forum knife, if there is one, due to budgetary matters.
From the majority of comments in this thread, even though "non-binding", indicate the 2020 knife (if there is one) will be a teeny tiny sub 3 1/2 inch closed, GEC (if they are willing to bother with us again), most likely a single blade, that I would have no interest in getting anyway.
I prefer knives that are 4 inch and larger closed, and are multi-blade.

Since there is virtually no possibility that I will be getting a forum knife anyway, I'm out of here.

Have fun, y'all. :)
 
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afishhunter said:
The 2018 Forum knife (2 blade Buck 301) turned out daRn nice, and SK Blades is an Amazing dealer, too.

I'm sure GEC makes a fine knife, and I will never "bash" them.
I'll never own one (unless one is gifted to me, and there is a less than zero percent chance of that happening) as they are far outside my price range, and I've read here on the forums that they regularly have a … "difficult" … shall we say? average pull of over 7 or 8.

I'm sorry, but a heavy pull is a "deal killer" for me. I have less than zero desire to fight with my knife to open it.
A heavy pull does not make a slipjoint "safer"; quite the opposite, in fact.
A backspring does NOT keep the blade from closing when in use. The normal cutting action forces the blade open. A back spring only needs to keep the knife from opening on your pocket when not in use, and to keep the blade from flopping half closed when open but not cutting anything at the moment.

It seems to me (and I may be mistaken) that GEC concentrates on the "Collector"/"Safe Queen" market.
The number of knives of every run of every pattern made, is far short of meeting the demand for that pattern or patterns.
Yes. I understand GEC is a relatively small manufacturer, and may lack the manufacturing capacity to meet demand.
I don't know if that is the reason they do not make enough of any pattern to meet the demand.

I do not possess a safe. Hence I have no need or use for a "safe queen". (Truth to tell, even if I did possess a safe, I would still have no use for a "Safe Queen", just as I have no use for a gun, (regardless of how fancy and pretty) that is only suitable to be used as a "wall hanger".)

I am not, never have been, and never will be, among those GEC wants for a customer.
If I want a knife, I want it now.
I do not want to spend weeks, months, or longer trying to find one on the secondary market at an inflated price.
Nor do I have any desire to wait possibly more years than I have left for them to do another run, and hope that they do not sell out in 10 or 15 seconds (or inside 2 minutes at the most), after it is released.

From what I've seen, GEC gives us one … maybe two choices of whichever pattern or patterns they have scheduled to produce, and limit the options pretty much to one or two handle materials and/or if there is a shield.

Buck. on the other hand, gave us a choice of any knife in their line-up; slipjoint, lockback, and fixed blade. We had a choice of at least five different blade steels, a choice of natural or synthetic covers, and several choices with-in both categories. On the multi-blade knives, we were obviously given a choice of how many and which blades, since the 2018 Forum Knife was a 301 Stockman, which is normally a three blade knife, and the Forum knife has but two. (The majority vote was to omit the Spey/Budding blade :( ) We also had a choice of nail nick or long pull - on one or both blades.
In short, many more options than GEC has ever offered … at least since I have been a member of the forum, at any rate.

I won't be able to buy a 2020 forum knife, if there is one, due to budgetary matters.
From the majority of comments in this thread, even though "non-binding", indicate the 2020 knife (if there is one) will be a teeny tiny sub 3 1/2 inch closed, GEC (if they are willing to bother with us again), most likely a single blade, that I would have no interest in getting anyway.
I prefer knives that are 4 inch and larger closed, and are multi-blade.

Since there is virtually no possibility that I will be getting a forum knife anyway, I'm out of here.

Have fun, y'all. :)
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I think everything you've mentioned are all very valid points and criticisms, I appreciate you taking the time to state them. All too often, folks simply say "GEC sucks" and never bother to really elaborate on why they feel that way.

To the point of safe queens - I do think that the GEC market reflects a strong leaning towards the collectors in us all. They sure to do look pretty in a case... However, they make for fantastic working cutlery too and I think anyone who has put a GEC through any amount of decent use can attest to that. That doesn't refute your point at all, I just want to point out that they can be used just as well as they can look pretty behind glass.

This is one of my most used and carried GECs, it is a remarkable working knife.

yner7NT.jpg
 
Pàdruig said:
I think everything you've mentioned are all very valid points and criticisms, I appreciate you taking the time to state them. All too often, folks simply say "GEC sucks" and never bother to really elaborate on why they feel that way.

To the point of safe queens - I do think that the GEC market reflects a strong leaning towards the collectors in us all. They sure to do look pretty in a case... However, they make for fantastic working cutlery too and I think anyone who has put a GEC through any amount of decent use can attest to that. That doesn't refute your point at all, I just want to point out that they can be used just as well as they can look pretty behind glass.

This is one of my most used and carried GECs, it is a remarkable working knife.

yner7NT.jpg
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You could hide a Hobbit in that mushroom, brother. Good gracious!
 
r8shell said:
Who makes those?
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I believe most Bluegrass knives over the years were made at Queen. And the main buyer at the Queen bankruptcy auction was from Bluegrass, and their intention is to set up all the Queen equipment they purchased, and make their knives at the factory in Ohio, focusing on the Schatt & Morgan line primarily, along with a few others like Winchester, etc. The last I heard they were hoping to have a S&M release ready for dealers sometime in 2020. I'm not sure at what point they intend to be officially "up and running" though.
 
Rookie82 said:
I believe most Bluegrass knives over the years were made at Queen. And the main buyer at the Queen bankruptcy auction was from Bluegrass, and their intention is to set up all the Queen equipment they purchased, and make their knives at the factory in Ohio, focusing on the Schatt & Morgan line primarily, along with a few others like Winchester, etc. The last I heard they were hoping to have a S&M release ready for dealers sometime in 2020. I'm not sure at what point they intend to be officially "up and running" though.
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That would be good news. :):thumbsup: Much better than having Queen and Schatt & Morgan become another Frost owned name made overseas.
 
Kinda thought it was entertaining that this is a GEC thread.. Same old Same old.. I am sure in the end when this all washes out it will be another GEC..:( As yinz can guess.. I am not a fan..:rolleyes:
John
 
r8shell said:
My understanding (which may well be incorrect) is that they've always been contract knives. At times by Queen or Camillus. If they are currently made in the US, that would probably mean either Bear mfg. or Utica.
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Well, Bluegrass manufactured Winchester knives up until Buck took them on. They have also manufactured recent Primbles. But, thanks for reminding me of Bear and Utica...

Hey folks, how about Bear and Utica?
 
afishhunter afishhunter not even if it were like this one?....
20200115-095206.jpg
did i read somewhere they are pumping out #23 trappers this year? this thing is as big as a folder gets.
Cheers....good points you made.
I love gec but it certainly would be nice to get something different...sadly the reality is very limited...there seems to be only 2 manufacturers (gec & buck) who can/willing to take the job.
At this stage Im wondering ..Why if all these manufacturers are just about to go under ...are they not clamouring like hounds for our business?...
There is a small detail that I think is worth a mention...
IF someone steps forward to manage the project...fingers crossed they do.....that will have a direct influence or limitation on who makes our knife....
The Rest Is Easy!:confused:;):D:thumbsup:
 
JohnDF said:
I was thinking about a knife from a company that doesn't have a ravenous following like Great Eastern, just to keep the value down. The value should be in what the knife represents, not a monetary one. I'm tired of seeing the wolves at our doorstep trying to make a quick profit on the hard work of others and the good will of the Porch members. The base principles of the Porch is that it doesn't matter what the knife is worth but that you find value in the other aspects of it.
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I wouldn't get that bent out of shape over the 1%.:thumbsup:;)
 
Oh yeah....anyone mentioned OS manufacturers yet?
Another avenue of thought and good ideas....but for the most part
too costly and an
administration nightmare.
Plus++ even after the demands of the porch have been nailed down by the polling processes...we have never simply had an off the shelf knife with " porch" written on it like a million advertising SAKs do....and we aint wanting one now!
 
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Someone refresh my memory how the buck forums knife went overall. My recollection was less than stellar. I might not remember correctly, but I do recall the thread popping up months later about people sending their knives in for repairs. I recall people posting about not being particularly thrilled about one thing or another. I recall a bunch of them being posted for sale. maybe I'm remembering it incorrectly because so many people here wanting a buck forum knife again? I we'll keep an eye out to see if anybody post problems with this year's forum knife. I recall SK being awesome about updates and options for the buck forum knife. Seems like I recall the buck sub forum regularly working with SK for special editions... for me personally it didn't really feel like a forum knife, it felt like another Buck special edition that's not so special because they are always putting together the next special edition. Regarding price, wasn't the buck knife more expensive than this years GEC afishhunter afishhunter
 
cbr1000 said:
Someone refresh my memory how the buck forums knife went overall. My recollection was less than stellar. ... Regarding price, wasn't the buck knife more expensive than this years GEC afishhunter afishhunter
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The Buck was a howling deal given that we got two blades, stag, and a decent stainless steel. Fit and finish wasn't quite up to GEC standards, but I think the value was better. I'd love to see another Buck, hopefully a fixed blade or maybe a 110.
 
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