This time the question is how does Queen knives compare to GEC?

I really like Queen's bone and their curly zebra wood. They have some fantastic patterns, great heat treat, and when they are good they're GOOD. However, one reason I like traditionals is THINLY ground blades : many Queens are poorly ground with just too much meat behind the edge. Sharpening will not correct this. I don't think I will purchase anymore sight unseen, unless it's just too good of a deal or a dealer I trusted to check this before shipping.
 
I know I read somewhere about 3-4 years ago that Queen's D2 was run at 60-61 HRc, and the sharpening of them bears this out in my experience, as they are much harder to sharpen than GEC's 440C @ 58. It would be great to have someone measure one with a hardness tester to know for sure.
 
I just bought a Queen from AG Russell in D2 and AGR advertised it at 58-59. Sharpest Queen knife I've ever bought.
 
I'm not sure I can add anything that hasn't been said here but I'll throw in my 2 cents. Queen is a very good value and the amber jigged bone is really beautiful. For the money they are a great knife and find their way into my pocket quite a bit. GEC offers so many patterns and cover materials that there is really something there for everybody. GEC is likely the more collectable since everything is cataloged and documented.

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My very limited opinion is that I like the queen D2 steel. I have only owned two Queens. Both collaboration. One a Queen/Burke grandad barlow, and one a Pardue canoe/gunboat pattern.

The Barlow has a hard pull, as hard as any of my GEC (early GEC pulls), and I love it. (I dropped it and cracked the lovely orange bone handle, and am pretty bummed). It was very gappy, and took some vicing, and peening to fix. The Pardue has three springs, and three different pull strengths, weak, kind of weak, and just right, with blade wiggle.

All edges were dull, and took some work, but the D2 steel holds a great edge, and is stain resistant.

I am thinking about a Stockman in amber bone.
 
As you might know I have a softness for Queen knives
I will mention, that as far as I am concerned, most Queen factory edges will need resharping
S&M always come with decent edge

Queen are not collectors at 50 piece numbered runs
This is a clever GEC marketing policy, and kudos to them, along with Case being in the collectors market
Queens are workers, even the S&M are 600 runs not exlusive enough


Queen beats GEC in the sub $45 range, as GEC does not have that price point
The Economy in delrin or simple wood single or double carbon blade for less than $35
The Workhorse delmulti blade series carbon for less than $45
I have four Economy knives, a sweet little mini-toothpick, a Gunstosk in yellow jigged delin and a Trapper in a brown bone delrin
You cannot buy a slipjoint of comparable quality, with a superb carbon steel and a decent F&F
They are knives that you can pass down to your grandkids
They are the ulimate users

Queen Standard line beats GEC in the price point of single $45 to multi-blade $65 range in bone or wood in D2
These are users and you are getting a knive as good as GEC with a little less F&F.
Is Queen giving you $20 to $30 less of F&F? No

As Mike mentioned about the F&F on the S&M Heritage series
I have in my hand an Ebony 4" stockman in carbon that I was sorely disapointed in when I got it
This less than perfect collector is a wonderful worn-in working knife that I carry often

The older S&M are in classic patterns in SS are a very high quality knife
This is before GEC, and are better than GECs


Hopefully under new management, Queen will get back to what they were and even better
 
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A Queen QCCC Teardrop I have as a user is a bit gappy and some slight play, also a gouge around the shield inlet. Not good enough on quite an expensive knife, but as it gets used and I have other much better made QCCC Teardrops I don't mind.

I've got a GEC 73 that has some gaps and a roughish spring on open, play too.

One all. They're variable like production knives all are. However, I think the differences lie in the feel or 'aura' of the knives. GEC are generally heavy built knives, small runs, tough springs, often large bolsters, nearly all carbon, many patterns. Queen tends to be more limited in handle choice, lighter pull (but NOT weak) quite conservative patterns, different steels. Their D2 Teardop Linerlock is one of my all time favourite knives, beautifully made(usually!), fine locking mechanism/backspring. Compared to the GEC 73 or 85 Linerlocks in carbon, the Teardop is more svelte, subtle and feels better thought out. That's it, Queen knives tend to be subtle, GEC are never that! When Queen knives are good (and they usually are) you don't want to sell them or trade them, this too could be a difference. Undoubtedly, both companies make knives that are very well worth owning and using.
 
Well, after not being able to find a Barlow spear point knife from GEC, I talked to my neighbor this morning who has a Queen Schatt & Morgan Big Daddy Barlow, and after handling the knife, it is safe to say that it is everything the many on line reviews say about this knife, the very worst comment being that it is first class; that said, I found a knife on line and ordered it for the paltry sum of $109.00 shipped 2 day Priority Mail, and I'm just thrilled to have thought about this Queen File & Wire S&M....here's a vendor pic...

 
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