Thoughts on the GEC Sheepsfoot Barlow or EZ Open

R

Revolvergeek

Joined
Jan 14, 2002
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Greetings all,

I haven't bought a nice slipjoint in a while and have been pondering a GEC Sheepsfoot Barlow or EZ Open. Anybody have any particular comments or thoughts on them? I would love to see a picture of one next to a Sodbuster Jr. for scale if anybody had both sitting around. :D

Regards,
Danny
 
I am probably only stating the obvious (and I hope that someone else does post a comparison pic as you requested) but I have a GEC Barlow (not an EZ open) and I like it for the following reasons;

1) Ease of carry in the pocket (rounded edges)
2) Some heft for the smaller body
3) Size of Blade to handle ratio (seems to really have a useful size main blade for a 3" overall body)
4)Typical strong springs

Of course GEC has a few different variations of the Barlow (which I am still working on sorting out). I purchase all my GEC's from River Raisin Knife company, I trust the owner and he always has a great selection of premium handle materials.

Here are a couple of pics shamelessly borrowed from River Raisin Knife Company;
GEC25Barlow.jpg


GEC25JackStag.jpg


I have even seen a picture of a Barlow from GEC with a Wharncliff blade but I think it was made in 2007 so don't know if there are many still around.

I will keep an eye on this thread and hopefully others will join in! :thumbup:
 
I have a Frontier bone Barlow Wharncliffe model (Northfield). The main blade's a wharny & the 2nd blade's a small clip blade. I actually traded it, but am getting it back. It's a little small (3" closed), but the blade's a little over 2", fairly thick & nice. GEC's 1095 is definitely well done (IIRC, it's a 57-59 RC). My only real complaint is that the spring for the small blade is a little too strong (This is an '08, so don't know if they've changed them).

I had the 3 3/4" Trapper, but while not too long, it was a lg. knife for pocket, IMHO. However, it was also a well made, strong slippy. They're definitely "working" knives.
 
The Easy Open could have springs that are less fierce,and it's a single blade rather than the 2 blade variants.

The Tidioute 'corset' shield looks really well on the knife(red jigged bone) I endorse others' remarks about River Raisin,very good service and the photos are of the knife you get which is a major bonus.
 
The one with the river blue bone cut looks very nice. Might be shopping for one soon!:thumbup:
 
I actually corresponded with someone from GEC in marketing and sales a couple months ago asking if they would consider making a larger version (3 3/4" - 4") EZ Open Jack. She said she would bring it up at their next planning meeting. :thumbup: Who knows?
I've been so into them after getting an Ulster and a Marble's in EZ Open. Being left-handed and a nailbiter, the EZ-O really works for me.:D
 
After listening to a few of the gang here recommend them, I picked up one of their sheepsfoot barlows a few weeks ago as well as a stag sunfish a while back.

The barlow is small, but a tough little knife. I like the sheepfoot option and feel the tip could easily take a good bit of pressure if you are choked all the way up on it to the tip for scoring or slicing. The fit & finish on mine is top shelf from a factory; as good or a tad better than similarly produced knives. The pull on mine was fine, not too strong not too wimpy. The quality of the stag and it's fit to the bolsters and liners was up there more than enough to make me happy with the purchase.

The only complaint if you could call it that was that I felt the knife could have been sharper. Not that it was dull at all, but they should show off that 1095 and make the edge a little thinner and a tad less of an angle at the edge bevel. (That is just my preference though on a sheepsfoot blade.) I pretty much kept the same edge angle on the small blade, but that sheepsfoot now cuts like a razor. (ok, ok would ya believe pretty close :D.).
 
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Here is a cropped pic from Cumberland of the sheepsfoot style. The stag on mine is a little more figured than this one.



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Bastid said:
Here is a cropped pic from Cumberland of the sheepsfoot style. The stag on mine is a little more figured than this one.

attachment.php
Click to expand...

Bastid,
Your image is for a Warnie blade with the small clip blade.

I agree with your review.
I will rebevel mine when I have time.
But it holds a very good edge as is.

Sheepsfoot in Northern Lights Acrylic
A wonderful piece of acrylic very well done, that is translucent in places and catches the light.
No it is not stag!!!

picture.php

picture.php
 
neeman said:
Bastid,
Your image is for a Warnie blade with the small clip blade.
picture.php

picture.php
Click to expand...

OK, I'm confused, not that it took much, lol. I have what I have called a "Wharny" GEC Barlow (Frontier bone) & saw it called a Sheepsfoot in this thread, now "neeman" is calling it a Wharny & shows a different blade shape saying THAT is a Sheepsfoot, so:
What exactly designates a "Sheepsfoot" &/or a "Wharncliffe" blade shape?
 
CL01 said:
OK, I'm confused, not that it took much, lol. I have what I have called a "Wharny" GEC Barlow (Frontier bone) & saw it called a Sheepsfoot in this thread, now "neeman" is calling it a Wharny & shows a different blade shape saying THAT is a Sheepsfoot, so:
What exactly designates a "Sheepsfoot" &/or a "Wharncliffe" blade shape?
Click to expand...

CL01, Here is a thread with this discussion about a Warncliffe Blade, Pix included of a true Warncliffe....
 
Thanks for all the thoughts and pictures everyone! Hillbillenigma, thanks for the tip about River Raisin Knives. I had not heard of them but I can see that I am going to have to place an order with them soon. Their prices are good and I like being able to see the exact knife that I am going to buy.

I think that I am going to start off with the #25 Sheepfoot Barlow with the red jigged bone and then follow up later with a #73 Jack in Hemlock Green bone. I am going to put an EZ Open on my birthday list for later this year I think. ;)
 
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Wow, thank you for the info & the link sure helped. So, the Barlow "Bastid" showed would be considered a Wharncliffe then, right? In that case, my GEC Barlow is a Wharny. I know my Case Seahorse Whittler's a Wharny, too.

Now I'm REALLY looking forward to the '09 BFC knife with its equal length Clip & Wharncliffe blades!
 
They call it a wharncliff, but but the wharncliff I know has a curved rather than a straight spine.
 
Bastid said:
They call it a wharncliff, but but the wharncliff I know has a curved rather than a straight spine.
Click to expand...


to confuse some more...
What GEC call a Wharnecliff is a Lampsfoot....
And what GEC call a Sheepsfoot is a Sheepsfoot...
 
AARRRGGGHHH ,to many foots.

My first slippie was a GEC and I had a hell of a time deciding between the Barlow and the Scout(hunter and whittler) I eventually went with.
Very happy with the construction of the knife although the whittler blade is pretty tight.
 
I really, really like the EZ open Barlow. The stag and the natural bone are my favorites, I think.
 
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