Traditional BladeForums Knives made by GEC

The sheer variety of patterns that GEC has produced as Forum Knives is really impressive. Of course, it's been a symbiotic relationship as it's fair to say that both BF and GEC gained traction from it, fortunately.

I was very lucky to win this 2016 Forum Knife in a GAW and it's a good example of GEC's build quality and ingenuity, where else could you get a longpull Spear and Punch? Perhaps in certain bars....:eek:o_O

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jc57 said:
Those were in ivory paper micarta.

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Will Power said:
Yes, the 2013 was a nice cream colour micarta/synth. a very rare patterns actually and GEC did not revisit the 13 pattern until some years later with its Clerk, Speaker Jack variants.:thumbsup:

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JoKr JoKr n
aha, maybe I'm partially vindicated then? My 17 Forum knife certainly has 3 stars/dots on the tang denoting the year series. I was thinking you had an ultra rare model that had missed the stamp making for a collector's rarity as in postage stamps :cool: The 2018 by Buck has two stars/dots -which I have the 19 from GEC I passed on but assume it has just one.

Tang size of course would play a role, the 2008 knife from the then Northwood was a Small Stockman (actually a Queen Cutlery pattern No.26 but made by Northwoods) has really small tangs as the blades are correspondingly small. Then the blade carried a simple etch and on the pile side it had the No. in my case 39/50.

Thanks, Will
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Really is a great pattern, and that's not a material you see very often on a traditional. This post has made me realize how many great BF / GEC collaborations there have been.
 
ms3902 ms3902 Thank you. Certainly the GEC made Forum Knives, are all pretty different and all of very high quality in finish. I don't think there have been many QC complaints for instance apart from some 2011 models being a bit inept at opening bottles. It was a 'technique' thing and I soon found out how to do it ;) But, it was also the very first 85 pattern knife, so something of a pathfinder or test-bed.

Naturally, not all patterns appeal unless you're the complete-set type. I passed on the 2012 as I personally don't like same end Jack knives with 2 big blades, others will see it very differently and so they should. Nor did I go for the immensely popular 2019 as I'm not a fan of sabre ground blades so much. Of course, if somebody likes to send me a donation, I'll willingly accept.

From memory, thus shaky

2011 GEC 85 Spear/Caplifter Bone jigged
2012 GEC 74 Jack Wharncliffe/Clip. Bone jigged
2013 GEC 13 Irish Jack Sheepfoot/Pen Synthetic
2014 GEC 77 Clip single, Stag
2016 GEC 35 Spear/Punch single-spring, Bone Wormgroove
2017 GEC 15 Single Sheepfoot Barlow Micarta
2019 GEC 86 Single Sheepfoot (Sabre grind) Blackwood
2021 GEC 86 Single Clip Barlow Saw Cut Bone
2022 GEC 39 Same end Jack Clip/Pen Ebony Barehead. First non Barlow Barehead Forum Knife from GEC.
 
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Let's see... the only ones I ended up with were the 2013 Congress Jack, the 2014 stag-handed single-blade clip, and the 2022 Bunny knife. There was one missed because I was busy with other things during the ordering window, and the others I passed on intentionally with no regrets.
 
The 2012 Bladeforums knife is incredible!! I'd love to add the 2012 and 2019 to my colleciton!! Love this thread!
 
The GEC made Forum Knives I still have are the 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017 and 2021

Is it right to identify a favourite? Of course, this is a knife forum, evaluation centre :cool:

All fine knives, excellent F&F and different from each other in pattern or blades and scales. The 2017 TC Barlow arrived with Micarta scales, these are divisive and not for everybody (what is??) but I like it as it touches the rugged and even austere aspects of the Barlow knife, all steel too. Contrast this with the far more 'luxurious ' and intricate 2021 Barlow with its fine bolster and imposing slabs, both great yet different.

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However, the favourite for me remains the 2014 77 Stag Jack. It's been used a lot so that has to be a good sign and it's been in some scrapes. One autumn afternoon I got called into the summer house and I left the Stag Jack on a well head, then went home and the knife was left there open for a week in the rains. On finding it was dismayed, some rust had set in but the Stag slabs had bloated. Careful slow drying and they reverted to normal which is a testament to the Stag quality donated by John Lloyd I believe. It also got a tea bath after this mishap. Here it is on fungi but I doubt it's the edible kind and the bird droppings don't exactly fire temptation either...

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This knife has looks, finish, poise and very good balance in the hand, strong pull so it has the magic W&T. Would've been better as Barehead in my view as I prefer that especially on singles and the Stag's so decent. Don't let mrknife mrknife hear about it or he'll shoot it all down in flames, he is of course quite misguided here ;)

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Will Power said:
However, the favourite for me remains the 2014 77 Stag Jack. It's been used a lot so that has to be a good sign and it's been in some scrapes. One autumn afternoon I got called into the summer house and I left the Stag Jack on a well head, then went home and the knife was left there open for a week in the rains. On finding it was dismayed, some rust had set in but the Stag slabs had bloated. Careful slow drying and they reverted to normal which is a testament to the Stag quality donated by John Lloyd I believe. It also got a tea bath after this mishap. Here it is on fungi but I doubt it's the edible kind and the bird droppings don't exactly fire temptation either...

e9iixsb.jpg


This knife has looks, finish, poise and very good balance in the hand, strong pull so it has the magic W&T. Would've been better as Barehead in my view as I prefer that especially on singles and the Stag's so decent. Don't let mrknife mrknife hear about it or he'll shoot it all down in flames, he is of course quite misguided here ;)

Omb7Dwg.jpg
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at one point i had 0 of these, and at some point three. At all points, they were better with end caps!!!
 
Will Power said:
However, the favourite for me remains the 2014 77 Stag Jack. It's been used a lot so that has to be a good sign and it's been in some scrapes. One autumn afternoon I got called into the summer house and I left the Stag Jack on a well head, then went home and the knife was left there open for a week in the rains. On finding it was dismayed, some rust had set in but the Stag slabs had bloated. Careful slow drying and they reverted to normal which is a testament to the Stag quality donated by John Lloyd I believe. It also got a tea bath after this mishap. Here it is on fungi but I doubt it's the edible kind and the bird droppings don't exactly fire temptation either...

e9iixsb.jpg


This knife has looks, finish, poise and very good balance in the hand, strong pull so it has the magic W&T. Would've been better as Barehead in my view as I prefer that especially on singles and the Stag's so decent. Don't let mrknife mrknife hear about it or he'll shoot it all down in flames, he is of course quite misguided here ;)

Omb7Dwg.jpg
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waynorth said:
Can someone post the numbers produced each year?? That would be a good addition to this thread!!
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Traditional BladeForums Knives made by GEC

Here is the place where you can post, show and talk about your GEC Great Eastern Cutlery annual BladeForums knives. thnx for the list @Will Power 2011 (191 pcs.) #85 Spear/Caplifter Bone jigged 2012 (262 pcs.) #74 Jack Wharncliffe/Clip. Bone jigged 2013 (173 pcs.) #13 Irish Jack Sheepfoot/Pen...
www.bladeforums.com www.bladeforums.com
 
JoKr said:

Traditional BladeForums Knives made by GEC

Here is the place where you can post, show and talk about your GEC Great Eastern Cutlery annual BladeForums knives. thnx for the list @Will Power 2011 (191 pcs.) #85 Spear/Caplifter Bone jigged 2012 (262 pcs.) #74 Jack Wharncliffe/Clip. Bone jigged 2013 (173 pcs.) #13 Irish Jack Sheepfoot/Pen...
www.bladeforums.com www.bladeforums.com
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Thanks JoKr!! Does anyone have the numbers from 2006 to 2010??
 
waynorth said:
Can someone post the numbers produced each year?? That would be a good addition to this thread!!
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Charlie waynorth waynorth , here is a link to a post where dsutton24 dsutton24 posted this a complete list

Does anyone have ALL of the forum knives?

I’ve owned them all except for the first 3. 2011 was when I first started really participating here and was able to buy the moose and wharncliffe barlow off of another member in the exchange. Kind of wish I had tried harder in the beginning to complete the set. I haven’t seen the ring knife or...
www.bladeforums.com www.bladeforums.com
 
danno50 said:
Charlie waynorth waynorth , here is a link to a post where dsutton24 dsutton24 posted this a complete list

Does anyone have ALL of the forum knives?

I’ve owned them all except for the first 3. 2011 was when I first started really participating here and was able to buy the moose and wharncliffe barlow off of another member in the exchange. Kind of wish I had tried harder in the beginning to complete the set. I haven’t seen the ring knife or...
www.bladeforums.com www.bladeforums.com
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Thanks, Dan!! That's what I was looking for!!
 
Please forgive my pic reuse. These are most of mine. The only ones missing from this picture are the 2011 #85 and the 2016 #35, due to the fact that I don't carry those much as they're pretty much irreplaceable these days.

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