Thanks John. A most interesting and informative thread. I also find myself in this conundrum. I really like GEC but they are getting really pricey on the secondary market in fact they are getting crazy pricey on the secondary market. I have been in search of a GEC Barlow with a sheep foot blade for what seems like forever at a price that I can afford to pay. I am convinced at this point and that’s never going to happen. So I have slowed down my buying as well.
I will be 78 years old in about a month and I have been through more knives and knife brands that I could possibly remember. At one point, living on our farm in the mountains, I had to use for certain knives, mainly fixed blades. These days it is more of a hobby and a bit of nostalgia for me.
I have now settled on traditional folders which bring me joy. My collection, so-called, is very small composed mostly a few GECs, one Ohta friction folder and a couple of old friends (Buck 112 and SAC Tinker Bought in 1972 and 1962 respectively). I guess I’ll just hang onto these guys too.
I have also learned that no matter how a knife looks in photographs there’s no comparison with having one in hand and using it frequently. Some of my most anticipated patterns have been real duds at least as far as I’m concerned.
i winnow through the big auction site fairly frequently in the forlorn hope of turning up one of my grail GEC knives. Fat chance.
So after discovering Pàdruig’s thread where he carries and uses one knife he really didn’t like initially I am becoming focused on using what I have. Consequently, I’ve ordered a big 97 (in maroon micarta, maybe my favorite cover) and plan to also carry and use this one knife for an extended period. Probably learn a great deal about the knife and some things about myself too.