True, I see your point. Exclusivity drives prices for both brands.
However, if we were to compare apples to apples, let's look at both brands for the Eureka jack.
Both knives are similar in design and build quality... I've seen marks against both but generally they are very well built knives.
The big difference comes in the steel used; Case uses a nice stainless steel while GEC uses plain old 1095.
Now look at the price difference. The Case seems like it has a huge markup for stainless steel and the Bose name.
So, is the Case/Bose knives over-priced or are the GEC knives a great deal... I guess it's just a matter of what you prefer.
An interesting analogy the Eureka and one I'd like to take up.
It's an example of CASE following GEC, or at least Tony Bose decided he wanted to make his version of the pattern. Obviously, there is a difference in blade steel and other aspects of construction but for me it comes down to a question of aesthetics. In this context the GEC emerges as victor
Its overall proportions are superior, larger Master blade and thicker scale slabs. Particularly the first run Eureka GECs offered all steel construction with an impressive tight backspring, they were offered without shields as an option and Barehead too for those who prefer it. The second run was less impressive in my book at least, no all steel, all end capped and all with shields. The GEC also had a single blade version the Talon in Wharncliffe or Spear. The CASE/Bose is a different animal, uses thin scale slabs, a shield I personally dislike
but is a much daintier svelte type of knife and sets out to be a different interpretation.
As to priced/over-priced, impossible to determine. The first run GEC Eurekas fetch a lot of money now, especially the fantastic Galvanic version, but try getting hold of one just like that..CASE/Bose you will be able to find after a while and a little cheaper perhaps than when new. Ten or more years ago, the Collabs were all the rage amongst 'collectors' but many are used too ( I use both of mine regularly) They were snapped up eagerly and there was much talk about them. Today, much less, possibly due to trend fatigue or less enthusiasm for the patterns offered. Currently, GEC is all the rage amongst the chattering classes...many of whom appear to be novices in the Traditional field...but often buy up all versions of a release. "Just to see which version I wanna keep" mmmh just to Flip the rest at maximum profit is what they actually mean
such people have a habit of suddenly abandoning a 'hobby' and chasing a new trend too. One day, GEC will be less hot property although the older knives are likely to retain value I'd imagine.
As to CASE compromising itself by opting for running collector variants, allegedly quantity over quality, I still disagree. This is not a binary either/or situation. CASE need to make money to stay in business and hopefully, for re-investment. Yet they still make very decent user knives that are available in attractive scales and yes I agree, I'd like to see some more patterns revived-but that seems to be the Collab niche. Let's consider Queen Cutlery too. They made some of my favourite knives see Charlie C's recent thread God Save the Queen! But towards their end they were often producing pretty dismal knives, I have some: parts knives, mismatched blade steels, using up surplus shields far too large for the pattern and some awful QC. There are numerous factors in their decline but obviously lack of proper investment is one of them. Machinery & tooling were clearly worn and maintaining decent build quality or assembly became beyond them. They began, like most knives from Sheffield, to trade on name & former reputation and the gap between fiction and reality became intolerable. So it is to be hoped that CASE can use its profitable collector runs to sustain future growth, but it all depends on how much autonomy the company has or is it just a cog in a bigger corporate wheel?
Finally, I'd agree about a lot of CASE jigging (not so much dye job though..) but GEC has Stag that's in another dimension
Regards, Will
I just have a bunch of cats... really haven't figured out their function yet!
(for some reason, stray dogs were rare on our street ...)
A Cat about the house (mine anyway) will clear them right out & keep them away. You realize that RODENTS might even gnaw your CASE and other knives???
