What's the difference between Beer Scouts and Radio Jacks

This is my favorite Beer Scout, well non-officially a Soda Scout. It was advertised as linen Micarta, but ended up being paper Micarta instead. We've got a lot of history together. It was only my second GEC, and was my first SFO. My first Beer Scout. My first Micarta slipjoint. It's the knife that gets carried around in my pocket at night. Oddly enough, it's opened a myriad of beers, but I don't think it's ever opened a soda.
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Buzzbait said:
This is my favorite Beer Scout, well non-officially a Soda Scout. It was advertised as linen Micarta, but ended up being paper Micarta instead. We've got a lot of history together. It was only my second GEC, and was my first SFO. My first Beer Scout. My first Micarta slipjoint. It's the knife that gets carried around in my pocket at night. Oddly enough, it's opened a myriad of beers, but I don't think it's ever opened a soda.
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What a great knife! The sheepfoot is arguably my favorite and with caplifter added it makes for a near-perfect combo.
 
Main thing I see that stands out to me on the Beer Scout is the main blade being a I think Sheepsfoot/Wharncliffe which I really like. I really want one but since only used ones seem to be available I will have to wait.
 
traumkommode said:
To my knowledge, too - GEC had released knives branded as "Cap Lifter" with spearpoint and clip point blades. Then there were some branded "Radio" that were standard Tidioute runs, and Charlie did an SFO Diamond Northfield Radio Jack with his #15 Harness Jacks. The scouts, whether Beerscouts or "Soda" Scouts, I think, have always had a sheepsfoot blade, so have the Crown Lifter branded knives.
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Zombie thread but just want to set record straight based on my research on GEC releases. Their first 15 with a bottle opener was the clip point with nail nick “Huckleberry Boys Radio Knife” of 2013. In 2014, Mr. CC’s SFO “Diamond Radio Jack” with nail nicked spear point and end caps was introduced along with the regular GEC production “Crown Lifter” which was either long pull clip point or spear with nail nick and end caps....and a few one-armed versions in there too. In 2015 we got the ”Beer Scout” and related SFOs all with long pull sheepsfoot, bails, and easy open notch. In 2016 the “Beer Scout” returned, no SFOs but we got a new “Crown Lifter” with nail nicked sheepsfoot and easy open notch....then there are the grails, the rendezvous parts knives specials...2014 “Sheep Lifter” long pull sheepsfoot with end caps, 2014 “Radio Scout” long pull sheepsfoot with easy open notch, the 2015 spear point “Beer Scout” and the 2015 “TC Beerlow.”

As a note, I have heard that GEC chose the term “Crown Lifter” instead of cap lifter or bottle opener as a jab at Queen...GEC had replaced Queen in the traditional knife marketplace...”stealing their crown” so to speak.
 
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A "Beer Scout" has a non-locking half length bottle opener/cap lifter screwdriver secondary "blade".
A "Radio Jack" has a full length screwdriver/wire stripper secondary blade.

On most (but not all) of the "Radio Jacks" by various manufacturers I've seen, the secondary has something similar to a liner lock to lock the blade open.
 
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afishhunter said:
A "Beer Scout" has a non-locking half length bottle opener/ screwdriver secondary "blade".
A "Radio Jack" has a full length screwdriver/wire stripper secondary blade.

On most (but not all) of the "Radio Jacks" by various manufacturers I've seen, the secondary has something similar to a liner lock to lock the blade open.
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I agree with your take on Radio Jacks as a type of knife but I was responding to a message discussing GEC’s knives with bottle openers. GEC’s Radio Jacks are not radio knives in the classic sense in that they have short bottle openers/screw driver rather than the long screw driver/wire stripper. “Beer Scouts” on the other hand are not a type of knife but the name of a specific model from GEC.
 
mortonm said:
My beloved radio Jack. Sadly currently MIA
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I haven't seen it!! :(

But to answer the OP question, a rose by any other name . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 🤣
 
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waynorth said:
I haven't seen it!! :(

But to answer to OP question, a rose by any other name . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 🤣
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Appreciate the heads up hahaha

I lost it early in the pandemic but it was merely stashed aside by the wife...so I assume the same has happened but she knows nothing and I've looked most places.
 
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