Which existing pattern would be best used by GEC to put the scout knife on?

mykel m said:
Being a fan of a SAK with a saw I'd like to see one on the 53/54 frame with a spear main,saw blade,punch & a screw driver/cap lifter.
In Ebony!
And since it'll be a fat sun of a gun a bail would be nice too.
Click to expand...

I'd love to see this.
 
pinnah said:
It absolutely should be an equal end of some sort.

IMO, they should make 2 versions. One should be a retro-reproduction of the old New York type campers. The other should be in the Farm and Field line and should be US response to a modern SAK Soldier or Pioneer.

The retro-reproduction should have carbon steel blades, old-school standard implement (spear blade, awl, cap lifter screw driver, old style can opener)implements, brown jigged bone scales, bolsters with lines (I'm blanking on the term) and a bail.

The Farm and Field should have stainless blades (440C main blade), updated implements (spear blade, cap lifter screw driver, folding scissors (to replace the can opener) and a multi-function scraper blade (to replace the awl; namely the end should be a 2 prong phillips head like found on the Leatherman Micra, the flat side should be scored as a mini-file and one edge should be blunt beveled for scraping), derlin scales (any color other than red, which should be considered to be like kryptonite), plain bolsters and no bail. My choice for colors would be to make them in lock step with the Farm and Field sodbusters.

I've no real interest in the retro-reproduction one but I'd be on the Farm and Field version like a fly on honey.
Click to expand...

I definitely second this! Great idea for both the retro-reproduction and the economy version. I think 2 versions of the 'retro-reproduction' would be good, both a #68 size without a bail and a larger equal end frame with a bail. (#54?)
 
mykel m said:
Being a fan of a SAK with a saw I'd like to see one on the 53/54 frame with a spear main,saw blade,punch & a screw driver/cap lifter.
In Ebony!
And since it'll be a fat sun of a gun a bail would be nice too.
Click to expand...

Cool idea. I like the idea of ebony for the fancy one.

But, GEC got panned for their saw that didn't cut well that they had one that big elephant toe type knife a while back. Saws are hard to do, I suspect. More high tech production like Victorinox, Leatherman or Silky give good results. Could GEC do it?

I would not want to a bigger thicker Scout instead of a classic 4 tool version though.
 
I hope GEC would produce them. I would not care what frame either. Just wish it would follow the original scout pattern.
 
Honestly, you guys suggesting four tools/blades on a #53 frame....have you actually held a #53??

It's already 3.9oz.....I think with an extra two tools it would be terribly heavy. That's gonna be a cumbersome knife.

That said, I think the #68 frame would be too small.

Also, as above, GEC have struggled with a saw and even their bottle opener needed some after market file work to be totally effective.

I'd like to think they have enough sense to keep reviving other styles and producing reissues than to mess around with a camp knife pattern.






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GEC came awfully close with the #53 Cattle Baron model. #53 frame w/ 3 blades + punch. Its a good starting point :D
 
Many valid points. The 53 I had would seem too bulky, the 68 I had would seem a little too small, for all the implements anyway. I would buy, carry and use the heck out of a Farm and Field utility/camp knife, but I want to see GEC's take on the old time scout/utility knife. Pinnah and Mykel had some great ideas.

As I learn more about manufacturing costs and issues, I realize that to even produce this pattern in small numbers would be an expensive feat. The knife itself would be a costly affair for the end user, and that price may end up being prohibitive.

I would think that if they had any inclination to build this pattern, Pinnah's suggestion of adding it to the FF line is a splendid idea. Afterwards, if sales are good enough, maybe they could issue a "refined" version.
 
The clear choice for this would be the #28 with its built in cap lifter...

Just kidding, it would work best on the #53/54 or #68. I'd be happy if they'd just replace the spey blade on this #54 with a cap lifter. They'd have to lighten the pulls though, this is still my only GEC that I actually need to use a blade opener to save my nails... It is a thick and heavy knife though. See the comparison shots with a #53 Harness Jack. Maybe use steel liners instead of double brass for the scales? Would that actually save any weight? Maybe GEC will make a newer pattern in between the 3 1/2" #68 and 4 1/8" #53/54? Keep in mind that the Chocolate bone #53 is the same thickness as this green #53 Furtaker below which is the same thickness as the Victorinox Farmer...






 
silenthunterstudios said:
As I learn more about manufacturing costs and issues, I realize that to even produce this pattern in small numbers would be an expensive feat. The knife itself would be a costly affair for the end user, and that price may end up being prohibitive.

I would think that if they had any inclination to build this pattern, Pinnah's suggestion of adding it to the FF line is a splendid idea. Afterwards, if sales are good enough, maybe they could issue a "refined" version.
Click to expand...

While *I* would be interested in a rugged Farm and Field version, I would be a new GEC customer. I would think that GEC would sell more units in total, at least initially, to its traditional GEC repeat/collector customers.

IMO, there's a significant gap in the needs between hard users and the collector market and this divide really comes to a head in the tool selection (although it's revealed in the scale decisions too).

I just can't see the traditional repeat/collectors being satisfied with a GEC camper pattern unless it used the traditional 4 blades and, in particular, unless the can opener was one of the old antiquated styles. That is, I would think most GEC collectors would want something along these lines...

NEWC4A.jpg


However my strong hunch is that those of us looking for a hard user are looking for something more along these lines in terms of functionality

VN53964a.jpg


that somehow had a style linkage back to things more like this

CAMC4Fopen.jpg


or this (with saw cut derlin)

909_42201_1357579604_1.JPG


I dunno... It's a hard thing to think about. The Leatherman and small multitools have taken so much of this niche away and Victorinox/Wegner have established such brand recognition. And once you get past the original 4 tools, it's hard to get people to agree on the best tool combination which is precisely which leads Leatherman and Victorinox to sell dizzying amounts of variants. That's not a game GEC can or should play.

I would think to make this work, they would need a single frame/platform to satisfy both the retro collectors and the F&F users. I'm thinking that means 4 tools on each, period end of discussion.

Edited to add: take away that can opener and replace it with a pair of folding scissors and knock off the bail (replace with a small lanyard attachment on the frame, a la Victorinox and many others) and you have my idea of the Farm and Field version. Sawcut Derlin would be a lovely homage to Schrade/Ulster and others, btw.
 
Since this is just fantasy talk as I too believe the cost for GEC to make it would be too prohibitive...
I'd like to add a can opener to the mix.;)
The farm & field cover choices with 440C for the tools should help keep the cost down though.
And I'd want 440C because I wouldn't want a saw blade in carbon.
A carbon saw would dull pretty quick with the slightest bit of rust on those little teeth.
My 30 year old VIC Champ's saw is still sharp after much use & I doubt you'll find a 30 YO saw made of carbon steel that's still sharp.(unless it hasn't been used or it's been re-sharpened and what a pita re-sharpening one of these little saw blades would be.):barf:
Remington R4,lose the coping & add a punch.:thumbup:
Heck,lose the cap lifter & do a can opener like the VICs but with a wider/taller screw driver tip.
(Sorry,I don't drink & never use the lifter on any of my SAKs.)I know,I'm a heretic.:p :rolleyes:
DSCN0076.jpg
 
pinnah said:
It absolutely should be an equal end of some sort.

IMO, they should make 2 versions. One should be a retro-reproduction of the old New York type campers. The other should be in the Farm and Field line and should be US response to a modern SAK Soldier or Pioneer.

The retro-reproduction should have carbon steel blades, old-school standard implement (spear blade, awl, cap lifter screw driver, old style can opener)implements, brown jigged bone scales, bolsters with lines (I'm blanking on the term) and a bail.

The Farm and Field should have stainless blades (440C main blade), updated implements (spear blade, cap lifter screw driver, folding scissors (to replace the can opener) and a multi-function scraper blade (to replace the awl; namely the end should be a 2 prong phillips head like found on the Leatherman Micra, the flat side should be scored as a mini-file and one edge should be blunt beveled for scraping), derlin scales (any color other than red, which should be considered to be like kryptonite), plain bolsters and no bail. My choice for colors would be to make them in lock step with the Farm and Field sodbusters.

I've no real interest in the retro-reproduction one but I'd be on the Farm and Field version like a fly on honey.
Click to expand...

You Sir, are a wise, wise man. :D

Well put, indeed.
-Dan
 
As Trand stated, what is needed is a blend of the #53 & #68. #68 length with perhaps the #53 width? I love the idea of both the F&F version and the upscale and would buy both. The real cost lies in the tooling and offering both models would certainly help volume which in turns helps a little with cost allocation. If they can offer the French Kate they certainly can offer a Scout.
 
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