Which GEC to choose?

[Humppa]

Hi guys!

I need your help.

I´m planning to buy a GEC this year. Just need to save money for that. After looking through the offerings, I´m a little bit confused about the amount of patterns which are offered. There I need to know some specs, I have to buy them in the US. That means shipping over the Atlantic including costumes and taxes and all the stuff.
I don´t have a jackknife, til now. There are many patterns worth for watching. I´d like to have one with bone scales; they always look great on the pics, the mainblade should be a clipblade. All the sizes are given up to in inches, where I can´t really realize the size. There are some nice Harness Jacks, Serpentine Jacks or Dogleg Jacks which I would be beautiful. Or any other pattern, Furtaker Trapper also seems to be nice. Man, man, man too much about thinking on it for the first GEC.
In-hand-pics could help better deciding that one.
What would you guys take for the first GEC - Northfield or Tidioute?
Which pattern would be the best for beginning the GEC addiction (I know, that can´t be answered objective. But I, personally, tend to any jackknife)?

I don´t know, when I gonna order any GEC, but I want some inspirations from you guys, which use and carry their GEC as an EDC.

Thank you for your help!

Kind regards
Andi

 

[Modoc ED]

This GEC Northfield Powderhorn would be worth considering. The knife is 4" long closed and the clip blade is 2 7/8" long. These are handy knives and carry well in the pocket.

 

[johnny twoshoes]

Ed has started the suggestions off perfectly.
The Powderhorn Jack is an extremely useful pattern, it offers a lot of blade for you buck without being to big for the pocket. The #56 Dogleg jack is just a bit more pocketable, but you loose some blade size. I really like both of these knives and I would have an extremely hard time deciding which one to stick with, but the are both great choices.

I just so happen to have an okay in hand pic of a #56.

But, then again those Powderhorns are lots of fun.

:thumbup:

 

[Humppa]

Thank you, fellas!

The powderhorn jack seems to be a nice knife.

Well, the dogleg jack seems is be a great knife, too. The in-hand-pic helps a lot for realizing the size of the knife.

Now, I have also the powderhorn jack on the radar. It´s getting more difficult than I thought...

Thank you Johnny & Ed.

Kind regards
Andi

 

[Will Power]

Andi, the compelling thing about GEC is the varied range of knives they offer, doesn't make choosing easy though I know.

The ones I particularly like are: the 56 Dogleg, 33 Conductor (formidable amount of Clip blade on a small frame) 73 single blade, 25 Jack and single blade, 85 Bullet End Jack, 48 single blade.

Too hard to say wether Tidioute or Northfield, all depends on the scales and the pattern on any given knife. Some Tidioutes are better than Northfields and vice-versa, entirely a matter of individual taste.

As for dimensions, I've got a very handy ruler, and it's an old fashioned carpenter's ruler from Sweden. Metric at the top, Imperial (don't know if Americans use THAT term though...) bottom. One inch = 2.54cm. Worth noting that GEC knives are a thicker more robust gauge than most CASE, Queen or Böker etc making for a heavier knife in the pocket inch(cm)for inch. This may be a consideration.

Now you have to decide on handle materials, the best and the most difficult part very often! Stag, Bone (jigged/smooth), Woods, Acrylics, some Micarta??? One thing, GEC do all of these really well. Another, one WON'T be enough I'm afraid......

Regards, Will

 

[HuntBomb]

You won't be disappointed with any GEC...Northfield or Tidioute (although Northfield is supposed to be higher quality)
There are so many different pattern configurations and materials that you can never have enough.
I now have 7 and only started collecting them about 3 months ago. Very addictive.
I carry my #66 Calf Roper in stag most often.

 

[abcdef]

Use this to convert inches to mm. Use decimals (4 1/2" = 4.5") for the inch values.

If you want something a little short, look at the 3" models; the 4" and over will be noticeably longer. Just my opinion, but the 89 to 92 mm range is about ideal for pocket carry. Enjoy.

 

[abcdef]

Here's calculator link:

http://www.militaryfactory.com/conversioncalculators/length_inches_to_millimeters.asp

 

[knarfeng]

In-hand-pics could help better deciding that one.

ind regards
Andi

I only have one in-hand picture, Andi.
Dogleg jack held in my small-medium sized hand:

 

[black mamba]

I recommend a Northfield for your first GEC. They have more about them to enjoy, like fancy bolsters (lined and/or pinched and slanted), polished blades with cut swedges and long pulls (not all models) and nicer handle materials. Burnt stag and primitive bone are both beautiful, but it's nice to see pictures before you buy because they are so varied in their look.

The Northfield #56 Dogleg Jack is 8.8 cm long closed. Here is mine in primitive bone with the clip main blade.

 

[seadweller]

I really enjoy carrying the #85 Bullet End Jack pattern. I have a Charlie's Harness Jack in ebony and last year's forum knife. Good luck with your selection, GEC makes great slip joints!

 

[whetrock]

The #56 dogleg jack is hard to beat for a general use EDC knife also if you like smaller knives like pen knives you'd love the #33 Conductor it's on the smaller side but in no way impractical.

 

[markpmc]

You're getting some solid advice.

1. Decide about how large you want to go. 3.5"-4" generally makes for a good EDC size.
2. Number of blades desired.
3. Available handle material.

IMO and it's only my opinion, the size and the the right combination of blades trumps the handle every time.

My first GEC was a #23 Stag Pioneer. Still the only stag I own, it generally stays in my bag. But it does make it to my back pocket once a week.



Mark

 

[meako]

2.5 cm = 1 inch

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hope this helps.

 

[The Government]

Like it has already been said, Variation is what makes these things so great! You can end up buying 10-15 of them with no combination or pattern being quite the same -and then there are handle materials to think about. Enjoy the search!:thumbup:

 

[lambertiana]

I don't have any in-hand shots, but I do have pics of some of mine. I just measured all of them with my ruler, these are the closed lengths.

My favorite is the #73; I have both ebony and bone, and I am showing the bone model since that is what you like. 9.5 cm

#56 Dogleg and #66 Jack, 8.9 cm and 8.8 cm respectively

Toothpick 10.2 cm

Furtaker trapper, 10.4 cm

 

[Gevonovich]

Andi...good luck my friend. There are so many choices and they are all so appealing.

Lambertiana...is your Furtaker Trapper in Bubinga?

 

[avoidspam]

Hi Andi

I find if a particular model grabs my interest I will Google the name and model number together with the word 'forum' you can then select posts, images and sometimes video's about the knife. This will give you more of an impression of the knife

Sam

'Person's attempting to find a motive in this narrative will be prosecuted; persons attempting to find a moral in it will be banished; persons attempting to find a plot in it will be shot.'
Mark Twain

 

[Will Power]

I don't have any in-hand shots, but I do have pics of some of mine. I just measured all of them with my ruler, these are the closed lengths.


#56 Dogleg and #66 Jack, 8.9 cm and 8.8 cm respectively

I really like that Rotten Banana Bone and the slant bolsters, makes my Tidioute version look economy model....

 

[Humppa]

Hi guys!

Thank you all, for the great replies and the great pics, they did really help!

Well, I´d like any GEC with bone handles. I like the feeling of the material. It´s good to hear, that GECs are a little bit thicker than Case knives. I like Case, but the handles are really a little bit thin.

As I have already seen, some of the Tidioutes and Northfields are sometimes at the same prize range. I haven´t heard any negative about Tidioute neither on Northfield. So I think, I let decide which knife I like more.

I think, any jackknife-pattern would make a nice addition to my little, but growing collection. The dogleg jack seems to be really nice.

To my Case knives, I prefer the Medium Stockman size. I have two US made Schrade Old Timer Stockman which have about 8,2 cm lenth closed. Makes also nice in the pocket and in the hand. So think about 3,5"- 4" would make a nice EDC. Thank you for the tip on the 2,54 cm per inch.

Maybe that knife (which I still have to decide me), will be ordered in the first half of 2012.

Kind regards
Andi