Will you expect top quality from the GEC #47 HAYN’ HELPER WITH HAWK BILL BLADE?

GEC has too much at stake IMHO to put out a subpar product. Their market is really a small niche in the scheme of things and I'd wager to say most, if not a large portion of their customer are active Bladeforums members. Their customers however, won't put up with shoddy quality or workmanship, and in this day and age will make sure every flaw is exploited on the forums if they receive a product that is the result of questionable quality control. I hope the best for GEC and want the F&F to be a major success.
 
Kevin, I'm not sure that I use my knives any harder... probably just more uptight... lately I haven't really been using my knives much at all but I've been traveling a lot. Eric, I always appreciate your insight.
 
Always a pleasure Jake! (Those Buck blades bother the heck out of me, I just wanna swedge 'em!).

Eric
 
This entire subject has been very vague regarding what exactly is "changing" with the F&F line.

I recently picked up a glow in the dark sodbuster, and the fit and finish seems to be about the same any Tidioute or Northfield, *the only difference that I am seeing is the lack of bolsters, high polishes, and deep swedges...

If something more significant in the realm of quality was going to change, then I would be concerned, but so far I just don't see much of a change at all.

(I expect the new models in this line to mirror the sodbusters in terms of quality)
 
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The sheepsfoot/pen looks to be the best patterns I've seen in a long time. A great functional knife is what I'm looking forward too even if the fit is not flawless. No wobble or blade rub and I'll be happy. Bad blade grinds I can fix in 30 mins.
 
whetrock said:
GEC has too much at stake IMHO to put out a subpar product. Their market is really a small niche in the scheme of things and I'd wager to say most, if not a large portion of their customer are active Bladeforums members. Their customers however, won't put up with shoddy quality or workmanship, and in this day and age will make sure every flaw is exploited on the forums if they receive a product that is the result of questionable quality control. I hope the best for GEC and want the F&F to be a major success.
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If that is the case, then the Hayin Helper line will fail. Because that is not the paradigm they have presented.

I can't help feeling that there are folks who aren't so worried about polish and shine, but rather want a really robust, well put together, traditional work knife in high carbon alloy steel or 440C, kind of a Buck 301 on steroids.

But, then that is the question GEC is trying to settle, isn't it. Is there a market for such a knife? I'd like to hope so. Certainly judging by this thread thread there are some who would buy such a knife and others who would not. Have to see how unpolished the new GEC line is and how many folks find that level acceptable.
 
I'm looking forward to the Hawkbill. My wife uses the heck out of her vintage hawbill for gardening. This would be a good excuse to get her a new one.
 
While I really like my Bullnose, I won't be buying a Hawkbill, just because I don't have a use for it. If my dad was still alive he'd be getting one from me though, that pattern was his favorite for skinning Romex. I just wish I could find his but unless it's buried in a bunch of stuff at mom's I figure it was lost along the way.

I may get the sheepsfoot model though, looks like it will be a nice pattern.
 
I won't be getting a #47 Hayin' Helper only because I have no need for one nor do I particularly like the pattern BUT when and if GEC comes out with the sheepsfoot version I will definitely get a couple no matter the finish or cover material. I'm sure the construction of the Farm & Field line knives from GEC will be just fine just as are the Farm & Field Bullnose knives I have so far. A scratch here and there?? - certainly nothing to get my skivvies in a snit about.
 
knarfeng said:
I can't help feeling that there are folks who aren't so worried about polish and shine, but rather want a really robust, well put together, traditional work knife in high carbon alloy steel or 440C, kind of a Buck 301 on steroids.
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I'm in that camp. I would gladly purchase (and likely be satisfied with) a knife that's built well, with the materials I prefer, but is less polished than a top-of-the-line model. Personally, I am hungry for a knife at a tool's price, since that's how I'll use it. Of course I appreciate the artistry that goes into the cutlery we all love, and have bought (and will continue to buy) many pieces based on that aesthetic. However, I'm definitely within the Hayin Helper line's target market: someone who works with his knife and demands that it be of top quality with regard to construction and materials (to ensure the longevity and reliability of the tool), but doesn't want to pay extra to have it mirror-polished.
 
I like and respect the whole philosophy behind the F&F line and understand that due to the price range they are trying to wiggle in to that we shouldn't expect the same level of quality as a Tidioute or Northfield. I guess what I'm driving at is I'm not for certain how well they will be received seeing as what I and most people are used to seeing from GEC to date are higher end production slipjoints that feature fit and finish not typical of just any mass produced knife. I'm going to most likely buy one when the chaos settles down and form my own opinion on the new lineup. Still I have a suspicion that some members here might set their hopes just a tad bit too high and start a GEC bashing thread or something when they receive a knife that isn't quite as shiny as their favorite Northfield. That might result in more harm than good for GEC. Maybe not. I do know there are people who would like to try a GEC and this might make a nice entry level folder for those curious in trying a totally new brand. Case dominates around here and I'm certain that with the right marketing that GEC could maybe knock a few of those old farmer's and rancher's beloved Delrin Case knives right out of their pockets.
 
Whetrock - I really hope we don't see GEC bashing. GEC gave a lot of folks what they wanted with this line. I say appreciate it or stay away from it. Nuff said?? :)
 
puukkoman said:
I'm in that camp. I would gladly purchase (and likely be satisfied with) a knife that's built well, with the materials I prefer, but is less polished than a top-of-the-line model. Personally, I am hungry for a knife at a tool's price, since that's how I'll use it. Of course I appreciate the artistry that goes into the cutlery we all love, and have bought (and will continue to buy) many pieces based on that aesthetic. However, I'm definitely within the Hayin Helper line's target market: someone who works with his knife and demands that it be of top quality with regard to construction and materials (to ensure the longevity and reliability of the tool), but doesn't want to pay extra to have it mirror-polished.
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There are so many excellent choices out there right now I am wondering what you are thinking that GEC will bring to the table that you can't buy now from different makers. There are plenty of domestic offerings with decades of proven hard-work track record to back them up, and plenty of quality working man's knives from our foreign friends as well.

They are priced well under GEC at this point, too. My lack of understanding on this product line is it seems they are reinventing the wheel at a higher price. No doubt the GEC knives will be good working knives, but with so many out there considered blue collar standards (for decades!) at a lower price I think it is a bold move, to say the least.

I am am hoping it is a success, too. Anything that would keep another American knife company afloat here is just fine and dandy, no matter their product.

Robert
 
I think the overall intent of this line is to give GEC's users a slightly more affordable work knife.
I see no intent to make a knife with lesser quality then the ones that have surpassed it. Mr. Howard is not the money hungry kind of guy just hoping someone will buy a knife just because of a name. GEC has gained a lot of business thanks to the online world and I'm sure they have lost some over bad first impressions. But, quality is the reason their knives sell.

If GEC wanted to sacrifice quality for cash, they would have done that already and the first Bull Nose work knives would have been lacking.
I see these knives being made with the same attention to detail as the others, just with less focus on a more perfect finish and less use of natural materials.

But, as soon as someone gets one and there is a slight problem, there will be an uproar.
 
So the #47 Hayn' Helper hawkbill is a delrin handled, shadow pattern hawkbill with carbon (O1?) tool steel, and a price point around $50-55?

What do I expect?

My ideal, perfect utility knife. Actually, I might prefer a sheepsfoot, although I'd prefer it single blade rather than the SBJ. Or a single blade wharncliffe trapper with the handles in the normal arrangement. Whatever they come out with, I'm sure I'll find at least one knife in the F&F line that I'll love. I have a Bull Nose Red Neck (orange), and it's a great knife, but for my purposes, I like a blade with a edge-forward tip, and the sodbuster is the opposite of that.
 
midnight flyer said:
There are so many excellent choices out there right now I am wondering what you are thinking that GEC will bring to the table that you can't buy now from different makers. There are plenty of domestic offerings with decades of proven hard-work track record to back them up, and plenty of quality working man's knives from our foreign friends as well.

They are priced well under GEC at this point, too. My lack of understanding on this product line is it seems they are reinventing the wheel at a higher price. No doubt the GEC knives will be good working knives, but with so many out there considered blue collar standards (for decades!) at a lower price I think it is a bold move, to say the least.
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These are valid points, and it remains to be seen who will actually be the true market for these "sodbuster" types from GEC. Are they trying to give the GEC faithful a more affordable "hard use" type knife, or are they going after a whole new audience in a crowded field where many adequate choices already live?

I will first state that I am a big fan of the current GEC offerings, and although many of them are not my style, I think the Tidioute #33 Conductor that I carry every day is the nicest production knife that I have ever owned (and I'm old;). But I am also a student of history, and I can't help but recall automobile giant GM's foray into the "luxury compact car" segment thirty years ago.

In the early 1980s, after the US had weathered a couple of hiccups in the world oil markets, General Motors determined the country was possibly becoming more interested in fuel-efficient vehicles. While this prophecy has turned out to be right on the money, it was a very different world in 1981 than it is today, and gasoline was still quite cheap and seemingly in a limitless supply. Regardless, GM introduced the Cadillac Cimarron, the first "economy Cadillac". Although still wearing many of the Cadillac bells and whistles, it was powered by a little four cylinder (not even in the same ballpark as today's refined four bangers) engine and built on the same platform as GM's Chevy Cavalier.

Well, despite noble intentions, sales of the Cadillac Cimarron were disastrous and considered one of GM's colossol marketing failures. Although still too expensive for the masses who had a true need for a workhorse of a car to get to work every day, the true roadblock of the Cimarron was the Cadillac loyalists themselves. Loud and clear, they told GM that "they were Cadillac owners and drivers, and certainly wouldn't be looking in the Cadillac market if they wanted a watered down, less expensive car, even if it did wear a Cadillac badge. After poor sales of the Cimarron for five or six years in a row, GM shelved the model.

So, who is the target audience GEC envisions with their "less refined" worker bee line of tools soon to hit the market. Is it the current GEC crowd willing to "dress down" for a weekend in the country, or would they like to introduce the GEC brand to a whole new segment that up to now has been plenty satisfied with their stout work knives that were easily affordable on a ploughman's wages?

As with so many things, time will tell.
 
never handled or even seen a great eastern product in person. based on their pricing they are simply not affordable working knives, however well made and beautiful they may be. great easterns pricing has placed them in a sort of collector/pocket jewelry niche. nothing wrong with that. its just that i dont think many laborers would buy a great eastern knife when they could buy two or three quality, bulletproof knives for the same price. (or lord knows how many flea market or yard sale knives lol).
that said, if great eastern is putting out products around the fifty dollar range then there is potential to sell their knives to people who wouldnt ever spend a hundred-plus bucks on a pocketknife. and if that potential remains unrealized then, well, lol, they can sell the idea of an old-fashioned workingmans knife
 
wouldestous said:
that said, if great eastern is putting out products around the fifty dollar range then there is potential to sell their knives to people who wouldnt ever spend a hundred-plus bucks on a pocketknife
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I suppose there is always potential there, as you say. But will those folks who wouldn't spend a hundred bucks on a very nice pocketknife spend $50-60 on a sodbuster-type knife, when there are proven ones out there for half that?
 
Nauplios said:
I suppose there is always potential there, as you say. But will those folks who wouldn't spend a hundred bucks on a very nice pocketknife spend $50-60 on a sodbuster-type knife, when there are proven ones out there for half that?
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Good question. The rough rider next to the small Case soddie is Micarta, build like a tank, sharp as a razor and 9 bucks.

I personally think that GEC should stick to raising the bar on their high end knives.

Regards

Robin
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Any pattern mock ups yet, or artwork?

Interested, but I did not see anything on their website.
 
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