Yankee Jacks #77 2025

SteveC said:
Yes, it’s pretty disappointing that the quality control isn't there.
Click to expand...
If you’re having action issues with the 77s, your best bet is to send it to GEC for warranty service ASAP. The dealers won’t have any left to exchange, but GEC will either fix it or send you an extra they have at their store.
 
I talked to my dealer and he said to send it back to GEC. He was going to call them for me and let them know what the issue was.


I took these pictures this morning before I pack it up.

Stay tuned


20250319_073705.jpg

almost there

20250319_073719.jpg


open

20250319_073729.jpg

It will close from here with a nudge

20250319_073743.jpg
 
yvCAGOg.jpg

Well, mine too came with a lot of compound in the joint. So much so that it had to be pushed from half stop all the way to open. Flushed it a few times and it improved. Carried it for the last 5 days, cut everything from cucumbers, apples, and tomatoes to shrink wrap, banding, and boxes. It preformed flawlessly. Over that time the action continued to improve, so much so that it's almost spot on at this point. Smooth and snappy.

Interestingly enough I've had similar experiences with every 77 that I have owned (1st in 2019). Fairly unremarkable action out of the tube, then with flushing and use they become smooth as silk with some of the best action. It makes me wonder if the 77 pattern is prone to catching more compound than others or if I just randomly caught 4 outliers? Anyway, don't give up on the run they may need just a bit more love.
 
Jiki said:
yvCAGOg.jpg

Well, mine too came with a lot of compound in the joint. So much so that it had to be pushed from half stop all the way to open. Flushed it a few times and it improved. Carried it for the last 5 days, cut everything from cucumbers, apples, and tomatoes to shrink wrap, banding, and boxes. It preformed flawlessly. Over that time the action continued to improve, so much so that it's almost spot on at this point. Smooth and snappy.

Interestingly enough I've had similar experiences with every 77 that I have owned (1st in 2019). Fairly unremarkable action out of the tube, then with flushing and use they become smooth as silk with some of the best action. It makes me wonder if the 77 pattern is prone to catching more compound than others or if I just randomly caught 4 outliers? Anyway, don't give up on the run they may need just a bit more love.
Click to expand...
This is a relief! 😆
 
It is a little sad for me to read about all of the issues with the new 77's . The 77's are the reason that I started collecting Northfields back in 2015 . Yes , we had to Flush them out , but then they had great Snap and I carried my Old Red a lot . They are still my favorite Barlows . I have enough of the older ones with steel liners that I did not get any of the new ones . The clip blade below is the one that I carry and the Sheepfoot has never been carried or used . Just waiting for the clip one to get worn out first . Someday the Sheepfoot may be given away ??????
r1nEKkx.jpg


Harry
 
Old Engineer said:
It is a little sad for me to read about all of the issues with the new 77's . The 77's are the reason that I started collecting Northfields back in 2015 . Yes , we had to Flush them out , but then they had great Snap and I carried my Old Red a lot . They are still my favorite Barlows . I have enough of the older ones with steel liners that I did not get any of the new ones . The clip blade below is the one that I carry and the Sheepfoot has never been carried or used . Just waiting for the clip one to get worn out first . Someday the Sheepfoot may be given away ??????
r1nEKkx.jpg


Harry
Click to expand...

that clip looks great still Harry! you may wear the sawcut down but that blade looks like its got a lot of life left! i dont think well see a gec worn down in this generation. id be curious tho.
 
Jiki said:
yvCAGOg.jpg

Well, mine too came with a lot of compound in the joint. So much so that it had to be pushed from half stop all the way to open. Flushed it a few times and it improved. Carried it for the last 5 days, cut everything from cucumbers, apples, and tomatoes to shrink wrap, banding, and boxes. It preformed flawlessly. Over that time the action continued to improve, so much so that it's almost spot on at this point. Smooth and snappy.

Interestingly enough I've had similar experiences with every 77 that I have owned (1st in 2019). Fairly unremarkable action out of the tube, then with flushing and use they become smooth as silk with some of the best action. It makes me wonder if the 77 pattern is prone to catching more compound than others or if I just randomly caught 4 outliers? Anyway, don't give up on the run they may need just a bit more love.
Click to expand...

That's good to hear ! No amount of flushing would have remedied the action on mine. I hope that mine is just a bad one that slipped through the cracks and that we won't be hearing of too many more bad apples on this run.

I wish we would hear from more people with these and the other Tidioute version on how their action is.
 
Last edited:
SteveC said:
I talked to my dealer and he said to send it back to GEC. He was going to call them for me and let them know what the issue was.


I took these pictures this morning before I pack it up.

Stay tuned


View attachment 2823507

almost there

View attachment 2823508


open

View attachment 2823509

It will close from here with a nudge

View attachment 2823510
Click to expand...

That's a shame, Steve. It really is a fantastic looking knife. I hope that GEC takes good care of you.

The only 77 I have coming from this run is the Red Sawcut Barlow from Mike so I hope it is in line with my other 77 Barlows.
 
Pàdruig said:
That's a shame, Steve. It really is a fantastic looking knife. I hope that GEC takes good care of you.

The only 77 I have coming from this run is the Red Sawcut Barlow from Mike so I hope it is in line with my other 77 Barlows.
Click to expand...

Thanks Dylan, I hope so too. I also have a Barlow form Mike reserved so hopefully there won't be any issues with those.
 
SteveC said:
That's good to hear ! No amount of flushing would have remedied the action on mine. I hope that mine is just a bad one that slipped through the cracks and that we won't be hearing of too many more bad apples on this run.

I wish he would hear from more people with these and the other Tidioute version on how their action is.
Click to expand...
Just got mine today. It is a very light pull on the main blade, a 4 in my opinion. Not really what I was expecting since my 771218 Barlow is around a 7 pull. There is not much snap from open to half stop either, probably because of the light spring. Overall I am a bit let down with mine. Once I get my richlite model, I'll let you know how they compare.
 
The problem is that what you folks are speaking about is subjective. Some customers prefer a soft pull some prefer a firm pull. At the end of the day the spring's job is to hold the blade open and closed. So to the manufacturer if the spring can accomplish that task it will pass QC. Everything else is a preference of the end user, mass produced items cannot be produced to meet such a wide variety of preferences. Not to mention the variance in individual perception. Someone with strong hands feels all pulls are soft, with weak hands all pulls are hard. Unfortunately the solution would be brick and mortar stores where the customer can touch and examine the product before purchase, instead of buying online and hoping it meets their expectations. GEC may not exist without the power of the internet, however it's not the best way to buy a knife.
 
It seems like with spring geometry and heat treatment being so repeatable that GEC would be able to make everything a 6.5 as God intended, but I have no way of knowing if this is true or not!

Seems like the walk and talk should be down to a science by now, but if it was easy then anyone could make cool trad knives.

I will still buy a 77 if given a chance, because, well just because.
 
Jiki said:
The problem is that what you folks are speaking about is subjective. Some customers prefer a soft pull some prefer a firm pull. At the end of the day the spring's job is to hold the blade open and closed. So to the manufacturer if the spring can accomplish that task it will pass QC. Everything else is a preference of the end user, mass produced items cannot be produced to meet such a wide variety of preferences. Not to mention the variance in individual perception. Someone with strong hands feels all pulls are soft, with weak hands all pulls are hard. Unfortunately the solution would be brick and mortar stores where the customer can touch and examine the product before purchase, instead of buying online and hoping it meets their expectations. GEC may not exist without the power of the internet, however it's not the best way to buy a knife.
Click to expand...

I agree with you for the most part. Most people agree that a five pull is close to what SAK's are and they are very consistent.
There is an expectation that a knife will be close to what it was in previous runs. When a spring is soft enough that the blade struggles to snap open or closed and there is minimum tension holding it open then there's a problem that should have been caught in QC. Again I'm hoping that this isn't a widespread issue and hopefully most will be good to go.

The BF Bunny knife IMO has the perfect pull and action for a Jack knife like the 77.



Elgatodeacero said:
It seems like with spring geometry and heat treatment being so repeatable that GEC would be able to make everything a 6.5 as God intended, but I have no way of knowing if this is true or not!
Click to expand...

You would think so 🙂👍
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top