First impressions from GEC compared to my Rough Ryders from a traditionally un-trad-knife guy. Main point is Case, though (?)

[Johnnythefox]

Growing up one of my sisters liked chihuahuas i referred to them as texas rats another liked teacup poodles and the other liked homely sickly strays,myself I liked huskies and mastiff breeds.whats that have to do with case,rr,gec im not sure.but I own 6 case peanuts and all are excellent except one which had a few issues. But case makes a danm good peanut.not sure of a gec equivalent,and if there is one I don't think it would be worth the extra coin because of case peanut quality. Now the bigger gec that is another story.mind you most of my case mini trappers are fairly God quality except the light pull,but gec pulls are mostly heading it that direction of late.

We called sausage dogs long wheel base rats in the Army (as we had LWB and SWB Land Rovers).

 

[Viper84]

After some USPS shenanigans, this knife arrived today. I want to like this knife, but my Case quality suspicions were correct. The positives are that the walk and talk are good, the blades are sharp (although they have sloppy burrs and look like they were sharpened with 40 grit sandpaper), and no bolster to cover gaps are present.

However:
Some pretty ugly backspring gaps.
The main blade rocks up and down in the open position.
The main blade's spring is sunken at the open position while the secondary blade's spring is proud at the open position.

Should I send it back and give Case one more try?

Heh, thanks case!

 

[Slice-E]

After some USPS shenanigans, this knife arrived today. I want to like this knife, but my Case quality suspicions were correct. The positives are that the walk and talk are good, the blades are sharp (although they have sloppy burrs and look like they were sharpened with 40 grit sandpaper), and no bolster to cover gaps are present.

However:
Some pretty ugly backspring gaps.
The main blade rocks up and down in the open position.
The main blade's spring is sunken at the open position while the secondary blade's spring is proud at the open position.

Should I send it back and give Case one more try?

Heh, thanks case!

I REALLY want to give case a try, but I think my money is better spent saving for another GEC. Case has some beautiful patterns, but they mostly just run stainless and it's a gamble when it comes to fit and finish. I may have to hunt down an older case with good fit and finish however, looking at some of the 1970s barlows.

 

[jmh33]

After some USPS shenanigans, this knife arrived today. I want to like this knife, but my Case quality suspicions were correct. The positives are that the walk and talk are good, the blades are sharp (although they have sloppy burrs and look like they were sharpened with 40 grit sandpaper), and no bolster to cover gaps are present.

However:
Some pretty ugly backspring gaps.
The main blade rocks up and down in the open position.
The main blade's spring is sunken at the open position while the secondary blade's spring is proud at the open position.

Should I send it back and give Case one more try?

Heh, thanks case!

None of that would bother me in the least!!
We are all different I suppose?!?!
John

 

[brownshoe]

None of that would bother me in the least!!
We are all different I suppose?!?!
John

I agree and it’s $67.

 

[Reconmarui]

I have three (pre-2015) Case: Sodbuster Jr, A Teardrop with Damascus Wharnciffe blade, and a CV Canoe.
All have no issues. All were gifted to me. Of the three, the canoe gets the most pocket time.

I have four GEC: '22 BF Bunny Knife number 291 (a gift), a number 14 Barlow (won in a give-a-way), a number 85 Harness Jack (a gift), and a number 82 Stockman (a gift).
Great knives, but they don't get much pocket time. (the bunny knife has had the most; over 4 months, but not consecutivly. The stockman is carried more than the other two.)
I know I have "destroyed" all the "collector value" of my GEC's. They have all been carried, used, sharpened, and have a patina on (all) the blade(s).
Reason they don't get much carry time: If something happened to them, I would never be able to replace it in this lifetime: both cost AND availability. They are special occasion carry for the most part.

Buck slipjoints: Standard 301, the '18 BF 2 blade 301 "stockman", a 389 Canoe, and three 371 stockmans. I had a 373 (offshore version of the 303, to see if I liked the size) I gifted the 373 to a friend, after determing a "medium" stockman is not for me.
I know they aren't, but the "Medium" stockman look ... "flimsy" ... in hand, ("Precepton is reality") and are "too small". (Even though I like a 3.062 to 3.5 inch Barlow. )

I also have a XL offshore Buck Trapper, but don't recall the number, and don't have access to it now, anyway. It was one of the TV "Professional" fisherman's model from SMKW, back in 2016 or 2017.

My one complaint on the Trapper?
The Wharncliffe secondry blade has Micro serratons.
I detest/loathe serrations.
Even my bread knives don't have them. Yes. I can slice a fresh baked loaf of bread with them without crushing the bread.
Unlike that fraud "Chef Tony" I know how to slice bread without crushing it.

No issues with the Buck's, tho to be honest, I like the bolsters of the offshore 371's better than the domestic 301's.
The bolsters on the domestic knives are much, much thinner. I "think" the offshore 371's provide better support to the pivot pins.
I do prefer the "light" IMHO "3" to "4" pull on the 301 and 303.
The offshore knives are a consistent Victorinox 85mm and larger like "5".

Rough Rider/Ryder:
I only have around 60 of them in various patterns, including but not limited to: Stockman (9), Barlow (9), Canoe (9), Moose (5) two styles Spey blades; extra belly (1) standard Spey blade (4), Loom Fixer (1), Marlin Spike (1) Sunfish/Elephant Toe (large) (3)Two 4" closed Sleeve board and one 4.25 inch closed equal end.
I don't have any of the Rough Ryder Reserve line.
They are out of my budget.

I agree that RR has the best edges (edge angle, sharpness, evenness) out of the box.

None of my RR needed introduction to a sharpening stone or even a strop out of the box. (Tho a 60+ years habit of stropping the blades of a new knife first thing, whether it "needs" it or not, is difficult to break. Oh well. Dry stropping don't hurt anything.)
I did reset the angle and thin the edges on my Case, GEC, and (425HC) Buck knives, first thing when I got them.
I'm sorry, but 30 degrees inclusive or higher is not "sharp".

(30 degrees inclusive is what 4 generations on both sides of my family was unanimous about being the proper angle on a axe/hatchet/ tomahawk and Adze. Knives and cleavers were 20 to 25 degrees inclusive.

Maternal grandfather (c1916-1966) was a carpenter. He used a hatchet/roofing hatchet daily on the job.

Maternal great grandfather (1892-1974) was a farmer. He used an axe and hatchet every day on the farm. He also owned an Adze.
(he inherited it from his da) but I don't know how often he used it, outside of helping a neighbor built a barn, shed, or other outbuilding. (or constructing an outbuilding on his farm.)

Maternal great-great grandmother (c.1869-1963) was also knowlageable and skilled with use of an axe, hatchet, and Adze. I think Great-Great Grandpa had a farm before moving to town and opening a general store.
Great-Great Grandma was of "Native American" descent (I don't know what tribe or Nation.) I don't know the conditions of her childhood and teen years, but she did tell me once her dad took her deer hunting the first time when she was 7 or 8. She went deer hunting every year after until she was 90 or 91 and could not walk so good no more. I know she was a crack shot with bow, (and knew how to make a wood self bow and the arrows for it using reeds) rifle, and revolver. I'm pretty sure she knew how to toss a knife and hatchet or tomahawk to good effect, as well.
Truth to tell, she was a cool "little old lady". I was 8 when she passed, so I did get some time (not enough) to spend with her.
At any rate, I figure (then and now) they knew what they were talking about when it come to edge angles and how to sharpen freehand,

The pull on all my RR is a consistant 4 or 5 on all the blades on any one knife.
(Stockman's without a half stop are a Buck 301 like "4": with a half stop a smooth "5".
Patterns other than a stockman are a "4.5" to "5" pull on all the blades.)

The RR knives I have are all as good as or better than the more expensive knives, insofar as fit and finish is concerned. (excluding the big underlined "R" on the bolsters of the patterns that feature it.)

The heat treat on their 440A stainless steel, and T-10 carbon steel is at least as good as that of my vintage Imperial-Schrade family of brands knives with 440A "Schrade+" blades, and their 1095 carbon steel bades.
"Top Notch" in other words.

NOT a "popular" opinion, but I have found the post 2004 offshore Schrade and Old Timer knives to be "better" than the pre-2004 domestic Schrade and Old Timer knives. ("Better" because the Swinden Key construction was finally dropped in 2004.)
The blade steel may be 7CR15Mov and 9CR18MoV (3CR whatever MoV for the Imperials, which I have not tried) but they hold an edge at least as well as the domestic knives did/do, and the factory edge angles are close to what the pre-2004 knives came with.
My only "complaint" is no carbon steel blades on the offshore produced knives.

For the best "Bang For the Buck" it is difficult to top the Rough Ryder.

OH!!! One other advantage of the Buck and Rough Rider over Case and GEC:
The Warrantee/Guarantee.

Both Case and GEC's warrantee/guarantee is valid for the original purchaser, WITH PROOF OF PURCHASE.
If you are not the original owner (excluding Case and GEC, and the dealerships and brokers before it was sold to the consumer) OR you ARE the "original" owner, but lost the original receipt, the knife is "out of warrantee". The Warrantee/Guarantee is null and void.
Obviously, they CAN repair a knife out of warrantee, for little or nothing if they choose to do so (and can do so without setting precident) but they are under zero obligation to do so.

Since all my GEC and Case were gifts, the warratee/guarantee is null and void on my knives.

Buck and Rough Ryder don't care if you are the original purchaser, or if you have proof of purchase.

Find a Buck or Rough Rider that has been lost in the woods for 20 plus years, or on the bottom of a river/crick/stream/lake/pond/ or even ocean for 20 plus years? It is still under the lifetime warrantee/guarantee!
(RR will replace with a knife the same pattern, since they don't have parts or a repair department.
Buck will repair if they have the parts, or replace with the closest current production model.)
Buck has e SPA program, in which you can have your old knife restored to like new condition for around $8. (a blade replacement (current production 420HC blade only. Advanced steels usually not available, even if the knife originally had aS30V, 440C, CPM154, etc blade.) adds something like $10 (if the blade not replaceable under warranty due to abuse/misuse/broken/over sharpened, etc) to the cost of a SPA.

I have sent a number of knives to case including some flea marker specials. Never have been asked for proof of purchase, YMMV.