Congress pattern: black sheep of the family?

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SubSpace

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May 26, 2011
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I don't own a congress knife. Yet. But I am interested in them. Abe Lincoln carried one. Could there be better endorsement than that?
Yet, on the current GEC poll, the pattern isn't doing very well. I guess I'm wondering why.
I don't own one because, truthfully, I have never had one in hand. I don't know anyone personally who carries one. Four blade models with redundant blades kind of leave me with a feeling of overkill. But the half-Congress patterns and Courthouse whittlers really look like slim, useful EDC knives for an urban environment.
Why do I not see more of this pattern?
Do you have one? Pros? Cons?
Thanks.
Andrew
 
I have had my eye on the yellow bone and black micatra model for a while now. Mainly because I find that when I carry a stockman, the sheep's foot blade gets the most use. They are a little pricy, and I'm thinking they're on the heavy side too. I've heard people say that they don't like them for two main reasons, the blade redundancy, and the small blade to handle ratio. You should get one and let me know how you like it :)

On a side note, a guy I worked withs father had past away and left him some knives. The guys father was a farmer in Virginia. Well, the guy wanted to bring the knives into see if I could fix any of them up. When I looked in the box, every knife in there was a very well used Boker congress with the blades sharpened away to nothing. His father seemed to find the redundant blades very useful.
 
I like the pattern and I have congress knives from other makers (Case & Queen) but I don't own one from GEC and didn't vote for GEC's congress in the poll. I don't think the pattern is a black sheep. There are quite a few congress collectors. The vintage 88 pattern knives from Case sell for a lot of money.
 
I have a Queen #32 that I carry and find it to be a great working knife, prefer using the 4" to the 3 1/2" models. The D2 holds an edge well and isn't bad to sharpen once you get the hang of it.

The only thing I miss on a Congress is a large clip blade for food, other than that, you never seem to run out of sharp blades in a day.
 
I think this one is just a beautiful knife.
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My most used EDC is actually a #61 congress. It's gone along way towards giving my case stockman a well needed rest.

On the weight well it hasn't pulled me over in church yet.

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I prefer the half whittler, as blade redundancy leaves me cold. A two-blade should have a straight edge and one with a belly.

I carry this one, not often, but regularly (2-3 times per month). At 3-3/4" closed its the perfect size.

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I don't have a Congress yet, because I've always thought that they didn't have enough blade length for their size. I'd much rather have a stockman or whittler, where the main blade is almost the entire length of the frame, than have a knife whose main blade(s) are only about half the length of the frame.
...although the Queen Workhorse series offers a congress pattern for a low price, so I may check out one of those just to see if I like it.
 
Thanks for this thread -it reminds me that I have a sweet Congress pattern knife stored away for no good reason. It was my first from GEC and the knife that got me into the brand. I guess it's been packed up since my last move a year ago.

The particular blade redundancy of the Congress is great in my opinion because you can just snatch it out of your pocket and there's always a sheepsfoot in ready position. That, and you will not run out of sharp blades in a day. Reading what others have posted about blade to handle length ratio is interesting to consider, though I don't use my traditional pocketknives for food unless I'm at a barbeque or party, and in that case I take a different type of knife. In my estimation, the Congress is a great everyday pocketknife.

Here's mine, a GEC with black micarta:

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With Victorinox Soldier for size comparison:

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The pattern as made by GEC has half stops on all blades, which suits it perfectly. Nice, mellow pull. I think you'll enjoy it if you go for one.
-Plus, Abraham Lincoln [Vampire Hunter] carried one. ;):thumbup:
 
How could a knife such as this possibly be the "black sheep of the family"?

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Someone above said they hadn't gotten a Congress because they didn't think the Congress had enough blade compared to handle size.:confused: The knife pictured is 4 1/8" long with the two main blades being 2 3/4" long - plenty enough in order to get most anything done.

Congress pattern - black sheep of the family? - not hardly!
 
My path to a congress was via the stockman. I simply realized that I only used the sheepsfoot blade on my stockman. So of course I ran out and bought a knife with an extra sheepsfoot. That makes it MORE useful right?
 
I REALLY like the 620211. A simple, slim knife with just two blades (wharncliffe and coping). I like the fact that they are both straight edged blades which makes sharpening a complete breeze. I just don't know if I'm ready to throw one down when my stag peanut still has that new car smell.
 
Ed that Case is gorgeous and no blade redundancy. If more Congress knives were like that-- still, the GEC half congress with wharncliffe is calling to me. Just don't know about the coping secondary. That's almost redundant as well... Beautiful knives in any case, gentlemen.
 
SubSpace, find one like the one I showed in post #8 with the pen secondary and you're in bidness!

Even better than that, I'd like one with a clip main and a coping second.
 
I´ve been looking at a GEC Half Congress for a while, but I decided to get a #33. I gonna give it a try at my next order.

I own a small Orange Bone RR Congress. But somehow, it doesn´t find much pocket time.

The choices in the four blades are great, for sure. But I´d like to see more blade shapes for the bigger blades on those ones.

Kind regards
Andi
 
Not as nice as Ed's, but I did finally manage to land a 6488. It's been in my pocket since it arrived.

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