Do you use your GEC knives?

Zachary Reed said:
I just recently steered towards traditionals. I've almost exclusively carried spydercos along with a victorinox explorer but the SAK blade is rarely used. I've been spoiled by one handed operation and stainless super steels but I think we all have a soft spot for slipjoints. I dug up an old gec #15 that I never use and made that my daily. Time spent opening and closing a knife has not been significantly increased. I have a #21 coming in the mail and I'm looking forward to expanding my collection.
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Welcome to the traditionals Porch my friend . Have a good time expanding your collection .

Harry
 
I use some, some I don't. I tend to buy what I find interesting for one reason or another (ooh...shiny :) ). I have a couple of knives a friend of mine labeled, "too pretty to use". :p

rpstrimple said:
It all comes down to having too many knives lol.
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And not enough stuff to cut :D

22-rimfire said:
I like just about all the GEC's. The only one I can honestly say I didn't like is the sodbuster. Just didn't like the blade shape for day to day use.
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I had the same reaction to my 71 so I gave it to a friend of mine who had never heard of GEC, but appreciates fine things.
 
I have two that are in my steady rotation for pocket time and use. I have others that just sit in a drawer. For me it's pretty much pattern, and when I find one I really like that gets used. I've been using my Congress Jack (the BF 2013 knife) steady ever since it arrived in the mail. It's my most carried knife.
 
I candidly have more GEC knives in my collection than I will ever use. I'm primarily a collector, and don't feel bad about it in the slightest. I do rotate several of them as carry knives and when I DO use those several, they're for tasks that couldn't honestly be called "hard use". Opening mail, cutting a shirt thread, food prep/eating, etc. About as EDC as it gets. With my GECs, I have two or three that I've designated as "food use", chosen because I didn't mind if they developed a patina, as I like to keep the rest in patina-free condition.

I like having them, and enjoy seeing what new things GEC will come up with.
 
robertj298 said:
I only have 3 or 4 GEC knives that I bought 5 or 6 years ago and have actually only carried and used a couple. I think the ones I haven't used are probably worth more than what I paid so are they devalued by using them and if they are why use them? I usually carry a case knife and while the quality is hit or miss, the good ones are every bit as good as the GECs at 1/3 the cost.
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I have one Hawthorne Jack and I bought it to use, which I do (though infrequently). They really are outstanding tools!

Zieg
 
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Do I use 'em? Yep. Mesquite 23 LL....

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I've found I'm really picky about what I like in a knife so I find myself buying and re-selling quite a few, some non-users I keep because I might like an aspect or two but not the entirety and they usually end up being gifts, I've also sold users, if they're knives people want and they're in good shape they can retain most if not all value and sometimes a little more (also depends on if they have flaws which are less desirable and you'll usually lose a few percent just because of that), I'd say if you want to keep them as a store of value maybe don't use them
 
JohnDF said:
And I think the time spent focused on opening and closing the knife adds to the joy of using them.
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Sure does. Just in general, they require more maintenace. The cleaning, sharpening, and upkeep is just more ways to enjoy the knife. I thought I wanted something to throw in my pocket and not have to worry about, quite the opposite.
 
Jiki said:
I personally buy the knives I like and I use the knives I buy. They are not an investment to me they are an enjoyment. Others may have a different point of view and that's fine, it's just not mine. Hopefully eventually all of my knives will be priceless when I give them to my children and one day grandchildren.
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I totally agree ! Out of my GEC collection I have 11users which I have 2 in my pocket at the same time. If ever I wanted to sell the users I suppose I’d get more than I paid for them at the time. Who cares I just enjoy them
John
 
HEMI 49 said:
My knives are 98% safe queens...... I have no one in the family that has any interest in them...... My wife thinks collecting knives is "silly"........ So if I kick the bucket before her, she can sell my "silly" knives to pay for my funeral.......
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Two years since I wrote the above ^^^^ reply and my answer to this thread is the same..... As time goes on my wife can have an ever expanding yard sale......
 
Got lots I dont use gec an Case and others....like a bowerbird I'm attracted to colour....value? Hopefully goes up ....meanwhile...
 
Yes I use all my GEC knives. If I buy one and don't like it I sell for what I paid and move it along. I guess I would call it a working collection. Using and carrying the knife is what makes it enjoyable to me. I don't really look at knives as an investment. The good thing about knives just as in life is there are many ways to do things. I use mine and you may cherish your collection and keep them mint. That is perfectly fine and makes us knife bros.
 
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HEMI 49 said:
Two years since I wrote the above ^^^^ reply and my answer to this thread is the same..... As time goes on my wife can have an ever expanding yard sale......
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If we lived closer to your Wife's Yard Sale , I would buy one .
I do not use many of my GEC knives , but I do use some of them . I find my Sudbuster getting into my pocket a lot . I have a bunch of Case knives that I will sometimes carry but never use . I want to carry a tool that I have confidence in to get the job done , and I feel that a GEC , and my old TEWs , do that for me . Many in my extended family are interested in getting their hands on my GECs but they have no idea of what they are worth so my wife will also have the same problem as your wife will have .

Harry
 
Users are my thing, but I also like a well made, beautiful knife and to be honest, its right up there in importance with functionality when Im chosing one. Patina, handle wear etc often make a knife look better in my eyes and I cannot pass up a knife that looks like it has a story (or 100) to tell!

I have a hard time ponying up the $$ for GEC knives but when a certain model gets in my head I hunt one down till I can check it off my list. Almost always it will be in user condition and Ill be just as happy with it as I would a brand new one. I gravitate towards cheaper (Rough Rider esp) knives and have had GREAT luck with them. I often keep them around as ABUSERS rather than users and they have held up really well doing jobs I cant quite convince myself to let the GECs or Case knives do.

I have a handful of GEC that dont make it into rotation as much as some others but I still pocket them from time to time and enjoy having them around. Anything that does see at least SOME use usually gets gifted to someone else who might enjoy it more and use it.

Matt
 
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