GEC #35 Churchill Thread

Pàdruig

Reap What You Sow
Platinum Member
Joined
Dec 1, 2016
Messages
10,309
GEC seems to be wrapping up production on some rather hot patterns and though attention on said patterns is far from waning, I do find myself looking at the next couple of items that we know are in progress.

Though there has been a smattering of talk in regards to the Churchill in the GEC thread, I thought it would be a good idea for us to have a place where the discussion can be easier to follow.

Reception to this particular pattern configuration has seemed to be a bit lukewarm and that could simply be a perception driven by the rather robust enthusiasm exhibited towards the factory's recent productions. However, as I am quite a fan of the 2016 Forum knife or #35 Harness Jack, I am actually interested in the Churchill and am interested to see what you all have to say about it.

I think the size of the #35 is pretty perfect and the fact that this will again have a single double ended spring is pretty exciting too. It makes for a very pocketable knife and my Harness Jack has seen a lot of use as a result. The clip/sheepfoot combination has to be one of the most useful combos out there so the configuration certainly has that going for it. I think the knife has the makings of being a rather solid user.

Here is the GEC rendering with the Northfield trim being exhibited.

Q8S6Q41.jpg
 
I'm VERY excited for these, actually. I wanted to do an SFO run on them, but it didn't work out.

It's actually the knife I look forward to the most that we know is coming. It looks like it'll be almost like a scaled down sunfish.
 
I'm excited about the 35 too. I'll be getting a Yellow Rose if my reservation holds up. I'm very interested in seeing the Jungle Acrylic too.

Like many others, I do wish there was a jigged bone option but I'll take what I can get. The size, shape, and blade combo is perfect. Really looking forward to these.
 
Got my eye on the Jungle Acrylic as well. Hoping its just a renaming of the camo acrylic we saw on the coyotes, as GEC seems to do. See: draft beer acrylic vs. tiger eye acrylic, etc. If I knew for sure, my reservation would also go from maybe to sure.
 
I have not been much of a fan of acrylic in general. That being said, I have seen some really excellent looking examples, they usually are in shades of red and black... :D I am always curious what a cover will look like when I am not familiar with the color, material, and/or jigging type. The Jungle could be intriguing indeed, I couldn't find any picture examples when I did a quick Google search.

As I have been primarily fascinated by woods as of late, I have put myself down for an ebony. Might be simple of me or just plain uninspired, but ebony makes everything look good. That, coupled with the Tidioute trim, should make for an awesome user of a knife.
 
I'm excited about this too. I have a reserve on a stag version. I love single springs!!! And, this in a larger format than like a 61 will be a great knife. Since this is my first full year following the GEC releases, it strikes me there are a lot of them!
 
I have not been much of a fan of acrylic in general. That being said, I have seen some really excellent looking examples, they usually are in shades of red and black... :D I am always curious what a cover will look like when I am not familiar with the color, material, and/or jigging type. The Jungle could be intriguing indeed, I couldn't find any picture examples when I did a quick Google search.

As I have been primarily fascinated by woods as of late, I have put myself down for an ebony. Might be simple of me or just plain uninspired, but ebony makes everything look good. That, coupled with the Tidioute trim, should make for an awesome user of a knife.

I sincerely wish you better luck than I've had with the Ebony. My Calf Roper was a bit of a disappointment and I bought a GEC years ago in Ebony that was the same way. More brown than black. For this reason, I've given up on ordering Ebony handled knives sight unseen.

It's a good looking slab of wood as long as I can get past the fact that it's supposed to be black.

View attachment 751310
 
I sincerely wish you better luck than I've had with the Ebony. My Calf Roper was a bit of a disappointment and I bought a GEC years ago in Ebony that was the same way. More brown than black. For this reason, I've given up on ordering Ebony handled knives sight unseen.

It's a good looking slab of wood as long as I can get past the fact that it's supposed to be black.

View attachment 751310
It's hideous! Send it here for proper disposal. :p

I'm considering a Churchill, and I'm waffling between ebony and jigged bone.
 
I sincerely wish you better luck than I've had with the Ebony. My Calf Roper was a bit of a disappointment and I bought a GEC years ago in Ebony that was the same way. More brown than black. For this reason, I've given up on ordering Ebony handled knives sight unseen.

It's a good looking slab of wood as long as I can get past the fact that it's supposed to be black.

View attachment 751310

I've been following some of the conversation regarding the variations in the ebony woods. I would agree that when ordering ebony, one usually expects it to be black and can understand the disappointment when one receives otherwise. The #15 I was recently given is absolutely perfect in its inky blackness but it is also a knife that is a few years old I think.

I suppose I will have to be prepared for the chance that it might not be quite what I was hoping for. But, like you said, other than the fact that you expected it to be black, your 66 is a rather handsome knife. The other cover options just don't seem very appealing to me at this time.
 
I sincerely wish you better luck than I've had with the Ebony. My Calf Roper was a bit of a disappointment and I bought a GEC years ago in Ebony that was the same way. More brown than black. For this reason, I've given up on ordering Ebony handled knives sight unseen.

It's a good looking slab of wood as long as I can get past the fact that it's supposed to be black.

View attachment 751310
This is so interesting, because I'm the opposite. If I can see that the ebony is brown...I'm all over it! I get disappointed when ebony is all black.

At any rate, I'm planning to get an ebony Churchill. Like the OP, I like the #35 forum knife a lot, so I look forward to this Churchill. LOVE me a knife where the primary has belly and the secondary is a coping. :D
 
I actually appreciate the variances found in woods, particularly dark woods. I find it fun finding grain changes that can be hidden but tend to "pop" in different lighting and/or environments. It makes for a rather visually stimulating experience. So, I will not be too terribly disappointed if I get a lighter variety of ebony.

However, since the ebony is going to be used with the Tidioute trim, meaning smooth bolsters, I actually am envisioning a vintage, pocket worn, equal-ended work horse with inky black ebony covers. And that is what I would love my Churchill to turn into. I'm afraid a brief internet search didn't quite turn up any images that reflect my sentiments but hopefully, you get the idea.
 
Love the frame , size and blade choices. Wish there was a jig bone version. Yellow rose for sure, maybe on the micarta and stag
 
Thank you for starting this thread, this knife is one I am very excited about. Have and love the #35 HJ, it was my first multi blade traditional and I love the single spring. The size and slimness of this pattern is what i like and to have a sheepsfoot and clip make me even more excited for this run. I have reserved a Gabon Ebony and Yellow rose, but, I must admit this was the only thing that disappointed me about this run, the lack of interesting covers. Would've loved Jigged Bone and different micarta option, I know its been done alot recently but, this would be a great candidate for Burlap Micarta. It is what it is, bring on the 2017 #35
 
Last edited:
For years I carried an SAK Tinkerer then in the '80's I went with a Buck medium Stockman. I flirted with a few modern folders in the early 2000's but missed the traditionals. In 2014 while looking around the web I stumbled across a site that had pages and pages of GEC knives, a brand I was totally unfamiliar with - not that I was a knife hound, I knew about Buck and Case and that was about the extent of it. I picked out a 79 Montana Workhorse with a Spear and small Sheepsfoot secondary on a single spring and carried that for a couple of years. That was my EDC and I found the size and configuration quite handy and about all I needed. I like the thinness of the profile. I have tried other GEC knives in the last year or two and the 74 has replaced the 79 but I still liked the idea and utility of the secondary.

That being said I am "all over" the 35 Churchill! I think I still prefer the heavy spear with it's deep belly but I can live with the clip. I've got the tiger clawed and ebony Tidioute as well as the yellow rose and stag Northfields on reserve.

Looking forward to this release.
 
I sincerely wish you better luck than I've had with the Ebony. My Calf Roper was a bit of a disappointment and I bought a GEC years ago in Ebony that was the same way. More brown than black. For this reason, I've given up on ordering Ebony handled knives sight unseen.

It's a good looking slab of wood as long as I can get past the fact that it's supposed to be black.

View attachment 751310
The variation can give an interesting handle. If you want inky Black you can use black dye. If just lighter streaks, oiling it will darken and even it out some.
 
I sincerely wish you better luck than I've had with the Ebony. My Calf Roper was a bit of a disappointment and I bought a GEC years ago in Ebony that was the same way. More brown than black. For this reason, I've given up on ordering Ebony handled knives sight unseen.

It's a good looking slab of wood as long as I can get past the fact that it's supposed to be black.

View attachment 751310

That is an absolutely beautiful knife! Stunning!
 
Back
Top