GEC #89 Fruit Knife...well, that was a surprise!

Mine, still in the tube. Skinny.

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What was the most common way people used the melon tester blade on melons? Thinking of something larger like a cantaloupe or watermelon, do you use the long thin blade to take out a wedge slice, cut an end off or or to cut the entire melon in half by running around the melon?
For those who’ve used them, does the thin blade work well on thicker, tough skinned fruit?
 
knarfeng said:
10 posts about the purchasing process have been moved to their own thread in the GBU forum.
In Traditional, we just talk about the knives.
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Can someone help point me to the GBU forum? I have no idea what forum that is, and no forum titles seem to match the GBU acronym.
 
ddavis said:
What was the most common way people used the melon tester blade on melons? Thinking of something larger like a cantaloupe or watermelon, do you use the long thin blade to take out a wedge slice, cut an end off or or to cut the entire melon in half by running around the melon?
For those who’ve used them, does the thin blade work well on thicker, tough skinned fruit?
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I believe their original purpose was to poke deep inside a melon and extract a sample from the center of the fruit (hence the "tester" in the pattern name).

Viper84 said:
Can someone help point me to the GBU forum? I have no idea what forum that is, and no forum titles seem to match the GBU acronym.
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GBU is shorthand for the feedback subforum, which has good, bad, and ugly in its name: https://www.bladeforums.com/forums/feedback-the-good-the-bad-the-ugly.699/.
 
ddavis said:
What was the most common way people used the melon tester blade on melons? Thinking of something larger like a cantaloupe or watermelon, do you use the long thin blade to take out a wedge slice, cut an end off or or to cut the entire melon in half by running around the melon?
For those who’ve used them, does the thin blade work well on thicker, tough skinned fruit?
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From what I understand they used the long blade to cut a wedge or plug all the way down to the center to test it for ripeness. Can't speak for how well it worked. Seems a little terrifying to stab a hard skinned fruit with a non locking blade.

Dadpool said:
I believe their original purpose was to poke deep inside a melon and extract a sample from the center of the fruit (hence the "tester" in the pattern name).
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^^so basically I agree. Another question is is there a difference between a melon tester and a fruit knife??
 
TheJon said:
Another question is is there a difference between a melon tester and a fruit knife??
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When I think of a fruit knife, I think of the ones with blades made of sterling or coin silver (which won't corrode like a carbon steel blade). But that's where my knowledge ends, and I don't know if a Melon Tester form factor being called a Fruit Knife is just GEC's way of differentiating this variation from their other #89s or if it has a basis in history.
 
If I remember correctly, the last time GEC did a run of stainless was when they did a small run of the #99 lockbacks in 2018. I had one in Chestnut at some point afterwards but it was a fleeting thing. Due to not having any GEC stainless in my collection and having not experienced the #89 pattern, I took advantage of being in the right spot at the right time for a change.

Chestnut and stainless will be back in the collection before too long. Ordinarily, I prefer secondary blades on my knives but I am happy that this one will be a single blade.

One of the things that I am a wee bit disappointed by is GEC's current practice of using the same shield for an entire run. I always looked forward to the individualism of each variant, beyond the cover choice, of course. I also had become accustomed to the anticipation of the shield "reveal" when it would be listed as "to be determined". That said, the propeller shield is a fine choice for the 89.
 
Pàdruig said:
If I remember correctly, the last time GEC did a run of stainless was when they did a small run of the #99 lockbacks in 2018.
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That's the last one I can remember. I bought a Chestnut #99 for my kiddo; great knife and of course I wish I'd picked up two of them. ;)

Before that, I think it was the #74 Mustang? I'd love to see that one come back in stainless.
 
Pàdruig said:
Ordinarily, I prefer secondary blades on my knives but I am happy that this one will be a single blade.

One of the things that I am a wee bit disappointed by is GEC's current practice of using the same shield for an entire run. I always looked forward to the individualism of each variant, beyond the cover choice, of course. I also had become accustomed to the anticipation of the shield "reveal" when it would be listed as "to be determined". That said, the propeller shield is a fine choice for the 89.
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I agree with normally preferring a second blade. And also with the shields, although propeller shields are great!
 
bbfish said:
Was hoping GEC would eventually release a doctors knife pattern, but this is quite a nice substitute. I'm in for a chestnut, wish they had done a bone version as well.
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A doctors knife would be a lot of fun, although I'm not sure what pattern they would do it on, I suppose they'd have to make a new one.

Dadpool said:
When I think of a fruit knife, I think of the ones with blades made of sterling or coin silver (which won't corrode like a carbon steel blade). But that's where my knowledge ends, and I don't know if a Melon Tester form factor being called a Fruit Knife is just GEC's way of differentiating this variation from their other #89s or if it has a basis in history.
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That's probably it, GEC does have a tendency to use different names.
 
Most collectors think of the silver knives of yore when they hear 'fruit knife.' Silver patinates just as quickly as steel, but does not present an icky taste or stinky smell, and becomes more self protective better than steel when it achieves its patina. Most 'melon' knives were intended to destine for sausage sampling and other charcuterie, and for citrus, not for melons. Just my opinion. When I sample a melon, it is generally one that I already own, and I whack that sucker open with a pretty substantial knife. We don't usually get the really primo melons here in rural NE Wyoming but when we get a good one, "Oh Boy," I love 'em.
 
TheJon said:
Seems a little terrifying to stab a hard skinned fruit with a non locking blade.
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This is also what I understood the technique to be, and I'm similarly tepid about the non-locking nature. I've noticed that even the majority of other brand melon testers are slipjoints or friction folders, very few are locking.

I'm very interested in getting an 89 but wouldn't use it at all for stabbing melons.
 
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