GEC worth the money?

G

Georgia woodsman

Joined
Feb 11, 2014
Messages
12
I'm looking into buying a GEC, particularly the #42 northfield un-x-ld. I like the fact that's it's 1095, but is their quality worth the money over 1/3 price cv copperlock. Any help greatly appreciated.
 
GEC quality is top-notch. Just ask around in the traditional forum and you'll quickly see that they are very well thought of. IMO they are better F&F than most any other slip joint maker in today's market.

That said, one thing GEC is notorious for is their blades typically aren't very sharp out of the box. Anyone who knows how to sharpen should not consider that a deal killer. Just put your own edge on it.
 
A great deal of hand finishing goes into GEC knives from what I understand, and I have not heard about any overwhelming issues. Their production numbers are a fraction of what Case does as it is a much smaller company. I love Case knives and have owned them since I was a kid, GEC is basically the intermediary between high volume production knives and full custom pocketknives. Yes, worth the money, for me anyway. I own about 7 of them now and my favorites are the #62 Congress, #15 Clip Point Boys Knife, and the Bladeforums 2013 forum knife.
 
The short answer to your question is yes.

Ive had sharp knives from GEC and not so sharp on one. But all of them eventually get sharpened by me anyway.

I love all my GEC!
 
I too have had case knives forever, that's what spurred my interest in GEC traditional knives. I saw their 2014 bladeforums knife and loved it but do not know how to go about obtaining one.
 
Case are nice knives, GEC are definite step above them, well worth the money imo.
 
If your interested in traditionals, take a look at Northwoods, I plan on getting a gec one arm and northwoods Hawthorne.

I have yet to hear anything significant in regards to complaints towards gec.
 
Well it seems unanimous that they are worth it.That northwoods hawthorn is beautiful. Might have to make two purchases at once. Thanks guys.
 
Georgia woodsman said:
I'm looking into buying a GEC, particularly the #42 northfield un-x-ld. I like the fact that's it's 1095, but is their quality worth the money over 1/3 price cv copperlock. Any help greatly appreciated.
Click to expand...

Whether it is worth the money or not is a matter of personal opinion.
►The fit and finish of the GEC knives is better (yes there have been occasional exceptions, but the norm is that GEC has higher fit and finish).
►The GEC blade steel is tempered to a higher hardness.

Some folks are willing to pay the extra, because they have the money and want what they want.
Other folks stay with Case.
 
Georgia woodsman said:
I too have had case knives forever, that's what spurred my interest in GEC traditional knives. I saw their 2014 bladeforums knife and loved it but do not know how to go about obtaining one.
Click to expand...

Watch the exchange in a couple of weeks for the 14BF knife. I bet a few will pop up. It was a limited run and all have been claimed. As far as GEC goes...worth every penny at retail price. When you go hunting for them on the big auction site you'll be tempted to spend even more. GEC also does a lot of SFO s for other brand names. To me this a testimony in itself of their quality.
 
I was in the same boat as you. I have a few case Knives and have used them over the years. I just recieved my GEC northfield #68 buckaroo last week and right out of the box you can feel the quality. The back spacing is very solid with no gaps. The fit and finish is superb and the knife feels amazing. You definitely notice the attention to detail and the time that goes into each knife! My #68 has a little more heft than my case medium stockman and I like that. I would pull the trigger and buy one. I was a little hesitant at first but these guys talked me into it. It definitely will not be my last GEC!! Both are great brands and Knives and you can't go wrong with either one.
 
Last edited:
I'd have to agree with Frank, it's hard to say what's worth it to somebody else. If you're looking for a knife to use as a tool, I don't think that there's anything about GEC that makes them that much more valuable from a usefulness standpoint. There are plenty of Cases out there that have outlasted their original owners and still have plenty of life left in them. If you're looking for a knife that you can take some pride in, or just plain enjoy using every time you pull it out of your pocket I would say that the GEC is definitely worth it. It all depends on what you prefer. An Escort will get you where you're going just as well as any other car out there, but a Town Car will make the trip a lot more fun. It's worth it to me, but may not be to you.
 
P1000574.JPG


For under $100 it's hard to argue with a knife this good looking, especially with the materials, fit and finish, and hand processes that go into it. This one is a #48 SFO in African Blackwood from collectorknives.net. Super smooth action, great walk and talk.
 
Georgia woodsman said:
I too have had case knives forever, that's what spurred my interest in GEC traditional knives. I saw their 2014 bladeforums knife and loved it but do not know how to go about obtaining one.
Click to expand...

There might be some news or an update in the future. Patience is the best recourse at this time. ;)
 
The knives Case made prior to the 1980's were great. GEC knives are several levels above that. I toured the factory and discovered that they only produce about 60 knives a day. Each step is done by hand, and there are a lot of steps. Once you get one in your hands you immediately see the difference compared to Case. I am not sure how long they will be able to sustain such quality (I hope it is a long time), but while we have them, I suggest you get some of their knives, because they WILL go down in history as some of the greatest production knives ever created.
 
Yes.
You can't go wrong with GEC.
Case is just fine, but you can tell a huge difference between pre 1979 Case and current Case offerings.
The vintage Case knives are closer in quality to today's GECs, but GEC has been putting out knives that compete with some customs.
 
I don't have a #43, but GEC in general compared to Case...

Superior steel.
Awesome handle choices (Case handles are often quite nice too)
Superior fit and finish.
Exclusivity.

In my experience, GEC are absolutely worth the premium price over your hypothetical Case Copperlock in CV.
 
I only have one GEC... a #15 easy-open sheepsfoot. I think the fit & finish on the GEC is much better than the Case knives (at least the half dozen or so I've had). The manufacturing precision of the GEC just makes the overall knife feel more solid. The Case knives are pretty well built, but GEC is on a different level. If that extra attention to detail and craftsmanship is worth it to you, then I'd say "yes", the GEC's are worth it.

I can't wait for the 2014 forum knife to ship. :)
 
They are of course two very different animals.

CASE is a high volume manufacturer, its knives are generally cheaper to buy by a fair bit, the quality is more variable but when you get a good one it's going to please you a lot, that's for sure.

GEC's small production output might allow them to concentrate on more unusual patterns as niches or SFO work. I'm not actually convinced that more hand finishing equates to better quality or accuracy, it depends on the skill and experience of the work-force. GEC seems to have very good workers indeed as their quality is very consistent. GEC knives are heavier than their CASE counterparts, this is not always to everybody's taste.

In conclusion, they are worth the extra cost in my view as they offer something different and specialized. We have to be cautious about assuming that everything more expensive is de facto better, it frequently is not. Trends, hype, uncritical fanboyism can create a dynamic that a certain product is and must be better therefore it must cost more because it's 'high-end' etc. Fortunately, this has not been the case with GEC so far, their range, choice, finish and quality are very credible. I think this is why the OP's question is important.

Thanks, Will
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top