NewBlades16
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For sure!! Long and short sleave tees!! Simple swag!
Lets talk GEC!
- Thread starter rockgolfer
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Playing around reviving the thread. On a more serious note, I'm glad GEC is doing some logo products. I like the rug, but nobody else at home would be super happy about it lol. If you're reading this GEC, how 'bout updating your hats and a coffee cup please
A Deneen Pottery mug with the traditional GEC squirrel logo would be awesome! And, they would fly off the shelves!
JB in SC
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Roger that, Deneen makes some fantastic mugs.
GEC uses equipment made for carbon steel that is annealed. I believe Bill mentioned that the 440c is hardened before being cut, or at least too hard on the equipment, to regularly do stainless.
I would love to see more GEC stainless knives, but I understand the reasoning. The other thing is that the big buyers, ie big time traditionalist traditional collectors seem to prefer carbon steel.
The comparison to Case or Victorinox isn't very applicable because of the different production methods.
I am slightly amused that this thread kind of has gone dead with GEC's production shifting to fixed blades.
I thought that GEC only used the Acorn shield for their stainless line, it appears they use it for their fixed blades as well?
Nope, all fixed blades will be 1095 going forward apparently but will have the acorn shield. Of course, with GEC every rule is meant to be broken at some point haha
I really like the design and execution of the fixed blades, the price just seems higher than I would expect in relation to what I would think would be a more complicated and higher production cost product in their folders. Not that it's an unfair or too high price, just that with limited funds I have opted for folders so far. I still might get one of them for my upcoming Alaska trip, would love to take a GEC fixed blade and folder.
I doubt GEC is making the floor mats, they're almost for sure just a product that they got a batch of to use (for themselves) and sell extras of to collectors. I get what you're saying though.
The flashlights are inexpensive, but they're made in the US by a respectable company (Princeton Tech). I just wish it had a carabiner (which Will said they are or were looking at having).
Generally, I think their whimsy, creativeness, and willingness to try things out is a strength.
Will Power
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LHS I understand some of the logic around stainless being more demanding on machine tools but I'm just hoping that with GEC's strong performance & success that they'll be able to invest in some new tooling for stainless. As many other threads have shown, the idealisation of carbon amongst Traditional users& collectors is not such a given. Large No.s of us like stainless and a good proportion even prefer it-myself included.
As for GEC's fixed knives, they've never appealed that much to me, too much like copies of their pocket knives and there are a plethora of excellent fixed out there to choose from already. Most are more practical in the hand, some like Hess knives that GEC is involved with, represent excellent quality and versatility. The Pocket Knife is their domain but credit to them for offering an alternative.
Thanks, Will
As for GEC's fixed knives, they've never appealed that much to me, too much like copies of their pocket knives and there are a plethora of excellent fixed out there to choose from already. Most are more practical in the hand, some like Hess knives that GEC is involved with, represent excellent quality and versatility. The Pocket Knife is their domain but credit to them for offering an alternative.
Thanks, Will
Stropping Young Lad
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Will,
You echo my thoughts exactly on the fixed blades.
Regarding stainless- yes GEC is popular and successful. They also seem to have some pretty tight margins, and are at manufacturing capacity filling their orders for carbon steel knives. It's a pretty small operation, kept simple by design, so I feel like Bill wants to stick with what they do instead of complicating a simple and successful recipe.
It's ironic though, since the company really doesn't make many "great eastern cutlery" branded knives.
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It would be interesting to see the differences in manufacturing of the 1095 and 440C blades. The grinds look different.
traumkommode
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Agreed. I know the heat treat is different, and substantially more complicated, but beyond that I am ignorant of the differences.
Stropping Young Lad
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The heat treat is done out of house, except for the annealing.
B B.F.U said the heat treat has to be done before cutting the blades out, which I don't remember hearing, but my attention might've been diverted.
You have to use different belts.
The nail nick and stamps don't have the heat treat scale to darken them.
With their equipment, they have to blank everything out with their water jet instead of punching the blades out.
That's all I can remember...
NJBillK
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You would probably get more mileage from one type of belt over another (Ceramic over AO). Ceramic can be ran wet where as AO cannot, if it is, the Aluminum Oxide sheds from the belt in seconds. Furthermore Stainless tends to be "gummier" on the belt, causing them to load much faster and more frequently shortening belt life. Higher belt speeds can help negate this, but that induces more heat.
One thing about stainless is that it Does Not have to be ground post HT. It can be treated as a "normal" carbon steel (grind>HT>finish). But, if they have a formula that they follow, then it might be harder to get all of the employees on the same page, in regards to a new process for a material they have already used (albeit rarely).
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I'm curious why some want to see stainless GEC knives sooooo badly. Don't get me wrong, I like stainless knives too but if I really wanted a stainless slipjoint I would just carry a Case and be done with it. Why do some of you want your stainless slipjoint to be a GEC so badly?
Please don't take this as criticism of your steel preference. It's an honest question that is not meant to rub anyone the wrong way.
-Caleb.
Please don't take this as criticism of your steel preference. It's an honest question that is not meant to rub anyone the wrong way.
-Caleb.
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Railsplitter
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Caleb, I can only answer for myself but for me, the fact that GEC consistently makes the best traditional style knives in America today cannot be denied. I prefer stainless and I would like to buy the best quality knife whenever possible. I would have a lot more GEC's if every pattern they made was also offered in stainless. I've passed on a lot of them because they aren't.
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GEC uses a much better stainless than Case. It's not a step down from their carbon at all. And unlike a Case, it will have nice crisp swedges, and the tip won't be rounded off like a pair of child's scissors. Basically, it's every bit as good as a regular GEC, but less prone to corrosion. I'd love to have one as a rain day carry, for when I'm soaked to my underpants all day and can't carry the carbon.
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One of my most used GECs is my Beer Scout. Now if you use your Beer Scout as intended you better be hyper vigilant in watching for rust. Part of the charm of the Beer Scout to me were the details like the "BS" blade etch. Well my blade etch is almost not visible anymore and I have a couple of freckles on the blade & caplifter because I was unable to clean it till the following day. I still love the knife, but a Beer Scout in 440C would of been a better option in my opinion.
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How many of the GEC knives have swedges? Most of the 440C that I've seen is very plain compared to the 1095. A lot of the 440C look almost like blanks. I think one exception is the #42 with a cut swedge. But I don't recall swedges on many of the 440C blades.
I suspect it has to do with differences in manufacturing 440C and 1095 with the tools that they have available. I'd love to see more swedges on their 440C.
But you are correct that GEC doesn't tumble polish.
1095 vs 440C? Not sure that I would call them equals. Just different. I would like more 440C... but I do like that 1095 takes a very fine edge. Variety is always good... maybe some BG42.
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...though I could do without the "BS" etch - Joined
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The 42, yes. That one was even a cut swedge, as I recall. I usually prefer a drawn swedge, but that one looked amazing. They also made some lovely 15's in stainless. Their H20 series had lovely little hand drawn swedges, as did their fish knives.How many of the GEC knives have swedges? Most of the 440C that I've seen is very plain compared to the 1095. A lot of the 440C look almost like blanks. I think one exception is the #42 with a cut swedge. But I don't recall swedges on many of the 440C blades.
I suspect it has to do with differences in manufacturing 440C and 1095 with the tools that they have available. I'd love to see more swedges on their 440C.
But you are correct that GEC doesn't tumble polish.
1095 vs 440C? Not sure that I would call them equals. Just different. I would like more 440C... but I do like that 1095 takes a very fine edge. Variety is always good... maybe some BG42.
Now in terms of the steels being more or less equals in quality, what I meant was that the GEC 440hc and the GEC 1095 are much more alike than the Case 1095CRV versus the Case 420hc. I feel like with Case, the stainless is a hell of a step down.