Lets talk GEC!

It's interesting to watch the frenzy over the Ramsfoot as compared to the Toothpick. I'm wondering if it's because it's a new pattern? The 97 had more of a frenzy than the Toothpick even though it's not to the taste of most. Maybe if GEC is watching this, they'll consider a sowbelly. 3.75+", with a punch, clip, and sheep, please. :)
 
I think the frenzy is more over Charlie's Lambsfoot than the 97 in general.

Though I think the Toothpick pattern in general is less popular than most other patterns. I mean, it's not as bad as a French Kate or those Templars ...
 
jrawk said:
. . . and the keyhole/cloud is my personal favorite (i may be the only one).
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I don't know that it's my favorite, but it does look great on smooth ebony handles. Look how the ebony and keyhole stands out in this composite of different handles and shields. Each of these shield choices works well with its handle material.

MNUnFhi.jpg
 
gaj999 said:
It's interesting to watch the frenzy over the Ramsfoot as compared to the Toothpick. I'm wondering if it's because it's a new pattern? The 97 had more of a frenzy than the Toothpick even though it's not to the taste of most. Maybe if GEC is watching this, they'll consider a sowbelly. 3.75+", with a punch, clip, and sheep, please. :)
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I think the frenzy is because it is close to 3 3/4' long. It seems that is the size people like to carry the most. I know that is the perfect size for me. IMO
 
gaj999 said:
It's interesting to watch the frenzy over the Ramsfoot as compared to the Toothpick. I'm wondering if it's because it's a new pattern?
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This is just my opinion, I may be far off base...
I think the traditional knives that more closely resemble their modern counterparts create more of a frenzy for the general public.
 
Norcaldude said:
I think the frenzy is more over Charlie's Lambsfoot than the 97 in general.
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Charlie's Lambsfoot is in a whole different category. I sure wish he had ordered 2000 of them. Then I'd have a chance to get one. At a reasonable price, anyway. I'm not willing to give my money to scalpers. I'd rather buy two or three other knives instead and have the profits go to the maker and the stocking dealer.

And I think you mean the 93. I'm surprised that yet another medium-sized single-blade jack with a sheepsfoot was so popular. All I can think is that it's a new frame and the collectors are all buying one of each. If you really did mean the 97, I think the frenzy was muted by the size of the knife. Not that many people EDC a knife the size of a Buck 110. I will, but I'd much rather carry my Smoke Jumper instead. Beyond 4.25", traditional construction gets awfully heavy. I suspect that reduced demand.
 
black mamba said:
I don't know that it's my favorite, but it does look great on smooth ebony handles. Look how the ebony and keyhole stands out in this composite of different handles and shields. Each of these shield choices works well with its handle material.

MNUnFhi.jpg
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I agree emphatically on the ebony and keyhole. It looks extremely classy.
 
I like the hotdog shield more than the keyhole shield but then again I usually prefer the understated Tidioute styling over the more dressed up Northfield ones.
 
I have a question about the 93... how's it different than the #47s, specifically the sheepsfoot Hayin Helper? I guess the #93's blade might be a little wider towards the point of the blade but the handle shape looks identical to me and that's usually what identifies a GEC pattern. I'm guessing the handle is still a little different... maybe the butt is a little wider too? Anyone with both that can compare them?
93-Tidioute-Northfield3.jpg

473116-Orange-Delrin-1-e1544726332150.jpg
 
And while I'm at it... How about a 2 bladed stainless jack for the summer GEC? I'd still prefer a #48 jack but a #15 would sell out extremely quickly. Or make it on the upcoming #86 or the #78. I'd even be interested in a #74 Mustang with a pen secondary too.
 
black mamba said:
I don't know that it's my favorite, but it does look great on smooth ebony handles. Look how the ebony and keyhole stands out in this composite of different handles and shields. Each of these shield choices works well with its handle material.

MNUnFhi.jpg
Click to expand...

I'm an old guy, but I try to be hip in my way of thinking so people don't write me off as just another drooling, stuffy curmudgeon ...… Anyway, as any photographer knows, your eye is drawn to the brightest object in your photo.... So when you look at a handle your eye is attracted to the shield..... Shields that add harmony to the visualization will look good; I.E hounds tooth with angular jigging, cloud with random bark, etc.. etc.... So, if you blow the shield, you blow the entire appearance...…. Myself, I could care less what shield they put on any of them, as I buy a knife for the knife, not the shield...….. To me a shield is akin to a hood ornament on a car.... I have never bought, nor not bought a car/truck based on what hood ornament it had..... (However I always had a fondness for the Cadillac standup crest hood ornament that was popular on the 1970's Cadillacs...…..)

And, in an earlier life as a cabinetmaker, I know it is more difficult to inlet something with a small radius, square corners or any shape that can't be readily cut by a router with a rotating tool...… To wit, it is easy to cut a tenon, but bitchy to cut a mortise.... The same applies to shields which is why there are standard shields that get a lot of usage.... They are easy to toolup for and to machine the corresponding pocket in the handle...
 
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2Dead said:
I have a question about the 93... how's it different than the #47s, specifically the sheepsfoot Hayin Helper? I guess the #93's blade might be a little wider towards the point of the blade but the handle shape looks identical to me and that's usually what identifies a GEC pattern. I'm guessing the handle is still a little different... maybe the butt is a little wider too? Anyone with both that can compare them?
93-Tidioute-Northfield3.jpg

473116-Orange-Delrin-1-e1544726332150.jpg
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Trand, I don't have a 47 Hayn Helper, but I do have a 47 Viper. To my uncalibrated eyes the 47 & the 93 frames look the same. So I took the calipers to a 93 Ram's Foot and the Viper. The handle width of the 47 Viper averages about 1mm wider than the 93 Ram's Foot. The closed length of the 47 is about 1.05mm shorter than the 93.
 
The size difference is small enough to fall within the grinding/finishing limits of the knives. This makes me wonder if one has half stops and the other does not. That difference was enough to make the #53 and #54 patterns separate, when every other detail was identical.
 
MerryMadMonk said:
Trand, I don't have a 47 Hayn Helper, but I do have a 47 Viper. To my uncalibrated eyes the 47 & the 93 frames look the same. So I took the calipers to a 93 Ram's Foot and the Viper. The handle width of the 47 Viper averages about 1mm wider than the 93 Ram's Foot. The closed length of the 47 is about 1.05mm shorter than the 93.
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I'm new to GEC but wasn't the Viper a very popular pattern too?
 
Ron, it is one of the most popular patterns they've made. Folks who don't ordinarily carry a traditional are fans of the Viper. It will be utter madness when the Viper is released again!
 
black mamba said:
The size difference is small enough to fall within the grinding/finishing limits of the knives. This makes me wonder if one has half stops and the other does not. That difference was enough to make the #53 and #54 patterns separate, when every other detail was identical.
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Jeff, I missed your post, initially. Both have half-stops.
 
Thanks, Al. The new #93 does look ever so slightly slimmer and curvier than the #47, but the difference is so small that I'm surprised they would redo it.
 
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