The BladeForums.com 2024 Traditional Knife is ready to order! See this thread for details:
https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/bladeforums-2024-traditional-knife.2003187/
Price is $300 $250 ea (shipped within CONUS). If you live outside the US, I will contact you after your order for extra shipping charges.
Order here: https://www.bladeforums.com/help/2024-traditional/ - Order as many as you like, we have plenty.
Though i do think it was implied pretty well that these knives are mostly hard to get because of the dealers. They have their “favorite” customers instead of selling straight up.
Gec needs competition, we all win if that happens.
You already have to be careful to tiptoe around the gec apologists when discussing their possible flaws.
The knives are hard to get because of math.Though i do think it was implied pretty well that these knives are mostly hard to get because of the dealers.
I have never experienced this - but, to be fair, I don't shop with all of the dealers. The ones that I do shop with don't play favorites - I win some and I lose some (that's a fact).
But if you do have evidence that dealers play favorites, then please, by all means - that's what the GB&U is for, I'd love to hear of them and I'm sure we would all benefit from knowing who we need to stay away from.
I absolutely agree - that's something that everyone should be excited about.
I'm a GEC fan - I guess that makes me an unapologetic apologist (see what I did there?). No one should tiptoe around anyone here, I sure don't. If an argument is to be made, I'll always back it up and I expect those I'm having a discussion with to do the same.
I am generally supportive of GEC but I'm free with my criticism where it is is warranted (usually by way of QC issues, pattern execution, and bone production). Their business model warrants no criticism, in my opinion, and if one thinks it does - 1.) I'd like to see what alternative model would be suggested and 2.) how one thinks S&M might differ and meet the same level of success.
One still has to bear in mind that no one knows GEC's business better than Bill and his crew - so a lot of what we might discuss regarding what they should or should not do is apt to be pure speculation.
(One caveat to some of this is that I credit a fair amount of my success to the good relationships that I've made here. If I miss out on a run or am looking for a specific variant - more than once, a friend here has helped me out.)
I don't agree that dealers can't play favorites...... If a customer is loyal to a dealer why is it wrong for the dealer to show preferred status to that customer?..... Many on here boast about their favorite dealer cherry picking the best stag, closest centering and other attributes because they are loyal customers and the dealer takes care of their wants and whims..... If I give a dealer 95% of my business, I think I should be near the front of the line..... If I'm not at the front of the line then I'll go somewhere where I will be...... This is what building customer/supplier relationships is about.....
I don't agree that dealers can't play favorites...... If a customer is loyal to a dealer why is it wrong for the dealer to show preferred status to that customer?..... Many on here boast about their favorite dealer cherry picking the best stag, closest centering and other attributes because they are loyal customers and the dealer takes care of their wants and whims..... If I give a dealer 95% of my business, I think I should be near the front of the line..... If I'm not at the front of the line then I'll go somewhere where I will be...... This is what building customer/supplier relationships is about.....
How does a dealer know that you are giving them 95% of your business?
What about a dealer that sells an exclusive product, like a knife with an arrowhead on it? Most people give that dealer 100% of their knife-with-an-arrowhead business. Who gets the special treatment then?
Looks like the model number is 041001. ATS-34 steel.
I'm hoping the new S&M knives will have GEC-like quality builds...
But with better jigging on their bone and more consistent actions from one model to the next.
I see this as GEC's biggest knocks.
Dare to dream.![]()
One of the things that really irks me about GEC’s distribution is how if you follow the links for several of their authorized dealers, it takes you directly to the Bay. That doesn’t sit right with me.
Now back on topic, this lovely S&M keystone English jack came today. It’s gorgeous and its fit and finish are superb. It has joined one of my modern/traditional edc pairings...
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I love it!![]()
Thank you! I’m really loving these S&M’s. Ordered another one today!That is a beauty!!..... You could almost whip that out in church and trim the wick on the prayer candle.......
Beautiful knife. I like everything about it. Being originally from Pennsylvania, I love the Keystone shield that S&M used on some of their knives.
One of the things that really irks me about GEC’s distribution is how if you follow the links for several of their authorized dealers, it takes you directly to the Bay. That doesn’t sit right with me.
Now back on topic, this lovely S&M keystone English jack came today. It’s gorgeous and its fit and finish are superb. It has joined one of my modern/traditional edc pairings...
![]()
I love it!![]()