Why no love for the Navy Knife?

T

thegeneftw

Joined
Dec 30, 2016
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I picked up a GEC 15 Navy knife a while back, and wondered then why they still had so many in stock. Well, the site I got it from still has a ton of these. Given it's in the 15 pattern I'm wondering why people aren't buying these up like the other 15s that have been released in the past. Is it the steep drop at the tip? Is it the etching on the blade? Just curious what everyone thinks of this knife and why it's not as popular as the other 15s.

Just to put it out there, not bashing anyone's choice or taste. I love the one I picked up, but then again I also like the harvester which seems to not be quite a popular. This isn't a hate thread, just looking to start a conversation. :D

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I don't know what's up with them, I like mine a lot.
I bought 2 and just sent the second one to a buddy as a gift, I couldn't sell it anywhere.
 
for me sheepsfoot and sheepsfoot blades in general dont appeal much. there was a lambsfoot on the for sale that someone was letting go and i thought about it briefly but didnt pull the trigger. the second strike was the EO for me. it throws off the balance of the knife. On days I do remember to slip a knife into my scrubs pockets, i take it out more to spin around in my fingers than to actually cut something. the 15 shape is perfect for this, but when the eo is cut in, you lose some surface area. Single blade 15 clips tho, those will go in a pinch i bet.
 
I prefer a more versatile shape in a single blade knife, such as a clip, drop, or spear point. If my main use for a knife was cutting rope, which it isn't, I'd use my Spyderco Atlantic Salt with fully serrated blade.
 
The high-riding blade, especially with an EO notch, and the not-easily-removable bail combined to make this knife less than ideal for me. Which, in fairness, I knew it might be when I bought it.

What appealed to me was the history behind the pattern, and the overall look of it. It's a gorgeous pattern. I thought it might be one of those knives -- you know the ones -- where actually owning it made it click for me, but it didn't click.
 
History notwithstanding, the blade has no appeal for me, and I won't carry anything with a bail since they snag in the pocket. Just my 2¢.
 
I did have a laugh when one of the "flippers" bought up a bunch of these and then could not sell them, even at a loss. :D
 
I have several and really like them. Especially Charlies SFO version... excellent jigging, roped bail, and bolsters with rope detailing. I also have a WWI jigged bone EO rope knife by Camillus. I think GEC did a great job recreating the modern version as it looks very similar to the Camillus I have.

I noticed all the non-bail versions of the rope knife sold out quickly. These quietly showed up in dealer stock a few months ago.
 
I also got the sense it was a large run. Sometimes they just overproduce as they seem to have with the standard model #14s.
 
I love 'em, but I agree that their lack in popularity is due to the unusual blade shape and the fixed bail. Those two things just aren't going to appeal to some folks.

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LastRodeo said:
I did have a laugh when one of the "flippers" bought up a bunch of these and then could not sell them, even at a loss. :D
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😆😆

I saw the same thing happen to the latest HJs. A guy had 7 up for like $300. Never sold. He had to auction them. I think he broke even.

People assume bc/ Charlie's name is attached they are going to go fast and high.

I personally love the jigging on those but have no need for the blade.

I also think a lot of patterns are made to reach the collectors and are not geared to the user but that's just my opinion
 
I'd take one of those in a heartbeat. I love knives sporting no point. Thats the first thing i bugger up. I love the look but could live without the etching.
 
Let's see . . . I don't like a straight-edged main, I really don't like an EO notch, and I absolutely hate a bail.

Not sure why I don't have one, really. :eek:
 
I've got one of CC in cranberry . I'm glad I have it but I find the bail too big for pocket carry . I can't bring myself to take it off.
 
KBA said:
I also think a lot of patterns are made to reach the collectors and are not geared to the user but that's just my opinion
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I think that this hits the nail on the head. This is a knife that doesn't really have a place in most people's lives. I get that it's a historic pattern, but I think that it's history was pretty well confined to one specific industry and that industry isn't one that has a lot of people looking for a knife in this price range. It's a neat little novelty, but it would be way down the list of knives that I'd be interested in carrying.

Furthermore, I don't think that the pattern of knife is a good match for the style in which it was produced. The long pull and cut swedge don't fit with the blade profile. I know that there are some historic examples with these features but the majority have drawn swedges and crescent nicks up towards the point. This latter style is one that makes much more sense on a working knife like this and I think most of the best examples from the past are made like this. This version is the equivalent of putting a cut swedge and long pull on a sodbuster in my opinion. It simply doesn't look right, and that's important for a knife that's mostly aimed at collectors. The same goes for the EO notch. Most rope knives didn't have that, and it isn't needed with a blade that sits as high as this one does. It just looks wrong, and when people are buying a knife mostly for looks getting that aspect wrong hurts.

If GEC had put this out under it's Farm and Field line and given it the same treatment it does those knives I think it would have been much more successful. To dress it up like you would a congress or whittler pattern was a mistake. It's history is much more inline with the pruners and sodbusters that get the F&F stamp than the patterns that get the Northfield stamp.

These are just my opinions. I don't claim any expertise in any of these things. I have nothing but respect for Charlie's vision. He's the Tony Bose of SFOs. He brings old patterns back to life and creates a market for them. I think that this is a huge plus for our community. I'm not trying to criticize him at all, or GEC for that matter. These are merely my guesses on why this particular run didn't sell as well as most CC SFOs and GEC runs.
 
I too thought it would grow on me after I bought one (old barn chestnut), but it never happened.

I think they are fine looking knives, but I wasn't in love with it, and wasn't going to carry it.

I personally love sheepsfoot blades, and find them very useful for what I typically need a knife for. I prefer the regular sheepsfoot #15 to all other styles, but those have a much more versatile point and don't add so much extra width in the closed position.

I also think the amount produced and the timing may have been detrimental to their sales. I can't remember exactly what styles were coming out just after these, but there was much more excitement over those, and people may have just been saving their pennies for what they wanted a little more.

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk
 
I don't love it because I don't like any of the features (bail, blade shape and size) and think it is an overall ugly knife. Others may love it for the reasons I don't.
 
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