All About Pocket Knives

Don't know why you sold it either Roland but very appreciative that you did. Of my few knives this is the crown jewel. Thanks again.

So I have three and this is the last one and probably the literal last one. This one disappointed me. Don't get me wrong, I like the knife. It's the blade finish that I fell head over heels for when they first started coming out that disappointed me. I expected more of a rustic "forged look" but in hand, it's very under-whelming. Looks faked. For me, it kinda ruins an otherwise excellent knife. Oh well. Live and learn. I'm not going to pitch it out with the trash or kick it out of my pile.

Jerry, from your picture i do not get any 'faked' impression. The blade has crisp sharp lines and looks attractive and quite 'capable'.
Is it the standard 'Bohncliffe' ? or is tip end more elongated ?
And Q.S.: Burnside Jack ? Can you maybe get a better picture ? One in which the blade is not blue. The picture has The Blues.
kj

This is a Dave Shirley era Northwoods. It is a Queen Mountain Man knife with Northwoods Branding. It is a handful of a knife at 4 1/2 inches with substantial sambar stag scales.

RalphAlsip wrote:This is a Dave Shirley era Northwoods. It is a Queen Mountain Man knife with Northwoods Branding. It is a handful of a knife at 4 1/2 inches with substantial sambar stag scales.

Now that's a nice Northwoods

STAG PARTY!

Here's a shot of my two 'users'. In the background is my Madison Barlow in natural linen micarta and in the foreground is my every day carry Harrison Bay in denim micarta. Some may think it sacrilegious to use these fine Northwoods, but I get satisfaction out of cutting with them. I'm still learning how to freehand sharpen them..would probably be much easier with a blade like the Fremont.

I think it is great that you are using your Northwoods knives. They were made to be used. If no one used them the knife maker could get away with thickly ground and dull blades on a pretty knife. Guys like you help keep the standards up.
kj

kootenay joe wrote:I think it is great that you are using your Northwoods knives. They were made to be used. If no one used them the knife maker could get away with thickly ground and dull blades on a pretty knife. Guys like you help keep the standards up.

I agree. Here is a Northwoods Norfolk pen knife that I carry. Obviously, it sees only light duty since it is a small knife.

The Norfolk is such an elegant pattern. Are the handles mammoth ?
The Case/Bose Collab. Norfolk pen knife is also a very fine knife that is well worth picking up if you ever see one available.
kj

kootenay joe wrote:The Norfolk is such an elegant pattern. Are the handles mammoth ?
The Case/Bose Collab. Norfolk pen knife is also a very fine knife that is well worth picking up if you ever see one available.
kj

The handles are smooth bone - wish they were mammoth, but then it probably would not see any pocket time. I like the Case/Bose knives, however I'm a bargain hunter for them so I almost never find one.

I am not a fan of the Case-Bose collabs but the Norfolk is a bargain at full price. Mine is ebony. The jigged bone ones are even 'smarter' looking. Mine is such a fine knife and from what i read at the time they all came out 'just right'.
kj

dweb1897 wrote:If you own one or a bunch, post a pic of your favorite. I'm not all that familiar with the models so how about including that info as well.

If I was going to call a knife sexy, this would be the one.
Northwoods Willamete WhittlerNORTHWOODS WILLAMETE WHITTLER.jpg

Great one, PM me if you still have it and want to let it go. I grew up there in the Willamette Valley. Great pattern and bone. Thanks.

3's a charm

I can't even buy one from KnivesShipFree while one AAPK dealer got 4/5 #93s Signals to sell. All those Evil-bayers selling GEC And GEC Northwoods knives makes me sick. I have never sold or traded a knife in my life. But I have given some of my best knives to the deserving. Many of these dealers have special buying software with multiple Pay-Pal and E-mail accounts with one click. I believe KnivesShipFree has favorites also.

Onearmbladejunkie wrote:I can't even buy one from KnivesShipFree while one AAPK dealer got 4/5 #93s Signals to sell. All those Evil-bayers selling GEC And GEC Northwoods knives makes me sick. I have never sold or traded a knife in my life. But I have given some of my best knives to the deserving. Many of these dealers have special buying software with multiple Pay-Pal and E-mail accounts with one click. I believe KnivesShipFree has favorites also. 9999000677344221112.png

A more sympathetic ear you will not find my friend. Join the club. I try to get in on most Northwoods releases and probably score one less than half the time. But that's not Knives Ship Free's slight against you personally, if it makes you feel any better it's all of us, or me anyway too. Right there comiserating with you. Five years ago they sat around a while, now their all gone in minutes. That's just increased demand and appreciation, don't you wish all your knives did that? Well, hats off the Knives Ship Free and Derrick Bohn and Northwoods for taking a sweet company like GEC and getting them to make a slightly different knife that increases in value. Who else doing that? GEC Rocks, what can I say, and Northwoods is secondary market GOLD. I thank Derrick every day and wish him the best. R.I.P. with all due respect. Met him a few times and sure I liked him more that he liked me. Love the guy. Know why? Becasue EVERY Northwoods I ever bought from him but one is worth two or three times what I paid him for it. He made me some money with his knife supply and I never did jack for him. He did me a favor letting me buy his knives and enjoy using them. Mr. Bohn is gone and he's still probably about my favorite knife guy/designer. And I've got a huge smile and warm greeting for him if I get to see him on the other side.

The very rapid selling out of the last about 2 years i think is due to mobile technology. The instant a retailer sends out a message to say "New GEC Available" it arrives on a mobile phone which can then be used to complete a purchase regardless if you are home or not. If you use a computer your email gets updated about every 30 minutes so th 'Available' email might have been sitting on server for 29 minutes before you even get it. By then all knives have been purchased by those with a mobile smart phone.
There likely are more buyers now than say 3 or 4 years ago but i think it is the change in technology that accounts for selling out in 2-3 minutes.
Too bad because it forces you to 'go fast' and for those of us who do not have a mobile device we are out of the game, watching from the side lines for the runs that are most popular.
kj

Oh well, what can you do
Luckily the GEC's that I like/love are not the big sellers. And if they are, I just wait till they restock, or try my best to snag 1 of the "pass over" ones. Still great knives, I just stay out of they hype when they are released. Example; I snagged 1 of the new stockyard whittlers in Bloodwood 2 days ago, beautiful looking knife. Checked when I got home after work, that last 1 was still in stock. I don't get it at all (Head scratch moment).

Well I just located and bought a real Northwoods Knife. 2008 Northwoods "Moore Maker" Safety knife 1 of 100 made This is a drawer knife with no box. A little age patina on the bone. Maybe some slight pitting and drawer marks. In the mail and on the way to me. I am going to clean it , oil it , play with it , and EDC !

Neat. I remember those. Made by Queen i think ?
kj

You'll blame their popularity on anything besides reality kj: mobile devices, hype, fads, bandwagon mentality. Anything besides the knives themselves and the truth which is no one else makes what they are selling, not even GEC themselves, and people like the product. Well most people. Then you'll question why others buy them when you yourself buy them. Truth, reason, logic and supply and demand will not convince someone who chooses to ignore what the real issue is. For years you have been telling us it's a fad and will pass. Not yet.

Ivoryman wrote:WP_20150615_12_46_55_Pro.jpgWP_20150615_12_46_13_Pro.jpg

Nice pic of a great pattern.

Thanks Farside, appreciate it.