Mail Call, Post Your New GECs.

[JohnR]

Great week for TC's.

[Tsar Bomba]

Having missed out on the #15 "lolly scramble", my one successful GEC pickup of recent times turned out to be the salt in the wound I wasn't really expecting from GEC -- even though the red bone #38 Special Jack I recently purchased had rough action and ultimately went back to the dealer for a long-overdue credit (still waiting on it so I can go shopping for another #38 to replace it).

I won't have the option with this one, though: The #25 watchpocket Barlow in polished stag. From a distance, it looks plenty nice and I've been wanting a GEC single-blade spearpoint for a while now. Unfortunately the F&F was not very GEC-like (traditionally; I plan on posting a thread a little later about GEC's quality control over the last few years and how I perceive it to have slipped almost to the degree of Parker-era Case or pre-Daniels Queen) and I am fighting an internal battle over whether to return it or just suck it up and keep it. There's virtually no chance I'll find a replacement if I do return this one, so my $120ish credit will basically sit unused for who knows how long.

Suffice it to say I was beyond disappointed when I had the knife in hand and found what is basically a very bad "hot spot" on the pile side where the bolster looms over the stag by at least 1/16th of an inch. I really don't know what to do. It's a pretty knife but the pile side fit is going to annoy me to no end, I just know it.

[RalphAlsip]

Tony, sorry to hear about your recent experience with GEC. It is especially disappointing when it happens with a knife you really want to be nice. The lack of "flushness" where handle meets bolster is pretty noticeable in the picture and if you can see it you can certainly feel it if you fidget with knives when they are in the pocket. Like you said, it is a pretty knife otherwise.

Edit: the Churchill looks like it will be available soon. Maybe one of those would be worth a look if you can't replace the watchpocket barlow.

[Tsar Bomba]

Tony, sorry to hear about your recent experience with GEC. It is especially disappointing when it happens with a knife you really want to be nice. The lack of "flushness" where handle meets bolster is pretty noticeable in the picture and if you can see it you can certainly feel it if you fidget with knives when they are in the pocket. Like you said, it is a pretty knife otherwise.

Edit: the Churchill looks like it will be available soon. Maybe one of those would be worth a look if you can't replace the watchpocket barlow.

I'm a "sure thing" on the AAPK 2017 knife, for whatever/whenever the details end up being.

I just seem to have the absolute worst luck with GEC (my favorite active cutlery co.) and Barlows (my favorite pattern/style). It's almost turning into a bit of a cosmic joke. Just one more reason not to pay 2-2.5x markups on the secondary market -- and hoping my dealer gets their spit together on reservations next time Charlie commissions a TC.

[Ivoryman]

Congrats JohnR, great ones there. Love a TC.
Very sorry to hear that Bomba, that's exactly the kind of stuff I quit buying Queens over. Can't believe GEC let that out of the factory with that terrible transition. And they're gone, so you can't swap for another of the same. Bummer, hope you get it ironed out.
I can relate too. This is my second try for one of these Goldenrod Barlows. Had to send the first one back for zero snap closed and barely any open, weakest GEC spring I've ever had. This one, however, is great both ways, and prettier and no play, great transitions, everything like it should be and then some. Great knife, but sometimes it's hit or miss, could go either way. Some you win, some you lose, and then you return.

[DM11]

Sorry to hear you've had another disappointment Tony. Hope you can resolve the issue some how. I sent my SMKW 66 back to GEC to fix a ding in the shield and side to side play in the sheepfoot blade.

[jerryd6818]

I resisted acquiring one of these 66 calf ropers, but eventually succumbed to the temptation . The dark vintage looking stag is what pushed me over the edge.

That stag calf roper is a fine, fine looking piece of cutlery.

Jerry, I just noticed your new avatar. Love it. That's some mighty pretty country down there. It just shows to go you, you can take the boy out of Southern Illinois but you can't take Southern Illinois out of the boy. Damn shame Chicago is in Illinois. It would be one of the best states in the Union without 'em.

[FarSide]

[kootenay joe]

Hey Alfred E., lovely red bone Un X LD barlow !
What makes it a "Tom's Choice" ? or are all of the Northfield barlows marked "T.C." ?
kj

[FarSide]

Hey Alfred E., lovely red bone Un X LD barlow !
What makes it a "Tom's Choice" ? or are all of the Northfield barlows marked "T.C." ?
kj

The Northfield Barlows are the #77 pattern and exclusive to Mike Latham with Collector Knives. Bolster marked "NF".
The TC Barlows may really stand for "Tidioute Cutlery"from what I remember reading some old posts. They are always made under the Tidioute trim. Of course the "Tom's Choice" Barlow has sprung up over time. The TC Barlows are on the #15 pattern and exclusive to Mr. Campagna. That's what I know, but please correct me if I'm wrong.

[Ivoryman]

Love the little 25 Barlow with the saw cut and the UN-X-LD on the bolster Farside. Congrats. Sweet sweet knives.

[Railsplitter]

These two Northwoods Little Bays arrived a couple days ago. GEC's #25 frame with a nice little Clip blade. I can't keep the Denim Micarta out of my pocket.

[Tsar Bomba]

Thanks to 313Mike, I can continue the #25 Barlow party for a bit. Carried this little number all day today.

[Ivoryman]

Beauty Bomba, love a 25, especially with great bones like that.

[Brumbydownunder]

Not actually here yet but on it's way from Florida to Aussie - with Hurricane Irma providing a tail-wind

#77 Yankee Jack

[kootenay joe]

Right now there are 13 Northwoods "Little Bay" knives for sale on ebay thanks to flippers. I might buy one but i don't want to 'feed a flipper' by paying way over original price. Approximately what did this sell for on KSF ?
thanks, kj

[Railsplitter]

Right now there are 13 Northwoods "Little Bay" knives for sale on ebay thanks to flippers. I might buy one but i don't want to 'feed a flipper' by paying way over original price. Approximately what did this sell for on KSF ?
thanks, kj

I didn't get in on the lolly scramble so I didn't get to see the original dealer price myself. The same question was asked on another forum and someone responded saying they were priced in the $160-$170 price range for the Micarta versions.

I bought two Micarta Little Bays on the secondary market and I paid $150 for the Red and $180 for the Denim. Both brand new with leather slip and coin. The leather slips are quite nice but unfortunately, I have no use for them.

I didn't want to pay that much but now that the buying process is over, I don't regret it for a second. The Little Bays are fantastic little knives with an awesome little Clip blade, steel liners and bolsters, and some really nice cover options. I'm exercising restraint right now trying not to make an offer on that Burlap Micarta on Ebay. The only thing holding me back is that it's a KSF photo and may not be the actual knife I'll receive.

[kootenay joe]

Thanks for the info. You did very well. The re-sellers made little to no profit.
I don't mind paying extra to a re-seller as long as it is a 'reasonable' amount. I did pay $230 for a very nice Stag Northwoods "Hawthorne" which might have been a bit more than $50 over KSF price but i have seen others sell at $300.
kj

[kootenay joe]

I just received a stag GEC Northfield 362209, which GEC calls a "Sunfish" pattern, 4 1/4". This stag suits this knife Perfectly !
In pics below i compare it's size with the GEC #46, the "Whaler" pattern which at 4 3/8" is 1/8" longer, closed. The Whaler is also bigger from spine to top edge of liners, and this allows for a much deeper master blade. The master on the 46 is 3" and only 1/16" shorter on the #36. The secondary on the #46 is 2 1/8" which is 1/4" longer than the secondary on the 36 which is 1 7/8" long.
I had wondered how these 2 patterns compared size-wise so i'm posting this info in case others are also interested in the comparison.
kj

[JohnR]

Both of those are stunning KJ!

[kootenay joe]

Thanks John. I don't know how fast these sold when first released but the GEC Toenail (aka Sunfish) pattern is in demand right now.
They are impressive to look at and to handle but i cannot see myself carrying & using one of these. They are heavy in the pocket and the broad handle is not comfortable in my hand compared to a Jack, Stockman, etc.
kj

[hk1123]

kj - I wish there was a "like" button - is that Whaler in E.I.?

[kootenay joe]

Yes it is elephant ivory. I think 3 were made with ivory handles.
kj

[jzwhts]

https://www.flickr.com/gp/26946687@N06/Y47E89

First post here, trying to figure out pics. Anyway mammoth ivory 36 came home with me today.

[Tsar Bomba]

(back) to AAPK, jzwhts! That's an awfully nice toe, I can imagine it set you back a pretty penny for what those knives are fetching these days. Bet it's worth every dime, though! Outstanding ivory on a favorite pattern of mine.

I'm sure Jerry & Co. will be around shortly with the welcome wagon and a note about the forum guidelines for pics. I went ahead and uploaded a copy of your GEC for thread posterity (basically, pics get uploaded not linked so that threads can be referenced years later without a ton of "NOT FOUND" thumbnails from Flickr and Photobucket). Our great users have done yeoman's work creating a thread with an easy-to-follow guide to posting photos on AAPK (which is good because we love pics here ) - you can find that thread by clicking here. It should give you all the details you need to share photos here.

I was able to quickly grab a postable copy of your photo using the Flickr download feature (in case the picture thread doesn't say so, the forum has a 1200x1000 size limit for uploads). This happens to be exactly what I do with the pics I back up to Flickr from my phone - I go to the Flickr photo page, hit the "Download" button under the photo (looks like an arrow pointing down with a horizontal line underneath it) and then the "View all sizes" option, and I click the "Download the Large 1024 size of this photo" which looks good and still fits on AAPK. Saves a lot of time compared to picture resizing, for sure.

Thanks for sharing your knife and enjoy the forum! Lots of friendly and whipsmart, very knowledgeable folks around so feel free to ask or share anything -- no need to wait 3 years to post your next forum post!