Why Has GEC Knives Fallen Off the Cliff?

GEC specializes in highly collectable and premium quality usable pocket knives. The company's USA manufactured knives have quickly proven to be a big hit with both collectors and users who seek quality American craftsmanship.

Why Has The Interest and Postings fallen So Sharply

Poll ended at Thu Jan 16, 2014 1:22 am

GEC Has changed direction since their initial offerings.
3
5%
GEC No longer creates what I thinks are Original Patterns.
1
2%
GEC Prices Have increased to more than I can afford.
17
29%
GEC knives seem to have saturated the market, decreasing my original purchase.
3
5%
GEC knives on Ebay seem to drive values into the toilet.
2
3%
GEC Product quality has fallen compared to their original product offering in 2007.
2
3%
GEC Products although Superior, I cannot afford the heavy ticket price vs, other products offered.
7
12%
Gec Has fallen in the direction of WR Case & Sons, Offering almost every pattern,Handle,and color under the sun.
2
3%
GEC Knives are really nice, I love them... Just cannot afford to collect like I once did.
16
28%
GEC Like many new companies are moving to quickly for profit rather than satisfying the customer with what they want.
5
9%
 
Total votes: 58

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knifeswapper
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Re: Why Has GEC Knives Fallen Off the Cliff?

Post by knifeswapper »

Do you have a picture of the end of the tube (with numbers)?

I have bought a lot of knives off eBay. But it finally got to where I was always trying to read what they DID NOT say in the description. It seemed like people were using it to pass off culls. Obviously, if this knife left GEC as a first quality, it shouldn't have. But that is probably why it went on the auction block.

There has not been a knife come thru my hands that I could not find something to gripe about if I looked hard enough. And all hand made knives will have an issue here and there. But the percentage of GEC knives I set aside (to cull in some other market) is substantially lower than any other brand of traditional I trade.

If tips riding high bother you and you don't want to remedy them yourself - don't buy GEC's. If a little play in lockbacks bothers you - don't buy GEC lockbacks. If stiff backsprings bother you - don't buy GEC's. That is not to say that every one has these issues; but it doesn't take much investigative work to find out they are somewhat common.

But if you buy from a GEC distributor and put in the order notes something you simply cannot stand or want looked at - they will. Also, most have a very liberal return policy. eBay, or any other secondary market, is fine for buying knives. And there is a high rate of success there. But you are generally buying a specific knife and not from an inventory of the same variant that can be used to get you one that fits your specific request. GEC has been a booming success based on the knives they were making years ago - and they have only gotten better.
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QTCut5
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Re: Why Has GEC Knives Fallen Off the Cliff?

Post by QTCut5 »

THANK YOU, KNIFESWAPPER! That's the levelheaded, straightforward, impersonal, informational, educational kind of response I was hoping for in the first place. Funny thing is, after reading your post, I realized, "Hmm, that makes a lot of sense, I wonder why I didn't think of that myself before even bothering to post on AAPK?" And I think the answer is that I actually did think that already, but I was seeking support or validation from someone in the knife community with more knowledge and experience with GEC than myself, i.e., trying to do a little "investigative work" (as you call it) about a brand I knew very little about except for this one knife I bought on eBay, and I wanted to know if my experience would be considered "normal" or "typical" for GEC knives in general or if it were more of a unique, isolated, or infrequent occurrence...and you answered my question perfectly, rationally and without prejudice. Thank you.

I do have the original tube with the numbers on the end cap, and there is no indication that it is anything other than first quality. Truth is, even with the small defects in this Furtaker Trapper I have, I still like the knife quite a bit. I can tell it is solid and made of high quality materials. I have never suggested, and have no intention of returning it for a refund. Everyday I play around with it, I like and appreciate it more and more. I can't wait to start collecting more GEC knives (I already have enough Case knives to last a few lifetimes!)

It's always a pleasure to learn from a wise and noble teacher.

Cheers & Aloha,
~Q~
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In the master's chamber they gather for the feast.
They stab it with their steely knives but they just can't kill the beast.
(Eagles: Hotel California)


~Q~
habitant400
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Re: Why Has GEC Knives Fallen Off the Cliff?

Post by habitant400 »

After reading the last two pages regarding the quality of the maple GEC, I have a few comments. I'm a collector with about 200 GEC/Tidioute/Northfield knives. I also have many Case knives.

Average case knives have shields attached with epoxy. All GEC/Tidioute/Northfield knife shields are pinned to the liner, which to me represents a leap in quality that would make me overlook some fit and finish concerns.

The shield placement on a number of my Case knives has concerned me to point where I have warmed up the handles to soften the epoxy so I can improve on Case's work by adjusting the fit and finish.

Northwoods used to be a stand alone company, but it has been purchased by Knivesshipfree and the knives are made by Great Eastern Cutlery. Great Eastern Cutlery doesn't contract out work.

Most Great Eastern Cutlery knives I have seen are about as close to perfect as one should reasonably expect from a 100 dollar pocket tool. I say "reasonably" because perfection from a custom maker can cost many times more. Some of the variation you get in a Great Eastern Cutlery product is the result of these knives being handmade, which to my mind only enhances their collectability.

I would say if you want a Great Eastern Cutlery knife get one now because it almost seems like the company's existence must be a labor of love. Some of the Special Factory Order knives have come very close to the level of workmanship I would associate with custom produced knives.
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Re: Why Has GEC Knives Fallen Off the Cliff?

Post by Dornblaser »

I have a good number of GEC knives. Over the last year I have lost interest in this brand. The nice scales are few and far between. The knives now tend to be mostly large or chunky. What happened to smaller, single spring knives? And, please, no more #15 Barlows. Bails? And, why was there never a #48 Wharnie Trapper when folks have been asking for one for years? Most disturbing is all the SFO knives and then their GEC derivatives. SFOs seem to be the way for GEC to pay the bills and not have to exercise any creativity. I suggest that SFOs have killed the GEC that we all used to love. They have certainly reduced the websites that carry their knives down to those order SFOs. I used to look forward to checking the GEC website often to see what was coming. Now, meh.

Disgusted and disappointed,
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Re: Why Has GEC Knives Fallen Off the Cliff?

Post by Dornblaser »

Post-Script: look at the drop off in posts and interest in this sub-forum over the last year or so.
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Re: Why Has GEC Knives Fallen Off the Cliff?

Post by IMBand »

I think they still do an extra fine job.....many improvements over the years, and some things that don't appeal to everyone. Their pattern list is getting pretty diverse and quality is top shelf. I don't chase too many SFOs but to be honest, the time they spend on them helps my knife budget recover.......

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Re: Why Has GEC Knives Fallen Off the Cliff?

Post by Jeffrey »

They are still the best production knife made! I remember years ago when this forum was constant with pics, comments and new threads but anymore it seems like a ghost town. I still buy GEC knives over any other because of quality and nice the folks are at GEC. ::tu::
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Classic Case
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Re: Why Has GEC Knives Fallen Off the Cliff?

Post by Classic Case »

This forum used to be much busier than it is now, that is true. GEC was a new company, something new is always going to garner more interest, simply because its new. A slowdown of the forum was inevitable in my opinion. But do I think GEC has fallen off a cliff? No. IMO they make the best knife for me.
They have certainly reduced the websites that carry their knives down to those order SFOs.
That is NOT true,..they have many more dealers than they used to. You may have to go to a certain site to get a certain SFO, but for a standard issue knife that is not the case. I agree with the "enough with the #15 models". That horse has got to be dead by now.
As for GEC's way of doing business,.. they built their business in the midst of bad economic times, and they are still here, so I guess they are doing something right. ::shrug::
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Re: Why Has GEC Knives Fallen Off the Cliff?

Post by jerryd6818 »

Let me say up front, I think GEC makes a good knife. I have nothing against the hardware.

That said, since the #48 Wharncliffe Trapper they haven't made a single pattern that got my juices flowing and put that certain light in my eyes. The #82 Dixie Stock Knife tickled my fancy a little but so far not enough to shell out the bucks for one.

On the whole, GEC has made very few patterns that please my eye and it shows in my pile. I'm not in a position to collect GEC's just because they're GEC's so I have to be very selective what I buy. Plus, the prices seem to have gone up or maybe that's just my imagination.
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Re: Why Has GEC Knives Fallen Off the Cliff?

Post by QTCut5 »

Since I last posted on this thread several months ago I sold the problematic Furtaker Trapper and I have added a couple other GEC knives to my collection. My first experience with GEC was not positive; however, I have since come to realize that GEC can build an excellent, high-quality knife if they want to; just look at the Northwoods knives that they manufacture for KSF--top shelf all the way. My only complaint with the GEC lines (Tidioute, Northfield, UN-X-LD) is one that many people have mentioned, i.e., they have a tendency to be nailbreakers...especially the smaller frames. What I don't understand, though, is why Northwoods knives are so much more consistent in walk-and-talk than GEC when (I assume) they're all made at the same place by the same people? Is it intentional and if so, why would they choose to do that? For the record, all the GEC knives I own are smooth openers with perfect spring tension. I really have no use for a folder that I can't open regardless of any other positive qualities it may have.

~Q~
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We are all just prisoners here of our own device.
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(Eagles: Hotel California)


~Q~
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Re: Why Has GEC Knives Fallen Off the Cliff?

Post by orvet »

I am not a collector of GEC knives, primarily for the reasons many of you have mentioned.
I don't like nail breaker knives, though I do have a few that have weaker springs in them, and I do EDC those knives.
The high price mentioned is another deterrent for me.
I am not a big fan of the large, heavy, boxy shape on some of their knives.
I do love carbon steel and most of the GEC knives I have seen do have carbon steel blades, however the majority of the GEC knives I have carried and used do not seem to have the edge retention of the old Camillus and Schrade knives. I would like to see them improve their heat treatment or make the patterns I like available in a steel that will hold an edge better like D2 or ATS 34.

I collect old knives, not new ones. The new knives I buy from Case, Canal Street and GEC are for using. If they don't hold an edge well, I'm not interested in them. I really like the design of some of GEC's Wharncliffe blades, but if the spring is too stiff and it won't hold an edge well, it is no use to me no matter how much I like the looks. ::shrug::
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Re: Why Has GEC Knives Fallen Off the Cliff?

Post by IMBand »

Easy pull, super sharp 1095, well centered and tight 3.5" knife. What's not to love?

No current USA Knife manufacturer is even coming close to the build quality of GEC. Schrade and Camillus are great old makers that are missed.....but they could not do what GEC is doing, which is making fantastic cutlery in the USA every day. People make the knives, not machines.....so there will be variances but GEC and their dealers always step up if there is any issue.

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Re: Why Has GEC Knives Fallen Off the Cliff?

Post by coffeecup »

IMBand wrote: GEC and their dealers always step up if there is any issue.
Sorry, but based on my (albeit limited) experience, I cannot agree with any part of this statement.
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Re: Why Has GEC Knives Fallen Off the Cliff?

Post by big monk »

Well, not everyone is ""HAPPY"" ::teary_eyes:: ::shrug::
I'm not young enough,____to know everything !!!!!!!!!!!!

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Re: Why Has GEC Knives Fallen Off the Cliff?

Post by QTCut5 »

Strange how time and tides can change one's viewpoint dramatically in a relatively short amount of time (and living on an island by the ocean, I have developed a pretty keen awareness of that fact through daily observation of both). My first experience with GEC was not positive. If I had relied solely upon that experience, I never would have bothered to buy another GEC knive ever again. Instead, I shared my concerns here on AAPK and in return, got a truckload of feedback from people on both sides with much more experience and direct knowledge. Although it's true I clearly "ruffled a few feathers" with my negative (albeit correct) analysis of the ONE GEC knife I had, I also gained valuable insight based on the comments of others. Since then, I have come to appreciate the quality and beauty of GEC knives so much that I have added quite a few to my collection (see my earlier post on this same thread). I still don't like the nailbreakers...but, also through the knowledge, experience and kindness of other AAPK members, I have gained new tools and knowledge that have rendered this former problem a "non-issue" since most of my knives are for collecting purposes only and don't require frequent opening anyway. I have also dealt with Christine Tucker at GEC and found her to be most helpful and responsive to my inquiries and requests. I guess you could say that I have been converted and am now a true "believer" in GEC. My only complaint is that they cost more than I can afford to pay to collect all the different patterns that I would like to...but, in the end, that only makes them that much more exclusive (imho), and when I am able to buy another one, I appreciate it that much more because it required more of a sacrifice from me. I feel GEC knives are great and would be wonderful for EDC, if one were so inclined, but for a collector such as myself, I am fascinated with GEC knives as objects de arte and I never tire of looking at my ever-increasing, and varied collection.

~Q~
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Seriously, what's not to love about these beauties?
Seriously, what's not to love about these beauties?
We are all just prisoners here of our own device.
In the master's chamber they gather for the feast.
They stab it with their steely knives but they just can't kill the beast.
(Eagles: Hotel California)


~Q~
gino
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Re: Why Has GEC Knives Fallen Off the Cliff?

Post by gino »

HEY!!!


I KNOW WHY!!!!!!!!
-( life is too short to carry a cheap knife )-
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Re: Why Has GEC Knives Fallen Off the Cliff?

Post by jmh58 »

Seems to me the interest/purchases are picking up!! ::tu:: John :D
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Re: Why Has GEC Knives Fallen Off the Cliff?

Post by QTCut5 »

I agree...just look at how popular the new Tidioute Beer Scout Knife is...particularly the smooth ivory bone version. If you don't have one by now, you may just be out of luck unless and until some savvy speculator/collector purchased extras with an eye for future sales/profits. Same thing happened with the Scagel Stag Fruitport...I've only seen two offered for sale in the last 5 or 6 years...and I bought the first one I saw (with the help of kind memebers right here on AAPK, I might add). The second one is still currently for sale. And there are many other examples...such as the GEC #85 EZopen smooth ivory bone Bullet Point. True, it was an SFO, but just try to find one of them for sale now--highly unlikely, but even if you do, it's gonna cost you dearly. The lesson I have learned is that when my gut tells me to get a certain knife, I just do it...I can worry about plenty of other stuff anytime, but I really hate the feeling of knowing I had the chance to buy a knife that really "speaks" to me but, for whatever reason, I chose to ignore it and I missed what could very well have been my only opportunity.

But, that's just me...I'm sure everyone has their own ways & means of justifying buying more knives when they already own hundreds (Now, if I could just figure out how to make my wife understand that concept!)


~Q~
We are all just prisoners here of our own device.
In the master's chamber they gather for the feast.
They stab it with their steely knives but they just can't kill the beast.
(Eagles: Hotel California)


~Q~
gino
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Re: Why Has GEC Knives Fallen Off the Cliff?

Post by gino »

I EDC a GEC most days as well as my Benchmade
I LOVE this pattern and knife!
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QTCut5
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Re: Why Has GEC Knives Fallen Off the Cliff?

Post by QTCut5 »

Can't honestly say I EDC it, but I do EDD (every day display) it and it fills my heart with joy just to view such beauty. (Mahalo, Big Monk)

~Q~
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We are all just prisoners here of our own device.
In the master's chamber they gather for the feast.
They stab it with their steely knives but they just can't kill the beast.
(Eagles: Hotel California)


~Q~
gino
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Re: Why Has GEC Knives Fallen Off the Cliff?

Post by gino »

SWEET knife Q ! ::droooool::
-( life is too short to carry a cheap knife )-
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QTCut5
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Re: Why Has GEC Knives Fallen Off the Cliff?

Post by QTCut5 »

Right back atcha, Gino, ours could almost be twins...'cept I see yours has the butt bolster and liner lock...very classy indeed.

~Q~
We are all just prisoners here of our own device.
In the master's chamber they gather for the feast.
They stab it with their steely knives but they just can't kill the beast.
(Eagles: Hotel California)


~Q~
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