Why Has GEC Knives Fallen Off the Cliff?

[orvet]

Good point Barry.
I recall how many complaints there were when when the first GEC knives came out in '06.

This was the reaction to a GEC knife in 2007, by Johnnie Fain, who became a big GEC fan by the time he passed away in 2009.
http://www.allaboutpocketknives.com/kni ... GEC#p49656

In this thread Johnnie, Hukk and others discuss problems with GEC knives.
http://www.allaboutpocketknives.com/kni ... php?t=3507

My point is that when GEC came out there were a lot of folks here rooting for them, and I think actually gave them a boost in their business, in spite of some early QC and customer service problems.

Barry’s point is well taken, GEC has done a lot to listen to the customers here on AAPK and have responded to what our members have had to say.
Even though I don't collect GEC (aside from the AAPK series) it is not for quality issues.
I do think they listen to their customers, and that is a good thing!
They have also vastly improved their quality!!!

[habitant400]

Well, I've bought so many of them the number of tubes around my house is getting ridiculous...not just from my wife's perspective. There is only so many knives I can store/justify so I've become more discerning about what I buy. It is not really about money, I still buy the ones I think are interesting. I have examples of almost all the patterns and production years to date so it will take a more special knife to make me purchase. I definitely don't agree with any sentiment that the quality has dropped off. I would say that generally the quality is better than it was on the 2006, 07, 08 knives. The knives are more refined in most cases. I also don't think the knives are over-priced, in fact, I can't see how the 20 people making them earn a living selling a few knives for 100 bucks each. I have many GECs that compare in quality to custom knives that people justify spending many times more for.

I do think that many of the people who would really appreciate these as quality objects to own never see them, let alone hold them in hand. I live in a Canadian province of 1 million plus people (many outdoors types: hunters, fishers, farmers) and I would probably be correct in saying I own 95% of the GEC knives here. Most people have never heard of Great Eastern Cutlery, but would definitely appreciate them if they held them. That said, to make inroads, the marketing team may need to explain why these knives are better than the trinkets given to farmers by farm supply companies.

[bulldog]

The quality is still excellent and so are the workers. i know what i want when i purchase a knife. With GEC, i know what I'm getting!

[singin46]

Yes and thank goodness for that. I can't tell you how many new knives I bought before GEC came along only to continually be disappointed with my purchases later. Trust is a BIG part of it.

[caddyman1973]

The only problem I have with GEC is the stag handled knives. I usually wont buy one without looking it over in my hand. I know stag is a natural product and every piece is different, but that being said, I've seen several in the last few years that the stag was as thick as the bolsters on the ends and taper down to near nothing in the center of the knife, near the rocker pin. I've seen a few knives that were so thin at the rocker pin that brass liner was actually visible from a side view. These were not marked as seconds either. It may not bother other people, but it does me. It wont keep me from buying GECs, by any means. I love em! But I do look the stag over VERY well before I buy.

[bonehead]

Fellas,

Sorry for the poor title on this post. It's obvious I could have chose something less dangerous. I do want to say that GEC is the only US knife company that I buy from today with any regularity.

I have been there and met with Bill Howard and many of the other great folks that are employed there. My post never questioned GEC's integrity, direction, or Bill Howard's vision in any way. The questions for the poll originated from discussions from a few knife forums I've crossed over the last few years, personal conversation, and my own observations. I have tried in earnest to have questions that might be reasonably valid for some GEC fans and their particular interests.

I truly miss all the posts about GEC here , and on other sites. Anyone who has visited this module of the forum on a regular basis can see the sharp decline in posts of all kinds.

All said, I wish GEC and all Knife companies a prosperous year to come. There is increasing completion for the market right now, and the IMO the knife market is about as soft as it has been in many years.

Thanks for all your comments and participation! Bonehead

[oldblinddog]

I find the quality to be inconsistent. Wobbly blades and weak springs with no snap don't spin my prop. However, when they do their job correctly, they are excellent.

[singin46]

Well that's strange, I have only had 2 knives with issues over the last 7 or 8 years of buying them. One had no snap and the other had the covers pulling away on the mark side. GEC currently has my 2nd problem knife in about 25 or 30 different ones, a #23 Pioneer from 2007. Let's hope they can fix it or make me happy with some other solution. I have high hopes from the correspondence so far.

[WillClinger]

I find the quality to be inconsistent. Wobbly blades and weak springs with no snap don't spin my prop. However, when they do their job correctly, they are excellent.

Agreed.

Of the 7 GEC-made knives I've bought, 2 had minor issues that were serious enough to dissuade me from giving them as Christmas gifts (which is why I had purchased them). One had so little snap on opening that the main blade had to be pushed the last couple of millimeters into a fully open position. The other had bone splinters from damage to ridges in the jigged bone, a surprisingly large gap between bone and liner, a high kick I had to file down, and some minor blade rub.

Almost all of those knives were purchased as gifts, which limited me to the GEC line. (Unless I know someone prefers non-stainless, it's too risky to give them 1095 steel.) 4 of the 7 arrived with dull blades, and 3 of those 4 were extremely dull. Had I given those knives as gifts without sharpening the blade, the recipients would have thought I was giving them a crappy knife. Giving them a knife that was no longer in factory-new condition was the lesser of two evils.

None of these issues were important enough to justify returning the knife, but they were common enough for me to shift my purchases of gift knives from GEC to Canal Street. Of the 20 Canal Street knives I've purchased, none were as dull as 4 of the 7 GEC knives, and none had issues as serious as those of the 2 GEC knives I've mentioned.

I haven't given up on GEC, but I'm wary.

Will

[singin46]

Understandable, I too had my doubts around 2007.

[keithw]

I'm not an expert on GEC, but I like what I've seen so far.
I have 13 of them to date.
Like someone mentioned in an earlier post, I oftentimes find an older unusual knife that I really like, which takes away funds to buy more GECs.
I really like the primitive bone GECs, but many have cracks (character?) that I find unacceptable.
I know the handles have been stabilized, but I can't justify $100+ for a knife with a huge crack in it.
Maybe I'm just too picky

[singin46]

Keith, you and I have the same problem.

[Turtle]

Keith and Singin46,i too feel the same way,i find myself viewing pictures very closely before deciding,so far i haven't had any problems.

[singin46]

I will say this about the primitive bone handles. Like the mammoth bark ivory, I think the cracks are not an issue at all. I have a primitive from 2007 and the cracks are not moving or getting worse at all.

[arizonaranchman]

I've been very pleased and impressed with GEC's line. They are coming up with new patterns at a pretty steady rate. I feel their prices are pretty fair considering the quality and workmanship. For a production knife they're currently the one other competitors are striving to beat.

Do I wish they made a larger quantity of their models? Sure that would be nice, but that's their prerogative and as a business they will do what the market supports I assume.

I don't have alot of them. Currently I have nine GEC pocket knives and love them all for the fine examples they are. I watch the classifieds page on the forums to spot one that Im hoping to get if it's no longer available from the vendors.

[jon_slider]

GEC is going strong, but since the AAPK decision not to allow img codes, I think there has been a large drop in postings here.

[Robert]

I find it easier to post pictures now,I just cant post what I had stored on photo bucket but if they on computer that al gore invented they will post...........

[Pen & Toothpick]

I think that it is true that the cost has always been high, for a great knife. But as collectors, we all know that the most coveted knives will be the 2007, 2008 & 2009's. This was not really part of the poll, so I think the poll is flawed. I do think there was a post about increasing run sizes to lower cost, this could be the answer to a sustainable future. Love these knives, but honestly I have very few after 2010 runs.

[jerryd6818]

I find it easier to post pictures now,I just cant post what I had stored on photo bucket but if they on computer that al gore invented they will post...........

Robert, what do you do, delete them from your computer after you send them to Photo Bucket?

[Robert]

I find it easier to post pictures now,I just cant post what I had stored on photo bucket but if they on computer that al gore invented they will post...........

Robert, what do you do, delete them from your computer after you send them to Photo Bucket?

I got new computer while back even though I saved em all on a file,I dont want to put them all back on

[nordic320]

After read though all of the comments on this subject I have to say that I haven’t found any significant problems with any of my GEC knives. I have over 550 and the number is increasing every month. Initially I liked the fact that they were a new company and tat the knives were made in the USA. Two big plusses for me as the stuff coming from the Orient was/is of dismal quality. The third plus came when I found the quality of the GEC knife was second to none. High quality and US made. Just like the old days, and keeping Americans working in our own country to boot.

I don’t collect all the patterns, but concentrate on eight different patterns. I do have a display of serial number 02s of different patterns and handle material. Once again I haven’t run across any significant quality issues.

Yes, they aren’t cheep, but who would want to have an EDC that would be so remarkably inferior to a GEC. As a collector, I want to collect what I’m going to be proud to display. And a high quality American made pocket knife just fits the bill perfectly for me.

Bill

[big monk]

After read though all of the comments on this subject I have to say that I haven’t found any significant problems with any of my GEC knives. I have over 550 and the number is increasing every month. Initially I liked the fact that they were a new company and tat the knives were made in the USA. Two big plusses for me as the stuff coming from the Orient was/is of dismal quality. The third plus came when I found the quality of the GEC knife was second to none. High quality and US made. Just like the old days, and keeping Americans working in our own country to boot.

I don’t collect all the patterns, but concentrate on eight different patterns. I do have a display of serial number 02s of different patterns and handle material. Once again I haven’t run across any significant quality issues.

Yes, they aren’t cheep, but who would want to have an EDC that would be so remarkably inferior to a GEC. As a collector, I want to collect what I’m going to be proud to display. And a high quality American made pocket knife just fits the bill perfectly for me.

Bill

Well said,Bill !!!!!!____________ GEC's are the best production pocket knives being made today ____ USA made / USA Price *****

PS (Good to see ya' posting on here,my friend** )

[oldblinddog]

After read though all of the comments on this subject I have to say that I haven’t found any significant problems with any of my GEC knives. I have over 550 and the number is increasing every month. Initially I liked the fact that they were a new company and tat the knives were made in the USA. Two big plusses for me as the stuff coming from the Orient was/is of dismal quality. The third plus came when I found the quality of the GEC knife was second to none. High quality and US made. Just like the old days, and keeping Americans working in our own country to boot.

I don’t collect all the patterns, but concentrate on eight different patterns. I do have a display of serial number 02s of different patterns and handle material. Once again I haven’t run across any significant quality issues.

Yes, they aren’t cheep, but who would want to have an EDC that would be so remarkably inferior to a GEC. As a collector, I want to collect what I’m going to be proud to display. And a high quality American made pocket knife just fits the bill perfectly for me.

Bill

I'm glad you have had such good luck with so many GEC knives. I, on the other hand, have only five GEC knives and two of them are what I would classify as bad. One has no snap what so ever and the other's blade is so wobbly that even my wife spotted it...from a distance! (And her idea of a GOOD knife is one that costs less than 10 bucks from Walmart.) The other three are fantastic knives but a 40% reject rate is far from acceptable.

[paulsvintage]

I will stay on the GEC bandwagon . Great traditional pocketknives. But I'm definitely slowing down

[Jeffrey]

I love all of my GEC's but it get pricey so I usually buy a few a year. GEC's I think are so nice that when I pick up knives from other companies I appreciate what GEC is doing. I only EDC one of my GEC's which is the micarta Conductor. I hope the company gets more popular and stronger!