GEC #78 American Jack Is Out

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.
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Tsar Bomba
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Re: GEC #78 American Jack Is Out

Post by Tsar Bomba »

robbobus wrote:The. 44 Magnum gunstock will be out first quarter or so 2018 and looks to be fantastic. And they should do a swayback jack too. But I presume Bill Howard won't see this post and have made whatever he wants. And I will be waiting dollars in hand.
The #47 is a swayback jack. I borrowed this photo from Gino in the EDC thread today:
08DFDE99-3108-4BAF-80CA-8B82FE32013E.jpg
I'm looking forward to the big gunstock as well. ::handshake:: And, yes, we will be standing by regardless of what they build with wallets open. :lol:

Should have my smooth white #78 in hand in the upcoming week. The anxiety is killing me! ::mdm::
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Re: GEC #78 American Jack Is Out

Post by kootenay joe »

Yesterday (Sunday) i was cruising on ebay and saw an ad for a new 2017 GEC #78 American Jack with smooth white bone and a SINGLE blade for $80 delivered. So i bought it as seller's FB is perfect. I have even received a 'shipped' notice with tracking number even though i doubt it has been shipped.
From what i can see on the GEC site the single blade 78's have not yet been shipped to dealers. And why would a seller be so keen to sell the newest, hottest, GEC at a price that cannot not have any profit in it for himself ? He had 4 and 2 were already sold.
Can someone here explain such a low price for a knife that soon will be in high demand ?
kj
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Re: GEC #78 American Jack Is Out

Post by TripleF »

WOWZUH.....love that spear point with swedge!!! :shock: ::tu::
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Re: GEC #78 American Jack Is Out

Post by DM11 »

A pic of the smooth white bone.
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Re: GEC #78 American Jack Is Out

Post by Tsar Bomba »

24302494827_fe41d47880_k.jpg
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Re: GEC #78 American Jack Is Out

Post by kootenay joe »

Here is my single blade #78 that i bought on ebay from Circle A Knives. Never heard of them and price was lowest of all so i wondered if i was taking a chance. But all just fine and it's a nice well made well fitted knife. It is perfect in it's simplicity and basically perfect in construction: pull ~ 5-6, clean half stop, good spine-spring alignment, centered blade, smooth action, zero play, and, slender.
One could actually commit to this knife "I will carry you forever".
I like it.
kj
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Re: GEC #78 American Jack Is Out

Post by JohnR »

Nice one's guys, I picked up 2 of the 2 blades, jigged bone and ebony, I think the ebony is my favorite.
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Re: GEC #78 American Jack Is Out

Post by Railsplitter »

kootenay joe wrote:Here is my single blade #78 that i bought on ebay from Circle A Knives. Never heard of them and price was lowest of all so i wondered if i was taking a chance. But all just fine and it's a nice well made well fitted knife. It is perfect in it's simplicity and basically perfect in construction: pull ~ 5-6, clean half stop, good spine-spring alignment, centered blade, smooth action, zero play, and, slender.
One could actually commit to this knife "I will carry you forever".
I like it.
kj
Nice looking knife! Circle A Knives has an AAPK store on the forum. I've purchased from them twice myself and I highly recommend them. ::tu::
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Re: GEC #78 American Jack Is Out

Post by kootenay joe »

Excellent dark dense ebony on your 78. I think it is perhaps the best of all handle materials. There are a great many well used 100+ yr old knives with ebony handles that remain in perfect condition, no cracks, chips or shrinkage.
Great knife !
kj
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Re: GEC #78 American Jack Is Out

Post by kootenay joe »

"Nice looking knife! Circle A Knives has an AAPK store on the forum. I've purchased from them twice myself and I highly recommend them."
Thanks Rick, good to know. I will check out their AAPK store.
kj
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Re: GEC #78 American Jack Is Out

Post by JohnR »

Thank you KJ, agree about the ebony, have several old ones that are still perfect after 100 years.
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Re: GEC #78 American Jack Is Out

Post by jerryd6818 »

I'm still waiting on the release of the two blade stag. That said, if the only picture of them I've seen is a preview of what they will look like, I may pass.
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Re: GEC #78 American Jack Is Out

Post by jerryd6818 »

.
.

It's not looking like my taste buds will be tickled.
.
.
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Re: GEC #78 American Jack Is Out

Post by kootenay joe »

Have a look at the Stag slabs before hafting of the 78's. It is magnificent Stag, yet once on the knives it looks boring.
Why does GEC shave off the outer bark to get the right thickness at the bolsters ? Thin them out by shaving down the underside ! Look at any old British Stag handled knife and what you see looks like the GEC slabs before hafting; end to end bark.
Why does GEC not shave from the underside ?
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Re: GEC #78 American Jack Is Out

Post by robbobus »

I picked out my stag yesterday. Was my 3rd choice as they were getting snapped up quickly.
Not too thick.
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Re: GEC #78 American Jack Is Out

Post by kootenay joe »

I have looked at the Stag 78's at KSF and not one has particularly attractive Stag. All show 'too much' of the underlying white antler material.
This is a big disappointment when you look at how fine the Stag slabs were before being fitted to the scales(liners). I posted the GEC picture of the Stag 2 posts above.
Can someone explain why they don't thin the slabs by shaving the underside ?
kj
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Re: GEC #78 American Jack Is Out

Post by jerryd6818 »

I folded. Supposed to be here tomorrow.
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Forged on the anvil of discipline.
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"The #72 pattern has got to be pretty close to the perfect knife."
--T.J. Murphy 2012
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Re: GEC #78 American Jack Is Out

Post by kootenay joe »

Jerry it is a good looking knife. But imagine if the outer bark went bolster to bolster on both sides and was slender as well. That was the old time way. I don't see why it cannot be done now.
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Re: GEC #78 American Jack Is Out

Post by JohnR »

kootenay joe wrote:I have looked at the Stag 78's at KSF and not one has particularly attractive Stag. All show 'too much' of the underlying white antler material.
This is a big disappointment when you look at how fine the Stag slabs were before being fitted to the scales(liners). I posted the GEC picture of the Stag 2 posts above.
Can someone explain why they don't thin the slabs by shaving the underside ?
kj

KJ, first I totally agree with you as far as how the stag is fitted but I think it is a lot easier to fit them oversize and then grind them down to the bolsters.
Doing it the old way would take a lot of trial and error as far as cutting and fitting the underside, I am not sure GEC has a workforce capable of doing that or a cliental that would appreciate the old way.
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Re: GEC #78 American Jack Is Out

Post by kootenay joe »

John i think you are correct that fitting by shaving the underside takes more time. But i disagree about the clientele not being appreciative of the difference. I think people would scramble like crazy to get them even if price was an additional $25, or more.
On ebay people bid hard for the old Sheffield pruners with blade 50% or more worn off because of the great Stag handles. 'Wall to wall' Stag is impressive. It would be so worthwhile for GEC to haft in the correct manner. Their bottom line would go up. Right now there are quite a few GEC Stag 78's that are not moving. Haft them properly and they will sell as fast as the mammoth ones.
kj
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Re: GEC #78 American Jack Is Out

Post by ozzie marie »

Just my opinion.............GEC Hit it Out of the Park with the #78 ::nod::

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Re: GEC #78 American Jack Is Out

Post by jerryd6818 »

ozzie marie wrote:Just my opinion.............GEC Hit it Out of the Park with the #78 ::nod::

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Looks like it's a real hit with you Keith. I like it well enough that I bought more than one.
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Re: GEC #78 American Jack Is Out

Post by Tsar Bomba »

Agreed. I bought versions in stag, white bone ebony, plus the Maher & Grosh Yankee Whittler is built on the 78 frame as well. They are among my favorite new knives and I've carried each of them already.

I'm fighting the urge to go back and get some other handle styles, or an ebony single-blade. With some luck, some of those single blade stag examples that are still at the dealers might get discounted in the near future... well, a guy can dream. :lol:
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Re: GEC #78 American Jack Is Out

Post by Muss »

I just got a single blade ebony #78. First GEC in a good while but not my first by any means. I noticed the tang stamp reads, "GEC CAR' and the model number. I guess I haven't noticed the CAR before. When did this start? Does it stand for carbon, as in blade steel? Just curious. I really like the knife.
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Re: GEC #78 American Jack Is Out

Post by jerryd6818 »

Muss wrote:I just got a single blade ebony #78. First GEC in a good while but not my first by any means. I noticed the tang stamp reads, "GEC CAR' and the model number. I guess I haven't noticed the CAR before. When did this start? Does it stand for carbon, as in blade steel? Just curious. I really like the knife.
First of all, welcome to AAPK. Glad to have you aboard.

Second, pictures. Must have pictures. If you are a little fuzzy on how to post them, detailed instructions are here ---► viewtopic.php?f=98&t=50258

Both the Tidioute and the Northfield say "CARBON" on the back side of the pen blade. I'm gonna guess the CAR on the single blade does stand for Carbon.
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Forged on the anvil of discipline.
The Few. The Proud.
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This country has become more about sub-groups than about it's unity as a nation.

"The #72 pattern has got to be pretty close to the perfect knife."
--T.J. Murphy 2012
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