All About Pocket Knives

I'm surprised that a large number of GEC #81 Bull Moose knives still haven't sold.

As for a few minutes ago, KSF has almost 40 Northfield Stag 81's in stock, and they also have 39 Tidioute Bull Moose in Red Micarta. That's not counting the other 81's in other handle categories. There are also several other GEC Distributors that have numerous 81's still available.

I wonder why that pattern does not seem very popular. Anyone have any ideas?

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Mike

It could be a variety of factors including how many were made. The GEC 81 stockman with 3 blades is called the Abilene. If you are lucky to find one of these the price is very high. If GEC would re-introduce the Abilene I believe these would sell out very fast. So I don't think it is the 81 pattern, I think it is the blade configuration with 2 large blades on each end of the knife that limits the interest.

The 78's seem to have sold very well. They were sold as a single blade and 2 blade jack with the large spear and a smaller pen opening from the same end. The single blade 78 appears to be in higher demand than the 2 blade jack.

RalphAlsip wrote:It could be a variety of factors including how many were made. The GEC 81 stockman with 3 blades is called the Abilene. If you are lucky to find one of these the price is very high. If GEC would re-introduce the Abilene I believe these would sell out very fast. So I don't think it is the 81 pattern, I think it is the blade configuration with 2 large blades on each end of the knife that limits the interest.

The 78's seem to have sold very well. They were sold as a single blade and 2 blade jack with the large spear and a smaller pen opening from the same end. The single blade 78 appears to be in higher demand than the 2 blade jack.

I agree. The stockman would have sold much better.

I am surprised that the #81 Moose has not sold out. In the past there have been Queen Moose SFO's that have been very popular plus Charlie C. had a Moose SFO that sold out.
I think it simply missed out on getting 'hyped', meaning someone starts a thread, usually on BF while the knife is still in production. Think of the #15 Barlow hype that has some of these knives selling for $400 on secondary market.
The other factor might be quality of the Stag which shows too much underlying white antler. i would like a Stag 81 but cannot find one with 'acceptable' Stag.
kj

As for me it's the soft pulls that are more than a bit of a turn-off. I much prefer the #81 3-blade stockman and coon skinners.

I haven’t gotten one but I think they look great. My favorite is in Appaloosa bone of which I’ve almost pulled the trigger on but with so many knives that I really want coming out lately I’ve pumped the brakes on the 81, I figure they’ll still be there later.

Side note: I thought I had heard that as of right now this is the only run to have the CKC stamped on them. Is that true? If it is and they never stamp another run with that, would that uniqueness add value or just be a neet talking point in the future to you guys?

Jason

I doubt whether how a GEC is marked will affect value. The pattern, blade configuration, and handle type all influence desirability. I don't care how they are marked other than some of the early ones that have a huge blade etch that might say "One of Fifty", which i don't like. But a tang marking doesn't matter.
kj

Unpopular or not, the Appaloose bone 81 has become part of my core EDC rotation. I bought one to toss in the safe "just in case" but I took the prettier one and put it to work right away. It gets regular carry to this day. I took this pic leaving work on Thursday:

Super cool Tsar, thanks for sharing. I must resist till later ... I must!

I like the 81 just be better if it had a half stop

The "moose" is a long established American pattern that does not have half stops. GEC could make one with half stops but then it is no longer true to the traditional pattern.
I used to be in favor of half stops but with increasing knife experience i came to not care if a pattern has half stops or not. A finger cut can occur with the blade going from half stop position to closed. It does not happen from open to half stop position. If you 'bump' an open blade without half stops it does not go all the way to closed position. Hence half stops don't really give much protection from a cut.
kj

kootenay joe wrote:I used to be in favor of half stops but with increasing knife experience i came to not care if a pattern has half stops or not. A finger cut can occur with the blade going from half stop position to closed. It does not happen from open to half stop position. If you 'bump' an open blade without half stops it does not go all the way to closed position. Hence half stops don't really give much protection from a cut.

This, so much.

I like a half-stop on my Barlow master. Anything else seems to depend on the knife itself. I have a few knives with super-strong half-stops that detract (IMO) from the opening action of the knife and, in one or two cases, impeded a closing blade enough for me to nick myself when trying to do it one-handed. I know a lot of people love half-stops on just about everything but I don't think I have much of a preference either way, with some exceptions.

For what it's worth, the opening and closing action on my Appy 81 moose, one of my most-carried knives this year, are smooth enough that the lack of a half stop actually works to its benefit (again, IMO). Your mileage may vary.

Tsar Bomba wrote:Unpopular or not, the Appaloose bone 81 has become part of my core EDC rotation. I bought one to toss in the safe "just in case" but I took the prettier one and put it to work right away. It gets regular carry to this day. I took this pic leaving work on Thursday:

Tony, how do you carry your 81 moose? It's a hefty knife for edc; does it ride in a slip, or maybe in a belt sheath? Or does it just go right in the pocket? My 54 big jack is a similar size, as is my Buck 301, and I find them a little big for straight pocket carry. I'm always looking for more comfortable carry methods for my larger folders because I like a big knife option but don't like the feel in the pocket.

Lee

Love the pattern and edc a Tidioute green bone. Great size with two full sized blades, although the sheepfoot is missed at times. I don't find the softer pull objectionable whatsoever.

A softer pull is a good pull. There is no need for springs that make a blade stiff to open. A spring serves 2 functions: 1) to keep the blade closed so that it cannot flop open or poke the tip above the liners, and 2) to hold the blade in the fully open position such that a slight knock on the spine does not take it off the fully open position. It does not take a 'bear trap' spring to do this. A 'softer' spring holds the blade open perfectly well.
If i carry a knife with strong springs i sometimes won't use it because i don't want the 'struggle' needed to open the blade. With a softer pull knife, there is no thinking about it, instead just get the knife out of pocket and open it, all easy & smooth.
Years ago i was a strong spring guy and thought a soft spring knife was inferior. Now i know better
kj

kootenay joe wrote:A softer pull is a good pull. There is no need for springs that make a blade stiff to open. A spring serves 2 functions: 1) to keep the blade closed so that it cannot flop open or poke the tip above the liners, and 2) to hold the blade in the fully open position such that a slight knock on the spine does not take it off the fully open position. It does not take a 'bear trap' spring to do this. A 'softer' spring holds the blade open perfectly well.
If i carry a knife with strong springs i sometimes won't use it because i don't want the 'struggle' needed to open the blade. With a softer pull knife, there is no thinking about it, instead just get the knife out of pocket and open it, all easy & smooth.
Years ago i was a strong spring guy and thought a soft spring knife was inferior. Now i know better
kj

Good post Roland.

I used to be a real stickler for strong springs too but in the last 9 months I've taken on a different perspective very similar to yours. It was the GEC #35 Churchill that changed my perspective.

I like that pattern so much that I stuck one in my pocket even though I wasn't a fan of the softer spring at the time. After carrying and using the knife for the last 9 months I've really come to appreciate the softer spring. So much so that I find myself preferring softer springs nowadays when I buy a new knife. It's not a deal breaker but I prefer it. Makes the knife such a pleasure to use.

I still like good snap and a firm pull too but I've done a complete 180 as far as what I actually prefer.

I bought a GEC #81 Bull Moose from the last run and I think the springs on those are real nice too.

"Makes the knife such a pleasure to use."
Yes !
kj

After reading the posts on this, I decided a while back to get one of the GEC Bull Moose #81. I got the antique amber jigged bone. My buddy Sundog also got one in jigged green bone. I think I got the last one in amber bone as they went off the page at KSF right after I ordered. I ordered one on sale and got it yesterday. My first GEC knife and third Moose pattern. Really great knives.

Your first GEC knife ! You have been holding off for over 10 years ! The GEC's are like going back in time 100 years and buying yourself a new Ulster Knife Co. or New York Knife Co, etc. They are of the same quality except the blade steel. GEC has made many traditional patterns and every one is a winner.
If a person is a collector of vintage traditional style knives, then also collecting a few GEC's fits right in. I have never been disappointed by a GEC knife.
I have the same #81 moose and now i would also like a moose with ebony, which is a very traditional handle material for this pattern (as is the jigged bone).
kj

kootenay joe wrote:Your first GEC knife ! You have been holding off for over 10 years ! The GEC's are like going back in time 100 years and buying yourself a new Ulster Knife Co. or New York Knife Co, etc. They are of the same quality except the blade steel. GEC has made many traditional patterns and every one is a winner.
If a person is a collector of vintage traditional style knives, then also collecting a few GEC's fits right in. I have never been disappointed by a GEC knife.
I have the same #81 moose and now i would also like a moose with ebony, which is a very traditional handle material for this pattern (as is the jigged bone).
kj

Yes, I had an agonizing decision between the antique amber bone and the Gabon Ebony. I love the ebony on any old knives I have with it. Might have to get another Moose in ebony! My other two Moose knives are a 1908 vintage Wilbert jigged bone and a Case XX 6275 red bone.

My osage orange Tidioute has come to be my go-to knife around the kitchen on tasks that require a pearing knife sized blade. The action itself is like silk, and it has developed quite a satisfying talk as well.. My Northfiled ebony, however, has practicly 0 snap on the clip.

I wish they were less expensive, I'd probably get one of each available. But I do understand there is quite a bit of steel going on in these knives.

I bought an extra Appy bone 81 for myself for EDC when they came out, in NF trim. it just finished up yet another week of carry this Friday, and routinely gets a few to a number of totes each month. Snap isn't exemplary but I wouldn't call it "weak" on either blade. I consider it one of the more mechanically sound knives in my pile. Production numbers on that knife seem to have been pretty high, however, so the QC may not have been the same as what we've come to expect from GEC.

Quote Ajd: "My Northfiled ebony, however, has practicly 0 snap on the clip."
This likely is due to some 'factory grit/gunk' in the pivot area. Try flushing it with WD-40 while moving the blade open-close (not all the way).
When it flushes clear lube with a few drops of mineral oil or other lube. Often this will restore snap. Please let us know if this helps.
kj

kootenay joe wrote:Quote Ajd: "My Northfiled ebony, however, has practicly 0 snap on the clip."
This likely is due to some 'factory grit/gunk' in the pivot area. Try flushing it with WD-40 while moving the blade open-close (not all the way).
When it flushes clear lube with a few drops of mineral oil or other lube. Often this will restore snap. Please let us know if this helps.
kj

I've had to clean up quite a few folders of gunk, grit and the such. But I just can't seem to get this one anyway near decent. I've certainly tried.

When the zero snap blade is fully open, how easy is it to get it off the fuuly open position ? i.e. does a light tap on the spine move it off fully open position ? If it does then i think it should be returned to GEC for a service job.
kj