In the early years,GEC would make a few knives with an odd / new handle material,just to see if they liked it* Some went on to be production runs, while others, were never made again -- the first Primitive Bone run,was just some old cattle bones,someone found in a trash pile*** Turns out to be a great "discovery"" __ The "Red Elk" experiment on the 72 pattern,went sorta bad ( lost about half of the handle material, because of cracking / splitting, during drying process ) they were going to make 50pcs. with Wharncliff blade ( only 26pcs.made) & 50 pcs.with clip blade ( only 23 pcs. made ) -- one & only time they dyed the Elk slabs*** __ when / if you find one of these for sale,it will cost ya' $$$$$kootenay joe wrote:Big Monk, your explanation of Ken D. having a fcolleew special GEC knives made for friends, dealers etc is the info needed to understand the GEC 'oddities' which often are the best examples made.
I have an ivory 72 from Caleb and i concur 100%: absolute top notch workmanship and person too.
Question: is a GEC re-handled in ivory as valuable as the same knife handled in ivory by GEC ?
I think the cutlers who re-handle should mark the knife in a way that indicates not all original.
I predict that we will start to see #36 & #46 patterns re-handled in ivory being sold as 'all original' for prices as high as $1000.
kj
A) from my experience, the re-handled knives do not fetch the $$ that a factory knife will bring, but do sell for top dollar$$
B) Muskrat Man does mark his knives on the liners ""I believe"" ,so as to not take away from the knives beauty*
C) I don't think you will see re-handled knives passed off as "factory"" because of the COA signatures & Tubes -- another thing, **all** of GEC's production numbers are listed on their web.site now, ( even the SFO's & short runs ) -- collectors that will pay the big bucks$$$,will want the knife in pristine condition & all the factory signatures & packaging ( I would**)
for awhile,we tried to keep an up-dated list of the knives made for other venders,dealers, clubs, ect. but I;m sure it needs up-dating now**
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Red Elk photos below