The Stag of '06

[kootenay joe]

GEC opened for business towards the end of 2006. Looking at "Production Totals" on the GEC website it appears that the #73 pattern (aka "Scout") was their first run and the #23 pattern was the second run. "Burnt Stag" was one of the handle options for both patterns. 62 Burnt Stag #73 and 175 Burnt Stag #23 are listed as having been produced but these numbers are not be accurate. The blade etch on my 2006 #73 spey blade says: "Model 73/1 of 250/Scout". Question is however: does the 250 refer to all #73's made in that run ? or 250 with Burnt Stag ?
I was watching (reading) the online posts in 2006 about this new company that would be making traditional pattern folding knives. I was lucky and managed to buy a #73 in Burnt Stag from the 2006 first run. I think it actually was early 2007 when these arrived at the dealers and i bought it (if my memory is correct). It arrived with a pin crack on the front side at the bolster end but i did not mind, the Stag is beautiful and the blade 'pull' is a reasonable '6'-'7'. The serial # is 088 which is why i think the stated production total of 65 B.S. knives is not correct.
Having followed GEC from their beginning in 2006, i think the Stag used in the earliest GEC knives is some of The Best, if not simply The Best that GEC has produced.
I have just received a Burnt Stag 2006 #23, serial #094. Wow ! another Beauty and also with reasonable pull. I will post pictures in a little while.
Below are pictures of #88 from 2006. On these first run knives "2006" is stamped into the front tang of the spey blade. The master blade has the "Northfield UN-X-LD" blade etch but the tang is stamped "Tidioute Cutlery/Made In U.S.A." GEC had not yet fully decided on how to apply their trademark names.
If you have a 2006 #73 or #23 with Burnt Stag how about posting pictures here in this thread.
kj

[big monk]

Mighty pretty knife, as usual KJ !!!! The early Stag up through 2010, was some of GEC's finest -- seems that the 2006 / 2007 Stag knives were a ""Case Like Burnt / Toasted Stag"" look ?? ( IMHO) -- 2008 - 2010 and on, Gec Stag had a look of it's own !!! with some WOW FACTOR !!! Even started making the ""Red Stag"" that was so awesome**

In the first years of production,GEC counted knives as they were made -- such that when they changed from one handle material to another ,the count went on, no matter the handle material** -- as the company was growing ,things changed from week to week it seemed** -- 2008 seem to be when the present numbers started to take shape -- lot's of history to read on the GEC knives and lots of info ""LOST"" __ have a good day,my friend,Monk

[kootenay joe]

Helpful info. Thanks big monk. Still unsure why my #73 is serial # 088 if only 65 with Burnt Stag were made.
Here is the 2006 #23, serial # 094. What a GREAT knife !
kj

[peanut740]

Just because the etch says 1 of 250,it does mean they actually made that many.

[kootenay joe]

Right. But as big monk says the numbers continued in sequence regardless of handle material and GEC actually shows 251 #73 Northfields in 2006. ( 163 Herringbone Walnut, 26 Bark Moss Green and 62 Burnt Stag) They also show 251 made as Tidioute Cutlery for the #73 in 2006.
kj

[big monk]

I'm old & don't know how to explain some things*** hope this helps**

On the blade of your 2006 #23 Stag it says Model 23 Pioneer ( 1 of 250 ) -- in 2006,GEC had planned on making 250 of the Northfield #23 pattern knives --- and almost did** -- they lose some to defects or come up short on supplies sometimes**
175 Stag
26 Brick Red Bone
20 Smooth Red bone
23 Bark Moss Green
____________________________
244 Total pcs. they were numbered in sequence, as they were made - not by handle material**

another thing you may run into at some point is a transition knife ( 2007 knife with 2006 blades or maybe a 2011 knife with 2010 blades ) __ Bill Howard would makes a knife from left-over parts to save money ( "parts knives" were some of my favorites** )

Even in later years / now --- lots of times they were going to make 25 or 50 and from the total production numbers released later -- you can see they only made 23 or 47 pcs. -- just the way they do -- how many time have you waited on a ""new pattern"" to be released and the dealers tell you ( they don't even know how many they will have for sale !!! ) ain;t it fun ??

[kootenay joe]

Couple more pictures.
kj

[jeffsntx]

Around the time the 2006 production numbers came out Christine Tucker posted the following information about the 2006 Tidioute 23s:

It has been brought to my attention that our 2006 production numbers are not correct. I would like to explain . . . My records show that we produced the following in numerical order for the #23 Tidioute:

001 - 136 - Diamond Back Amber,
137 - 189 - Bocote Wood,
190 - 199 - Diamond Back Amber,
200 - 205 - Bocote Wood,
206 - 208 - Diamond Back Amber,
209 - 230 - Bocote Wood,
231 - Diamond Back Amber,
232 - 250 Chocolate Jig bone.

Hope that helps explain it somewhat.

The same type of numbering most likely occurred with the Northfield and Great Eastern 23s as well as the Tidioute, Northfield and Great Eastern 73s.

There is a piece Mike Latham posted to his CollectorKnives Blog back in 2014 and updated in 2017 that offers great insight into early Great Eastern Cutlery.

https://www.collectorknives.net/posts/g ... et-knives/

[kootenay joe]

Hey Jeff, welcome to AAPK.
The link to Mike's GEC blog is a helpful read in understanding the early sequence of GEC knives. Thanks for posting it.
kj

[knowtracks]

Couple of `06 Stags to help this thread along........

Dave

[knowtracks]

Dave