All About Pocket Knives

The best fixed blade GEC ever made. Just sayin... It is not mine. Very few people know about these SFOs for the Cherokee nation.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/VERY-RARE-SCHR ... 3144660491

Wow. Never new about these Cal. I guess these were made in 2007 or there about's for Taylor brands? Tang stamp looks the same as the the Schrade folders GEC made. Very nice looking knife. Here I am thinking I knew just about every knife GEC has made

email to me from Christine @ GEC: "Hi Cal, Yes, we made the Trail of Tears 9 1/2" fixed blade knife with Old Smooth White Bone handles for Southern Winds in 2007 and 2008. -Chris"

I am confused. The knife has SCHRADECUT. CO stamped on the tang, but GEC made it? I could not spot any GEC stamp. Not doubting Christine's info, but that stamp just seems weird.

That is a very desirable knife, no doubt about that!

Stewart Taylor owned the tang-stamp and figured into the deal somehow. He also figured into a deal with GEC for jumbo trappers (either 23s or 73s or both) with the same tang-stamp, which was referred to above in this thread. Seems like maybe the swithchblades also. I can't remember for sure.

GEC made a several knives stamped Schrade.

Here's one I've got from about the same period of time as that fixed-blade. Not quite up to the expected build quality of later GEC folders but still a solid fistful of knife.

GEC is known for their folders not fixed blades. I only buy FB's that i might use. This brings up design which is everything in a FB. BRK for the most part has great design in their FB's. This means that in hand the knife feels just right and the blade is positioned ready to function. Nothing awkward about it.
With this Trail of Tears i do not see this design as particularly functional other than for skinning. Some people use this profile for field dressing but i find a drop point makes it an easier job. It looks good if you want the frontier mountain man look but i can't see it as an all round user FB.
Having said this i have never seen one in person or more importantly held one. I respect the opinion of my friend Calvin so perhaps it is a better user than i am thinking ?
kj

Dinadan wrote:I am confused. The knife has SCHRADECUT. CO stamped on the tang, but GEC made it? I could not spot any GEC stamp. Not doubting Christine's info, but that stamp just seems weird.

Mel, this looks like what they call a contract or private label knife. Northwoods knives have no GEC markings, neither does a Smith & Sons Mudbug, both made by GEC. I don't own a Maher & Grosh example but I think they're the same, no GEC markings. Those are just recent examples of some contract knives made by GEC.

Lee

tongueriver wrote:Stewart Taylor owned the tang-stamp and figured into the deal somehow. He also figured into a deal with GEC for jumbo trappers (either 23s or 73s or both) with the same tang-stamp, which was referred to above in this thread. Seems like maybe the swithchblades also. I can't remember for sure.

m0nk wrote:

Dinadan wrote:I am confused. The knife has SCHRADECUT. CO stamped on the tang, but GEC made it? I could not spot any GEC stamp. Not doubting Christine's info, but that stamp just seems weird.

Mel, this looks like what they call a contract or private label knife. Northwoods knives have no GEC markings, neither does a Smith & Sons Mudbug, both made by GEC. I don't own a Maher & Grosh example but I think they're the same, no GEC markings. Those are just recent examples of some contract knives made by GEC.

Lee

Thanks for the information, fellows. Now that you mention it, Lee, I recall thinking that those GEC made Maher & Grosh knives would probably confuse collectors a few decades from now, since I could not spot any GEC markings on them in the photos. You know, if I owned a company that made knives as good as GEC knives, I would be very resistant to not putting my company's stamp somewhere on the knife. Until the money was right, anyway! If Taylor had these made, there is a bit of irony. Taylor did not stamp their name on a Schrade stamped knife as fine as this one, yet today they are stamping their name on Chinese made knifes, also stamped Schrade. The GEC is probably a real tribute to the Schrade legacy. The Chinese with Taylor and Schrades stamps are not.

Here is a photo of the knife we are discussing, for future reference.

I really don’t know if my #14s will have a GEC stamp. I thought it would be somewhere, I had mentioned it. Either opposite the mark side or on a secondary blade , but I don’t know ? They will have the Lick Creek Cutlery Co stamp on the primary blade, but otherwise?

"HEADS UP !" --- I was web surfing the GEC web-sights and I found a NOS GEC Buffalo jack knife in Cocobolo wood. Mike Latham's CollectorKnives.net -- This #44 Cocobolo knife is offered at the original release date PRICE.

2020 GEC#23 Trappers are in parts production right now. Brazilian Cherry wood -- drop point blades for two blade #23 trappers - One dealers has hinted about #23 single blade liner lock knives being made on this run. GEC#23 Trapper single blade , two blades , slipjoint , lockback , liner-lock or bull=lock, I am ready for some GEC#23 Jumbo Trapper knives.