Ratio of Tidioute vs Northfield

[Earl]

in your stash?

Why?

For me,90% NF,10% Tidioute

Have about 7-10 patterns I carry rest are Safe Queens, suppose that makes me a collector. I do prefer the bells and whistles of the NF's but from a "collectors" stand point I WOULD buy more Tidioute's other than I truly dislike the block letter blade etch,wish they would return to earlier script version. When they show the Tidioutes on "whats happening" and the etch hasn't been done yet they look sooooo much better IMHO.

jus curious to you fellas thoughts

[gino]

Great thread Earl
Ditto for me the Northfields are my fav of each pattern having the extra attention to detail

[jerryd6818]

Two to one UN-X-LD to Tidioute with no Great Easterns. Of course my sampling is infinitesimally small compared to the rest of you but I do favor the Northfields.

[big monk]

Same as you Earl _________________lots of Northfields__with a few Tidioutes & Great Easterns mixed in____ I like the lined bolsters--long swedge---slanted bolsters---long match strike pulls---and all that other stuff they put on the Northfields

[Earl]

Whatcha think about the Tidioute etch Monk....keep ya from buying more....possibly?

[big monk]

Whatcha think about the Tidioute etch Monk....keep ya from buying more....possibly?

The truth is,I never really pay it much attention ____ ""handle material"" & looks probably sway me into buying 90% of the time____then there's the short runs

[Earl]

I hear ya bro

heres one example,1 of 1 or 1 of 2 made,can't remember but I wasn't gonna pass it up because of blade etch but imo it takes away from the knife,I visualize it without or something visually more pleasing and scratch my head. Being petty I know,working line and all......just wishful thinking I suppose,can't please everyone right...lol

[Corvus]

Great topic.

My Northfield-to-Tidioute ratio is around four-to-one, primarily because I prefer the Northfield swedges and long pulls, with one major exception: Wharncliffes. I don't think that the Wharncliffe profile lends itself, historically or aesthetically, to a long pull or a cut swedge. They need a crescent nail nick and a graceful drawn swedge to avoid looking boxy. And since the Wharncliffe is my favorite blade profile, I've ended up with quite a few Tidioute #62s and #57s.

That said, I hate the clunky Tidioute etch. They really need to give that sucker a serious makeover.

When it comes to Northfields, I actually jump at the chance to grab the somewhat scarce satin finished variants. As a long time collector of minty pre-WWII pocketknives, I know how a traditional mirror finished blade is supposed to look, and GEC's shallow and scratchy Northfield polish is a far cry from the beautiful crocus finished blades of yore. I always wish that they'd put all of their polishing efforts into the mark side of the master blade and do a really decent job of it, leaving all the other blade surfaces glazed (satin), just like the old days.

[big monk]

The Tidioute does look better without the etching______________ don't ya' think ????

[Gunstock Jack]

I like the '07 etch a lot better too. Why change a good thing?

[Earl]

That looks much better Barry. Agree with Corvus they need to fix that. The quality/build deserves better..........


Monk those are about as good as it gets..stunning

[Texas_Aggie]

I have about ten Northfields and 1 GEC. I bought the one GEC because the Elk handle is gorgeous, the blade is stainless, and the acorn shield really popped and caught my eye. I am also partial to the long pulls and swedges in the un-X-ld's. To me, the tidioute SEEM like the Chevrolet in the Chevrolet GMC relationship. Same knife, ones just finished out a little nicer. If GEC offered all materials in the northfield line, I probably wouldn't even consider the Tidioute at all. Just my opinion.

Root Beer Float is about the coolest dang handle I have ever seen..just so there is no confusion.

On a side note, the Elk GEC I purchased was sent back to the factory for some workmanship issues. Its a 72, had some blade play and the bolster wasnt polished like it should have been. I got it back and the handle was put back on the knife a little cock-eyed. There is now a small gap in the bolster and the handle. Needless to say, its a 150 dollar serialized deer skinner..and I now hold a certain bias when it comes to buying a GEC, GEC.

[bonehead]

Well I'm the loner then,

I have 2 to 1 in favor of Tidioute.... Don't know why but perhaps becuase the sunfish pattern was produced with more Tidioutes. Since 80% of mine are Sunfish it may be the case. I like em both as well for their suble differences, most obviously the crocus finish blades are really nice for me... BH

[2Dead]

I have 1 more Northfield than Tidioute but they're both only 25% each of my collection. 50% are GECs. I do like the satin, drawn swedges, and plain bolsters on Tidioutes as my user knives. The blade etch doesn't bother me because the blade is going to get a patina through use or will be scratched/gunked up.

[singin46]

Well the majority of mine are Northfields, I really like the swedging and GEC tends to not swedge Tidioutes. That being said, there are many of the Tidioute brand knives that I like and have owned. One of my favorites is this little Barlow Tidioute in ebony that is so clean and tight, it's hard to believe it was made in the last couple years.

[IMBand]

23% GEC, 17% Tidioute and 60% Northfield.

I have just over 30 Knives in Elk that are all GEC.
95% of my Tidioutes are in 2 Pattern Collections, #45's and #65's and the other few are in a 'color' group.
My EDC's are all NF except for one Am Elk #73........guess I don't really buy Tidioutes unless they are for
a group that I already have going.

IM

[On Edge]

Same as you Earl _________________lots of Northfields__with a few Tidioutes & Great Easterns mixed in____ I like the lined bolsters--long swedge---slanted bolsters---long match strike pulls---and all that other stuff they put on the Northfields

Exactly the same sentiments. The blade etch doesn't sway me much one way or the other. The mixed bag here is that I much prefer the plain bar shield of the Tidioutes to the "antique keyhole" of the NF's. (Won't tell you what that "antique keyhole" looks like to me). Another thing I would like to see are more acrylics or 'different' materials with the NF threaded, angled bolsters, long pulls, etc. And can we lose the keyhole? Please?

Also I would like to see more patterns offered in at least one GEC (440C) variation ...

All that being said, my humble collection is 90% NF, 8% Tidioute, 2% GEC …. approximately, of course.

Great thread, Earl!

~ Edge

p.s. Earl, that 72 is gorgeous. And Perry, that is one classy little Barlow - really like the threaded bolster (and lack of bolster stamp), and the blade profile is perfect for that knife.