Are people still collecting GEC?

[knifemaker3]

Just curious of there are still very many people who are collecting GEC knives? I used to see every new knife they came out with posted on here but now I hardly see much if anything?

Just wondering.....I always liked the looks of the GEC knives even though I've not really gotten into collecting them much....

[Quick Steel]

That is a very interesting question as I have noticed the same thing. I don't follow GEC very closely and I hope they are thriving. I have had the thought that they were oversaturating the market with their many variations and short runs combined with substantial prices. Time will tell as it always does.

[Robert]

I still buy em,but have been buying guns and ammo and that gets in the way,plus i think Monk buys them all

[big monk]

Now Robert**** I didn't get em' all just these few lately,that I liked ____there have been quite a few of the, ""SFO Knives"" lately and the GEC releases,have all been ""small"" knives or something that didn't flip my switch ___ I have six(6) more of the "'SFO"" knives on order__so I guess there is still one (1) GEC Collector that will ""FESS UP """ ________________________Monk

[Quick Steel]

Ah! Now I understand where they have gone. All handsome knives biig monk.

[big monk]

Thanks QS !!!!!!!

[paulsvintage]

very nice Monk !! i've been skipping some of the smaller ones too !

[Ramrod]

No, nobody collects them old things anymore.
Mark
When the competition gets too fierce
you gotta lay low

[Cutty]

NO! NO ONE.

You ALL should sell me yours for $10 bucks a piece before they are completely worthless. I will do this for you as a friend and take the loss.

[junebug]

i do!!!!
and i like some of the SMALLER patterns they have come out with... ..i welcome them!

[jerryd6818]

For me, the #25 is too small and then they brought out the #06. Is anyone buying the #06 other than the hard core GEC collectors? Are the hard core GEC collectors buying them?

I question that because I'm curious what GEC buyers are doing with the current releases. They don't appeal to me but I seldom buy a GEC so my opinion doesn't count. What do you guys that do buy them think? Are you still picking them up hot and heavy, one in each handle material and blade configuration? Or are you slacking off because of lack of interest in current offerings?

This may be the same question "knifemaker3" is asking and for that I apologize.

[jerryd6818]

i do!!!!
and i like some of the SMALLER patterns they have come out with... ..i welcome them!

Josh, do you see yourself picking up at least one and maybe more of the #06? How about that Northwoods Bullet Jack (#25)? That blade is killer but for me, it should have been on a larger frame.

[gino]

I bought this stag 33 conductor a few weeks ago. I havent liked the last few releases.

[big monk]

For me, the #25 is too small and then they brought out the #06. Is anyone buying the #06 other than the hard core GEC collectors? Are the hard core GEC collectors buying them?

I question that because I'm curious what GEC buyers are doing with the current releases. They don't appeal to me but I seldom buy a GEC so my opinion doesn't count. What do you guys that do buy them think? Are you still picking them up hot and heavy, one in each handle material and blade configuration? Or are you slacking off because of lack of interest in current offerings?

This may be the same question "knifemaker3" is asking and for that I apologize.

No-No-and No___ I have not & don't plan on buying the___#06-#25-#99 that were just released___ I also,don't plan on buying the planned, #65 Fish Knife ___nor the planned #81 Coon Skinner but you can't ever tell may have to get ""just one"" ________ I have ordered (4) of the ""Sawyer Barlows"" and a pair of the "JB Champlin Eureka " __________ just can't keep up with them all

[junebug]

hey jerry......
personally i have tapered off......ONLY REASON IS FINANCIAL

also sorry for the confusion......as i was talkin about the 66 and 33.....along that size..those i DIG

as i too think the 25 and 06 are too small!!!!!

06 is the "pimberton" ????? is that the right name??? it has been compared to the PEANUT pattern...
i never have liked the peanut

whats the 99??????

[big monk]

Here ya' go Josh________________

[Earl]

I'm all in on the SFO's but the other stuff recently.....nope.

[whitebuffalo58]

Lord I hope so, we just became distributors for GEC knives!
Like others, we were a little disappointed in the first releases coming out after signing up, but bought a couple of the 25's and 1 of the 06 pembertons in stag, just to see how they did. Like most, we like the bigger framed/bladed knives, too. Although the smaller knives might be better suited for a Sunday morning knife. They're all up to the standards you'd expect for a GEC offering, but it's pretty obvious that the big ol' honkin' knives will always be everyones favorites.
Thanks for starting this topic. We wanna do our best to get the knives out there that you guys are looking for. Being new to this, it's the kind of feedback we need to do that. And, i'm pretty sure that GEC (better then most companys) hears collectors when it comes to what they want and will do their best to produce the knives we all like.

WB

[jerryd6818]

Jeez, W.B. It's really strange to hear you talking like a dealer. I don't know if this has been asked & answered before but are you guys going to have a selling type web site?

[lxplumm]

So here's my uninformed opinion. I see the market for pocket knives in a general decline and that most of the people who do buy knives these days (slip joints in particular) are collectors. Up until now GEC has succeeded in large part, not by creating a new market, but by taking market share from other slip joint manufacturers, (including some that are no longer in business). In such a limited market, GEC (and others) can only maintain their sales by selling more knives to the same customers, which means they must be endlessly creating something new. While I love GEC's, I can't help but wonder if there will ever be a saturation point for these knives and maybe even for the dealers that carry them.
All of this is just speculation on my part, and I'm sure that the people who sell sell knives on this website and are actually in the business would know much better than I.

[big monk]

Some interesting thoughts,Lane ___this issue/question was just asked/discussed on another forum ___what some GEC Collectors said *******___link to topic below******


http://blog.tsaknives.com/2013/02/26/an ... ymore.aspx

[whitebuffalo58]

Hey Jerry, it's no stranger to you then it is to me!! I sure don't wanna come across as a dealer, I am and always will be, a collector first.
My brother and I had always wanted to start a business together. We looked into fleamarkets and pawnshops, but fleamarkets didn't really seem overly money wise and there's no real focus toward a specific line of products, pawnshops always struck us as a bunch of blood sucking vampires taking advantage of people in hard times. (sorry to any members who might be pawnbrokers, but we just don't have that in us)
Anyway, we've both loved knives for years and decided that was what we wanted to focus on. We felt that GEC and Queen were the perfect jump off spots to get started.
For now, we're doing straight up Ebay auctions with buy it nows. We will eventually put together a web based store, but havn't decided which way to go with that yet. There are a lot of options. When we do get to that point, our product line will expand to include Kershaw, Gerber, Boker, Buck, etc... As well as a quite few other sporting and outdoors products. Those products are in place, just havn't put together the right venue to sell them through.
I guess the main goal really, is for me and my older brother to do something together. GEC is a part of that. But the reason GEC is part of that, is that we honestly believe in the company and the product they produce. Same with Queen. If we didn't, we wouldn't have commited to being distributors. They're all good people, basing their businesses on old world standards for cutlery. For me as a collector, that means alot!
Bottom line is, my brother and I wanna be proud of the products we sell, GEC, Queen and all the other American cutlery companys still make that possible.
Sorry if this has been a highjack on this thread, I just wanted to answer Jerry's question.

WB

[jerryd6818]

I sure don't wanna come across as a dealer,
WB

You is what you is. Get used to it. Never apologize for it. There's no dishonor in being a dealer. In fact there's a certain de facto prestige that goes along with it.

Shuttin' up now and unjacking the thread.

[Earl]

So here's my uninformed opinion. I see the market for pocket knives in a general decline and that most of the people who do buy knives these days (slip joints in particular) are collectors. Up until now GEC has succeeded in large part, not by creating a new market, but by taking market share from other slip joint manufacturers, (including some that are no longer in business). In such a limited market, GEC (and others) can only maintain their sales by selling more knives to the same customers, which means they must be endlessly creating something new. While I love GEC's, I can't help but wonder if there will ever be a saturation point for these knives and maybe even for the dealers that carry them.
All of this is just speculation on my part, and I'm sure that the people who sell sell knives on this website and are actually in the business would know much better than I.

I'm inclined to agree with Lane on several of his points. I believe at least 3 dist. that have changed there ordering process from GEC based on lack of inventory turn over. "If" in fact collectors are purchasing the fair share at this point GEC needs to fine tune it's game ,better polished blades,hafting of stag,varied different and unusual scales,exotic scales,matching scales,bone dyeing process,jigging patterns, especially at there price points. $85 for a 3 inch slip joint with jigged bone handles,$96 for Stag (#06) is painting yourself in a corner. In my opinion at 6/7 years into the game GEC is still at infancy,for collectors the future is full of promise as long as GEC keeps its ear to the grapevine. I know many feel they do and I agree to an extent. My keep would have a lot more Tidioute's if they would lose that ugly block letter blade etch,it just kills the esthetics (collector talking,I know I know... working knife ) MANY have voiced this opinion.....yet. jmho

On another note,and I might be showing my a** but does GEC repair its knives? Blade replacement,handle replacement? I know they are quick to replace knives, but has anyone actually had handles replaced,blades replaced? Can an out of production,limited,rare,sfo knife be restored to original condition,or is it an offer of a new knife? Flame suit on

[lxplumm]

And I in turn have to agree with Earl. For most people, using knives are generally some kind of one handed opener. If someone did want a slippie to carry in their pocket, Smokey Mountain would be happy to send them a Steel Warrior for ten bucks (plus $10.00 shipping, ha ha). On the other hand, people who are willing to spend ten times that for a similar product are expecting to get a jewel. They want exclusivity and something that wouldn't appeal to the mass market. They are buying pride in ownership. They need to believe that everyone at GEC loves their knife just as much as they do,

High end slip joints are a niche market. While I am not in any position to tell Bill Howard what to do, I think that if GEC wants to stay successful they need to consider what Earl has to say. Throughout the last century, thousands of knife manufactures, big and small, have come and gone. No one wants GEC to be next.