Mail Call, Post Your New GECs.

[kootenay joe]

The smooth white bone is by far the best looking Pemberton. I went looking for one but, too late, all gone to new homes, none left for slow old farts. GEC collecting is getting to be a young guys game. Fast reflexes needed and state of the art equipment for micro-second speed advantage.
By the time us old guys have had our nap and found our glasses (and maybe dentures), they's all gone. Darn eh.
kj

[Sharpnshinyknives]

The smooth white bone is by far the best looking Pemberton. I went looking for one but, too late, all gone to new homes, none left for slow old farts. GEC collecting is getting to be a young guys game. Fast reflexes needed and state of the art equipment for micro-second speed advantage.
By the time us old guys have had our nap and found our glasses (and maybe dentures), they's all gone. Darn eh.
kj

Maybe I will start buying twos when I can so I can pass one along to a friend like you here on the forum. And if you or others aren’t interested than I can keep them or sell them elsewhere. We’ve got to help the elderly when we can.
SSk

[kootenay joe]

"We’ve got to help the elderly when we can"
That's the spirit we need more of ! Help The Old Ones get more knives ! Right on. Thank you.
kj

[Sharpnshinyknives]

Got this one in the mail today. I just happened to be looking at my email at just the right time. Muscle bone 46.
SSk

[FarSide]

Got this one in the mail today. I just happened to be looking at my email at just the right time. Muscle bone 46.
SSk

Nice grab & knife. GEC did a nice job on those. Probably won't see those again for a long while.

[Ajd3530]

How about some new-to-me Nifebrite?? Boy I sure do love nifebrite!

[kootenay joe]

With a nifebright handle you can leave the knife on your bedside table and if you wake up in the dark you can see it's glow. You can get it without turning on the light.
kj

[kootenay joe]

Just picked up a "Schrade Fire & Ice "SUSA1" with Red Pick Bone handles. It is a GEC #23 pattern made in very early 2007 (or late 2006 ?) They are the very first SFO that GEC made. This one was listed for a full week with a $75 opening bid. I was the only bidder as often is the case with a high opening bid.
I think $75 for a new in box GEC is a good deal but i guess no one else does. Do you see it as worth less because it is not branded "GEC" ?
kj
Edit to add pictures !

[kootenay joe]

Question: do you see the above "Fire & Ice" knife as a collectible GEC even though it is not branded "GEC" ?
kj

[Sharpnshinyknives]

Question: do you see the above "Fire & Ice" knife as a collectible GEC even though it is not branded "GEC" ?
kj

I don’t think it worth less by any means or less collectible. I have thought about picking some of these up myself. Never could figure out why knives made in the same plant w/ two different stamps are worth varying amounts. You see that all the time w/ Keen Kutter knives made by Camillus. I see people on here trying to trade a Keen Kutter for an identical Camillus. I mean what’s the diff? It’s made by the same people w/ the same materials to the same standards. If there were a difference in standards or materials, I could see it then.
I think it shows a bit more sophistication or knowledge that you have a knife like a Schrade in your collection that is made by GEC. The uneducated won’t know what we know about who made that knife.
35 years ago I tried my hand at selling pick up trucks when I was between jobs. It was a Chevy dealership in Ft. Wayne IN. There is a GM truck plant in Ft Wayne. GMC and Chevy trucks came down the same assembly line, each had their own badges and logos, but otherwise identical in every way. Yet if we had a GMC on the lot, people ran from them. You could hardly give a Jimmy away. Why? If you can answer that question, you might have an answer to whether this knife is as collectible or not. I am still trying to figure that out.
SSk

[kootenay joe]

Mark, thanks for your reply. I think the same way: if made in GEC factory by GEC employees then it is a GEC knife. However there are those who collect by markings. Whichever brand it is they collect, they want that name on the tang.
The above knife sold for $75. If it had been a #23 from 2006-07 with jigged bone handles the selling price would have been higher, possibly 3x the amount. This 'Fire & Ice' is a screaming good deal for a GEC knife but no one else went for it.
This suggests that most GEC collectors want GEC markings only.
kj

[Doc B]

This suggests that most GEC collectors want GEC markings only.
kj[/quote]

I think it's more likely, the majority of GEC buyers, aren't familiar with the connection.

[gsmith7158]

Perhaps it's just a rejection of Stewart Taylor and what he's done to so many fine old American brand names.

[kootenay joe]

"Perhaps it's just a rejection of Stewart Taylor". Yes it is possible as i have read anti-Taylor posts to do with Schrade. I don't agree with that sentiment but if others do it affects the 'market'.
Mr Taylor had nothing to do with the demise of Schrade. He just bought the assets after the bank foreclosed. The Fire & Ice was the first "Schrade" knife he had made. He wanted his first "Schrade" knife to be made USA and be of high quality as a tribute to Schrade for their contribution to USA cutlery, even though he knew he would loose money on it.
I think these Fire & Ice knives (made in 2 sizes, #23 & #73) might have been the very first run of GEC, before they made the first #23 & #73 with their own branding on them.
kj

[robbobus]

I have followed these for over 10 years and the price on these has generally been in the range you paid kj. I have 1 of each size. While they are fine knives, i find the nick too shallow and polished or smooth to get a good purchase on the blade for their very stout pulls. This was a criticism back then, and I think a justifiable one on my examples as well. As to value, the buying market for this pattern heavily favours single blade models - factory single blade models at that.

I do rather like mine, cool shield as well.

[KnifeSlinger#81]

Perhaps it's just a rejection of Stewart Taylor and what he's done to so many fine old American brand names.

That's my thought on the subject because of what he did with the schrade name. It has nothing to do with whether the knives are quality or not, it's that they aren't schrades at all, and I have strong feelings about that.

I would never want one of the "schrade" fire and ice knives despite the fact that I really like the gec 73 and 23 pattern. I have a lot of 73's and they are all marked gec and I'm quite satisfied with those. I am happy for the people that enjoy the fire and ice knives and get them for good prices like Roland did but they aren't for me.

[kootenay joe]

This big "Fire & Ice" reminds me of the Remington Posters: big strong knife for the guy who sleeps by his horse on the trail. I bet the in hand feel is just the same as a new Remington #23 did 85 years ago. Would be a good belt carry user.
kj

[Ajd3530]

FINALLY got my hands on a #48 jack! A Tidioute #48 weasel was my very first GEC, and I've always loved it's slender frame and long clip, but always missed the utility of having a smaller blade. They made so few of these jacks, I wasn't sure I would ever track one down for a price I was willing to pay. But came across this last week on Facebook and I snatched it up.

[KnifeSlinger#81]

FINALLY got my hands on a #48 jack! A Tidioute #48 weasel was my very first GEC, and I've always loved it's slender frame and long clip, but always missed the utility of having a smaller blade. They made do few if these jacks, I wasn't sure I would ever track one down for a price I was willing to pay. But came across this last week on Facebook and I snatched it up.

Great looking knife.

[kootenay joe]

Very handy pattern, long pen blade secondary is all round useful and it is not a bulky knife.
kj

[Ivoryman]

FINALLY got my hands on a #48 jack! A Tidioute #48 weasel was my very first GEC, and I've always loved it's slender frame and long clip, but always missed the utility of having a smaller blade. They made do few if these jacks, I wasn't sure I would ever track one down for a price I was willing to pay. But came across this last week on Facebook and I snatched it up.

Congrats, beautiful knife. Love the color and the jigging. What's the color called if ya don't mind? Niiiiiiiiiiiice. Good year. Love the snap on those older GECs.

[Ajd3530]

FINALLY got my hands on a #48 jack! A Tidioute #48 weasel was my very first GEC, and I've always loved it's slender frame and long clip, but always missed the utility of having a smaller blade. They made do few if these jacks, I wasn't sure I would ever track one down for a price I was willing to pay. But came across this last week on Facebook and I snatched it up.

Congrats, beautiful knife. Love the color and the jigging. What's the color called if ya don't mind? Niiiiiiiiiiiice. Good year. Love the snap on those older GECs.

They called it "cherry jigged bone."

I know the light spots on the end are just where they sanded deeper than the dye took, but I think it makes it look just like a plump, ripe Rainier cherry. I love It.

[m0nk]

Cherry jigged bone, very nice! I was also wondering what color it is. I like everything about that knife, actually I like it better than my 48 Improved Trapper. I prefer the wider regular clip, and I think the pen blade is more useful than the skinny wharnie. Unless you just open a ton of mail, then I suppose the thin wharnie would excel as a letter opener. Anyway, you've got a great find there! And the jigging looks nice and smooth too, probably better than the "cheese grater" hand feel of recent smaller jigging patterns. Well done!

-Lee

[KnifeSlinger#81]

I just got this 2012 slant bolster 66 stockman in a trade. Beautiful cocobolo handles, I can't do them justice with my pictures.

[Ajd3530]

Here is the result of my splurging during my birthday week a couple weeks ago