All About Pocket Knives

A few knife clubs are offering a GEC#23 Trapper 4.5" closed with two large blades for 2020. My dream AAPK 2020 club knife would be a GEC#23 Trapper single blade Bull-lock with Chocolate Almond peach-seed or wavy rogers jigged bone with an "AAPK" stamped bomb shield. (Why Chocolate Almond bone ?) JSR Sports & More offered a 2019 SFO #86 in this color. This knife was offered as a Dark Chocolate peach-seed jigged bone knife. Those dark chocolate production scales photos were not appealing at all on the GEC web-sight. Three days before the released JSR posted their email to obtain more preorders. I took a leap of faith and I pulled the trigger on that knife. When that knife arrived JSR withdrew the pre-order email address. When I spotted that knife with the new name on the GEC web-sight , I almost fell out of the chair. The scales are a soft almond brown with dark chocolate highlights. This Chocolate Almond is the best GEC bone new color of 2019. Bill Howard hit a grand slam home run on this one. I am burnt out on GEC brown & brown/yellow edge bone knives. The new Chocolate Almond peach-seed jigged bone is the most refreshing bone scales that I have seen in a while. I think a mistake was turned into a wonder !

Chocolate Almond peach-seed jigged bone or Chocolate Almond wavy rogers jigged bone with an AAPK stamped bomb shield would make the killer 2020 AAPK Club Knife. GEC#23 Trapper Single Blade Bull-lock knife ! These photos are not my knife !

Since you asked, I’d like to see something other than a GEC knife. Nothing against GEC - just like to see another company make one for a change. (But nothing from China!)

Not what you wanted for an answer I’m sure.

Ken

I’d like to see a loom fixer. Not enough of them in the world.

eveled wrote: ↑Fri Jan 10, 2020 11:08 am I’d like to see a loom fixer. Not enough of them in the world.

I'll second that !!

eveled wrote: ↑Fri Jan 10, 2020 11:08 am I’d like to see a loom fixer. Not enough of them in the world.

I'll 3rd that!
(By GEC or Case XX in worm grooved jigged bone.)

Need a unique scale- like kangaroo bone.

Unique frame- like Doctors knife?

Bob

In addition to GEC what other knife manufacturers are in USA ? Bear, Buck & Case, any other ? (i'm thinking more Traditional than a Reeves Sebenza)
I have a very nice stag "Eric's Jack" made by Eric Albers when Canal Street Cutlery was still in business. It is an exceptionally pleasing knife to see & hold, as if it has a friendly and capable personality.
I wonder if Eric might be interested in making a 2020 AAPK knife ?
kj

Utica is still active and I believe Canal Street is active again under a different model.

My dream AAPK knife would be a spear point TC Barlow, but I'm not seeing that happen anytime in the near future... I'd also go bananas for a granddaddy Barlow but they would probably have to develop a new pattern for that.

Spear point with a saber grind, both sides, like this:
kj

23 with smooth ivory or white bone. I don’t understand why anyone would want another manufacturer other than GEC.

They are the premium manufacturer of antique patterns and increase in value.
All the rest are inferior....

wlf wrote: ↑Sun Jan 12, 2020 2:47 pm I don’t understand why anyone would want another manufacturer other than GEC.

They are the premium manufacturer of antique patterns and increase in value.
All the rest are inferior....

So true!

MadTrapper wrote: ↑Sun Jan 12, 2020 7:36 pm

wlf wrote: ↑Sun Jan 12, 2020 2:47 pm I don’t understand why anyone would want another manufacturer other than GEC.

They are the premium manufacturer of antique patterns and increase in value.
All the rest are inferior....

So true!

Why another manufacturer you ask? Well, GEC is not the only “premium maker” (you’re welcome to your opinion though). As for the increase in value you mention, I haven’t seen that increase translate to AAPK number knives. In fact the few I have seen for re-sale were discounted from the original price. Until just recently there were still a few 2019 member knives available here. I believe they’re all sold now but there certainly wasn’t a mad rush for them like in some prior years. Maybe some would like a change of pace. JMO.

In the end it’s Bryan’s decision to make, and I’ll support whatever he decides.

Ken

For reasons i do not understand GEC collectors do not want club knives even though the only difference is a shield or blade etch. The 2008 NKCA #73 with beautiful rose colored bone (camel ?) will sell for ~ $100-$120 but the same knife from 2008 with just GEC markings might sell for $150-$200.
However i think people here are looking for a knife that they really like and are not concerned with future value.
kj

Mumbleypeg wrote: ↑Sun Jan 12, 2020 10:41 pm

MadTrapper wrote: ↑Sun Jan 12, 2020 7:36 pm

wlf wrote: ↑Sun Jan 12, 2020 2:47 pm I don’t understand why anyone would want another manufacturer other than GEC.

They are the premium manufacturer of antique patterns and increase in value.
All the rest are inferior....

So true!

Why another manufacturer you ask? Well, GEC is not the only “premium maker” (you’re welcome to your opinion though). As for the increase in value you mention, I haven’t seen that increase translate to AAPK number knives. In fact the few I have seen for re-sale were discounted from the original price. Until just recently there were still a few 2019 member knives available here. I believe they’re all sold now but there certainly wasn’t a mad rush for them like in some prior years. Maybe some would like a change of pace. JMO.

In the end it’s Bryan’s decision to make, and I’ll support whatever he decides.

Ken

Everyone is entitled to their likes, some people even root for the Texas Rangers.

Lyle, that was a surprise slap. But a slap from a friend is okay as surely they had a good reason.

Taken and accepted here as intended (a teasing “poke” from a friend ). Got a chuckle out of me too.

Ken

I’ll give y’all a easy comeback, I root for the Cincinnati Reds

wlf wrote: ↑Mon Jan 13, 2020 3:21 am I’ll give y’all a easy comeback, I root for the Cincinnati Reds

Wow Lyle, THAT’s quite an admission. Now that you are on a roll, are there any other shameful secrets you want to get off your chest?

Seriously though, I’m a big Joey Votto fan! And I really appreciate y’all trading Josh Hamilton to us.

Ken

Sorry folks for de-railing the thread. Back to AAPK 2020 club knives..............

wlf wrote: ↑Mon Jan 13, 2020 1:21 am

Mumbleypeg wrote: ↑Sun Jan 12, 2020 10:41 pm

MadTrapper wrote: ↑Sun Jan 12, 2020 7:36 pm


So true!

Why another manufacturer you ask? Well, GEC is not the only “premium maker” (you’re welcome to your opinion though). As for the increase in value you mention, I haven’t seen that increase translate to AAPK number knives. In fact the few I have seen for re-sale were discounted from the original price. Until just recently there were still a few 2019 member knives available here. I believe they’re all sold now but there certainly wasn’t a mad rush for them like in some prior years. Maybe some would like a change of pace. JMO.

In the end it’s Bryan’s decision to make, and I’ll support whatever he decides.

Ken

Everyone is entitled to their likes, some people even root for the Texas Rangers.

They do??

My vote is for a double lock back Buck 110 with 110 length S30V clip and drop point blades. Handle sides are a secondary consideration. Since Buck makes special batches of knives for the Buck Collectors' Club they might be willing to make a batch for us. They have made 110s with those blades except they were 420 HC stainless.

As far as future value goes, for guns, knives, and probably everything else, in the same condition, club and commemorative editions are worth less than the same item without the decorations. The exception is when the special editions have non-decorative functional differences that were never offered on the standard production variations. For guns that means being chambered for different cartridges or having different barrel lengths or profiles. Other wise the original buyer is paying more up front to lower his future resale value. As far as I know my Buck suggestion offers something that hasn't come off Buck's production line so collectors would pay more for it despite the club markings. It only requires assembling standard parts with longer pins which Buck has done before.

A 2 blade Buck 110 would be a large knife. If this was to be the AAPK knife i would like to have a saw blade secondary. However i would actually prefer a smaller knife like a fancy 2 blade pen knife of about 3 3/8" closed length.
kj

A Buck would be a good choice but as Roland says the 110 is a bigger knife than many might prefer. Buck makes some smaller models that might be more popular.

Moore Maker has sold numerous club knives and special run advertising knives. Of course they don’t make knives themselves (I think Utica is a primary maker for them now) but they do have some proprietary patterns, like a double-lockback trapper for example. There are others.

I’ve also seen some really nice Solingen-made Böker stag stockmans recently. Put an AAPK blade etch on one, and there you have it!

Ken

My favorite of all AAPK knives is the GEC Swell Center Whittler from 2013.
GEC has a 3 1/4" Norfolk frame that they used for 2 Northwoods, a Norfolk pen knife & a Norfolk whittler.
I would like to see an AAPK Norfolk pen knife with handle options of ebony, jigged bone & mammoth. I'll have one of each please.
kj

kootenay joe wrote: ↑Mon Jan 13, 2020 11:27 pm My favorite of all AAPK knives is the GEC Swell Center Whittler from 2013.
GEC has a 3 1/4" Norfolk frame that they used for 2 Northwoods, a Norfolk pen knife & a Norfolk whittler.
I would like to see an AAPK Norfolk pen knife with handle options of ebony, jigged bone & mammoth. I'll have one of each please.
kj

I would be in for a premium GEC, and I think a premium GEC knife would be quite desirable for collectors.

Put me down for a mammoth, ivory , or such.