Robert,

That indeed is a beauty  anf them are some real big rattles!!  Johnny, relax the brain and then tell us baout the trip.

James does some great work, everyone around here thinks it's ivory. Gec puts great handles but there's nothing wrong with a little change.

The new beaver tail is out, everything looks great. : )

Way to go GEC.

http://greateasterncutlery.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/7351...

And check out this beauty.

http://greateasterncutlery.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/7351...

YEA, new Beavertails!!!

The primitive bone has made it.  It is just fantastic

They really are great aren't they? I believe I like mine better than the stag. It is my first primitive bone handled knife. Now all we need is a pearl, but I am not sure I could afford it.

Oh I prefer it to stag

Borrowed this from Ryans Facebook...

Many of our production processes and equipment here at Great Eastern Cutlery are the same or very similar to those used in the cutlery factories of 75 years ago. We continually strive to make our pocket knives reminiscent of that era, an improbable task without the use of bygone manufacturing, but also, a bygone terminology. Just as with all other types of manufacturing, there are names and terms specifically used in the cutlery industry. We use it here at Great Eastern Cutlery on an everyday basis. This terminology from 100 years ago was conveyed by highly skilled cutlers from one cutlery company to another throughout their careers. But in the 21st century, skilled cutlery workers are nearly nonexistent, and there are no trade schools for cutlery manufacturing, so new employees here at Great Eastern Cutlery have the difficult task of not only learning the manufacturing process but also the terminology.

The Knife Makers Who Went West by Harvey Platts is an excellent book to read about the cutlery manufacturing history in the United States. The book follows the lives of four generations of the Platts family in the cutlery industry. A portion of that book that includes pocket knife assembly diagrams and terminology handed down through generations is copied below. We use the same terminology here at Great Eastern Cutlery

 

Miss Jan, I agree in some ways the cutlery industry has gone backwards, in some cases, in producing good knives. 

Jan,

I like your primitive whaler better than my own. I do like mine but when they polished the bone to taper it into the bolster they kind of overdid it. It left the primitive portion looking kind of blocky and unnatural. The polished primitive does look and feel really good but the transition between the two seems too abrupt. I guess that is one of the downsides to not seeing the knife that you are going to buy when you get it mail order. We need a GEC dealer in the Sunshine State - or at least more photos! It would be really awesome to be able to look at your favorite GEC knife de jour before deciding to buy it.

I see on GEC's pocket knife photo page that they have added a Tidoute spear Hogan in Blue Abalone. If Northfield makes them I suppose I will have to get a clip and/or spear of those. They better not make the Whaler in abalone - it will take a bunch of shells to make one of those handles. And my kids will have to pay their own way for college. Sorry kids.

LOL,

Mine are on the prepay college plan.  I pay for the knives, when I am gone they can pay off their college.

Jan, I do the prepay thing too at least for tuition. They may have to live at home through (and after) college or start selling off the knife collection when I am gone.  On a totally separate tangent, have you seen the Randall museum? Thousands of vintage folders and fixed blades. I could will my collection to RMK but the kids would be P.O.'d. RMK needs some GEC's in their collection though!

IT'S HERE!!!!!

http://greateasterncutlery.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/5384...

The award!!

Congrats Great Eastern

Congrats GEC, I can't wait to actually handle of these knives, I may have to order one.

Nice Video on here

 http://www.iknifecollector.com/video/great-eastern-cutlery-northfie...

Great Eastern Cutlery „Northfield UN-X-LD" Jack Knife (Burnt Stag)

 

Yep, a great video too.

I really enjoyed what he had to share, it makes me realize how truly blessed I am to live in the states. And I live in THE state that calls this great company home. : )

awfully quiet here this week.  Anyone have suggestions for Bruce for his first GEC?    

Sorry Jan, I've just been swamped with work. I'm going 100 places all at once so I don't have much time/energy to write. I will try though. 

 

I'm hoping Tom, or Robert will step in and tell us how we did on the hunt, but I won't let you wait too long before stepping in. Thank you so much for your part, I loved it. I think we could really get along on a trip like that. : )

 

P.S.

Tom, hint hint hint.

Robert, hint hint hint.

Anyone else, hint hint hint. 

I just got around to watching the video below. It was pretty enjoyable! I feel pretty lucky too that I don't wait 52 days to get a GEC knife that I have ordered. That would be way too long of a wait!!! I felt that the narrator missed a few points though in comparing GEC's to Case knives. Most of us have collected or do collect Case knives (I still do to a much lesser degree but I still like Case knives quite a bit especially the older ones and certain newer patterns) and I am not trying to bash Case. I am not trying to ruffle any feathers here! GEC's are produced in much more limited quantity than most Case knives and I often feel pretty lucky to get a certain knife of GEC's especially some of the short runs. I know some Case's are low runs too or the demand is so high that they are hard to get too. I think that the way GEC runs their operation that it seems more like family and their customers feel that way or at least like close friends cause they seem very warm and approachable and receptive to suggestions and to requests. I don't know honestly if the same thing can be said about Case. One thing that I do like about Case's knives is when you hold them they feel super smooth almost like fine jewelry. GEC's have gotten better about this but sometimes when I run my fingers across the backsprings there is a bit of an edge or something that feels slightly rougher. It is not enough to bother me typically but I do notice it from time to time. I guess additional polishing/buffing takes more time and costs more money and that drives the cost of the knives up which wouldn't be appreciated in this economy. I do think that GEC's continue to improve and I am excited to see what the next 5 years brings!

52 days would kill Donnie.  He has a hard time waiting 3 days.  Tom, We dont do the new patterns in Case, I have a friend here in FL that is a master dealer and his show is the only 1 Case we buy per year now.    The older patterns?  Yes...stilla few hundred in the safe.  I like the feel of the GEC folks, mostly that they listen to the people buying their product, the quality gets better with each year and they bring back some interesting patterns.  All three of those reasons are the foundation for our switch to GEC.  I will always be grateful to the man that said to me...Northfield, just go look

I wish someone would have told me about Northfields, period. I started collecting GEC's in 2008 and only bought a few. If I couldve started 2 years earlier and was more passionate about collecting then I would've had some sweet ones!

I think GEC goes by three names, Northfields, Tidioute and Great Eastern. I think I don't own a Tidioute.

I think I probably have more Tidoute than anything.  Tidioute makes the beavertails

Added to the new release page...

Pocket Knives

Welcome to the Great Eastern Cutlery pocket knife new release page. Here you can view some of the finest factory knives being manufactured in the United States today. We are continually updating this page as we design and complete new products. Our knives are not your typical run of the mill pocket knives. We reproduce classic old patterns that are very rare or uncommon and we do so by using mostly antiquated manufacturing methods and traditional materials. While our competitors are using modern technology to mass produce their products, we found our niche by using retro technologies that give us the capability to continually design and produce new products in short runs with many variations. Our skilled craftsmen and women blend more than 200 individual labor processes with expensive metals and natural materials to produce a reasonably priced exceptional tool that will perform its task for many years. Our knives are a reflection of the past as they commemorate the craftsmanship of pocket knives made by the great cutlery companies in the northeastern United States during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Our name is a dedication to that heritage; GREAT EASTERN CUTLERY. Those bygone cutlery companies created hundreds of pocket knife designs and we use them as our inspiration to craft our new products. They are also our benchmark as we strive to achieve that standard of golden age quality in the 21st century.

I only have the Tidioute and Northfield brands along with a couple of Cripple Creeks that were produced for SMKW.

Check out the newest auction news.  This is for disater relief folks, lets spread the word and bid if we can

Just a heads up.  Be sure to place your bids at http://blog.tsaknives.com/2011/08/30/new-flood--tornado-relief-auct...

WTG GEC!!!

Makes me proud to be an owner of one.... or two..... or is it three now? : )

Jan, I already found the auction site.. I love the GEC knives.

Hats off to GEC and TSA for helping out! I like the new feature on GEC's web page highlighting an employee of theirs every week (or is it month, oops)? Anyway, makes you feel like you are part of the GEC family. What other knife company gives us this level of accessibility? I have yet to make it up for a rendezvous but I have had several nice conversations with Chris and one pretty long one with Pat Vroman (he may never help Chris out and answer the phone again)! Just kidding Pat. He was very interested in what I liked/disliked about different knives, handle materials, etc. and was curious what I wanted to see more of. It was an awesome experience for me as a big GEC fan!

Tom,

I love it also.  It is a great way for the customers to see who does what

Happy Labor Day!!

Happy Labor Day!!!

May all be safe in their endeavors. : )

Jan,

Did you see that GEC has the #12 single blade beaver tails up on their new release page? That beaver skin has got to be getting crowded!

I saw one of those for sale already, good price for an excellent pattern. I could live with another Tpick, and I like those Beaver shields a lot. 

 

I'll have to tell my brother about this. : )

WOOHOO!!!!

i KNOW WHAT MY NEXT KNIFE IS

You know, I have to say that I love single bladed knives better than multiple bladed knives. For me it's all about the main blade and in my opinion the second and third or even fourth blades just ruin the hand feel when your main blade is open. Knife and handle, what could be simpler and more comfortable and beautiful than that? My wish is that GEC would produce all of their main blade shapes and handles in single blade versions as well, like they do with the #23 and #73. How would you like a single blade #36 Sunfish or #46 Whaler? I know I would love that personally, simple, useful, comfortable, and essential, let alone slim. Anybody else out there agree?

I agree with you, Luca, a single blade knife seems to be a better working knife. If it's gonna have multiple blades then I lean toward a Moose or Trapper. The benefit of the two blades for me is I can use one for most cutlery needs during the day and save the other for use in preparing a meal.

I have a question for y'all. How many different type sheilds does GEC have? What are they and how many?

Jan,

GEC just posted a #12 Powderhorn with the Beavertail shield on it. You might have to change your statement about knowing what your next knife will be to what your next two knives are going to be! How come we never hear from Donnie on this forum. Or is he just the eye candy in all the GEC Rendezvous pictures & the strong silent type! Just giving you all grief. Have a good weekend! Is our camping trip over?

I've been gone a lot guys, working on the farm market, or helping a buddy. I'm missing you guys, but I'm getting a ton of work done. I'm hoping that I'll get the squirrel season off, but who knows. Keep this place hopping guys, it's great to hear from you all.

It's here, and it's beautiful.

http://greateasterncutlery.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/1211...

That's a good looking knife, Johnny.

Just ordered it, will put on pics when it comes in.

Johnny,

I have been gone a few days also..It's always good to see you when you can get on here

Robert,

I am working on the list of shields for you

Yes Miss Jan,those that are serious about collecting need to know about this. That kind of info is the kind of things that make collecting interesting.

Jan,

Have you checked out GEC's website - under the Information tab, at the bottom - What's Happening Today? I had never seen that before, maybe I am more than a little slow on the uptake (forgive me folks if that is the case). Shows your favorite shield style in production. Isn't that special! Just wanted to give you a heads up on this if you hadn't seen it. If you have I will go back to my Geritol with ginkgo biloba! I was pretty excited about this but I haven't been to the Rendezvous like some lucky folks!