iKnife Collector
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Evolution of an EDC.
This is more the story of a knife friend and, the beginning of my GEC story.
My Mom started me on knives, so I have someone to blame for my addiction, it started because she bought my Dad a Case toothpick knife. I loved it, it was beautiful and just American, I had to have one, well after some chores getting done, I had my own Case knife. So on I went in my knife collecting ways. Birthday after birthday my collection grew, I was too young to get a job so I relied on my parents for the fuel of knife collecting. When I became of age to get a job my parents celebrated that new chapter with, you got it, a knife. But it wasn't a GEC guys, it was a Queen. I got the knife at a sportsman's shop, the guy behind the counter was a friend of my grandfather's and he was a really interesting guy. He also knew a thing or two about knives and he was a link.
He told us about a new company, which was very close to Queen, Great Eastern Cutlery was the name of this new Cutlery company, but being a Case collector I wanted nothing to do with this new fangled knife company, Case had been making knives in America for years, why support someone else? My parents looked them up and they really liked their knives, I on the other hand could not find the beauty in these knives. Heck, Tidioute sounded like the name of another planet.
Fast forward two years, GEC has a good thing going and their customer community is growing daily. I was introduced to the world of knife forums, again by my Mom. I had a great experience on AAPK, the guys were great and the knives filled me with want. Thats when I started reading threads about this old time pocket knife company, right here in Pa. Everyone was calling it GEC and I had no idea what they were talking about. Reading their posts, seeing their pics and hearing about the quality got my blood pumping, I had to have one.
I asked my Mom about it and (she is a knife knut, don't let her tell you other wise) she looked them up with me. I had decided on a Beavertail #23, it had natural bone scales and a carbon Blade, a first for me. I remember the day it arrived, it was huge, not at all what I expected, I was used to the small, delicate, little knives from Case, like the peanut and Tiny Toothpick. But this knife could eat them for breakfast. I decided the best way to get a feel for this company was to carry the knife, so in the pocket it went. That is the turning point in my knife collecting focus, I carried that knife for months, I really did like the knife but, it was too big. So, I ordered a #73L, it would be just like the one I had but smaller. It also would have a lock, something I wanted in the #23.
It arrived and I was sunk, constant is the best description of how I carried this knife. It would be with me all the time, it was just all around a beautiful piece.
Almost brand new I started taking pics of my knives, trying to share the best possible view of my favorite knives. I was a rookie to GEC and a novice behind the camera.
I used this knife at work and I cut with it everyday, the linerlock really impressed me, everything about this knife was perfect for me.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by johnny twoshoes on
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I carried this knife for every hunting season, through the early spring hunts and the late fall. I carried it like it was as valuable as my rifle, I guess it was to me. I grew on the forums and I really learned a lot, the input from guys and the wisdom shared was a blessing for me. I started to want more though, these knives were so great I had to discuss and share my opinion about them. I did a google search one day, GEC forum was all I wrote, there was this site that came up, Iknifecollector.com. I checked it out and there didn't seem to be a whole lot of conversation, but I joined anyhow. I met this lady named Jan Carter, first of all, I didn't know that woman collected knives. I knew they liked them, but Jan actually had knives, nice ones too. I started to share a little bit and I really started to get comfortable. Then, I stopped visiting this place, I don't for the life of me remember why though.
I still had this GEC on me though.
I came back though, some of you should already know this. : )
Anyhow, I started sharing again and the next thing I know I have some great new friends. There is something new shared everyday and I can't wait to check up with you guys every morning. Then I get a rare opportunity, I get to meet a friend from miles away. Someone I only know as Jan on an internet forum, but with her husband they have a love strong enough for this company, that they drive up here. Well, who could resist a visit.
These people are truly some of the best. I'm honored to have them as friends and I'm so thankful to have met them. It's almost as though I was seeing a neighbor who moved far away years ago. A very close friend who returned for a nice visit, I met this guy Donnie, someone I had seen at the Rendezvous previously. It was hard to forget him, he had a friendly smile and the most beautiful GEC I had seen in a long time. So when Jan shared a pic, I knew it was gonna be a great time meeting him as well.
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Truly, they are part of what makes GEC special. I have met some great people thanks to this company, but none have been as nice as the friends I've made here. It's so personal and I like that, I don't think it's a lack of members either, I think it's just the attitude we all share.
I broke the backspring of my most trusted and used knife, so he had to go away for a long while. But now that he's back, he's here to stay. I guess that a friend is something time has to test before I true relationship will last, well, I have put that time in here and I'm happy to say that I'm here to stay.
Here is my buddy, back from the little factory in Titusville Pa.
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Guys, I would love to here your stories.
How did you guys get here, how did you make it to IKC?
How did you get into GEC?
Sorry about the long rambling posts, but I'm glad to be here and I'm happy to have my friend back.
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Permalink Reply by Jan Carter on
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Johnny,
That is a great story and we are proud to be a small part of it. Nothing makes me happier than your friend coming home to stay, just in time to have another hunting season with you. We also have a how we got here story that I will share soon.
I like this, could everyone share thier stories too :)
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Permalink Reply by Tom Peterson on
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Great story Johnny. Can't remember how I stumbled upon iKC - think it might have come up on a Google search for Great Eastern Cutlery. I'd been collecting Northfield's since 2008 but only had about seven of them. Met some very fine folks here at iKC, Jan & Johnny and many others too. Knife collecting these past two years has been a outlet and distraction for me during my wife's battle with brain cancer. Some of you have been very supportive during some rough times and I thank you for that. Her cancer appears to be almost cured, she only has two more chemotherapy treatments. And now I got a whole boatload of these darn knives!!!! Now I am the one who needs treatment - a 12 step knife addiction therapy - that will take longer than two years to cure! It's been fun hearing everyones stories and I too look forward to getting up in the morning or checking the posts every evening for the latest posts (Johnny yours are some of the best - I think you are really the secret head of marketing at GEC cause I have bought more knives after reading your stories than because of any ad or company web site) and seeing pictures of everyones collections and latest acquisitions. Some of those stories and pictures have convinced me that I needed to try out different knives that I had never thought of owning. I could stand to learn a bit more about photography from many of you all because your pictures put mine to shame. But I sure have enjoyed being part of the GEC collectors group here at iKC and all of you folks. I'm anxious to hear the rest of your stories too folks. Jan don't leave us hangin'. :)
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Tom,
That is the best news I have heard all day. I am glad she is getting better. I promise I will do some writing this weekend
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Thanks Jan.
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This is great to read.
Tom, I will be praying for your wife and for yourself. Good news and good company help so much in a time of trouble.
It's funny because I had never heard of IKC from one of the other forums, I think the first time I had heard about it was on a YouTube knife review. I never looked though but, I think I made it here at just the right time. Like I said, I have matured since joining here and I have learned a lot. I really enjoy reading the new posts from everyone.
I know that I really only post in two sections, but I enjoy this whole place.
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It was a warm fall evening. The knife show had ended and there were just a few of us left, reluctant to say goodbye for the day. Most of us only see each other once a year anyway and we were discussing the quality downfall of our favorite knife company. As we headed to the truck, a friend followed. Such a gentleman, he opened my door, made sure I was tucked into me seat. I rolled down the window for one last hug goodbye and he said “Go look at a new knife out there, it is called Northfield.
It was certainly time to do something and make a change, we had to buy way too many users this year. The knife Donnie loved to carry just would not hold up to everyday use any longer. I came home and typed in “Northfield Knives” in my search engine. Up came Great Eastern Cutlery. I took a look, checked out the three brands and went to the dealer page. There were only a few and we checked out the types of knives this company was producing. The first thing that caught our eye was 1095. Donnie loves a good carbon steel to work with. Then we saw the 73, well that looked like something he would carry. Right size, 1095 steel and look..they carry an everyday carry that is less than the others. We ordered two. At that price we could switch his user and still collect what we had loved. I told Donnie when they came, I did not want to hear about them until he had used them for a month. Well if you know Donnie you know that was impossible.
About a month later it was time for the Dalton show and we noticed GEC would be there. Off we went to Georgia and met Ken, Ryan and Courtney Daniels. We stopped to speak with them and nice people that they are, they let me leave my heavy handbag there while we looked around. We looked all over that show for three days and just kept coming back to GEC. By now I knew this was a company we wanted to look more into. The quality, the wonderful people and the reasonable price made them a company we could work with. I bought Donnie a Proto and that was the start of a new collection. That’s how we got to GEC….Tomorrow I will tell you how we got to IKC.
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