Welcome Home...THANK YOU FOR BEING A PART OF OUR COMMUNITY

iKnife Collector

The online community of knife collectors, A Knife Family Forged in Steel

Help for a possible new GEC guy

Okay guys, bear with me. I'm thinking about getting my first GEC. Thinking. Just thinking.

IF, I get one, I'd like to get a small one to carry and use everyday to see how I like them, and evaluate GEC.

One thing I can not tolerate very well is blades that are not tight....no blade play for me. That's one thing I love about the Bokers that I've been buying lately; the blades are as tight as a drum!!

The GEC I'm thinking about getting for my first one is;

Northfield #26 Sleeveboard -Cocobolo

Do any of you guys have a sleeveboard? Are the blades tight on the #26? Pictures would be great, especially if you could show a comparison with a common penknife like the Boker 8288.

Thanks for the help! I REALLY appreciate it! Don't know if I can take money away from my new love (Boker), but I'm thinking about it. Thinking......

1 member likes this

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by jeff on July 31, 2012 at 19:56

i can tell you, from a long time collectors point of veiw...you wont be sorry. the sleeveboard is a great little knife, if you like the wide blade, wide handle type. i've got a couple of them, including and ivory handled one. I love the gec whittler, any of those styles, are great pocket knives. you wont be sorry!! and i dont have anything invested in any knife company,other than 250+ knives, by many brands... I truly believe that in todays market,...you WILL NOT FIND A BETTER KNIFE, in that price range at least. I hope this helps you...Jeff Powell

Permalink Reply by Jan Carter on July 31, 2012 at 20:11

Jeff,

I could not have said it better myself. You wont be sorry. I also love the whittlers. Craig, Tomorrow I will get out a sleeve board and see what I can put it next to for you. I think I can find a few knives you'll recognize to put with it.

northfield Trademark
1095 High Carbon Blades
Main Wharncliffe, Clip and Coping Blades
3 1/2" closed

My fav...the gepetto

Permalink Reply by Billy Oneale on July 31, 2012 at 22:30

You will like the GEC sleeveboard. I only have the one sleeveboard, but I enjoy all my GEC knives. They are great knives. Here is a # 32 that I have.

FeaturedPermalink Reply by Craig Henry on July 31, 2012 at 23:54

Thanks for the replies guys! I really like the looks of the little #26. Something about it is calling to me; "Craig, buy me, Craig, buy me."

If (when?) I get one, and if (when?) I like it, I also have my eye on a #53 "Cattle Knife", and a #66 Stockman.

But I'm just thinking.......

Permalink Reply by johnny twoshoes on August 1, 2012 at 14:25

FeaturedPermalink Reply by Craig Henry on August 1, 2012 at 16:00

VERY nice!

Blade play??

Permalink Reply by Gary Thomas on August 1, 2012 at 16:27

The Sleeveboard is a good choice, Craig. I always recommend for a first GEC the single blade Scout (#73). For me, that is almost the perfect knife. The 48 pattern is also very nice . . . and the 68 and the 72 and the 54 . . . well, you get the idea. You will find the one right for you, I'm sure. Good Hunting!!

Permalink Reply by johnny twoshoes on August 1, 2012 at 22:17

Hey Craig, I see your like me in the fact that you hate blade play. I'll take cracked scales, blunt blades and bad snap, just don't wiggle when your open blade.

The #26 has no play whatsoever, which is perfect for guys like us. It's a great knife, I just never use mine as much as the other knives I have.

FeaturedPermalink Reply by Craig Henry on August 2, 2012 at 2:40

Thanks Johnny, I really appreciate it!

Yep, everything you said I feel the same. Even if I have to pull the blade open into place instead of it snapping into place, it's better to me than the feel of the blade wiggle! No blade hoochie coochie for me!!

Permalink Reply by Tom Peterson on August 2, 2012 at 17:09

Craig,

I have several #26's and they all have good snap and NO wobble. The most recent batch are a bit tougher than some GEC's to open but you wont break a nail or anything. I don't know what is your favorite blade - mine is generally a clip blade. GEC makes a sleeveboard with either a spear, clip or wharncliffe main blade. For a small knife I like the #25 pattern/Barlow alot too, as well as the #56, #62 Courthouse Whittler, #66 Calf Roper, #57 and also the White Owl. Gary suggested the #73 and #72 which are a bit bigger but awesome knives - I cant get enough #72's & now I'm starting to get hooked on the bigger #42 Trader lockbacks. The #53 that you mentioned is a bigger and heavier knife but another great one too. I'm up to over 300 GEC's and I love them all! Whatever you choose I am pretty darned sure that you will be happy with. If there is a problem with a knife send it back for some adjustment. I have sent several back and GEC fixed them for me at no charge, they are great people to do business with! Let us know what you end up getting.

FeaturedPermalink Reply by Craig Henry on August 2, 2012 at 17:55

Thanks Tom, I appreciate it! Sounds good. I really like the looks of that little Sleeveboard. And I love the looks in Cocobolo.

Permalink Reply by Tom Peterson on August 2, 2012 at 21:44

Craig,

I don't have Cocobolo just a pair of exterior elephant ivory and a pair (clip main and spear main that I couldn't find a pic of) in genuine stag. The sleeveboard used to be one of my least favorite GEC's but when they came out with a clip main blade they started to grow on me a bit more. I bet it would be a very handsome knife indeed in cocobolo!