GEC released a couple of new knives last week. The #23 Pioneer Single Blade with "Genuine Stag" is a limited run of, I believe, just 30 knives. Great looking Stag and they included a UNXLD lapel pin also. In addition, they ran 20 of the #23's with a single blade and some gorgeous red buffalo horn handles and etched the blades, "Factory Test Production Run". On the back of the tube, they also added a Certificate of Authenticity stating that it is indeed one of just 20 total.
In another week we should also see the new #50 and #60's.
It sounds like they have some 2007 stamped blades they want to use before they start the 2008 runs. Could be an interesting time to watch for some unique pieces to come out!
ghbud
TSA Knives, LLC
http://www.tsaknives.com
New Great Eastern Liimited Limited Editions
New Great Eastern Liimited Limited Editions
"I have long considered it one of God's greatest mercies that the future is hidden from us. If it were not, life would surely be unbearable."
--Eugene Forsey
--Eugene Forsey
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Gr8Scout
The constant ultra-short limited runs and special issues from GEC seems to really be going over the top, ala Jim Parker. That is not a compliment. Now 'Factory Test Production Run' is taking the nonsense to a whole new level, with a certificate of Authenticity to boot.
A good knife will stand on it's own merits.
A good knife will stand on it's own merits.
I agree!
Can't argue with you a bit. It seems like 'limited' runs are pretty much the m.o. for a lot of the makers including Great Eastern, Bark River, Canal Street Cutlery and even Case.
I'm not defending any of them, but it appears that there are just a handful of US knife manufacturers left that are trying whatever they can to stay in business, find a niche and recapture some of the market lost to China and Taiwan. It's a whole lot less expensive to make limited runs with purty handles, serial numbers or special etching on the blades then it is to try and produce a new pattern every few weeks. There's little point in any of them trying to produce a decent $20 pocket knife as that market is flooded with some pretty decent knives from Asia. (For some strange reason our US workers don't wanna work for $1.25 a day.)
Personally, I'd like to see some more models, but I know it isn't going to happen very fast. I'd like to see a nice little muskrat to replace the old line from Schrade! Most of all, I just hope they'll do what they gotta do to stay in business and be successful.
I'm not defending any of them, but it appears that there are just a handful of US knife manufacturers left that are trying whatever they can to stay in business, find a niche and recapture some of the market lost to China and Taiwan. It's a whole lot less expensive to make limited runs with purty handles, serial numbers or special etching on the blades then it is to try and produce a new pattern every few weeks. There's little point in any of them trying to produce a decent $20 pocket knife as that market is flooded with some pretty decent knives from Asia. (For some strange reason our US workers don't wanna work for $1.25 a day.)
Personally, I'd like to see some more models, but I know it isn't going to happen very fast. I'd like to see a nice little muskrat to replace the old line from Schrade! Most of all, I just hope they'll do what they gotta do to stay in business and be successful.
"I have long considered it one of God's greatest mercies that the future is hidden from us. If it were not, life would surely be unbearable."
--Eugene Forsey
--Eugene Forsey
Well, don't say you didn't ask for it!!! 
I have talked and sent a few emails to GEC with my concerns, wishes and wants and have come away with the feeling they're trying. They've made some mistakes and (I believe) are making a sincere effort to keep everyone happy. When you look at the what's happened to Schrade and Camillus fairly recently and the fact that a "Made In the USA" company like Buck is outsourcing to China, it's pretty apparent the knife industry is a tough market to compete in.
If you'll take the time to pick up a U.S. Classic knife (made in China), it's not a bad knife for a little more then $10. Fact of the matter is there are actually some pretty decent knives coming in from both China and Taiwan. I didn't say 'great', I said decent. I've guess after a 40 year career in sales and retailing, I've got a lot of respect for anyone competing in a 'world' economy where your competition can get by without an OSHA, Product Liability Insurance, Employee Benefits and pay hourly wages under a buck an hour.
That's it....nuff said.
ghbud
http://www.tsaknives.com
I have talked and sent a few emails to GEC with my concerns, wishes and wants and have come away with the feeling they're trying. They've made some mistakes and (I believe) are making a sincere effort to keep everyone happy. When you look at the what's happened to Schrade and Camillus fairly recently and the fact that a "Made In the USA" company like Buck is outsourcing to China, it's pretty apparent the knife industry is a tough market to compete in.If you'll take the time to pick up a U.S. Classic knife (made in China), it's not a bad knife for a little more then $10. Fact of the matter is there are actually some pretty decent knives coming in from both China and Taiwan. I didn't say 'great', I said decent. I've guess after a 40 year career in sales and retailing, I've got a lot of respect for anyone competing in a 'world' economy where your competition can get by without an OSHA, Product Liability Insurance, Employee Benefits and pay hourly wages under a buck an hour.
That's it....nuff said.
ghbud
http://www.tsaknives.com
"I have long considered it one of God's greatest mercies that the future is hidden from us. If it were not, life would surely be unbearable."
--Eugene Forsey
--Eugene Forsey
Yeah, and $6.00 for an engineer. China is the most polluted country in the world by far. A big expense here in the USA is Hazardous Waste. Hazardous Waste can be simple coolants, lubricants, and cutting fluids. For a homeowner, these can be dropped off FREE at a disposal site here in California. For a Manufacturing company here these materials have to tracked, how much comes in and how much goes to a waste management company and it's big money. There is a huge boondogle here, stuff you can buy at the hardware store or even grocery store as a resident of the USA has to have a part number and a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) if it is used in manufacturing. Yep, I had to get a part number, an MSDS for Ivory Liquid dish soap to use in a process at Hewlett Packard.
I ran some tests that concluded that a $2.00 bottle of Ivory Dish soap would act as a surfactant (surface tension) as well as a special $200.00 soap.
China does not have these rules and laws and in fact Hazardous Waste runs in some road side ditches - with the sewage.
In fact some of those hazardous wastes are very powerful carcinogens.
While we have to get an MSDS for something as benign as dish soap, China does as it pleases with hazardous waste - many cases just dump it in a creek.
I ran some tests that concluded that a $2.00 bottle of Ivory Dish soap would act as a surfactant (surface tension) as well as a special $200.00 soap.
China does not have these rules and laws and in fact Hazardous Waste runs in some road side ditches - with the sewage.
In fact some of those hazardous wastes are very powerful carcinogens.While we have to get an MSDS for something as benign as dish soap, China does as it pleases with hazardous waste - many cases just dump it in a creek.
Hukk
As a matter of fact, just today I was watching our PBS channel and they were talking about the U.S.A. and China coal and steel trade. The companys here in the states were very happy to talk about their products but, got very tight lipped when asked about out sourcing jobs and not having to pay for somethings in their plants in China like they would here in the U.S.A. They even refused to talk about the wage scale at their China plants. There's just something about these companys doing this that just aint right, to me. 
I think, the Federal Government should quad-triple tax any out sourced work done, that comes back into the U.S.A. Make those companys pay now or later but, make them pay and pay hard. 
The free trade with China and some other countrys is going to come back and bite us in the 
, well you know.
I think, the Federal Government should quad-triple tax any out sourced work done, that comes back into the U.S.A. Make those companys pay now or later but, make them pay and pay hard. The free trade with China and some other countrys is going to come back and bite us in the , well you know.A dull knife is like an empty wallet, no need to carry it.
If anyone's interested, there are some interesting changes going on at Great Eastern Cutlery. Rumor has it that there's a good chance we'll see a brand new pattern in the near future. Odds are also good that they may be coming out with a 'pocket friendly' knife latter this year. 
Probably the biggest news is the change in their distribution method. The Distributors are actually going to be....Distributors. In the near future, 'dealers' will have to go through a Distributor to buy at Dealer price. Good to see the company is maturing.
ghbud
http://www.tsaknives.com
Probably the biggest news is the change in their distribution method. The Distributors are actually going to be....Distributors. In the near future, 'dealers' will have to go through a Distributor to buy at Dealer price. Good to see the company is maturing.ghbud
http://www.tsaknives.com
"I have long considered it one of God's greatest mercies that the future is hidden from us. If it were not, life would surely be unbearable."
--Eugene Forsey
--Eugene Forsey