Mystery #97 Northfield

GEC specializes in highly collectable and premium quality usable pocket knives. The company's USA manufactured knives have quickly proven to be a big hit with both collectors and users who seek quality American craftsmanship.
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HighPlains
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Mystery #97 Northfield

Post by HighPlains »

A few new photos on the 98 portion of the “Our Cover” of GEC’s site show 97’s with jig bone covers in something like antique yellow or autumn gold. Houndstooth shield. Blade is in Northfield configuration: saber grind, double pulls. (Sorry I’m too dumb to patch in a hyperlink).

The current production schedule suggests no such knife. OKC bone and beaver is visible on another tray so it’s not that. Any guesses? Rumors?

I remember CK’s early reserve saying that if stag couldn’t be fulfilled that Northfield lot would then become jig bone. I hope this doesn’t mean we’ll be missing out on stag 97’s.
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FarSide
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Re: Mystery #97 Northfield

Post by FarSide »

Your right. Not sure who that one will belong to ???
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RalphAlsip
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Re: Mystery #97 Northfield

Post by RalphAlsip »

The production schedule (see picture below) through May 2019 still shows stag 97. It certainly is possible it is incorrect.
GEC Production Schedule through May 2019.JPG
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gsmith7158
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Re: Mystery #97 Northfield

Post by gsmith7158 »

Yes that's the Oregon Knife Collectors SFO. I believe one is shown in the other 97 thread.
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HighPlains
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Re: Mystery #97 Northfield

Post by HighPlains »

Strangely, I no longer see the Houndstooth shielded Northfields ::shrug::
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Re: Mystery #97 Northfield

Post by Onearmbladejunkie »

MY THEORY ON THE MYSTERY #97 NORTHFIELD KNIFE. GEC POSTED THIS KNIFE FOR ABOUT 3 HOURS, THEN THEY REMOVED THE POSTING. THIS MYSTERY KNIFE HAD AUTUMN GOLD JIGGED BONE SCALES WITH THE LARGE HOUNDS TOOTH SHIELD. GEC POSTED A PICTURE WITH YELLOW SMOOTH BONE SCALES , WITH A NOTE. "TIDIOUTE AUTUMN GOLD BONE 1602 PEICES" THATS 801 KNIVES" MY THEORY IS ,GEC DOES NOT WANT THEIR DEALERS TO GET STUCK WITH THOSE KNIVES. I BELIEVE GEC SENT OF THOSE AUTUMN GOLD JIGGED BONE SCALES TO THE NORTHFIELD FACTORY TO MAKE A BETTER KNIFE. THIS IS MY THEORY ! THESE COULD BE RENDEZVOUS KNIVES ALSO. GEC LOVES TO AGRIVATE THEIR CUSTOMERS !
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Re: Mystery #97 Northfield

Post by Onearmbladejunkie »

SMOOTH YELLOW BONE SCALES 1602 SCALES --801 KNIVES , THESE ARE FOR THE TIDIOUTE AUTUMN GOLD JIGGED BONE KNIVES ---- I BELEIVE SOME OF THESE WERE SENT TO THE NORTHFIELD FACTORY AND USED ON THE GEC #97 MYSTERY KNIVES.
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HighPlains
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Re: Mystery #97 Northfield

Post by HighPlains »

Nice job getting screen grabs, onearm. Thank you.
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RalphAlsip
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Re: Mystery #97 Northfield

Post by RalphAlsip »

That shield has been used for Smoky Mountain Knifeworks SFO in the recent past.
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Tsar Bomba
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Re: Mystery #97 Northfield

Post by Tsar Bomba »

Onearmbladejunkie has me wondering if GEC had issues with a full run of stag knives and bumped that autumn gold jigged bone to the NF run. :?

A knife this size might pose a challenge procuring proper slabs of Sambar horn to accommodate the planned production numbers. ::shrug::

I'm just hoping my smooth yellow rose bone reservation holds up. ::paranoid:: I'll fight the internal war over getting a Tidioute later.
Ajd3530
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Re: Mystery #97 Northfield

Post by Ajd3530 »

1. There is no Northfield factory. Tidioutes, Northfields, GECs, F&F are all produced in the same building, by the same folks. None are "better knives," they just have different trim and features.

2. The box 1602 of blank bovine bone slabs marked autumn gold are exactly that: 1602 pieces of bovine bone slab to be processed into autumn gold covers. Not smooth yellow.

3. I think the answer is simply they have had an over run of parts, and are making small offshoot runs with the extra bits and pieces they have; or they weren't able to procure enough stag to make the original numbers they intended on.. Or possibly both.
HighPlains
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Re: Mystery #97 Northfield

Post by HighPlains »

Wishes granted! End of the hall photo shows stag coke bottles headed to assembly. I’m not sure what to make of the man pushing the piano though ......
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Re: Mystery #97 Northfield

Post by gsmith7158 »

HighPlains wrote:Wishes granted! End of the hall photo shows stag coke bottles headed to assembly. I’m not sure what to make of the man pushing the piano though ......
Ebony and Ivory keys perhaps for the Ebony Northfield and who knows perhaps an Ivory Northwoods. ::woot::
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FarSide
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Re: Mystery #97 Northfield

Post by FarSide »

I think the mystery is solved. Received an email from Roy Humenick of American Whittler for the SFO release of a #97 with antique yellow jig bone covers and a spear shield (or dog tooth?). Only 50 made.
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Re: Mystery #97 Northfield

Post by Onearmbladejunkie »

My theory was wrong , but I sure had fun guessing. Antique yellow bone with hounds tooth #97
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Re: Mystery #97 Northfield

Post by Onearmbladejunkie »

Only 50 , you know these will be high dollar like the Maher & Grosh GEC knives. The second Northfield just came out.
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Re: Mystery #97 Northfield

Post by boykinlp »

HighPlains wrote:Wishes granted! End of the hall photo shows stag coke bottles headed to assembly. I’m not sure what to make of the man pushing the piano though ......
Is that also a Buffalo in the background? Does that mean a Buffalo horn 97?
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Re: Mystery #97 Northfield

Post by Onearmbladejunkie »

Hey Larry , It s African Ebony wood. It is one of the hardest/best woods ever use on knives for over 130+ years. Keep it oiled and they almost never crack past your life time.
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Re: Mystery #97 Northfield

Post by Onearmbladejunkie »

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gsmith7158
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Re: Mystery #97 Northfield

Post by gsmith7158 »

boykinlp wrote:
HighPlains wrote:Wishes granted! End of the hall photo shows stag coke bottles headed to assembly. I’m not sure what to make of the man pushing the piano though ......
Is that also a Buffalo in the background? Does that mean a Buffalo horn 97?
Larry
That sure looks like a buffalo to me Larry. I don't see that on any of the charts. A surprise for us I guess.
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kootenay joe
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Re: Mystery #97 Northfield

Post by kootenay joe »

On the GEC website under "What's Happening" is a picture of a Coke bottle with elk antlers on the cap and a little dude pushing a grand piano in the direction of "Assembly".
How accurate are these pictures ? i.e. can the picture composer tell an elk rack from a deer rack ? If so then is there an elk handled #97 being made ?
Piano symbolizes elephant and ebony.
Krusius knives assembled after factory closed used piano keys to haft some knives: the thin ebony was over laid with ivory that was a bit smaller than the ebony. making a black border around the ivory.
Think GEC might be doing this ?
kj
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gsmith7158
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Re: Mystery #97 Northfield

Post by gsmith7158 »

Why is the buffalo standing in line behind the coke bottle with antlers?
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Re: Mystery #97 Northfield

Post by kootenay joe »

I missed seeing the buffalo. Buffalo could be a shield as on some vintage USA folding knives.
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Re: Mystery #97 Northfield

Post by Onearmbladejunkie »

Here is a mystery knife right here. It won't be too long now.
GEC-ILLUISTRATED.jpg
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