All About Pocket Knives

Well it's a usual day, a pile of GEC's to rehandle no big deal. First one is a 2 blade #73 that's getting some real nice stag. Go to finish up the bolsters and can't for the life of me figure out why the pin is a different color than the bolster (oh boy this is gonna be a good day, first knife is a PITA LOL) . I thought I must have grabbed a steel pin by mistake so I re-pin it, this time making sure it's nickel. Same stuff, different color . I thought "well the color will even out once it's buffed" nope, pin just buffed down farther in the hole and the bolsters were hard to polish . WTF is going on here? Did GEC start using stainless hardware on their knives? I didn't notice any sparks while hafting so I figured if it's steel it must be SS. So I email GEC and get this reply back almost immediately.

"At this time we only use low carbon steel for all steel liners and bolsters like those on the Lumberjack’s. There are no plans to use stainless steel as liners or bolsters."



Well blow me down, using carbon steel bolsters on some of their knives now? Guess it was cheaper than NS? That's a disappointment, steel hardware and not even SS. Well there goes the simplicity of GEC rehandling for me. Better slap a magnet to her before you go peening pins boys cause she just might be steel! Good thing I keep carbon steel pin stock on hand for vintage knives (mostly WWII era jacks).

Something is wrong here:


Seems a steel pin remedied the problem:

Some collectors are going to be seriously pissed off when they find out that the bolsters are steel and not nickel.

Does that mean always or as of now? If the older ones used nickel, it will be interesting to see what the value of the older ones does.

AS far as I know this is not the gospel on all GECs made or being made. "Some" have steel bolsters, don't know when it started or if they will continue it is the future or if they've already quit. This was meant more as a humorous informative post for anyone who might delve into mechanic work on a GEC. I have reworked a BUNCH of GECs this is the first steel bolstered knife i've encountered

OK thanks. I have plans on buying a few. Just didn't want to get blindsided.

As I recall, there were a couple different 73's that were released with steel bolsters.The blades on them were stamped with the un-x-ld stamp. They were marketed as having steel bolsters though.

Forgive my ignorance but why is nickel better than steel? I would think steel would
be more desirable.

Nickel doesn't rust. It patinas very very slowly.

Why would you make a collector's knife with steel bolsters and liners???

They aren't all collector knives. Many of them do get used. People that use them don't really mind particularly since it means they can get a good knife a little cheaper.

I wonder if they were trying to mimic some of the older early brands that used steel bolsters. Why else would you choose to use that material on a knife?(other than cost)

Glenn

Either way**** they advertise these knives ,as such____ It's always,about cost ___but they are some mighty fine knives,either way

glennbad wrote:I wonder if they were trying to mimic some of the older early brands that used steel bolsters. Why else would you choose to use that material on a knife?(other than cost)

Glenn

My thoughts too Glenn, cheaper for a working knife and built like the oldies. I wasn't aware of the offering (guess I aint been payin good'nuff attention) so it was news to me. GEC is still making the best production knife in the U.S.A hands down (IMO) They are built right and will take an edge to back it up.

Wonder what one of these would look like with a good blue job on the liners, bolsters, backspring and blade? Use some light colored handles for contrast or go with some black micarta for the (cringe) "Tactical" look, maybe even a pocket clip?

Iron Hoarder wrote:They aren't all collector knives. Many of them do get used. People that use them don't really mind particularly since it means they can get a good knife a little cheaper.

I don't expect the Lumberjack gets much EDC.If it wasn't for collectors ,I believe they would not be in business.The trouble is,correct me if I'm wrong,the Lumberjack is the most expensive knife they make.Seems an oxymoronic approach,use the cheapest materials on the most expensive knife.

Kaleb, you must be reading my mind. I had some of those same ideas for my next MM custom.

trey wrote:Kaleb, you must be reading my mind. I had some of those same ideas for my next MM custom.

great minds think alike


wlf, as large as the bolsters are on the lumberjack nickel silver may have made them too expensive to be good sellers. I do agree collectors keep most pocket knife companies in business these days. Think about it, just how many knives do you actually NEED (from a user standpoint?) I can get by with 1/2 dozen folders and twice as many fixed blades (I do a lot of butchering). Collectors however have dozens or in some cases hundreds of knives for no other reason than to have a "collection". Speaking of pocket cutlery manufacturers in general they sell FAR more knives that are put into collections than are actually put into service. I used to have a couple thousand knives in my collection, I could find no justification for owning that many knives so I sold them. I now have 4 I keep in EDC rotation and a stash of around 2 dozen of similar makes and models for backups, and with the forethought I may have sons later in life and the fine knives like the ones I carry may be hard or impossible to obtain in their generation. I keep 2 dozen fixed blades, mostly butcher knives for that one purpose. I do however keep a watchful eye and stockpile a certain make and model of butcher knife that I feel surpasses any ever manufactured in the world that works extremely well for my uses.

What a ramble, talk about steel bolsters instead of nickel and end up talking about the justification of collecting.

The Whaler is almost exact same size and it has nickle silver ,at least that's what descriptions say.

wlf wrote:The Whaler is almost exact same size and it has nickle silver ,at least that's what descriptions say.

price difference? Sorry too tired to look

muskrat man wrote:

wlf wrote:The Whaler is almost exact same size and it has nickle silver ,at least that's what descriptions say.

price difference? Sorry too tired to look

Ebony 1 bld Whaler $115.00

Cocobolo 1bld Lumberjack $103.00 on the site I checked.

I think prices are comparable.