TKP 2015 5.0: Great Eastern Cutlery Tour Pt.3 -- Grinding thru Assembly

[@CampfireTalk]

It's getting better as it goes. Good to see Bill show up and put that knife together like it was nothing. I'm looking forward to the final installment.

[@howabouthetruth2157]

Who, that janitor fella? LOL. Just kidding. Bill Howard is THE MAN!!!

[@tonyhutton5889]

Another outstanding video, also its great to see a CEO get out onto the shop floor and get his hands dirty.. :) The more I look at the video's in this series, the more I get the more I get the feeling that many modern knife makers, could learn a lot from the Traditional Knife Industry, especially when it comes to handle materials and colors .. :)

[@dcrickerson9775]

That was fun ! I love the fact that all the machines used are vintage machines. I like to think of how many knives have passed through them in all the years they have been used. So much of this work is hands on one at a time which makes these knives one of a kind and special.

[@howabouthetruth2157]

AMEN!!!

[@gf4him]

As close to "hands on" I'll ever get as a viewer. Just happen to be stropping my new #38 Whittler as I was watching your ever cool video, then there's Mr. Howard with a #38. A lot more goes into the production than I would ever have imagined.

[@howabouthetruth2157]

You got one too! Way to go! I also have a Case whittler made in 1976 that is near identical. And I can honestly say, the GEC #38 just blows it away in design, fit and finish. I bet the final episode will be the best, because we're gonna get to see the hafting process. Which 38 did ya get?

[@gf4him]

Howabouthetruth I went with the Tidioute green bone as I wanted one that I wouldn't feel the need to baby. I have been waiting for these to see if I can develop some whittling skills. My dad was pretty good at it but I don't know if I carry his whittlin gene. Which one did you settle in with? I recall a review that Rob did on the expensive Bose Case Whittler. That would have been tempting had the review been really positive. Ok...on with GEC 6.0 or pt.4 or the next one.

[@howabouthetruth2157]

Stand Straight I bought one of the Tidioutes in Old Green bone too. I love it. I have also ordered one in ebony, Natural stag, Kryptonite, red jigged bone, plus yet another special factory order version. I have yet to receive any of the other knives as they haven't finished making them, but the ebony and the Kryptonite are on the way to me now. Yeah........I'm a truly "sick" knife knut, lol. I just love how GEC makes whittlers. Yeah, it's a shame about the Case/Bose whittler having so many issues, especially for the high price tag. The first one was even worse and I returned it. At least GEC makes nearly every knife spot on, and are a much better value in my opinion. Best of luck with your whittling ventures. I'm sure you can get pretty good at it with patience and practice. I've been tempted to take up whittling myself.

[@twilightshooter4990]

THERE AINT NO SUCH THING AS A PERFECT KNIFE. GREAT EASTERN CUTLERY TRIES LIKE HELL TO MAKE ONE.

[@howabouthetruth2157]

Yep, Bill Howard even stated it himself: "There's no such thing as a "perfect" factory knife"....end quote. Note the word: "factory". Where an entire crew is doing their own particular procedure to each part of a knife during the manufacturing process. 'Ole Bill has his crew trained very well. Something extremely difficult to do and keep such consistent quality these days. Bill is not only a master luthier, he is a great leader. Queen Cutlery really started going downhill when Bill left to form Great Eastern Cutlery. That's because Mr. Howard was the only person at Queen who kept a strict hand on all the plant's machinery, and re-adjusting them to keep them making parts correctly within accepted tolerances. Bill quit Queen once before, and was talked into coming back to Queen some time later. The very first thing he needed to do, was re-adjust many of the machines throughout the entire plant. Most of the machinery had not been maintained properly, and many of the knife parts were turning out terrible. But Bill fixed all of that, at least while he was there. What a shame. No wonder Queen's main blade grinds were all jacked out of shape in their last years. Bill wasn't there to keep everything in line, the way he does at GEC.

[@DenisHauser]

Very good tour at GEC, thank you. I like the pocket knife of GEC also.

[@thaknobodi]

Those windows are scary, they should at least add a wooden hand rail waist high across them. Bill howard was a master in action on camera there

[@howabouthetruth2157]

This is FUN!!! It's getting better with each episode! I bet the final installment is even better! Hey Rob......after ya introduced Bill as "the janitor".....ya shoulda told him the true story of how a fella really did start as a janitor, and became co-owner of the great Hibbard Spencer Bartlett & Co!!! LOL!!! We love ya Bill !!! Hafting is next......ooh yeah!!!

[@Claus-L.Mueller]

It's a great to see a genius at work!

[@jergensenC6]

I am really loving these videos. I had no idea how much work went into making a traditional knife. I am now convinced, that I must purchase my first one. Now to figure out which GEC to get.......

[@howabouthetruth2157]

I've got the feeling the final episode will be even MORE labor intensive, being as it's hafting! On buying GEC knives........be careful.......warning........they are VERY addicting!!! ( I thought I would stop at 20 or so GEC knives.....ha ha.......yeah.....right........now I'm approaching 200 of 'em. )

[@twilightshooter4990]

GEC wavy jigged bone is the best knife jigging on Earth !

[@missmygamergirl445]

William should be proud to own and keep those old British and American made machines in service. This is why we pay the premium prices that it costs to keep these machines running by American workers.

[@joshvaldez9234]

I really wish that I worked for a boss like bill Howard. You have to lead by example. And when people see that the owner has that much pride in his company then the employees will also. But If the owner dosent seem to care that much. Then why should any one else.

[@howabouthetruth2157]

Well said Josh!

[@VicariousReality7]

Love gec

[@slkknifelover]

Revealing how they create such great knives using vintage machines and here benchmade struggles with ultra modern manufacturing...🤔🤔