Great Eastern Cutlery (GEC) was founded in 2006 and have been producing traditional, classic pocket knives ever since. Made in Titusville, PA, they painstakingly create knives of a bygone era by using high quality materials. GEC knives feature traditional handle materials such as jigged bone, stag, mother of pearl and colorful acrylics. Read more about Great Eastern Cutlery at the bottom of the page. I appreciate any traffic from these links as I earn commission when an item is purchased, at no extra cost to you. THANK YOU!!! – Jesse, oldpocketknives.com
Great Eastern Cutlery currently produce three lines: Tidioute Cultery, Northfield UN-X-LD and Great Eastern Cutlery knives. They also produce knives for the popular Northwoods Knives as well. Some of the coolest and most desirable patterns are produced for collectors such as sunfish, eureka jacks, whittlers, moose and coke bottle folding hunters. Specifically, the Yankee Barlow 77, Viper 47, Grinling Whittler 38 and the Whaler 46 are examples of very collectible patterns. GEC leads the way in traditional pocket knives today! Here is a handy link to understand Great Eastern Cutlery Co Pocket Knives Tang Number Chart.
TIDIOUTE BRAND
The town of Tidioute is located near another important cutlery center called Titusville, PA (Queen Cutlery, Schatt & Morgan and more). From the 1890’s to the 1930’s Tidioute hosted several knife companies, including the Tidioute Cutlery Co, Union Cutlery Co, Union Razor & Co and more. Since Great Eastern Cutlery has reintroduced the Tidioute name with the Tidioute Cutlery line of fine pocket knives.
The blades of these knives are high quality American made 1095 carbon steel. The handle materials include jigged bone, ebony wood, genuine stag and more! The Tidioute Cutlery knives are found in many pocket knife collections across the country but are tough enough to be used on a daily basis!
NORTHFIELD UN-X-LD BRAND
The original Northfield Knife Company was based in CT from 1858 to 1926. Their UN-X-LD brand pocket knives were known for their quality and are desirable collectibles. In 2006, Great Eastern Cutlery revived this legacy and began making Northfield Un-X-LD pocket knives.
Only the finest of Great Eastern Cutlery’s pocket knives receive the UN-X-LD branding. These classic, yet new, Northfield knives feature all the detailed tooling and finishing you would expect to see on a finely crafted early 1900’s era pocket knife. All Northfield blades and springs are made solely with 1095 carbon steel. The blades also feature forged straight nail pulls, cut swaging, and are finished to a mirror polish.
Handle scales for these finely crafted knives are made in house at the GEC Bone Works and include exotic materials such as Indian Stag Antler, Snake Wood, North American Cattle Bone, and Cocobolo Wood. These new Northfield knives compare with the originals in craftsmanship, materials, and rarity. Because of this, these knives have become the most sought after and collected factory made knives today.
GREAT EASTERN CUTLERY BRAND
Great Eastern Cutlery takes pride in making classically designed and traditionally inspired pocket knives. In order to more closely recreate traditional pocket knives, 1095 carbon steel is used on all Tidioute Cutlery and Northfield UN-X-LD knives. 1095 steel has many great qualities including excellent edge retention, the ability to take a keen edge and take a very high polish.
While many knife owners enjoy the labor of love in taking care of carbon steel, there is a demand for a high quality stainless steel alternative. The Great Eastern brand knives are made with 440c stainless steel blades while still being designed and built with the same craftsmanship and quality as the other brands. 440c is a very traditional blade steel with a proven track record and certainly meets Great Eastern Cutlery’s highest quality standards.