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GEC Rendezvous FAQ: Everything You Need to Know

So you’re falling down the slippery slope of traditional pocket knives, and you’ve been intrigued by the “GEC Rendezvous“. The Rendezvous is Great Eastern Cutlery‘s yearly gathering to celebrate classic knives and the people who can’t get enough of them. This article will answer your burning questions about the Rendezvous!

Why go to the Rendezvous?

There are lots of reasons to go to the Rendezvous, some of which I have written about in the past (2021, 2019). Of course, there are the special and limited edition knives that can only be purchased at the Rendezvous. There are also some vendors such as Lynch Leather, some vintage knife resellers, and of course yours truly… Knife Thoughts. That said, most people consider the opportunity for camaraderie with fellow traditional knife enthusiasts to be the main draw. There’s just something special about being at the factory that makes these incredible knives we love, and getting to spend time with other people who share our passion. Another big value of going to the Rendezvous is the opportunity to meet and talk with Bill, William, Joan Mae, Randy, and all of the great people at Great Eastern Cutlery who actually make the knives.

The 1st in person Barlow Bearcat Club meeting, on the front porch of GEC
Ben, and several others, can’t make it this year due to Blade Show being the same weekend

Can you tour the factory?

Yes… and no. Since the Covid-19 pandemic, GEC has offered “self guided tours” through the factory. What this amounts to is the ability to walk around the factory hallway, with views into many (but not all) of the processes. It doesn’t include a guide with explanations of the process, as it did previously. To be honest, these self guided tours pale in comparison to the (often lengthy) tours that were given in the past. Still, even a self guided tour provides ample opportunity to see behind the scenes and get a good look at the knives being made.

The factory floor

How does buying knives at the Rendezvous work?

Special knives are part of the draw of the Rendezvous, so it’s helpful to know how they are actually sold. Attendees will get a ticket from GEC staff once the store opens. For those who lined up ahead of time there is often a previous informal number system (this year a Barlow Bearcat Club member made numbered brass tags), which can be exchanged for an official ticket. In past years, only five people have been allowed in the store at a time. You are allowed to enter once someone leaves and a staff member calls your ticket number. You can get another ticket once you have gone through the store, which will allow you to go in again after everyone who currently had a ticket has gone through. Once in the store, there isn’t technically a time limit, but you shouldn’t dillydally. In past years, you have only been able to purchase two knives for each trip through the store. That includes Rendezvous Special knives, SFA knives, or otherwise. That said, as mentioned below, you can only purchase one of the Rendezvous Special knives period (no matter the number of times you go through the store). It can take a while to get back around to your number for a second trip, so make sure you get a second ticket as you leave the store if you’d like a second trip and then spend some time perusing the exhibitors’ tables and meeting other enthusiasts.

The long wait (longer every year!) comes to an end

What is the Rendezvous Special knife?

The Rendezvous Special is a knife made to commemorate the Rendezvous each year. It’s made in limited quantities, not disclosed until the event begins, usually around 50 pieces. Those 50 pieces are spread across both days, with about 30 available Friday and 20 Saturday. Each attendee can only purchase one Rendezvous Special, and GEC keeps a list of who buys what knife. They are usually special in some way, like using stag or a unique shield. I have personally made a collection of these knives over the last 10 years of attending the Rendezvous, as I think they are a great representation of the special event each year.

10 years of Rendezvous Special knives

What is a Special Factory Assembly?

Special Factory Assembly knives, or SFAs, are knives put together in unique configurations for the Rendezvous. These were formerly called parts knives, because they often use leftover parts from previous runs (sometimes several years past). They can have different cover materials, blade configurations, shields, etc. and are often made in low numbers. In fact, these SFAs are considered by some to be the real gems of the Rendezvous due to their limited and unique nature. Many SFAs in recent years have been S knives, which are essentially cosmetic seconds and don’t carry the warranty. One should keep a sharp eye out when entering the store during the Rendezvous, as especially attractive SFAs can sometimes hide in plain sight.

An SFA #25 with two other patriotic GECs

How early do I have to get there to buy a Rendezvous Special knife?

Honestly, it’s impossible to know. I thought last year couldn’t be beaten, when I got there at 10:15 Thursday morning and was already the 27th place in line. But alas, I was foolish to think that people wouldn’t take it further. This year, 2024, two long time fans (and friends of mine, no negativity thrown their way here!) parked a camper outside the factory on the SUNDAY before, a full 5 days before the event. Not only that, but I’m told as of today (Wednesday, two full days before) there are over 15 people waiting. That said, last year people who got there relatively late (meaning in the early morning on Friday, say 5am or so) were able to get a Rendezvous Special because some people passed on them. It’s just not something that can be calculated in advance, but the baseline seems to have passed my reckoning. My understanding is that getting a knife is often easier on Saturday, despite the lower number available. Either way, good luck to anyone who goes for a Rendezvous Special!

The man himself, Bill, showing off a past Rendezvous Special

Should I say hello to the guy wearing a Knife Thoughts shirt?

Yes! I can likely be found sitting at a table exhibiting for Knife Thoughts and / or the Barlow Bearcat Club, talking with other enthusiasts and perusing their tables, or oogling all the great knives in the store. Please stop and say hello, introduce yourself (I’m not good at putting usernames to faces), and grab some Knife Thoughts swag! My favorite part of the Rendezvous is seeing other enthusiasts, so please help the Rendezvous be great and don’t be a stranger.

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I sincerely thank you for your time, support, and interest! Don’t forget to tell your friends about KnifeThoughts.com, subscribe via email, and share this article on social media. You can find Knife Thoughts on YouTube where I have hundreds of knife videos, as well as on Instagram and Facebook! You can find all my latest links at LinkTr.ee/KnifeThoughts

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Knife Thoughts 2021 GEC Rendezvous Retrospect

This past weekend Great Eastern Cutlery held their yearly open house gathering for enthusiasts, which they call the Rendezvous. I always look forward to the Rendezvous with great excitement, and was sorely disappointed that it had to be cancelled in 2020 due to the pandemic. I was able to attend this year, and I want to share my experience here; there was a lot of what makes me love the Rendezvous that was the same, but there were also some new aspects to this year’s event.

What is the Great Eastern Cutlery Rendezvous?

The Rendezvous has always been the best time for Great Eastern Cutlery enthusiasts to gather and discuss the knives they love, and also an opportunity to obtain some of the more rare and unusual knives by GEC. I have gone to the Rendezvous each year since 2014, and you can read about why you should go to the Rendezvous at this link. I love the Rendezvous because it brings together a wide range of people all with one thing in common – a love and appreciation of the best production traditional knives being made currently, at the place of their manufacture. Everyone is willing and ready to show off their collections, discuss past and future knives, and everything else GEC and traditional knife related. You also get the opportunity to “see behind the curtain”. Bill, William, Joan Mae, and other employees are welcoming and magnanimous with their time. You get the feeling they are proud of the products they make and happy to discuss them with their most loyal customers. Finally, there’s the opportunity to meet and talk with GEC’s dealers. Aside from the people, which are the true draw of the Rendezvous, attendance also gives access to purchase the Rendezvous Special and SFA knives. The Rendezvous Special is a knife made in limited numbers and released in part on each day of the event to commemorate the gathering. I’ve collected them since 2014, and they’re usually rather unique with special cover materials or shield and always an etch signifying the year. SFA stands for Special Factory Assembly, which are knives made from parts from previous runs of knives in unique configurations (formerly called parts knives, which you can read about at this link). These SFAs are some of the lowest production number knives, often falling between 2 and 20 made of each configuration, and therefore highly sought after and honestly just really cool. Both the Rendezvous Special and SFAs are only available during the Rendezvous at the factory store. So there’s a lot to love about the Rendezvous as it’s always been that draws regulars back, and new people out, every year!

  • The ticket system was a great call by GEC
  • Bill showing off the Rendezvous Special

What made the 2021 Rendezvous different?

Being that the last was 2 years ago due to the pandemic, I expected some changes for the 2021 Rendezvous. The first change was in the date of the event. It had always been the first full weekend in August. I believe that was chosen because it coincided both with the Titusville Oil Festival and, more importantly, the Queen Knife Show. However, with Queen out of business since 2018 and the Oil Festival cancelled both in 2020 and 2021, there’s no longer any particular reason to have it then. They moved it to June, the weekend after Blade Show. When I asked why that date was chosen they indicated it was for the nicer weather, which is a pretty solid reason being that much of the event happens outdoors. This year did end up having beautiful weather throughout both days of the event. Another difference was in the line for the event. As crazy as it sounds, people line up outside the factory overnight to get in line early enough to get the Rendezvous Special and best picks of the SFAs. 2014-2016 I didn’t line up, just rolled in and was lucky to get the Rendezvous Specials. However, 2017-2019 I lined up about 2am, 12am, and 10pm respectively and was always well under 10th in line. I drove up after work the day before this year, and on the way saw online that there were over 10 in line already. I expected it to be much busier this year, but not so much earlier than normal. To be honest, I was shocked and concerned I wouldn’t be able to get a Rendezvous Special. Thankfully, not many came after that post before I made it there and I ended up under 20th in line (which gave me a good shot at the Rendezvous Special). As the night progressed more and more came, especially around 4am. The discussion between those waiting overnight is always enjoyable and interesting, but it’s still a long wait. At about 6am, an hour before the store opened, Bill Howard (GEC owner / president) came out and showed the Rendezvous Special knife and described their new system for purchases at the event. For 2019 they had indicated they would use a ticket system to order the factory sales during the Rendezvous, but didn’t end up implementing any system. Although no major issues arose, there was some definite jostling and even I think some position pilfering. So I was happy to hear that they were using a ticket system this year. Each person in line was given a ticket, like those used for lotteries and 50/50s, denoting their place in line. 5 people were allowed in the store at a time, and each time someone left the person with the next sequential ticket was allowed in. As you left the store you were able to take another ticket so that you could go in again, but only after everyone who was there had a chance to go in once (special thanks to Rosie for handling the ticket system all day both days). I think this ticket system worked brilliantly; it allowed attendees to be able to mill around and talk and see the displays rather than holding their place in line, it made the experience in the store less stressful because it wasn’t so crowded that you could barely move (like recent previous years), and it made for a fair system for those who came later to still get a chance to go into the store while allowing those who arrived early to go back in if they desired. Speaking of going back into the store a second time, like in 2019, they enforced a limit of 2 knives per purchase. So if you wanted to buy more than two knives you’d take a second ticket on your way out and then were allowed back into the store once that ticket was called.One other big change for this year was the time of the picnic on Saturday. Previous years the picnic, which is the last portion of the event, was always at lunch time. This year they moved it to 4pm, with the factory store closing at 1pm. I am not sure whether this was a positive or negative change, as it does give some rest time for attendees and preparation time for GEC staff between the show and the picnic, but it also makes for a longer day and some down time. I think this year’s Rendezvous kept much or all of what I’ve always loved about it, but with some changes that made for an overall even better event.

What did I take away from this year’s Rendezvous?

I took away a treasure trove of experiences and lessons from the 2021 GEC Rendezvous, not to mention some incredible knives! I really just thoroughly enjoyed seeing and talking with the Rendezvous regulars. The density of Great Eastern Cutlery and traditional knife knowledge gathered at the Rendezvous can’t be found many places, and certainly isn’t something I have gotten to experience with such a community vibe in any other setting. I also felt that there were a lot more people going around to the table displays at this year’s Rendezvous, and I got to meet a lot of new GEC enthusiasts. I’ll be honest and admit that I greatly appreciated the comments from several people who said that they enjoy Knife Thoughts, and even heard a really touching story about how reading my blog and watching my videos helped a fellow enthusiast through some tough days. A lesson I’m taking from this year’s Rendezvous (that I also took from 2019’s but didn’t implement) is that I need to prepare my Knife Thoughts display better. I should plan, for sure, what knives I want to sell and how much I want to charge for them. I had a box of knives I was considering selling, but ended up deciding not to sell some of them (one of which was after someone had decided to buy it). I also only had a general idea of what I would charge for them, when I should have had a price sheet made ahead of time to reference. I ran out of stickers to give out towards the end of the first day, which I use in place of business cards. In the future I’ll order extra ahead of time, and I also want to get other Knife Thoughts swag to give out. I also meant to have Waynorth Cutlery shirts (available here) for sale, but didn’t order them in time. Having a second person to tag team watching the table would be really helpful, so that each of us could go in the store or walk around and talk without the table being unattended. By the way, huge thanks to Dan and Ben for watching my table some. Finally, I’d like to get a banner to better show that the table is “Knife Thoughts”. I ended up not going to the picnic this year, but next year I’d like to plan my time better so that I can be rested and ready to attend and enjoy the picnic.

I had a great time at the Great Eastern Cutlery 2021 Rendezvous. If you enjoy these knives and it’s feasible for you to come to Titusville, I think you’d be happy you did. I have started a (completely unofficial and unaffiliated with GEC) Facebook group for those who plan to attend the 2022 Rendezvous, which you can find at this link. Make sure to check out the video below where I show and discuss the knives I got at this year’s Rendezvous. I hope to see lots of new faces mingled among the regulars at the next GEC Rendezvous!

I sincerely thank you for your time, support, and interest! Don’t forget to tell your friends about KnifeThoughts.com, subscribe via email, and share this article on social media. You can find Knife Thoughts on YouTube where I have hundreds of knife videos, as well as on Instagram and Facebook! You can find all my latest links at LinkTr.ee/KnifeThoughts

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How to Buy Great Eastern Cutlery Knives in 2021 and Beyond

Great Eastern Cutlery has exploded in popularity in the last few years, and in turn the demand for their knives has skyrocketed. This growth in demand has made it difficult for some to purchase the knives they’d like to when they’re released. In this article, as a companion to the video below, I’ll give you some tips on how to successfully purchase GEC knives in 2021 and beyond.

First off, I understand the frustration that comes with buying GEC knives. If you don’t reserve them as soon as they’re announced then you have to go the route of a “drop”. A drop is when the knives are released for sale on a dealer’s site either randomly or at a previously announced date and time. Either way, the knives often sell out within minutes of being available. Then, if you can’t get the knives on the primary market, they’re invariably significantly more expensive on the secondary market. This past year I have missed out on some of the knives I’ve wanted, which hasn’t happened much until recently. So I really understand how unpleasant it can be to feel like you don’t have access to the knives you want.

That said I don’t think GEC or the people who run it, in particular Bill Howard, are intentionally restricting supply to increase demand as some have suggested. Great Eastern Cutlery is a small company that works on a modified lean manufacturing style. That means they produce small batches of high quality products in a wide variation, with little inventory and only the raw materials necessary for upcoming batches.

A comparison of sheepfoot adjacent blade shapes. Click on the image to learn more about the different shapes.

Why do they do it this way instead of making huge drawn out batches of the most popular patterns? Well, I can’t speak for GEC’s management, but I can give you some of my guesses. I think that these small batches allow for higher attention to detail on each pattern. I also think smaller batches allow GEC to offer a much wider variety of pattern types. Even if they did focus on large batches, I’m not sure they’d be able to fill demand for the hottest patterns.

So, if they’re not likely to make enough knives in the sought after patterns to fill demand, whats the best way to ensure you get the knives you want?

First, you need to know what knives are coming out well ahead of time. If you don’t know about a knife until it’s for sale at dealers, it’s not very likely you’ll be able to get one. GEC puts out a production schedule on their website at this link. However, news of upcoming knives often comes out elsewhere before it is officially announced by Great Eastern Cutlery. For a long time the best place to hear about upcoming knives first was on BladeForums in the Traditional Knife Subforum, and specifically in the Let’s Talk GEC thread. Recently, news of upcoming releases has come out just as quickly on traditional knife Facebook groups. In particular, I help administrate the Great Eastern Cutlery Club group and I think it’s one of the best places to discuss GEC in general. News of upcoming patterns is usually the hot talk, so just follow along with one or both of these channels and you’ll be ahead of the curve.

Once you know of an upcoming knife you’re interested in, the best way to ensure you’ll get it is to reserve one with a dealer. I have been reserving knives by email for years through various dealers, and it usually is a relatively easy process. I’ve had positive experiences with many of GEC’s dealers but I most often reserve from Blue Creek Cutlery or CollectorKnives. Blue Creek Cutlery, like several GEC dealers (a list of which you can find at this link), does reserves by email. CollectorKnives has their own system that uses an app called Telegram to notify followers when a new knife is up for reserve. While those are the dealers I most often reserve knives through, I suggest contacting any you’ve purchased from in the past. If you haven’t purchased from any yet, just reach out to several dealers and start a correspondence with those who seem to fit your style.

If you’re not able to reserve a knife, the next best option is to try to snag one on a “drop”. As mentioned previously, these drops tend to sell out quite quickly. There are a relatively large number of dealers, so each only gets a small number of each knife. The exact number depends on the overall run, but recently it’s been between 5 and 25 (if what I hear is accurate). So you won’t be able to randomly stumble upon the knife on a dealer’s site; you’ll have to have the purchase planned. That said, there’s an argument to be made that drops are more fair than reservations because it does away with the possibility of long term or high spending customers receiving preferential treatment. If I have to go the route of a drop, I most often buy from KnivesShipFree or Tradtional Pocket Knives / C. Risner Cutlery. I am most familiar with them and have always gotten great service, but there are a lot of good dealers who use the drop system. Whichever dealer(s) you decide to give it a shot at, I highly suggest you know when the knives will drop ahead of time by subscribing to their email lists and following them on social media. Even if you know when a knife will drop and get there just when they do, the dealer sites sometimes get bogged down in the massive traffic and it can become impossible to get through the checkout process. That said, it’s better to get a knife in a drop than to have to go the secondary market route.

If you miss out on reserves and drops, the last option is to buy from an individual rather than from a dealer. No matter how you go about this, you should be prepared in most cases to pay more than the price that dealers charged. Many GEC enthusiasts have decried the secondary market and so called “flippers”, or people who purchase knives with the sole intent to resell them for profit. Certainly there are people out there who purchase knives without much interest in the knife itself and with profit as the goal. Still, I think there are more people who purchase a knife because they think they’ll like it, then for whatever reason decide to sell it and follow the market price. That said, lots of fair deals can still be found. For a long time the BladeForums Exchange was the place to find those deals, but that has changed somewhat in recent years. Now I think the best place to find reasonably priced knives on the secondary market is in Facebook groups, like the previously mentioned Great Eastern Cutlery Club or others like it. Aside from keeping an eye on the groups and BladeForums, every now and then a knife can be found on eBay or Instagram but much less frequently. The best things to increase your chances of finding a good deal on a secondary market knife are vigilance and patience.

I understand the frustration many feel when attempting to buy GEC knives, and I hope this article is helpful. In the last few years I have seen the massive growth in interest and demand for Great Eastern Cutlery made knives, and I have felt how it can sometimes dampen the enjoyment in trying to get those incredible knives. I want to help make it easier for people to get the knives they want, and to lower the learning curve for buying these sought after knives. Here’s hoping you get all the GEC’s you want in 2021 and beyond!

I sincerely thank you for your time, support, and interest! Don’t forget to tell your friends about KnifeThoughts.com, subscribe via email, and share this article on social media. You can find Knife Thoughts on YouTube where I have hundreds of knife videos, as well as on Instagram and Facebook! You can find all my latest links at LinkTr.ee/KnifeThoughts

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Bootleg 2020; A Smashing Success!

I attend the Great Eastern Cutlery Rendezvous every year. It’s a gathering of traditional knife enthusiasts at the GEC factory to show and discuss knives, take tours of the factory, and get some unique knives. You can find more information in the following article:

Why All Traditional Knife Enthusiasts Should Attend the Great Eastern Cutlery Rendezvous

Unfortunately, due to the Corona Virus crisis, Great Eastern Cutlery decided to cancel the Rendezvous this year. It was a big disappointment to me, and I’m sure to many others, but I understand why they had to make the decision.

Relatively quickly after this decision was announced, some regular attendees set in motion to organize an unofficial gathering in place of the Rendezvous. Jesse W. contacted the location and caterer that was always used for the Saturday picnic and, along with contributions from Gary K. and Darren O., set up a replacement gathering. Setting this all up was no small feat, I’m sure, and set the stage for the success of the event.

In the process of being setup the event began to be called “Bootleg”. I decided that if we couldn’t have a Rendezvous Special knife, it would be nice to have at least something to commemorate the event. Since GEC often includes pins with their knives and has been making special pins for the last few years’ Rendezvous, I decided to make pins for all the attendees. I’m no graphic designer, by any stretch of the word, but I came up with something and got a bunch made by Sticker Mule (who I’ve used for several sticker designs). I was happy to make a small contribution, and I was surprised to find Randy (an engineer at GEC and fellow knife enthusiast) laser etching the logo onto all kinds of things: slips, sheaths, and even knives! It was a very nice gesture that allowed people to go home with mementos of the event.

The event was well attended and a whole lot of fun. A significant group of regular Rendezvous attendees, as well as some GEC employees, showed up. The hours rushed by while we all showed and discussed our knives, knife history, and all kinds of knife related topics. I had a great time, and I think others did also.

Still, I’m looking forward to next year and having the full Rendezvous. If you plan to attend next year’s Rendezvous, consider joining this Facebook group. I’ll be there!

I sincerely thank you for your time, support, and interest! Don’t forget to tell your friends about KnifeThoughts.com, subscribe via email, and share this article on social media. You can find Knife Thoughts on YouTube where I have hundreds of knife videos, as well as on Instagram and Facebook! You can find all my latest links at LinkTr.ee/KnifeThoughts

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Great Eastern Cutlery Cancels 2020 Rendezvous

If I’m being honest, I saw it coming; Pennsylvania has extended the state of emergency, safety measures that had been relaxed have been reinstated, and the Titusville Oil Festival (with which the GEC Rendezvous was always concurrently held) was canceled. Still, I’m sure it was a hard decision for Bill and everyone at GEC to make, and I’m very crestfallen.

If you want to learn more about the Rendezvous, check out the article at this link.

The perfect meme for this news

I collect the Rendezvous Special knives, which you can only get at the Rendezvous. Check out this link and this link for videos on those knives. Still, worse than not having the opportunity to obtain this year’s piece of that collection is the missed discussions with other enthusiasts (and many collectors with much more knowledge than me, from whom I’ve learned a lot at past Rendezvous). However, it would have been difficult to maintain the current safety protocols and enjoy the Rendezvous as it has been in the past. Hopefully GEC has something else fun up their sleeve, and hopefully this isn’t too much of a blow to them.