Gerber Gear Knife

The Gerber Gator Drop Point has to be one of the best values in a US-made folding knife. Kershaw has some outstanding affordable US knives, like the Skyline, & there’s great traditional makers like Buck, Case & Utica, but typically you have to spend significantly more for an American-made knife. (Knives & tools made overseas are often great, but given the chance, I like to support US labor, & companies whose workforce has some rights & protections. )As a longtime outdoorsman & tradesman, I have a few really nice knives, from Benchmade, GEC, Kershaw, even a Busse & a Garcia Skookum Bush Tool.I got the Gator as a lightweight knife for hiking, not expecting much. It’s a well made knife; mine has no gaps, flashing or flaws. The factory edge was nice and shallow & sharp. I was surprised how much I love it.•The main reason is the handle. Slim, flat knives are great in your pocket, but never comfortable to use for extended time. Like a Stanley 99, a hunting, Bushcraft knife or a decent kitchen knife, the Gator has an ovoid shaped handle that is fairly thick. Small hands may find it uncomfortable, but most will find it perfect.Some people will complain about the lack of a pocket clip; any clip would ruin the ergonomics of the handle. The knife is a bit wide for carrying in most jeans anyway. (If you love the knife but need a clip, you could easily install one. I use some EZ-lock threaded inserts.)The handle is covered with Santoprene, (like a fine PB Swiss Grip screwdriver.) normally I don’t care for rubberized handles, but this works well. If you don’t use the sheath, it keeps it in place in a pocket or pack, provides decent purchase if your hands are wet & great purchase if they’re cold.Santoprene is also pretty durable, if my PB screwdrivers are any indication.I thought the finger cutout might be annoying, but it’s not. The handle has a fairly neutral grip, suitable for a variety of grips, replicating a good hunting knife as was intended.•The 154cm drop point blade is great. The shape is so versatile, it is equally at home for hunting, cooking, camp tasks or use on a job site. It doesn’t have the ideal grind or steel for Bushcraft, but with the comfortable handle, it’s a pretty good choice, especially for $50.154cm steel at this price is a bargain. I’m sure some steel nerds believe it’s obsolete, but they’re wrong. For a hunting knife, it was a great choice. For the tasks it’s likely to be used for, it’ll perform very well. A more expensive steel wouldn’t improve this knife. (The knife industry is a bit detached from reality; the trend in steels is completely opposite all the data on blade performance. “Super steels” are essentially micro-serrations in brittle metal.)The heat treatment seems good; perhaps a touch softer than a Benchmade 154cm, but I’m not really sure. It certainly sharpens & polishes as well as any 154cm I’ve used, and the edge retention is very good.Making the edge retention seem even better is the geometry; this thing is a slicing machine.The blade isn’t too thick, and the width and full flat grind leads to a fairly thin edge, (excellent for a $50 factory knife.) The factory grind was shallow, and mildly polished, which is perfect for hunters & most users. If you’re picky, for general use, you may want more polish.The bead blasted finish helps keep the cost down, & isn’t the best for preventing corrosion or reducing friction, but it’s fine at this price. A few minutes with Flitz or a buffer & it’ll be a nice semi-polished blade.•The lockup is very good, not exactly a Triad Lock, but certainly good enough for most tasks. I feel comfortable using it for anything a folder is suited for.Despite the lack of thumb studs or hole, I can easily open it one handed, as the blade is wide & the spring isn’t overwhelming. You can also “shake” it open quite easily.• Size & weight are great: the 3 3/4” blade is long enough to be used a general belt knife without being too big when folded. 5.4 oz isn’t featherweight for UL hikers, but considering the versatility, ergonomics & sturdiness of the Gator, I think it’s quick good. You’re not getting a comfortable handle & blade this size in a lighter weight, at any price.•Maintenance is easy; all the materials are corrosion resistant, so just keep it clean, don’t put it away wet, sharpen & lubricate when needed.When I consider the price & design intent of the Gator, I have 0 complaints about it.I bought it as a kid on a budget, without great. expectations. All these years later, it’s become a trusted companion.

This is the best utility knife made. Inexpensive and they last until you lose them. I have ordered at least 8 of these since my stepfather gave me on for christmas 30 years ago. I have one in each car, one in the kitchen, one in my desk, and one in the tool box. I can flick it open with one hand by holding the back of the blade and close it one handed by pressing the latch and using my thigh to close. The serrated version is the best.

I was issued one of these in the military well before Bear Gryllis made it popular. Matter of fact, when I saw him pull out that knife for the first time I thought "That's my knife!!!". Now, in my opinion Bear is a pansy compared to other survivalists, but that says nothing about the knife.You must train with it, the grip opens and though it's a folder, unfolded it sort of handles like a fixed tang blade. Lightweight, comfortable, reliable, easy to open with a flick of the wrist and keeps a decent edge, although sharpening it to a 19 degree edge takes some regular maintenance.I lost my original blade to a lake because I violated a cardinal rule in fishing. I had my knife on my lap while my line was in... "Sploosh." In it went. I went for years without one and only bought another pocket knife because I felt naked. I ended up not using the new knife because it didn't feel as sturdy, didn't feel comfortable and just felt subpar though it was a good quality blade. That's when I realized I was spoiled thanks to my handy Gerber folder. So, I just bought this one and have noticed nothing but improvements! The case is easily accessible and fits on a decently wide belt, the grip seems more durable and a little bit more comfortable surprisingly. Otherwise it's just as handy and trusty as my last one...Gerber blades are well crafted and I was glad to see my blade was made in the USA as I'd heard a rumor a few years back that they were moving knife production out of country... Thankfully that rumor is apparently wrong. Well worth the buy if you need a sharp everything knife, do yourself the favor of getting the half serrated edge, the serrations are razor sharp, and actually the best I've had for a factory serrated edge.

I've had this thing for a good long while now;Instant Order Update for Robert F. You purchased this item on May 4, 2006It's been in use regularly, primarily around the house doing things like cutting all my cardboard for recycling, cutting back small branches etc.The grip is fantastic (at least in my hand). I can not get it to slip, period. It's made of the Gerber super grippy rubber material, and the finger groove locks it into my hand. It can be trusted in use held normally or with the blade up. The serrations are great for tougher material like thick rope or cording.If you want a great deal on a hardy smaller folding knife that can handle some big boy tasks, I recommend it.One caveat - the sheath is crappy. I've never used it, fits in my pocket without too much annoyance.PS - who cares what gear Bear uses in Man Vs Wild. His show is 'survival entertainment'. 90% of what he demonstrates in his show would make you terribly sick, injured or dead. I would not recommend this knife as a primary survival device, it's simply too small to easily do the most common survival knife task - chopping or digging to build shelters. I'm sure it'd work much better than any similar knife, but the axiom is 'a big knife can do everything a small knife can do, but a small knife cannot'. You'd at least want a chopping device in addition, like a gerber back paxe.