Advice needed on an OLD (early 80,s) Gerber folder

paul12345

paul12345

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Dec 16, 2007
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I got two of these folders between 20/30 years ago, both designed by the great Mr Loveless, i cant manage to upload any pics, here is a quick vid i have just done-
My question please is does anyone know the blade material, as they are superb on edge retention, i think they may be the Vascowear tool steel blades that Gerber used, they are very heavy as the main body of the knife is a low grade of silver i was informed, any help greatly appreciated.
Regards Paul.
 
Looks more like Ron Lake's work rather than loveless. But i am aware of the loveless knives. I thought they were 440c.
 
On the blade is a stamp " designed by R W Loveless" same on both knives, one is a serial-ed number ltd ed.
 
I can't cite a source, but I have likewise heard they are 440C.
 
I have used alot of blades from 440c and these get and keep a very keen edge which just makes me think otherwise, of course i could be wrong.
 
paul12345 said:
I have used alot of blades from 440c and these get and keep a very keen edge which just makes me think otherwise, of course i could be wrong.
Click to expand...
Well you have to remember that all 440C means is that the steel used has the chemical composition to be called such. And I think the Chinese alphabet steels always being referred to as 440C sorta casts a poor shadow on this particular steel. 440C back then was considered premium and I also sorta feel the heat treat can make or break even the best alloys. My brother has a 2003 or 04 Ultratech in 154CM and that thing holds and edge like nothing I have ever seen. I mean 154cm isn't a junk steel by any means. I love the stuff. But that particular knife defies the norm for that particular steel. I wonder if Gerber themselves have any info. Either way, sounds like its a good knife regardless of the labels specs.
 
That appears to be a variant of the common Sportsman series they madein the 70'sand 80's for sure. I still have one of the smaller ones. They were made from whatever flavor of 440 series Gerber was using at the time. By the early 80's, they had also dropped L6 and converted their fixed blade combat knives to 440. I can't tell what your handle and inserts are, but the regular models were brass and rosewood.
 
jdm61 said:
That appears to be a variant of the common Sportsman series they madein the 70'sand 80's for sure. I still have one of the smaller ones. They were made from whatever flavor of 440 series Gerber was using at the time. By the early 80's, they had also dropped L6 and converted their fixed blade combat knives to 440. I can't tell what your handle and inserts are, but the regular models were brass and rosewood.
Click to expand...

The rosewood on the sportsman knives went all the way to the spine. His inlay isn't exposed on any side.

It was a Loveless/Gerber collaboration made of 441c SS according to the information I found. Not a 440 variant that I'm familiar with.
 
These are 440c, and it is a Gerber Loveless. The subtle little finger groove and the way the inlay is cut are the biggest things between it and the Sportsman. It didn't last long just a year or two in general production, and a few times as a club knife/special edition. The other Gerber Loveless collaboration of the time was the Guardian fixed blade daggers, of which there were 3, now only the little one survives.
 
Thanks for your help and info, the early US production knives from this era were superb!!! I have quite alot.
 
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