Anyone have a Gerber EXO MOD fixed blade?

[slowr1der]

I'm normally pretty good at resisting impulse purchases, but this one got me. I saw this Gerber EXO MOD drop point fixed blade at a local shop and the orange handle caught my eye. I really liked the look of it. Then I handled the knife and it felt great in my hand. All for $28. I didn't see the country of origin on it, so I assumed China, but then again it was $28, so oh well. I had to have it. I figured it would be perfect to leave down at the hunting property to skin deer with.

It wasn't until I got home and looked up the specifications that I was immediately filled with regret. It looks like it's 7Cr17MoV steel. While I don't know that I've ever had a knife made with this, it seems to get a lot of hate online. This is making me wonder if I'm going to constantly have problems with it getting dull when trying to dress a deer. I can't find any reviews on this knife on a reputable site. I've learned not to trust Amazon reviews, which seems to be the only site to have any reviews on it. Does anyone actually have any experience with one of these, or any opinions?

I'm basically just wondering if I should cut my losses and just sell it on eBay and buy something a bit nicer. Or if it'll hold up well enough for what I want to use it for.

 

[afishhunter]

7CR17MoV is China's version of 440A, and gets just about as much love online as 440A, which ain't much, as neither are a latest and greatest "super steel".
Even 440C and 9CR18MoV are disliked by many on forums and on You Tube because they "won't hold an edge" or cut as much nylon rope, as say S30V. (which they also hate now)

7CR17MoV makes just as good of blade as 440A. I have a few knives with 7CR17MoV and 440A. I see no difference between them in use.
Both hold an edge, long enough to peel around two ~ two Anna Half, maybe 2 3/4 whitetail deer, depending on the edge geometry before needing dry stropped or steeled.
My 1990's Old Timer 7OT with 440A "Schrade +" blade and 2019 offshore 7OT with 7CR17MoV blade will peel 2 3/4 of them critters. My 420HC Buck 110's will do 3 ~ 3 1/4 before they need dry stropped or a couple swipes on a butcher's steel, which does not remove any metal to speak of. Less than a sharpening stone, at any rate.

You have a serviceable blade for knife tasks.
I wouldn't baton it, (or any other knife,) for that matter.
A knife isn't a chopping or splitting tool. (If I ever decide I "need" to baton and split wood with a knife, I'll get a froe.)

Both are easy to sharpen in the field, if needed. Also you don't need diamond plates or SiC stones to sharpen them.
In 60 odd years, I've never chipped or broken a blade with 440A (or 10xx carbon steel).
If the edge rolls, (which is rare, to be honest,) a rolled edge is much better than a chipped edge. You can fix a rolled edge without removing much, if any steel using your leather belt, boot, or a stream rock or pebble, in short time.

Heck, even the 3CR whatever MoV that Buck uses on their offshore produced 371 and 389 hold an acceptable edge long enough for what I use a stockman or canoe for. (Admittedly, I havent tried peeling any critters with them.)
If you think 7CR17MoV is bad mouthed, look at what the snobs say about 3CR whatever the heck it is MoV ... which they've unquestionably never touched.