Freakin Gerber

[Squeezymo]

I went on a rough hike today and brought along my cheap Gerber Big Rock Camp Knife.

Since this knife is cheap, I abuse it like a cheap knife, but I didn't think it was the worst knife in the world either. So I used the knife for cutting back some plants and cutting back a dry branch or two (about 1/2" in diameter). Nothing big. The worst I did was cut an agave plant that was going to stab my ass, and there was a bunch of gravel in it.

So I get back today and take a look at the knife, not expecting anything bad except maybe a dull blade because of 440A steel. The back of the blade was completely chipped, and nearly all serrations BROKE OFF at the tip. The part of the blade that wasn't chipped was completely dull.

This was a huge dissapointment. I bought this knife way before I was introduced to this site, and learned a lot since then. But I expected better. I guess I can't really from Gerber. If this "camp knife" can't withstand what I put it up to today, what exactly can it do? What is a blade made for if it gets dull and chipped after a few rough cuts? Plus, 440A steel is supposedly soft, so why would it chip? I thought softer steels are less prone to chipping.


Nonetheless this is what I wanted. I was going to abuse the knife until it chipped so I could get a new, and better knife (Fallkniven F1 or RAT-5), but I didn't expect it to be so soon, and I didn't expect it to be because of some gravel.

Screw you Gerber!

 

[Dantor]

lol live n learn huh. you'll do much better with the F1 or Rat5, like way! I bought a cheap machete from wally world, before coming here and learning about Tramontina's and "his eyes were open!"

good luck and fun with the new steel.

 

[Squeezymo]

lol live n learn huh. you'll do much better with the F1 or Rat5, like way! I bought a cheap machete from wally world, before coming here and learning about Tramontina's and "his eyes were open!"

good luck and fun with the new steel.

I was going to buy a machete from wal mart too, but it looked like it would break with one swing

 

[on_the_edge]

Generally, price is not a reliable guide to quality. However, when people buy cheap crap and it performs like crap, then that is a waste of money IMO. Instead of buying 5 or 10 $20 knives that disappoint, folks should just cough up the $100-$200 for a single knife that will vastly outperform the cheap crap at nearly every level. They will last much longer, outperform the crap, and provide better user satisfaction every time.

Sorry about the Gerber, but I think you are definitely on the right track looking at Fallkniven or RAT. :thumbup:

 

[Squeezymo]

Generally, price is not a reliable guide to quality. However, when people buy cheap crap and it performs like crap, then that is a waste of money IMO. Instead of buying 5 or 10 $20 knives that disappoint, folks should just cough up the $100-$200 for a single knife that will vastly outperform the cheap crap at nearly every level. They will last much longer, outperform the crap, and provide better user satisfaction every time.

Sorry about the Gerber, but I think you are definitely on the right track looking at Fallkniven or RAT. :thumbup:

Agreed. It was my first knife though can you blame me?

But at least before I bought my first folder I did some research and instead of getting a Gerber I got a kershaw blur

 

[siguy]

that's a shame about the gerber, but be warned that even high end knives can be defeated by gravel.

good luck with your future steel.

 

[Magnum22]

Instead of buying 5 or 10 $20 knives that disappoint, folks should just cough up the $100-$200 for a single knife

Perfectly put. I'd just like to extend that beyond performance, though that is completely sufficient, and apply it to taste. Many of us will keep away from more expensive knives for the price tag alone, but try satisfy with many lesser knives that cumulatively could have been the one they really wanted.

 

[Bors]

Gerber........Annnnnnnnnnnnnnnd you were expecting ???

 

[Angus McGunnigl]

I'm not sure that any knife does well against gravel.

 

[Dantor]

I was going to buy a machete from wal mart too, but it looked like it would break with one swing

it wobbles some! and the edge bends/rolls lots!

 

[galen59]

I've had pretty poor experience with newer gerbers , love the older stuff, about eight months ago I got a Kershaw D2, pain to sharpen, but it takes abuse, of course I'm a big D2 fan...G.

 

[Squeezymo]

I'm not sure that any knife does well against gravel.

Keep in mind I wasn't cutting the gravel. I was cutting a plant that had some gravel in it. Not the smartest, but hey, it was a cheap knife and look what happened. But from Noss's tests where he whacks away at cement blocks with no result from the A1 or Busse, I think some knives can stand a bit of gravel.

And yeah, I'm staying away from wal-mart "ozark trail" products. They have a $1 mini folder, a 7$ large folder, a $10 fixed blade, $7 machete and a $7 axe.

And looks like someone ^ already has problems with the machete

 

[shecky]

Machetes are supposed to bend/roll. Yes, even Tramontinas. It's a feature, not a bug. Machetes that don't do this are the crappy ones.

No, 440A isn't supposedly soft. It can be hardened across a pretty wide range sufficient for a variety of applications. Usually much harder than a good machete.

Instead of buying 5 or 10 $20 knives that disappoint, folks should just cough up the $100-$200 for a single knife that will vastly outperform the cheap crap at nearly every level.

Now this is a load! Probably worst advice I've ever heard on this forum. One, very good (and very durable, if that's what you're looking for) knives can be found for way less than $100. Two, there are many >$100 knives that are very poor performers when it comes to things like, well, cutting. Big money gets you mostly bragging rights. Careful selection gets you a better knife.

Now it's certainly possible the Gerber was simply a crappy knife. But I suspect you'll be disappointed with a high end knife, too. A Busse or Fallkniven probably won't break when chopping bricks. But they won't remain terribly sharp either. Chipping and rolled edges are not unknown with either of these. I get the feeling you may be mistaken about the abilities of what a piece of steel can do, even an ideal piece of steel.

 

[Squeezymo]

Machetes are supposed to bend/roll. Yes, even Tramontinas. It's a feature, not a bug. Machetes that don't do this are the crappy ones.

No, 440A isn't supposedly soft. It can be hardened across a pretty wide range sufficient for a variety of applications. Usually much harder than a good machete.



Now this is a load! Probably worst advice I've ever heard on this forum. One, very good (and very durable, if that's what you're looking for) knives can be found for way less than $100. Two, there are many >$100 knives that are very poor performers when it comes to things like, well, cutting. Big money gets you mostly bragging rights. Careful selection gets you a better knife.

Now it's certainly possible the Gerber was simply a crappy knife. But I suspect you'll be disappointed with a high end knife, too. A Busse or Fallkniven probably won't break when chopping bricks. But they won't remain terribly sharp either. Chipping and rolled edges are not unknown with either of these. I get the feeling you may be mistaken about the abilities of what a piece of steel can do, even an ideal piece of steel.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying Fallknivens and Busses can do everything and remain sharp. I'm not saying I want/need a knife that can cut bricks, or do half the stuff on Noss's tests. But I barely put the gerber through anything. Just a few rough cuts. What's a knife good for if it can't even do a few rough cuts? Like I said the worst thing I did with it was cut a plant near the bud which had some gravel and dirt near it. I don't even know if it touched the gravel much.

I'm not trying to say I want a knife that I can abuse to no end, I just don't want a knife that considers what i did to it yesterday abuse.

Keep in mind once I get an F1 or RAT-5, I will be more careful with them. The more I pay for something, the more careful I'm going to be with it, even if it can do the job better.

In addition, why is 440A considered a bad steel? I thought it was because it dulled quickly, and I figured that spelled out soft. I have used this knife before and didn't really plan on replacing it for a while because it handled mild jobs easily and remained somewhat sharp. But not so much once I took it a level higher. So why exactly did the whole knife edge dull, plus the back fo the blade chip, and the serrations to knock off completely??? This surely can't be because of a random gravel pebble that slid across the WHOLE blade.

 

[HoB]

There is really no way of tell what exactly happened to this particular knife, and in which way the steel is to blame. Usually, soft steels don't chip, but beyond that, it is all pure speculation. If you take a close look at Noss's work, you will see even in the Dogfather test, that even though the blade didn't break, the edge took significant damage on the concrete.

On the whole, I have to agree with shecky, instead of being hell bend on spending maximum mula on a knife, get yourself one of the well regarded cheaper ones (such as the Ka-Bar heavy bowie for example) and make it a beater. Be neither careful nor careless with it and it will tell you, what you can expect from a well made knife. If you wish to upgrade further, you will always able to and you won't have unrealistic expectations. Noss's videos are excellent, but nothing can beat your own experience. It won't be a waste of money, because you will have a well made knife, with which you can experiment (thin out the edge or convex it, practice sharpening etc.).

You only waste your money, when you buy uneducated and undifferentiated the next "best deal" at the corner store, walmart, or the mall.

 

[on_the_edge]

Now this is a load! Probably worst advice I've ever heard on this forum. One, very good (and very durable, if that's what you're looking for) knives can be found for way less than $100. Two, there are many >$100 knives that are very poor performers when it comes to things like, well, cutting. Big money gets you mostly bragging rights. Careful selection gets you a better knife.

Shecky,
Your opinion is just that. I would like to point out to you, however, that I never said that good knives could not be had for less than $100. Nor did I say that there are no $100+ knives that are poor performers. Please go back and reread what I said.

EDITED TO ADD: BTW, who said anything about Busses? If your introduction of that particular brand of knife in this thread is an attempt at a flame war, I think you are about to be disappointed.

 

[hlee]

And, if you buy an expensive knife, you won't "abuse it like a cheap knife."

 

[shecky]

Shecky,
Your opinion is just that. I would like to point out to you, however, that I never said that good knives could not be had for less than $100. Nor did I say that there are no $100+ knives that are poor performers. Please go back and reread what I said.

EDITED TO ADD: BTW, who said anything about Busses? If your introduction of that particular brand of knife in this thread is an attempt at a flame war, I think you are about to be disappointed.

Touchy, no?

I reread your reply, and my criticism still holds.

Squeezymo mentioned Noss, who recently put a Busse through the wringer. As Busse is often held in the highest esteem, for good reason I might add, I felt it perfectly good to use as an example. If you feel offended, be my guest.

 

[MVF]

There is really no way of tell what exactly happened to this particular knife, and in which way the steel is to blame. Usually, soft steels don't chip, but beyond that, it is all pure speculation. If you take a close look at Noss's work, you will see even in the Dogfather test, that even though the blade didn't break, the edge took significant damage on the concrete.

On the whole, I have to agree with shecky, instead of being hell bend on spending maximum mula on a knife, get yourself one of the well regarded cheaper ones (such as the Ka-Bar heavy bowie for example) and make it a beater. Be neither careful nor careless with it and it will tell you, what you can expect from a well made knife. If you wish to upgrade further, you will always able to and you won't have unrealistic expectations. Noss's videos are excellent, but nothing can beat your own experience. It won't be a waste of money, because you will have a well made knife, with which you can experiment (thin out the edge or convex it, practice sharpening etc.).

You only waste your money, when you buy uneducated and undifferentiated the next "best deal" at the corner store, walmart, or the mall.

It seems to me he's already tried cheap- what's to be gained by trying a little better cheap?

I would say at this stage, get the best knife you can find for what you can afford to spend. Spend some time thinking about what you want to do with it so that you can buy the right style/design and steel for your intended use. Check out Bark River for a wide selection and good bang for your buck. If want to be sure you can abuse it, get a knife with a lifetime warranty (yes, any of the Busse family of knives- some of which- Scrapyard- are very affordable).

At this point, the selection process alone will be an education, plus you'll end up with the right knife, an appreciation of what makes it the right knife, and a list of what you want to get next! From my experience, once you've tried a well made, well designed knife, you won't have much tolerance for cheap- although that doesn't rule out inexpensive.

 

[yoda4561]

I was going to buy a machete from wal mart too, but it looked like it would break with one swing

Want a cheap machete that won't break?? Buy a tramontina, often found at local fleamarkets. They look flimsy but trust me, they're some of the toughest blades I've ever seen. Handles not so much, but those are easy to fix. Trams run around 5-10 dollars.