Gerber busted...surprise surprise!!

I have bought a number of Gerbers over the years. In fact, my very first "good" knife was a Silver Knight (great knife, BTW). However, that was in the '80s, and I agree that their quality has gone downhill in the past few years. It seems that this happened about the time they were bought out by Fiskers. I occasionally will still buy a Gerber, but my expectations are usually pretty low. Sometimes I'm pleasantly surprised; sometimes not. There are a lot of other good alternatives out there, but once in a while I come across a Gerber design that I just have to try.

- Mark
 
There are a couple of Gerber items I like - their mini-MTs based on scissors are pretty good, the Gator series aren't bad and I like the folding camp saws they carry, but knives? Not any more. I hate dealing with mystery steel (even if it's relatively easy to figure out what kind of steel it actually is), and I find them overpriced compared to Buck's offerings.

And Buck's stuff that's made overseas is still pretty good - I'd be happy taking a Bantam out hiking or camping.
 
I carry a Buck Hilo as a user EDC regularly and don't feel underknifed. As to Gerber, not really a fan much anymore, but a few years ago I sent a multiplier (tools did not lock) back to see if they could sharpen the wire cutters on the pliers and they sent me a new locking tool multiplier back. There is no reason to believe they will not stand behind this product as well.

Send it in and good luck.
 
I have a Freeman Folder that is US made from S30V steel. All things considered, it is not a bad knife for the money.
 
jim preston said:
Hmm, there seem to be a lot of Gerber haters round here.
Gerber makes good knives. Not great knives, like Kershaw or Benchmade, but good knives nonetheless. My Ripstop was $16 at Target. I bought a CRKT, had problems with the pockeet clip and the stupid double lock. Started carrying my Case stockman, but missed the safety and convenience of a locking blade. I wanted a knife like my brother's Kershaw, but I went back to carrying the Gerber, and was quite happy with it, until the inevitable happened- it snagged in a hole in the booth at Biscuitville and the pocket clip bent, no longer holding it secure. It was not nearly as bad as with my CRKT, but with all due respect I am a big guy, two meters tall and 220 lbs, with a lot of force behind me.
I still have the Ripstop. Sure, it's not my EDC. I bought a Benchmade Vex for that, a great knife, but the pocket clip screws kept wiggling loose and that annoyed me. So finally for Christmas I got a Buck Mayo Hilo, my new EDC knife. Yes it's made in China but its still a good knife. I'm sure the Benchmade is a better blade, but I like the Buck better. I might, someday, buy a Griptillian.
My other Gerbers are a Fatty lockback- admittadly, it didn't come with a great factory edge, but that can be remedied, a Nautilus, again, not a great edge, and a small FAST- with a good edge.
My dad also had two Gerbers- a multi-tool and a big lockback, both of whih serve him well.
If you're looking for great knives, than no, Gerber isn't your brand. But if you're looking for good, durable knives, that can be bought just about anywhere, get thyself a Gerber.
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The problem isn't that we hate gerber. We simply have higher standards for what a good knife is. Kershaw and Benchmade make good usable tools. Gerber makes junky knives that fall apart.

That being said, I have a gerber fixed blade on it's way to me. :)
 
My first single blade pocket knife was a Gerber. It is still an ok company in my book, I just stay away from their knives that have the "mystery steel".
 
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jonnyfgroove said:
Off topic, but Buck has actually brought production of the Bantam back to Idaho. :thumbup::thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:
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I heard about that - I didn't know the Bantam was one of them. From what I've heard is that it took Buck a while to completely overhaul their business in the US, but once they did they found they could bring manufacture of a lot of items back to North America and still maintain their pricing. Increases in labor prices were saved by decreases in shipping and better cost controls on the assembly line.
 
Gigmaster said:
Gerbers are OK knives, but not if it is going to be your only knife. Do yourself a favor and get a Cold Steel Voyager. It's the best folder made....period! It will out last you, and maybe your grandkids.

Semper Fi!
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That's a heck of a statement. The Cold Steel Voyager is the best folder made period? Wow.
 
Mark J said:
I have bought a number of Gerbers over the years. In fact, my very first "good" knife was a Silver Knight (great knife, BTW). However, that was in the '80s, and I agree that their quality has gone downhill in the past few years. It seems that this happened about the time they were bought out by Fiskers. I occasionally will still buy a Gerber, but my expectations are usually pretty low. Sometimes I'm pleasantly surprised; sometimes not. There are a lot of other good alternatives out there, but once in a while I come across a Gerber design that I just have to try.

- Mark
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Actually, the quality dropped at the exact time Fiskars bought out Gerber. Until they sold Gerber and Puma produced the finest production knives in the world. (Puma quality also went south when they were sold in the mid-80's) The Gerber knives you see today are an absolute disgrace compared to what they used to make back in the day.
 
I toured the Gerber factory in Portland many years ago with a friend that worked there. I was there a few years after Fiskars bought them. They went through changes (good and bad) but still had a lot of the same good people in the factory. I have a number of pre-Fiskars knives and they are good tools. Each knife was tuned and honed by hand. I can't say much about the current knives as I haven't needed to replace the old ones.

The old Gerber had a lot of talented people. I believe a few of the greats worked at Gerber in the 70's. Some left Gerber and started making knives of their own like Kershaw. Like many, I came to prefer Kershaw and have never been disappointed.
 
Gerbers for the most part sure aren't what they used to be, perhaps 35 years ago. It's a pity.
 
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I've owned 10 times as many Gerbers as Kershaws, people like to give them as gifts. I use them and abuse them and have never had one break. The issue I had was the older blades wouldn't hold an edge very long. They seem to have fixed that issue on their AUS8 blade models. They also have a few models with highend steel. As to the handful of Kershaws...I can say Kershaw has pretty good customer service and they do send out parts within a couple weeks. It migh take two or three tries but they keep at it until they get you the right parts.
 
Whats interesting in all this is that Gerber is now in the same reputation bracket that Kershaw was 25 years ago. In fact, Cold Steel is also in the same bracket as Gerber and i remember their Tanto blades surging across Ft. Bragg like a tidal wave! I have a hard time actually considering a Kershaw, yet so many here rave about their performance.

Time certainly changes things!
 
southbeachlaw said:
My Gerber mini fast draw took a crap. Doesn't lock or spring open. Anyone ever returned anything to Gerber? How are they about sending a replacement? This POS is only 7 months old with very very light use.
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Something possessed me to get the Gerber Mini Fast Draw some time ago. This knife is about a 2/5 overall. It's just so chintzy you feel bad the average person doesn't know any better. I think Gerber is the #1 selling knife on Amazon.com, if that means anything. (They're not all crap but the general contemporary designs and quality are poor.) I don't know about their return/replacement policy.
 
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