Gerber Command I- canted blade?

[bczrx]

Hello,

I purchased a Gerber Command I sometime around March to May of 1989, I believe.

I've always thought that it was just a manufacturing defect, but doing some research led me to wonder if the Command I knives also had the same cant to them as the early MK series supposedly did?

Mine was just a tad off. I have no problem believing it is 5 degrees.

When I first bought it I was concerned because I was a dumb 19 year old and was irritated that it added a second weight distribution variable for any throwing situation.
By the time I turned 21 I knew better- so don't chew me out. That was over 30 years ago!

Has anyone else noted the blade cant in the Command I series?


Or is it what I thought it was- blades misaligned in the mold before the aluminum was poured in?

Thanks for any insight you can offer.

 

[killgar]

Although I have seen a Command 2 with a canted blade, I believe it was a defect. Looking at old Gerber catalogs (early 1980's- 1990's), and descriptions of the Command 1 and 2, I see no reference to canted blades. Considering how unpopular canted blades were on the Mark 2 series, I doubt they would intentionally produce Command series knives with canted blades.

Also, the handles were not cast onto the blades. The blades are epoxied into the handles.

.

 

[Alberta Ed]

I'm no expert, but I believe the angled blade was deliberate. Not sure exactly why though.

 

[Mk-211]

Need a couple guys here.
vjb.knife
O OPSEC-C-C
sgt1372

 

[riversidedep]

I don't believe the Command series were ever made with canted blades, but I'm no expert.

 

[polish avenger]

I'm in agreement....not intentionally canted.

 

[vjb.knife]

I was collecting a lot of Gerber when the Command series came out and there were no intentional knives made with a cant. The short tang was glued into a hole in the cast aluminum handle and if there was enough clearance between them a slight cant could result. Another possibility is that someone bent it. The Command series of knives came out in the early / mid 1980's. The Mark II's that were canted were only made in in 1966 and 1967 and some of the commemorative and special edition models made in various years. The Command I did not use the same handle as the Mark II but it is the same handle as the Mark I, which was never made with a canted blade. Records for the Mark I and the Command Series are not as detailed as the Mark II's, so knowing with 100% certainty is not possible, but I doubt it.

 

[Alberta Ed]

Here's an interesting link to those Gerbers: https://www.knivesillustrated.com/dagger-review-gerbers-iconic-mark-1-mark-ii/

It says in part, "EARLY RUN WITH CANTED BLADES
The first run of the Mark II back in 1967 had a blade that was canted at about a 5-degree angle from the handle This was a design feature that served multiple purposes. First, it was to keep the handle bent slightly away from the body when in a belt sheath, both for comfort as well as making the knife easier to deploy quickly. Second, when the knife was in the hand, the blade would be angled upward, something similar to a fencing foil. However, Gerber received many complaints from customers who bought the knife and then wanted to return it because they thought the blade was bent and thus defective. So, they discontinued the canted design and moved forward with just keeping the blades straight."

 

[Steven65]

Hello,

I purchased a Gerber Command I sometime around March to May of 1989, I believe.

I've always thought that it was just a manufacturing defect, but doing some research led me to wonder if the Command I knives also had the same cant to them as the early MK series supposedly did?

Mine was just a tad off. I have no problem believing it is 5 degrees.

When I first bought it I was concerned because I was a dumb 19 year old and was irritated that it added a second weight distribution variable for any throwing situation.
By the time I turned 21 I knew better- so don't chew me out. That was over 30 years ago!

Has anyone else noted the blade cant in the Command I series?


Or is it what I thought it was- blades misaligned in the mold before the aluminum was poured in?

Thanks for any insight you can offer.

I remember when these came out. If memory serves the unusual blade grind was to get around some states and countries double edged laws.

I can't help thinking that yours is a manufacturing aberration. Any chance of a few pics?

 

[jlauffer]

Here's an interesting link to those Gerbers: https://www.knivesillustrated.com/dagger-review-gerbers-iconic-mark-1-mark-ii/

It says in part, "EARLY RUN WITH CANTED BLADES
The first run of the Mark II back in 1967 had a blade that was canted at about a 5-degree angle from the handle This was a design feature that served multiple purposes. First, it was to keep the handle bent slightly away from the body when in a belt sheath, both for comfort as well as making the knife easier to deploy quickly. Second, when the knife was in the hand, the blade would be angled upward, something similar to a fencing foil. However, Gerber received many complaints from customers who bought the knife and then wanted to return it because they thought the blade was bent and thus defective. So, they discontinued the canted design and moved forward with just keeping the blades straight."

Interesting...thought I had read it was the other way around, and was meant to keep the handle tighter to the body to prevent snagging on stuff.

 

[Alberta Ed]

Interesting...thought I had read it was the other way around, and was meant to keep the handle tighter to the body to prevent snagging on stuff.

That's how I would have thought, too, more contoured to the body. Seemed like a cool idea at the time. I never had any use for a dagger though.

 

[jlauffer]

That's how I would have thought, too, more contoured to the body. Seemed like a cool idea at the time. I never had any use for a dagger though.

With it being symmetrical, it could be carried either way based on personal preference.

I love daggers, and have one of the Cutlery Shoppe exclusive ones.