Gerber Fans

Boonedoggle said:
I keep seeing people mentioning "mystery steel". That may have been the case for a while, but now they list the steel each model is made with on their website. Just click on the model, and it'll be listed on the right.

As for all the "it ain't made in 'Merica"... quite a few of the knives you people are listing as superior, are made overseas. (someone even mentioned Cold Steel haha)

I just see a lot of snobbery/bashing going on, when the OP had asked if there were any other Gerber fans on the forum. They didn't ask, "how many of you can tell me how great Gerber was back in the day, but how they're pretty much useless crap now, and imply how I've wasted my money because [current hipster knife of the moment] is so much better?"
(If you aren't guilty of that, you shouldn't be offended.)

As for my answer to blueridgemountain's question... I like some of their current lineup. I bought a Freeman fixed blade a few years ago for $20 brand new, and it's outlasted (even with that "mystery steel") quite a few of my other knives.

Every single company has good & bad products. It's all about finding what you like, at a price you're willing to pay, and enjoying it.
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Ooooohhhh no, a one-response new guy is trying to put us all in our place. :rolleyes:

Gerbers are trash, get over it.
 
JPD1998 said:
This one isn't "trash" but what do I know...

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Honestly, with that wood scale, it looks like something you'd see at a flea market on the $5 table.

If you enjoy your Gerber products, absolutely all the best to you. I have a few Gerber products that I still enjoy, myself. All older 80's, early 90's products built here, back when Gerber was a respected brand.
 
JPD, for what it's worth, I went and looked the Freeman up, and the black scaled version actually fits my aesthetic a lot more. Not enough for me to buy one, but that scale at least seems to "fit" the knife better.
 
Quiet said:
Honestly, with that wood scale, it looks like something you'd see at a flea market on the $5 table.

If you enjoy your Gerber products, absolutely all the best to you. I have a few Gerber products that I still enjoy, myself. All older 80's, early 90's products built here, back when Gerber was a respected brand.
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Honestly, taste is subjective .... the wood scales are pear wood and it's not built like any $5 flea market knife I've ever seen.
Maybe I go to the wrong flea markets.
 
RedLynx said:
I've had a Freeman fold for about 7 years, but I haven't used it very much. It's a good worker for you? I do think they look pretty nice, that's why I got mine.
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I bought it mostly as a folding hunter for deer hunting. I figured the drop point blade would be perfect and it has a nice thick lock too.
The steel is probably 440A and it does get wicked sharp. I haven't dressed any deer with it yet , but it should do fine.
I have one of the Voloton designed FAST folders , same steel and I use it for utility work ... boxes etc. and it's more than adequate.
 
JPD1998 said:
Honestly, taste is subjective .... the wood scales are pear wood and it's not built like any $5 flea market knife I've ever seen.
Maybe I go to the wrong flea markets.
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Whatever the wood is, it just looks tacked on. Like, they took a knife that was a thin, aluminum handle model, and said, you know, this needs something to make it fatter. So let's add this completely incongruous wood block that doesn't even cover the entire scale.

But, like you said, it's subjective. But, I can tell you that I've seen plenty of flea markets where there were cheap import knives* like that, not really any one style, just a mishmash of style elements from other knives. In fact, that's exactly what that Freeman looks like, a mishmash. "Ok, so we like fingergrips, so add those. What's that Bill? You like wood scales? Uuuuuhhhh...alright, add those on top somehow. Steve, whatcha got, oh, a basic satin finish metal grip and a mystery metal blade to match? Sweet, throw that in. Make the blade a drop-point, everybody's doing that these days. Perfect, now send it off to our factory in China, gotta keep it cheap!!"

* Ironic, given that this is also a cheap import knife.
 
Here's another one I bought a few years ago that is still in production.
US made, S30V steel, the frame is anodized aluminum. It cost around $100.
It's made as well as any other well regarded brand

 
JPD1998 said:
I bought it mostly as a folding hunter for deer hunting. I figured the drop point blade would be perfect and it has a nice thick lock too.
The steel is probably 440A and it does get wicked sharp. I haven't dressed any deer with it yet , but it should do fine.
I have one of the Voloton designed FAST folders , same steel and I use it for utility work ... boxes etc. and it's more than adequate.
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I also have a FAST, I enjoy the locking mechanism and it makes one of the best opening sounds of all my A/O knives.
What is that shiny knife under the Freeman blade, the one with the flipper that is next to what looks like a ZT?
 
JPD1998 said:
Here's another one I bought a few years ago that is still in production.
US made, S30V steel, the frame is anodized aluminum. It cost around $100.
It's made as well as any other well regarded brand

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Aside from the serrations (I just prefer plain edge) that looks like a really nice knife. If it had more than a one-position clip I might get it.
 
Quiet said:
Whatever the wood is, it just looks tacked on. Like, they took a knife that was a thin, aluminum handle model, and said, you know, this needs something to make it fatter. So let's add this completely incongruous wood block that doesn't even cover the entire scale.

But, like you said, it's subjective. But, I can tell you that I've seen plenty of flea markets where there were cheap import knives* like that, not really any one style, just a mishmash of style elements from other knives. In fact, that's exactly what that Freeman looks like, a mishmash. "Ok, so we like fingergrips, so add those. What's that Bill? You like wood scales? Uuuuuhhhh...alright, add those on top somehow. Steve, whatcha got, oh, a basic satin finish metal grip and a mystery metal blade to match? Sweet, throw that in. Make the blade a drop-point, everybody's doing that these days. Perfect, now send it off to our factory in China, gotta keep it cheap!!"

* Ironic, given that this is also a cheap import knife.
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Actually the Freeman knife has been knocked off for years, not the other way around and the package did list the steel as 440A.
This model started out years ago as a US made folder with S30V steel.
 
RedLynx said:
I also have a FAST, I enjoy the locking mechanism and it makes one of the best opening sounds of all my A/O knives.
What is that shiny knife under the Freeman blade, the one with the flipper that is next to what looks like a ZT?
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That one is a " Tighe Stick" Brian Tighe made it.
 
JPD1998 said:
That one is a " Tighe Stick" Brian Tighe made it.
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Interesting. I have a My Tighe (I think a mini) but the opening action was never very comfortable for me, the thumb stud seemed a bit too recessed. Very nice knife, just not very comfy fit for me.
 
JPD1998 said:
Actually the Freeman knife has been knocked off for years, not the other way around and the package did list the steel as 440A.
This model started out years ago as a US made folder with S30V steel.
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Well, then that would explain why there are so many lookalikes, each worse than the last. Several sources I saw stated that these are made in China now, is that correct? Again, I'm not trying to bash you for enjoying your knife. If it comes off that way, that's my fault and I apologize. I am just making the point that there's a reason why Gerber is such a laughingstock on this board.
 
RedLynx said:
Interesting. I have a My Tighe (I think a mini) but the opening action was never very comfortable for me, the thumb stud seemed a bit too recessed. Very nice knife, just not very comfy fit for me.
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Now that you mention it, I have a regular size CRKT My Tighe and it feels the same way. But I like the assist on it, fires open like an auto.
 
Quiet said:
Well, then that would explain why there are so many lookalikes, each worse than the last. Several sources I saw stated that these are made in China now, is that correct? Again, I'm not trying to bash you for enjoying your knife. If it comes off that way, that's my fault and I apologize. I am just making the point that there's a reason why Gerber is such a laughingstock on this board.
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I like the fixed blade in your avatar, what is it?
 
JPD1998 said:
I like the fixed blade in your avatar, what is it?
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It is a Swamprat Ratmandu, in Moss Green finish, and the "custom" black and orange handles. Here's a better picture:

14006150130_a81103fb06_h.jpg
 
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