Gerber "High Carbon Stainless"

[Shearwater]

A year or so ago my brother gave me a Gerber Freeman Hunter which is in their "High Carbon Stainless." I'm not a big Gerber fan, mostly because I've had a harder time getting them and keeping them sharp than other knives I've had. Over the last year though the Freeman Hunter has kind of grown on me. Truth is I haven't done much besides a few minor cutting chores around the house, camp and kitchen and haven't put it to any hard use such as dressing game or building fires. I convexed the edge when I was learning to do that. So far the knife seems to hold its edge OK and comes back with a few passes on the crock stick.

Two questions: What is Gerber's "High Carbon Stainless?" and Has anyone banged on these blades with a batton to split hardwoods, and or split pelvic bones, etc?

 

[knarfeng]

Two questions: What is Gerber's "High Carbon Stainless?" and Has anyone banged on these blades with a batton to split hardwoods, and or split pelvic bones, etc?

I have seen what Gerber lists as "high carbon stainless" or "surgical stainless" listed on various store sites as "440A" or "420HC", or "400 series". I am unaware of any official revelation by Gerber themselves as to the true identity.

Certainly my own experience with such Gerber steels lends credence in my own minde to the idea that the steel is similar in performance to those alloys. This does not apply to the steels that they specifically label such as the blade they ID as being made from ATS-34.

I said all that to say, "BTSOOM." Gerber has never officially revealed it as far as I have been able to determine.

 

[Shearwater]

I've also got a Gerber Gater II which is supposed to be the "Surgical Stainless" which I think I did read somewhere was 440A. Just based on the better edge the Freeman hunter takes I was thinking the "High Carbon Steel" was something different. It is not marked with the steel type so I don't think it is one of the higher end steels like ATM34, etc.

 

[Wunderbar]

I called Gerber and asked about the "400" series steel. I was told that anything that is not labeled specifically, was 420HC. I really doubt there is any "HC" in their 420.