Gerber joins the Taiwan craze!

M

Mike Turber

Joined
Oct 2, 1998
Messages
5,461
Gerber now has a new name and new product line under the Gerber International lable.

Jumping on the Taiwan bandwagon Gerber will be soon releasing several new knives at wonderfully low price points.

First is a Michael Walker designed folder with G-10 scales.
Thumb disc opening, ATS-34 blade and 8.25" Overall length

The AR will have Aluminum scales, AUS-8A blade and is 7"

The SL will have Carbon Fiber scales, ATS-34 blade and 7.5" overall.

The SLG is the same as above with G-10 scales.

Hopefully we will have some pics soon.

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Mike Turber
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I saw the notice of the new Gerber Michael Walker on Knife Center's website. They are selling the knife for $104. If the knife costs that same as a knife made in the U.S. or Japan, What's the advantage of making it in Taiwan?
 
Mike, didn't Gerber have a rather unsuccessful foray in Taiwan several years back, before CRKT and Gigand got it right? If I recall correctly that had some large, lightweight lockbacks marketed under the Gerber International label.

phantom4

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who dares, wins


 
I believe so P4. They have been making components for there tools over there for a long time now.

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Best Regards,
Mike Turber
BladeForums Site Owner and Administrator
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cut finger, it's called "profit margin", or some such other corporate buzzword.
wink.gif


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Don LeHue
Royal Oak, Michigan

The pen is mightier than the sword...outside of arm's reach. Modify radius accordingly for rifle.

 
Gosh, I came to the USA I started knife collecting again (last time was in gradeschool.. yes very meager humble colection of cheap taiwan ninja knives ^^) because I was impressed by the quality. I guess whereever i go i can never escape taiwan mades.

slave labour and high profit margin.. crud..


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<A HREF="http://www.contrib.andrew.cmu.edu/~soo/balisong/balisong.html" TARGET=_blank>http://www.contrib.andrew.cmu.edu/~soo/balisong/balisong.html
</A> If you play with love you will be heartbroken; if you play with knives you will [bleed]


 
Funny thing, many years ago I treasured the Gerber's I had. In fact even bought my sons the "lock bolt" (sp). It had decent steel and mine were safe. Since that time I have viewed Gerber's lineup and haven't seen anything that would warrant my purchases. I did buy one of their "gentlemen's knives" with a Ceramic blade when Cabella's was handling them. What a disaster! Haven't looked or bought another Gerber since. Maybe their sales prompts them to try other avenues to interest the knife population? Hope they turn quality around.
 
The Nov issue of Knife World has b&w pictures in the Moteng addy on p13. I like the looks of the SL and AR. 'cept the AR doesn't have the ATS-34 label that the others do.

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"A knifeless man is a lifeless man"
-Nordic proverb
 
I still have two Taiwanese "Gerber Internationals" that I bought in the 80s.
Both skeleton handles. They are nothing special but I believe there was an excellent folder....maybe an interframe. AG Russell had a few not too long ago.


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BrianWE
ICQ #21525343


 
Gerber has not been the same for many years. It is a shadow of its past self. When Fiskars bought the company, it was like another nail in the coffin. They still make some decent stuff, but not like they used to. I'll be interested to see what the Taiwanese stuff is like.

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Paul Davidson

Them:"What's that clipped to your pocket, a beeper?"
Me:"Uuh....yeah, something like that."


 
Sniperboy:
I lived in Taiwan for most of the '80s and early '90s. I seriously doubt the people there who make knives for CRKT, Outdoor Edge, and now (maybe) Gerber are slave laborers.

Just like there is some crap made in the U.S., so has crap been made elsewhere. If held to a high standard, Taiwan manufacturers can and do make excellent knives.
Jim
 
I saw this this knife today at my local dealer here in G10. Absolutely excellent in all respects. Fit, finish, walk and talk. A very superb example of the art.

So what is wrong with Tawain? They do a superb manufacturing job, and Seki Japan is even better. I'd buy a knife from either of those two places before I'd buy the same model that was made in America. My Seiki made Spydercos are light-years ahead of the American made ones in terms of fit and finish.

And before you all start flaming on me, I'd like you to think about it for a minute; my "Japanese" Nissan truck was 100% made in Tennesee or Kentucky, and your "American" made SUV is probably 75% made in Mexico or Canada.

I spend my money on the best product, I don't care where it is made. It is just being the best steward of the resources that have been given to me.

(The crowd is in stunned silence as the world-famous orator steps down off his soap-box.)

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Where are we going, and why am I in this handbasket?

John 14:6


 
Sniperboy

Really, you do talk crap.
Slave labor is, really a big deal...not a thing of fun.
Taiwan hasn't used slave labor for a really long time.
Not since the white people lost control of Taiwan/Formosa

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BrianWE
ICQ #21525343


 
Sniperboy and James Y,
I just recived a Outdoor Edge Impulse today. Made in Taiwan, it looks really nice.
I had been a machinist for 22 years, and I can see and feel that the craftsmanship
of this knife is very good. At least this is my first impression.
Darrel Ralph designed it, very nice.

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Mark Camp

"Life is nothin' but a series of fascinations"

Ok, and lots of hard work...


 
I have been living in Taiwan for the past 8 years, this qualifies me to speak on the subject of QUALITY. I think there is many an Americanthat would be shocked to know that probably 40 % of those famous well known brands, have their production done in Taiwan. I hate to disillusion you all, but probably the IBM computer your typing on, the monitor you use, the RAM in your computer, all amde in Taiwan then stamped with some welll known brand name. Would you be shocked to know that the NORTH FACE clothing, Nike, Ray Bans, they all have OEM factories doing the work over here. I know this, because the people that run those companies are my friends. I happen to personally known the man behind Gigand, his factory is up in Taipei, and I met him through a student of mine.
The Taiwanese are highly skilled, highly paid individuals, I certainly don't think my wife, would be considered slave labour. Unless of course slaves earn in excess of 6000 U$ a month. Most of the people I know in Taiwan, drive Mercedes Benz and BMW.
For those Americans who still think Taiwan is some backward country, WAKE UP ! Yes it has it's problems, but these people are incredibly intelligent and hard working, trust me, they will be designing what you will be dependent on, in a very short period of time.
Japan, Korea and the other asian countries can not maintain the kind of development that Taiwan has consistently been displaying.
SLAVE LABOR HERE ? NO WAYS - you may be thinking of China, thats peoples republic....
Hope this enlightens
Justin H

PS I have 6 Gigand knives, I keep on giving them to people, sharpest knives out the box that I have ever seen. Mr Wu sure knows his stuff...

[This message has been edited by Justin H (edited 20 November 1999).]
 
Justin,

Next time you see Paul tell him I said HI!

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Best Regards,
Mike Turber
BladeForums Site Owner and Administrator
Do it! Do it right! Do it right NOW!

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Hey Guys....

Tell you one thing...
If Gerber starts making knives out of Tiawan..I won't by another Gerber product!

If I'm going to spend $100.00+ dollars of my hard earned money,,it's going to be made in the USA or Canada..

There are hords of Excellent quality craftsman here that make better quality blades for only a little more money...

Next thing you'll see them being sold on Home Shopping Network Knife Collectors Show...

Save your money folks and buy something Home Grown!

Just my thoughts on the matter...

Eric E. Noeldechen - OST

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Eric E. Noeldechen
On/Scene Tactical
www.mnsi.net/~nbtnoel


 
But Eric,
I work with a guy who only buys Bucks...so Buck does not even need to improve their knives, no competition, no quality concerns, steel intrests. He just buys American cars also, we know what happened, and is happening with them, they have lost much of their market share. If we buy what is good...everybody improves. Less broken tips on knives, less broken down cars, etc. IMHO.

Justin, thanks for the observations, you also make me want to buy a Gigand.

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Mark Camp

"Life is nothin' but a series of fascinations"

Ok, and lots of hard work...


 
Well guys, I just handled this new Michael Walker Gerber at Ruff's and I've gotta tell ya, it is a really nice folder. So nice, in fact, that I almost said to hell with the presents I went there to get and nearly bought it on the spot. I would not be here to tell you about it though if I did buy it as my wife would have probably used it on me.
It really looks to be a good folder on initial impressions.

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If a man says something in the woods and there are no women there to correct him, is he still wrong?

 
Hi mcfg...

I hear ya dude..

Thing is,, look at it this way....
Are we going to let our countries slowly fade away because of the products that were once made here,, now made in Asia ?

Sure the prices are cheaper,, and you can't help but buy them,,but if you went into Walmart and waved a magic wand,, making Everything in the store vanish that was made in Asia or some other 3rd world country,, the store shelves would be nearly empty...

Sadly this also includes most things we use on a daily basis...

Only thing I'm going to say is,,before I spent that kind of money on a blade,, I buy it from someone who makes it here.

I understand what you are saying though...

ttyle Eric...

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Eric E. Noeldechen
On/Scene Tactical
www.mnsi.net/~nbtnoel


 
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