Gerber LHR ( Larsen, Harsey, Reeve )

[Mistwalker]

I was a Gerber fan in my teens in the late 70s. It started with a MK-I and MK-II I carried as tools while out on my father's boat when he co-owned a salvage company and not all we encountered out on the open water were friendly. Later on in the mid 80s it was a BMF I carried when I explored the Everglades on my weekends off when I lived in Key Largo and an original LMF when I moved back to the Tennessee hills.

Recently I was looking around for a good graduation gift for a friend who just finished AIT and moving on to other training. I ran across another Gerber that interested me, it's their new LHR. It is designed by Matt Larsen, William Harsey Jr., and Chris Reeve.

The specs are (from the Gerber website)

•Blade Length: 6.87"

•Open Length: 12.5"

•Weight: 11.2 OZ

•Handle: TacHide

•Full tang construction for maximum strength

•TacHide handle for sure grip in wet conditions

•Quick release sheath with safety release

•Made in U.S.A.



It comes with a drop-leg carry system and has a quick-release safety retention mechanism as well as a retention strap with a button snap.

The knife can not be just snatched out of the sheath by someone else, the hand has to be in the position the one carrying it would use to draw the knife.





It has a really comfortable contoured handle made of something called TacHide that is also really grippy as well. It's comfortable in pretty much every grip I've used it in.

The one grip it is the least comfortable in is one used for inverted edge techniques and primarily a pulling motion. It would only be a real problem if doing an upward thrust into a solid object. Though it may look it, it isn't painful just holding the knife in a tight grip or in thrust through softer materials.

It has the same rounded, shadow-boxed tang, and glass breaker extension as other Chris Reeve knives.

It came with a really sharp edge that easily cut through multiple layers of seat belt webbing material, and easily feathered seasoned spruce.

I haven't wanted to beat it up too bad, just test it out a bit so I have so far only done some light chopping and some boring in some hard treated yellow pine with it. As I said it has a sharp edge and in chopping some small limbs at the base it cut clean through the limb and into the trunk, and light movements of the wrist was all it took to cut them in the middle. The tip showed no ill effects after multiple plunge-and-pry, and twisting motions to dig a hole through an inch of very solid, seasoned, treated yellow pine.

And it fits on a standard pistol belt without having to disassemble the belt.

I think it should make for a fitting graduation gift


.

 

[Nternal]

Are you not concerned at all for type of steel used? I believe it's 420SS.

 

[Mistwalker]

Are you not concerned at all for type of steel used? I believe it's 420SS.

I thought it was probably 440C since they didn't list it, but I have put a good bit of 420 through some rough shit lately too. With the right heat treat, which is ever the important factor, it is a really tough steel.

 

[Nternal]

Yeah it's 420hc I'm not a steel snob but I know a lot of people on here are.

 

[Mistwalker]

Yeah it's 420hc I'm not a steel snob but I know a lot of people on here are.

I know what you mean. I know a lot are too. I have been working with some tools made of 420J lately and have been impressed at what they have taken. Maybe later on I'll put together some videos with them.

That said, I am surprised they didn't go with CPM 154 like the Silver Trident, but I suppose they were trying to keep the cost down.

 

[PatriotDan]

Thanks for the review. I have been very interested in this knife. It seems like a quite pure fighting knife which isn't that common for new designs. There seems to be a very close relationship with Reeve's knives and this one.

Mr. Harsey is a great designer in my opinion, he's very close with the user circles that have high demands on their tools. Larsen is part of those circles so input on this particular design seems solid.

I would have liked to hear more on the sheath retention mechanism functionality since it was one of the major features for this knife when it was designed.

Also a setup on a hip belt would have been interesting to see. How the sheath and the knife sits on the side. A lot of the guys and gals using these tools have pretty bulky midsections due to protective gear and 1st line, it's by no means a casual thing to have a hip belt order that has easy access to the items. I believe Im not in minority if I say hip belt with the current gear setups is a challenging place to put gear that you might use in hurry and thigh hangers are somewhat limited in mil side where you might move dismounted very long periods of time sometimes at speed. Leo side is different in some respects so putting stuff on your thighs works better.


My opinion, had they gone with other steel than 420HC, I'd hope it been something like 3V or L6. I think 420HC for this knife wasn't a bad choice at all if increased corrosion resistance was a must. 420HC with a good HT should be tough stainless which is good for the purpose of this knife.

 

[Mistwalker]

I would have liked to hear more on the sheath retention mechanism functionality since it was one of the major features for this knife when it was designed.

Also a setup on a hip belt would have been interesting to see. How the sheath and the knife sits on the side. A lot of the guys and gals using these tools have pretty bulky midsections due to protective gear and 1st line, it's by no means a casual thing to have a hip belt order that has easy access to the items. I believe Im not in minority if I say hip belt is with the current gear setups is a challenging place to put gear that you might use in hurry and thigh hangers are somewhat limited in mil side where you might move dismounted very long periods of time sometimes at speed. Leo side is different in some respects.

I have more pictures to post that go into both of these, but first I have to locate a stray SD card. If not then I will re-shoot them. There is a lot of room for adjustment in the drop.

 

[Gambrinus]

Nice review, great photos as always.
I don´t consider "super steel" a real need for a knife designed mainly as a weapon.
I actually wish for a much simpler sheath system that is also ambidextrous, being left-handed.
I wonder how much of the price tag goes in the "pistolero"-carry system.

 

[Mistwalker]

Nice review, great photos as always.
I don´t consider "super steel" a real need for a knife designed mainly as a weapon.
I actually wish for a much simpler sheath system that is also ambidextrous, being left-handed.
I wonder how much of the price tag goes in the "pistolero"-carry system.

Thank you, glad you enjoyed it.

I don't either, I'm usually happy with simple 1095 even.

Not sure on the price portion of that, but the sheath could easily be modified to be more simple, you would lose the dual retention in the process though.

 

[Blade21]

Larsen, Harsey, Reeve?

I think they forgot to list the Klingons.

Way to many lines on this knife for me.

Twan

 

[Mistwalker]

Larsen, Harsey, Reeve?

I think they forgot to list the Klingons.

Way to many lines on this knife for me.

Twan

I don't see it that way, but we each have our own tastes and likes.

 

[Daniel L]

Hi mistwalker - how does the handle feel during use without gloves with the exposed radiused tang?
I know Chris Reeves could make his knives flush with the handles if he wanted but Gerber and other production companies often treat the exposed tang as a great way to reduce costs by not having to fit flush handle scales!

Does the exposed tang bother you during use at all?

 

[Katgirl]

This is a kind of knife I would like to get. I love my Gerbers and this one fits a size/utility which I don't have (various good folders, Loveless Boot knife, Mk II, <gap>, Customized Kukri)! Darn, another good way to spend money I'd also like to say that your photographic technique is gorgeous and I wish you could give me some hints. My knife and firearm photos never look this good! Best regards to all!

 

[XanRa]

Man I would love that if it had a better steel or was made by a different company(or like old fashion gerber- S7!!!! )

Looks nice...

 

[Mistwalker]

Hi mistwalker - how does the handle feel during use without gloves with the exposed radiused tang?
I know Chris Reeves could make his knives flush with the handles if he wanted but Gerber and other production companies often treat the exposed tang as a great way to reduce costs by not having to fit flush handle scales!

Does the exposed tang bother you during use at all?

While it is meant to be a "tactical" knife and most likely used by people wearing gloves...the tolerance on the scales is actually pretty close and it isn't uncomfortable with the tang rounded. It looks really close to how the Pacific was done so I think it was designed just like this. I haven't done a whole lot of chopping with it yet but I haven't have any problems so far, it doesn't bother me in cutting meats or whittling, but then it's a bit big to use as an actual bushcraft knife so it's not like I've been carving with it.

This is a kind of knife I would like to get. I love my Gerbers and this one fits a size/utility which I don't have (various good folders, Loveless Boot knife, Mk II, <gap>, Customized Kukri)! Darn, another good way to spend money I'd also like to say that your photographic technique is gorgeous and I wish you could give me some hints. My knife and firearm photos never look this good! Best regards to all!

I really like it, and it makes me miss my old BMF and original LMF.

Thank you for the compliments, photographing steel really is a challenge and it just takes practice.

Man I would love that if it had a better steel or was made by a different company(or like old fashion gerber- S7!!!! )

Looks nice...

An S-7 version would be awesome!!

 

[OrdnanceBubbaUSMC]

I think the design looks pretty decent even though the butt and guard seem silly, but majority of the military have been gravitating towards smaller designs and I'm fairly certain the story of "studying and interviewing hundreds of real-life hand-to-hand combat encounters" is complete b.s. unless Larsen was digging up people from the grave.

Having a retention mechanism like a duty holster is a cool idea.

Start to get numb to all the combat expert, military, spec ops, etc. stuff - loud toy commercials for grown folks.

 

[JTC]

I really like this knife. The more I see of it the more I like it. It just shows to me that Gerber does come up with some pretty creative knives just like they used too. The steel sounds fine to me. You do good reviews and as always have excellent photos. That is an excellent gift. Thanks for the review!

 

[knarfeng]

I like that the serrated portion of the blade is short. Looks like enough to cut rope, but not enough to interfere with using the non-serrated part.

Thanks for the review. Very well documented, as always.

 

[Mistwalker]

I like that the serrated portion of the blade is short. Looks like enough to cut rope, but not enough to interfere with using the non-serrated part.

Thanks for the review. Very well documented, as always.

Thanks Knar, I like it too, and that seems to be a common thread for serrations on Harsey / Reeve designs. They're there and useful but they don't get carried away with them.

 

[caine]

I dont care for serrations but those large scallop ones looks nice