Gerber Lst

Does anybody know for sure just what models are disco'd? One thing I've run into repeatedly is the "big" stores dumping some model(s) for reasons only clear to some cubicle clown back at HQ. Are LST's actually gone?
Having said (ranted) that - these are great - really cost effective cuting tools. Like a lot of you I've given away a bunch of 'em over the years and to my surprise my girlfreind hasn't lost the one I gave her probably 20 years ago.
Frankly I think there's space in the world for a worth what you paid for it tool - don't need some sort of sprint run on these - just make what they were/are making - we'll buy 'em.
 
:thumbup: I carry my Easyout model 450 everyday.. all day. I have both types... but for EDC I carry the half serrated. You never know what or how long ya might need to cut and all those groves seldom get dull. Light, and easy to flic open. I modified the thumb hole.. beveled the lower edge so my thunb just slides in.
I have been using Gerbers for near as long as I have bought a knife. NO REGRETS... My favorites are the PKs´. :D
 
I used the 3.5in LST for several years..very good little knife IMO, bough a second for a back up..haven't used it yet. As far as the steel, gets shaving sharp easily, may stop shaving after a day or two use but I cut cardboard every day at my old job and it would easily slice cardboard clean for a month between sharpening. Worth $20 To me.
 
The Thread that won't die...
Has anyone contacted Gerber, to tell them to get-on-the-stick, re: the LST?! Get busy, squeaky wheels. :)
 
If so please pass on the plea

For an equivalent of a mini griptillian and full size grip with full skeleton liners and flat scales (like the old LST Bolt) and see if they can get use of the axis lock with a good steel 154cm or better

I just found my 3rd lst micro in the back of the car on the weekend - open and gummed up with ???? Bit of soapy water a clean and some silicon spray and its back in the draw with the other one that is not in my pocket. I had wondered why I could only find 2 recently, had assumed it was in a pocket somewhere

Now why was it open in the boot of my car covered in muck??

I still take pleasure in using my Gerber 20cm cooks knife every day
 
Just trying to keep the topic alive.
I just gave our 8 year old son my Gerber LST that I have had for well over 20 years. It is a great little knife. He loves it. I am sure, unless he loses it, the knife will last him another 20 years easy.
 
Gerber's EZ-Out was a nice little knife. Even with crummy 400-series steel, it's so light weight that it can still be used if you happen to have one. I would certainly not recommend any of their knives now. A number of years ago, I got a fairly good deal on three AR 3.00 knives, and I like them, but have no occasion to carry them. Still, I like the build of the knives. I would never now buy anything Gerber sells except for baby food (joking). I got one of their Paraframes two years ago and the blade wouldn't even cut through a molded plastic packing containing a new pair of headphones.

Series-400 stainless steel means they can use any stainless they choose, from 420J on up, or down, and there may be a 410 stainless they could use if they got a good buy on it. The blade could scratch that plastic, but it couldn't cut it, and to me that was just inexcusable.

Gerber at one time sold decent knives and used good steel. Now they've made the corporate decision to appeal to the base line knife buyers. It's like going into a Home Depot. Crappy knives, mostly made of 420 Chinese steel, for people off the street who don't know any better.


GerberAR300.jpg


GerberAR300_4.jpg


The Gerber AR 3.00 has an AUS8 blade, a beautifully crafted
and polished aluminum body, and the blade profiling and coating
seems to be very well done. It's a bit expensive for $37, though.



HRFE1508.jpg
. . .
GerberEZ-Outs-1.jpg


It's really hard to dislike the little Gerber EZ-Out. It's small,
strong for its size and it's easy to open and to use. Still, getting
one today that's any good is a crap shoot, and you should
never pay more than five bucks for one under any circum-
stances, unless it's an older one made with a premium steel.


.
 
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Well I've got to jump in here. I had a buddy show me his LST 10 maybe 15 years ago. I like it so much that haven't carried another knife on me since that day. I am an electrical contractor and let me tell something, well not really you guys, cause you all know, but that little knife can take some abuse. I have skinned miles and miles of wire with an LST and I'm not talking about just house wire here. I talking about wire 1 1/4" in diameter and skinning it all day long.

With a Lansky sharpener I can get it sharp enough to shave with and cut newspaper into tiny little strips so small they curl when they peel off. I love this knife.

I have lost 2 or 3 over the years. When I heard Gerber was going to stop making them I went out and dropped a 100 dollar bill and got five more to last me the next 15 years. I've since ruined one of those but I've never worn one out. This thing is more than an EDC to me it's a tool that I rely on every single day to help me to feed my family.

Years ago a company that I worked for gave me an LST with a clipped point and the company logo emblazoned on it for hours safely worked. It fast became my all time favorite. I really preferred it over the drop point. Unfortunately, one of my jealous co-workers decided that he liked it more than I. At the time, I was unaware of two important facts, one that Gerber was stopping production on the LST and secondly that the clip point was MUCH more scarce than the drop point. If I had known I would have found a case of the clip points and bought it. I'm not kidding either. When I find something I REALLY like I always buy multiples.

Well I must be living right, cause I just picked up a brand new in the box LST clip point off of ebay this week. I have been watching for years off and on and I finally got lucky. I only regret that the guy didn't have ten of them. If any of you guys have a clipped point LST that you'd be willing to part with, I'd love to work out a deal.

If Gerber were to have made the blade in a higher quality steel, I would have opted to go for the nicer blade just because I use mine so much. I ritually spend ten minutes with it on the lansky ever other Sunday night to keep it sharp. It would be nice not to have to do that as often. But for what it is you can't really go wrong.

Bubbz
 
You got it buddy. Enjoy!

Two more in the boxes:


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Less distracting view of the blade shapes:


2z6wowm.jpg




Did I mention that I'm addicted to machetes as well?
My favorite:


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Always in my pocket:


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Sometimes in my pocket:


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I wish was in my pocket :D


bhaloy.jpg




Even the Big Guy upstairs understands the importance of multiples :cool:


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I had a gerber knife (not an lst though) that I never carried out of the house but always liked because it opened letters and boxes and that plastic game controllers come in admirably. Then, my dad, who doesnt own any pocket knives that arent 50 years old, asked to borrow one of mine. 2 hours later hes apologizing to me and my favorite pocket knife was destroyed.

sometimes life isnt fair =/
 
Bubbz, I have a bunch of LST drop points but none of the clips. It looks like yours get a lot of work. I noticed that the blade tang is stamped on the ones in your photo...those are older production. Gerber recently changed to a printed (non-stamped) tang. Great design all around...with upgraded blade steel, it would almost be unbeatable!

I carried one in my pocket during a two week surf casting vacation. It was submerged in salt water and sand the entire time. Never complained once. The only rust occured on the sharpened edge...which was easily taken care of with a stone.
 
I recently scored a 3.5" LST on the 'bay. It should be arriving shortly. It's just one of those knives I always wanted but never got around to purchasing. Figured it was time.
 
I've noticed that a couple of posters have made reference to the discontinuation of the LST. I don't think that's correct, is it?
 
Can someone post a pic of an LST with Micarta scales? :)


I already did on page 3 of this thread, but here it is again. Shown in the left side of the case are both of the handle shapes and three or four of the colors made. They were made from 1981 until 1985 and then discontinued when the black Ryanite handle LST was also discontinued (shown just below the wood onlay classic micarta LST). They had the Classic and the Folding Sportsman handle shapes in maroon, ivory and black micarta and I have one that is possibly a one of a kind with ivory scales and wood onlays made for a large knife store owner in Texas (second from top left in open position). They are very nice knives and becoming very rare these days.

DSC00338A.jpg
 
I've noticed that a couple of posters have made reference to the discontinuation of the LST. I don't think that's correct, is it?

You know... you're right. I thought the G06009 had been discontinued, but it hasn't. I may have confused seeing them out-of-stock and misinterpreting that as discontinued. Or perhaps an online vendor discontinued selling them and hear again I ass-u-me-d, well really only me, that they were no longer made. I know for sure the G06016 "clipped point" has been discontinued. I'm glad you pointed that out.

Bubbz
 
It's too bad the way Gerber has declined, I'm in the middle of a "renovation vacation" and doing a ton of work on the house this week. Out of my 100-plus knives, my go-to combo is an older EZ-out and an old LST. Carving, paint scraping, wire stripping, opening paint cans you name it, these two little wonders keep getting the job done and coming back for more. I go to these knives when I don't want to mess up my prettier knives and it gets me to wondering, "isn't that what a proper should be? Dependable? Tough?" I'm rethinking my whole attitude towards my knives now because of the LST and EZ-out. Trouble is, the quality of the blade steel Gerber is using these days. It's been a while since I bought a Gerber (at least six years) and I'm not encouraged by what I hear on these forums.
 
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