Gerber or CRKT?

M

MikeV

Joined
Jan 9, 2006
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86
Which of these two brands would you say are higher quality knives?
I have kind of narrowed it down to these two brands of folding knives that I would like to collect but am not sure if one is better than the other. :confused:

Thanks

Mike
 
You'll find that neither is worth collecting (as far as return on your investment goes) but I'd say CRKT. Gerber has been ripping off peoples designs so you won't find much love for them here even though they have a few good knives. CRKT is good but they keep lowering the quality of steel they use. Collectors tend to go with Benchmade, Spyderco, Emerson, Al Mar, etc. or customs but they tend to very pricey.
 
Thanks everyone.
I am not really interested in collecting as an investment but more of a love of knives with a limited budget. I like the tactical knives and thought the CRKT's looked nice for the money.
 
I'd say CRKT. They have a lot of interesting/unique designs, and collaborations with famous knife designers.

Gerber is OK too, but for collecting I'd focus on their older knives, before they were bought by Fiskars.

Nothing at all wrong with Collecting or Accumulating common branded knives. The trick is to bargain shop - look for closeouts, clearance sales, etc. You may not get rich, but there is a demand for common brands' knives that are no longer in production. Discontinued Gerber, Ek, Buck, Case, etc. models are sought after by collectors and some have increased in value dramatically.

Spyderco would be a good choice also. Many of their discontinued models are in high demand, particularly less-common variations of their regular knives.

Best Wishes,
Bob
 
Collecting Gerber for the love of knives is like collectiong Pintos for the love of cars.

Gerber used to make some great stuff, and even now they still make some decent knives. But they are pretty darn low-end as a company today.

CRKT is better. They make some good knives for the money. But I think you will quickly outgrow them. If you intend on focusing on one company, I think you will get bored of CRKT pretty fast. They do make some higher-end knives, but not very many, and they are not really notable within their class.

Spyderco, Buck, and Kershaw make a lot of really good knives for not a lot of money, and they all offer very good high-end models that are very respected. They will offer you inexpensive but quality knives, AND room for growth into their more expensive models (which *ARE* notable in their class).

Benchmade is worth a look too, though they focus more on the high-end stuff and have less inexpensive stuff.

I suggest not focusing on one brand right now. Get a CRKT M16, a Spyderco Delica, Native, Endura, Centofante, or Salt, a Buck 110, Rush or Sirus, Mayo Cutback or Mayo Hilo, a Kershaw Leek, or Blackout, and a Benchmade Griptilian. This will offer you a lot more variety and give you more experience with different brands and styles. THEN decide what brand you want to focus on and collect. Because what you think you want to dump your money into right now may not be the brand you prefer when you start spending some money, getting some experience with knives in general, and outgrowing what you currently consider "enough".

And if you want to collect new and old models, CRKT and Gerber do have some history and coveted older models, but the history and older models of Buck, Spyderco, and Benchmade offer much more richness. Kershaw is inbetween.
 
Kit Carson, who works with CRKT, produces some of the absolute best tactical designs. I also like their Greg Lightfoot stuff, but a lot of is discontinued. They're good deals, but be weary of the low end steel that they're switching to....
 
Thanks everyone, now I am more confused than ever. :eek:
So the CRKT's are using cheaper steel in their knives now?
I guess maybe just collecting knives I like instead of a single brand would be better then as I am not sure what is the best price/quality knife out there for brands. :confused:
 
Spyderco is the best price for quality.

CRKT is good though--you can still get an M16 with a pretty good steel--average by this forum's standards, but great by non knife people standards--you just have to choose that one.

The Benchmade minigrip is another great deal.
 
I really like the CRKT M16's. I have several of the discontinued carbon fiber models and I have bought all 3 sizes of titanium models for my son. I have owned some aluminum handled models but some friends saw them and wanted them to carry. Since they were just sitting in my safe, I let them have them so they would be used. I also have M18'S and M21's. So, even though they really aren't collectable, I guess I collect CRKT knives.
 
Unless you plan on real collecting -- buying variants of knife models you like, filling in gaps in one company's offerings -- then you're actually accumulating. In that case, you're much better off buying knives you will use, which appeal to you esthetically and practically.

Given a restricted budget, CRKT is a good place to look for less expensive but well-made knives. Look at the steel of the specific models you like. Some have been downgraded. Some of their new knives are using excellent steels, though.

Don't be in a hurry to buy up every good-looking knife that you have the money to buy. Many of these will overlap in function, and you'll end up with a lot of dust collectors.

Anticipation can be better for you than satisfaction. :D Eventually, you'll find yourself understanding the whys and wherefores of knife costs and capabilities -- then you can start spending more seriously, although even that doesn't have to bankrupt you.

Less exotic knives like Swiss Army Knives and Opinels can be very effective utility tools.
 
Esav Benyamin said:
Unless you plan on real collecting -- buying variants of knife models you like, filling in gaps in one company's offerings -- then you're actually accumulating. In that case, you're much better off buying knives you will use, which appeal to you esthetically and practically.
Click to expand...

What exactly do you mean by "buying variants of knife models you like?"

Given a restricted budget, CRKT is a good place to look for less expensive but well-made knives. Look at the steel of the specific models you like. Some have been downgraded. Some of their new knives are using excellent steels, though.
Click to expand...

How do you tell good quality steel from bad from just looking at them?

Don't be in a hurry to buy up every good-looking knife that you have the money to buy. Many of these will overlap in function, and you'll end up with a lot of dust collectors.
Click to expand...

How many different functions would you say there are in knives?

Thanks

Mike
 
The quality of steel, or rather the kind of steel, is listed with the knives. Examples are AUS8, 440C, S30V, D2 or VG10. That's a really short list of steels to look for, also.

There are as many different knife rolls as you make.

Fixed blades, folders, hunting knives, big knives, small knives, axis lock knives, G10 handled knives, S30V knives, custom knives, balisongs..
 
Artfully Martial said:
The quality of steel, or rather the kind of steel, is listed with the knives. Examples are AUS8, 440C, S30V, D2 or VG10. That's a really short list of steels to look for, also.

There are as many different knife rolls as you make.

Fixed blades, folders, hunting knives, big knives, small knives, axis lock knives, G10 handled knives, S30V knives, custom knives, balisongs..
Click to expand...

What would be undesirable steel in a knife that I would want to stay away from?

Thanks
 
That's a tricky subject, and I'm by no means an expert....but I can tell you steels that aren't at least CONSIDERED very good

There are people that will tell you only the way the steels are prepared matters...I don't really know that much about it, I just tend to buy from reliable brands so I don't have to think about it.

420 anything is usually not considered great, though some people make exception to Buck 420HC

AUS4 is usually considered sub par, some people considered AUS6 sub par

440A is sometimes considered low end, but not too bad.

I think the price is something important to think about. I'm not a steel snob, but if I go into S30V price of knives (S30V is a pretty expensive steel, apparently), I want a high performance steel--not because I need it, just because if I'm putting the money out there, I want to be getting at least something. For instance, I actually like 440C, but I wouldn't buy a 120 dollar knife in 440C. I think price is the main thing to consider...if you're buying a 10 dollar knife and it has AUS6, than you're actually getting a pretty dang good deal, at least steel wise.

Some things to consider are carbon steels, which stain and rust somewhat easier than stainless steels. If you use your knives in a marine environment, or neglect them, you probably would choose something else. D2 and M2 are just examples.
 
Variants of a model are all the similar designs by one company, for example, the M-16 knives from CRKT. They come in different steels, larger and smaller versions, some with spearpoint, or tanto blades, and Zytel, aluminum, titanium, or carbon fiber handles.

You could buy one of each and make a display case for them, but they are mostly too much alike to pick one over the other for daily carry, for example. But even buying different knives from different companies you can find they are too much alike in size and capability to serve in significantly different circumstances. A CRKT M-16 and a Spyderco Delica will pretty much do the same kind of work.

Some knives are fine for light office work, some are great in the kitchen, some for outdoor, heavier-duty applications, some for martial arts.

Steels are a complicated issue. All blade materials aren't even steel. There are cobalt alloys and titanium alloys, and blades made of ceramic. Take a look at The Steel FAQ by Joe Talmadge.

You can find that article at Knifeart.com's Custom Knife Articles & Information along with more articles by Joe Talmadge, and others, all worth reading.
 
Thanks for all the information everyone it is much appreciated.
Now to decide what I want to collect. :D
 
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