chiral.grolim
Universal Kydex Sheath Extension
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- Dec 2, 2008
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Gerber Propel A/O http://www.gerbergear.com/Tactical/Knives/Propel-AO_30-000698
(stock photo)
Item # 30-000698
Overall Length: 8.52" (21.64 cm)
Blade Length: 3.5" (8.89 cm)
Closed Length: 5" (12.7 cm)
Weight: 4.28 oz. (121 g)
Steel Type: 420HC
Handle Material: G-10
This knife is marketted "tactical" (even typed on the box) which implies Armed Services / Emergency / LEO, and its features certainly point in that direction. The overall design of the Propel follows that of the YariII and CFB (Combat Fixed Blade): ergonomic handle with slight curvature to the spine, dropped heel, subdued thumb-ramp and guard, index groove, no choil, drop-point tanto blade with partially serrated edge. It also features a glass-breaker pommel.
I purchased the Gerber Propel soon after it was released into online-stores in order to try out the button-lock, prominantly featured on numerous autos, as well as Hogue knives and the Gerber Instant & Venture.
The Propel is made in the USA (as displayed prominently on the blade).
It is assisted-opening via torsion spring, and includes a safety-switch to prevent accidental opening common on spring-knives lacking a safety. The switch also prevents accidental disengagment of the lock, similar to the switch on Benchmade's Barrage series. This dual-lock ensures that, for the blade to close, the tang or a pin must shear away - very safe.
The button-lock is perhaps the most user-friendly mechanism on the market, moreso than the oft-lauded AXIS-lock from Benchmade. It functions via an internal plunge-spring that forces a thick section of lock-bar into the path of the blade tang. The tang is cut such that the lock-bar provides retention in the closed position. Leverage along the blade (via the thumb-studs) can push the lock-bar out of the way, compressing it into a handle cut-out, until the tang slides past whereupon the spring forces the lock-bar into position beind the tang, locking it secure against the stop-pin and pivot. The plunge-spring isn't overly strong but is sufficient to prevent the blade from swinging out due to a wrist-flick of moderate force.
HOWEVER, a word about the spring-assist: ADVERSE. The torsion spring is very thick & strong. When closed, the spring provides significant additional retention to the blade via pressure on the tang-face. The force is so significant that it takes a lot of effort to deploy the blade via the thumb-studs, enough to gouge a bare thumb and induce blisters quite quickly. :thumbdn:
Once the tang-face is forced passed that of the torsion bar, the spring kicks the rear portion of the tang with ferocity to make the knife rattle in your hand! It is good that the handle provides excellent if not over-aggressive retention or the knife would be as obstructionist as certain autos on the market whose slender profiles make them all but useless (*cough* kershaw break-out *cough*).
In summation, the torsion bar lends nothing to the usefulness of the knife but rather detracts significantly from its useability. Thankfully it is easy to remove! The handle is held together via Torx screws & pillars is easy to disassemble, and the spring simply rests in shallow slots cut in the handle-slabs. Loosening the rear screws is sufficient the widen the rear of the handle and let the spring fall out. Problem solved! Hopefully Gerber will release a MANUAL version of the "propel" lacking the "propel" to both increase utility and reduce the price - I paid $90 for this knife which features only 420HC blade-steel. I am sure that the spring must factor in.
Anyway, now that the torsion-spring is removed, the knife is easily deployed via the thumb-studs or by depressing the lock-button and swinging it into position! Smooth opening with no blade-play :thumbup:
To close the knife, simply depress the lock-button again and swing closed! Smooth, simple, safe :thumbup::thumbup::thumbup: Your fingers need never cross the path of the blade. The button is easier to depress than holding back an axis-bar. It is easy to actuate with work-gloves or even mittens on! The safety lock is also designed for easy use with gloves, the 'stair-grooves' providing simple and effective indexing. The primary risk now, I have found, is not treating the knife like a Yo-Yo
It is alomst TOO user-friendly. It is not designed for ambidexterity but I have found it is actually quite easy to use with my left-hand index finger, so i would call this a lefty-friendly design.
The thumb-studs are thick and protrude beyond the scales of the handle for ease of deployment even with gloves or mittens on, better than most I've used :thumbup: They also sit right above the scales when the blade is closed - very well done. The rear spine of the blade tapers down into the scales when closed so the tang is not exposed as on many other knives including the Benchmade 520 featured in the video above - this is mostly aesthetic but i feature I appreciate. The drop-point blade seats nicely beneath the scales as well, and the rounded end of the handle keeps the lines clean, a narrow profile in the pocket.
The pocket-clip can be oriented for left or right tip-up carry or right tip-down carry. It is mounted with the same screws that hold the knife together, fastening to metal (brass?) inserts within the G10 through to the liners - very secure, this clip is not popping loose. The clip itself (which is engraved "GERBER") is rather thin metal, very 'springy', and not positioned/designed very well on the handle - gouges a bare hand when gripped tightly. Too many pocket-clips seem to be mere after-thoughts (or bizarre artistry), this one is no exception. But it serves its purpose.
The handle of the knife, as mentioned before, is similar to that of the Yari II and CFB - very comfortable shape for a variety of hand-positions. The thumb-ramp is sufficient to provide good leverage for tip-work without gettng in the way of other grips. The subdued index-groove positions the hand well in hammer-grip and provides a measure of security against sliding on the blade though it is not a full front guard so beware of sliding onto the blade on heavy stabs. Honestly if you are stabbing that hard, you may twist the blade on impact and snap it - be smart about what you are doing.
The grip of the handle is aggressively textured and grooved G10 scales around nested dual steel liners, providing excellent traction in gloved-hands but is quite harsh on bare hands especially in the groove cut-outs. It'll tear up pants when used with the pocket clip. Beyond that, it is comfortably shaped and rounded on the edges, provides a good grip. The width and thickness of the handle give a feeling of security and lend to easy control of the blade even when gripped loosely.
The scales are held to the liners & eachother via 5 screws - pivot, stop-pin, 3 backspacer pins. The back-spacer closes most of the construction, ideal to prevent debris, etc. from clogging the knife or dulling the blade - far superior to 'open-construction' for ease of cleaning and prevention of the need for cleaning in the first place. The back-spacer is all-steel, extending into a very functional glass-breaker pommel stabilized for durability against impact by two of the screws placed close behind it. The steel liners are not skeletonized, so the knife is heavier than it need be but is certainly VERY strong in structure - overbuilt. :thumbup:
The blade is black-coated, the coating seems fairly durable so far, certainly more durable than the Cold Steel teflon, same coating seems to be on the pocket clip (or it is anodized, not sure). The blade is drop-point with an unsharpened swedge to improve penetration at the tip, but the swedge ends with the blade full thickness right where a thumb might be placed, providing more comfort in cutting :thumbup: The blade itself isn't very thick, only ~0.11", but the wide saber-grind maintains some of the lateral strength of the blade. The tip & tanto edge is quite robust, the flat-grind cutting geometry in the belly rather thick for a knife so small (I'll add measurements next week), but the spyder-edge serrations are well designed for catching a slicing through fibrous material without 'gumming-up'. As with the LMFII, they do not inhibit the knife's ability to carve wood and such materials and they are a boon on rope and webbing, but they are not for everyone so hopefully Gerber will release a plain-edge version at some point. The tanto also isn't the best design for various tasks, but is quite effective for others. *shrug* The steel on this model is 420HC though an S30V version is available. 420HC is nothing special - inexpensive, good corrosion-resistance, reasonably tough for a small blade, easy to sharpen but low wear-resistance. I am surprised that the knife is still $90 with this steel choice, but most of that price is probably the handle materials (constructed with very good tolerances) and the spring. Anyway, since I am going to use this knife hard where it will be subjected to stress that would damage most steels (e.g. digging and cutting roots out of the ground), I wanted a steel that wouldn't cost as much and would be easy to sharpen. 420HC fits the bill. If the blade ever does break (due to how thin it is), Gerber offers a lifetime warranty on their products, and I've had good experiences with their customer service in the past - I am not worried.
In the coming weeks, I'll try to record a couple of use-videos - nothing "tactical", sorry, just work around the property - to give an idea of the knife's utility. If you have any questions/requests/comments, please feel free to post. Thank you for taking the time to read.
(Pics to follow)
[video=youtube;vEGP9yAigYg]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vEGP9yAigYg[/video]
(stock photo)
Item # 30-000698
Overall Length: 8.52" (21.64 cm)
Blade Length: 3.5" (8.89 cm)
Closed Length: 5" (12.7 cm)
Weight: 4.28 oz. (121 g)
Steel Type: 420HC
Handle Material: G-10
This knife is marketted "tactical" (even typed on the box) which implies Armed Services / Emergency / LEO, and its features certainly point in that direction. The overall design of the Propel follows that of the YariII and CFB (Combat Fixed Blade): ergonomic handle with slight curvature to the spine, dropped heel, subdued thumb-ramp and guard, index groove, no choil, drop-point tanto blade with partially serrated edge. It also features a glass-breaker pommel.
I purchased the Gerber Propel soon after it was released into online-stores in order to try out the button-lock, prominantly featured on numerous autos, as well as Hogue knives and the Gerber Instant & Venture.
The Propel is made in the USA (as displayed prominently on the blade).
It is assisted-opening via torsion spring, and includes a safety-switch to prevent accidental opening common on spring-knives lacking a safety. The switch also prevents accidental disengagment of the lock, similar to the switch on Benchmade's Barrage series. This dual-lock ensures that, for the blade to close, the tang or a pin must shear away - very safe.
The button-lock is perhaps the most user-friendly mechanism on the market, moreso than the oft-lauded AXIS-lock from Benchmade. It functions via an internal plunge-spring that forces a thick section of lock-bar into the path of the blade tang. The tang is cut such that the lock-bar provides retention in the closed position. Leverage along the blade (via the thumb-studs) can push the lock-bar out of the way, compressing it into a handle cut-out, until the tang slides past whereupon the spring forces the lock-bar into position beind the tang, locking it secure against the stop-pin and pivot. The plunge-spring isn't overly strong but is sufficient to prevent the blade from swinging out due to a wrist-flick of moderate force.
HOWEVER, a word about the spring-assist: ADVERSE. The torsion spring is very thick & strong. When closed, the spring provides significant additional retention to the blade via pressure on the tang-face. The force is so significant that it takes a lot of effort to deploy the blade via the thumb-studs, enough to gouge a bare thumb and induce blisters quite quickly. :thumbdn:
Once the tang-face is forced passed that of the torsion bar, the spring kicks the rear portion of the tang with ferocity to make the knife rattle in your hand! It is good that the handle provides excellent if not over-aggressive retention or the knife would be as obstructionist as certain autos on the market whose slender profiles make them all but useless (*cough* kershaw break-out *cough*).
In summation, the torsion bar lends nothing to the usefulness of the knife but rather detracts significantly from its useability. Thankfully it is easy to remove! The handle is held together via Torx screws & pillars is easy to disassemble, and the spring simply rests in shallow slots cut in the handle-slabs. Loosening the rear screws is sufficient the widen the rear of the handle and let the spring fall out. Problem solved! Hopefully Gerber will release a MANUAL version of the "propel" lacking the "propel" to both increase utility and reduce the price - I paid $90 for this knife which features only 420HC blade-steel. I am sure that the spring must factor in.
Anyway, now that the torsion-spring is removed, the knife is easily deployed via the thumb-studs or by depressing the lock-button and swinging it into position! Smooth opening with no blade-play :thumbup:
To close the knife, simply depress the lock-button again and swing closed! Smooth, simple, safe :thumbup::thumbup::thumbup: Your fingers need never cross the path of the blade. The button is easier to depress than holding back an axis-bar. It is easy to actuate with work-gloves or even mittens on! The safety lock is also designed for easy use with gloves, the 'stair-grooves' providing simple and effective indexing. The primary risk now, I have found, is not treating the knife like a Yo-Yo
It is alomst TOO user-friendly. It is not designed for ambidexterity but I have found it is actually quite easy to use with my left-hand index finger, so i would call this a lefty-friendly design. The thumb-studs are thick and protrude beyond the scales of the handle for ease of deployment even with gloves or mittens on, better than most I've used :thumbup: They also sit right above the scales when the blade is closed - very well done. The rear spine of the blade tapers down into the scales when closed so the tang is not exposed as on many other knives including the Benchmade 520 featured in the video above - this is mostly aesthetic but i feature I appreciate. The drop-point blade seats nicely beneath the scales as well, and the rounded end of the handle keeps the lines clean, a narrow profile in the pocket.
The pocket-clip can be oriented for left or right tip-up carry or right tip-down carry. It is mounted with the same screws that hold the knife together, fastening to metal (brass?) inserts within the G10 through to the liners - very secure, this clip is not popping loose. The clip itself (which is engraved "GERBER") is rather thin metal, very 'springy', and not positioned/designed very well on the handle - gouges a bare hand when gripped tightly. Too many pocket-clips seem to be mere after-thoughts (or bizarre artistry), this one is no exception. But it serves its purpose.
The handle of the knife, as mentioned before, is similar to that of the Yari II and CFB - very comfortable shape for a variety of hand-positions. The thumb-ramp is sufficient to provide good leverage for tip-work without gettng in the way of other grips. The subdued index-groove positions the hand well in hammer-grip and provides a measure of security against sliding on the blade though it is not a full front guard so beware of sliding onto the blade on heavy stabs. Honestly if you are stabbing that hard, you may twist the blade on impact and snap it - be smart about what you are doing.
The grip of the handle is aggressively textured and grooved G10 scales around nested dual steel liners, providing excellent traction in gloved-hands but is quite harsh on bare hands especially in the groove cut-outs. It'll tear up pants when used with the pocket clip. Beyond that, it is comfortably shaped and rounded on the edges, provides a good grip. The width and thickness of the handle give a feeling of security and lend to easy control of the blade even when gripped loosely.
The scales are held to the liners & eachother via 5 screws - pivot, stop-pin, 3 backspacer pins. The back-spacer closes most of the construction, ideal to prevent debris, etc. from clogging the knife or dulling the blade - far superior to 'open-construction' for ease of cleaning and prevention of the need for cleaning in the first place. The back-spacer is all-steel, extending into a very functional glass-breaker pommel stabilized for durability against impact by two of the screws placed close behind it. The steel liners are not skeletonized, so the knife is heavier than it need be but is certainly VERY strong in structure - overbuilt. :thumbup:
The blade is black-coated, the coating seems fairly durable so far, certainly more durable than the Cold Steel teflon, same coating seems to be on the pocket clip (or it is anodized, not sure). The blade is drop-point with an unsharpened swedge to improve penetration at the tip, but the swedge ends with the blade full thickness right where a thumb might be placed, providing more comfort in cutting :thumbup: The blade itself isn't very thick, only ~0.11", but the wide saber-grind maintains some of the lateral strength of the blade. The tip & tanto edge is quite robust, the flat-grind cutting geometry in the belly rather thick for a knife so small (I'll add measurements next week), but the spyder-edge serrations are well designed for catching a slicing through fibrous material without 'gumming-up'. As with the LMFII, they do not inhibit the knife's ability to carve wood and such materials and they are a boon on rope and webbing, but they are not for everyone so hopefully Gerber will release a plain-edge version at some point. The tanto also isn't the best design for various tasks, but is quite effective for others. *shrug* The steel on this model is 420HC though an S30V version is available. 420HC is nothing special - inexpensive, good corrosion-resistance, reasonably tough for a small blade, easy to sharpen but low wear-resistance. I am surprised that the knife is still $90 with this steel choice, but most of that price is probably the handle materials (constructed with very good tolerances) and the spring. Anyway, since I am going to use this knife hard where it will be subjected to stress that would damage most steels (e.g. digging and cutting roots out of the ground), I wanted a steel that wouldn't cost as much and would be easy to sharpen. 420HC fits the bill. If the blade ever does break (due to how thin it is), Gerber offers a lifetime warranty on their products, and I've had good experiences with their customer service in the past - I am not worried.
In the coming weeks, I'll try to record a couple of use-videos - nothing "tactical", sorry, just work around the property - to give an idea of the knife's utility. If you have any questions/requests/comments, please feel free to post. Thank you for taking the time to read.
(Pics to follow)
[video=youtube;vEGP9yAigYg]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vEGP9yAigYg[/video]
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