I've already posted this on the CPF-- let me explain a little about me-- I started out my journey for a knife with a Gerber LST. Finding it lacking, I came to BF in search of a better knife. Following the recommendations of quite a few members, I settled upon a 156CM Benchmade Mini-Griip 556. I love it, but then I came to realize that while it is nice, it is often too big for this overly politically correct place I call home, New York City, so I began a search for a smaller knife, one that could cut decently to supplement my Gerber MP400 Compact Sport (yes, I have a Leatherman, but prefer the one-handed opening pliers of the Gerber). That search started with the Gerber Trendy, which I found had very little written about it. So for $20, I decided to give it a shot.
Any other recommendations for small and compact knives $50 and under would be highly appreciated as well.
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The Gerber Trendy comes in two versions, a businesslike silver model, and an elegant black model. (link) I know that many knife-aholics look down on Gerber for "sub-par" knives and "low grade" steel, but I must say that the Gerber Trendy, designed for light and casual knife work, is exactly as advertised.
I have the silver model, although the only differences seem to be purely aesthetic. It is available from Target for $20, which I felt was reasonable for a knife like this one. It is pleasing to the eye, and is about as non-threatening as I could imagine any knife to be. It's also pretty sharp, seeing how I managed to painlessly make a small crater in my index finger while carelessly playing with the Trendy. With a tip-down pocketclip it attaches easily and relatively safely to the inside of my pocket. I was afraid that it could be accidentally opened (especially in a pocket), but because of the design, it is pretty secure. There's no way it could cut you when closed, despite the open minimalist design.
The Gerber Trendy and Surefire E1L, pictured "artistically."
Need I mention it's pretty small? Opened, it appears to be a little less than an inch longer than the Surefire E1L. Gerber recommends the Trendy for attachment to a keychain, and since it is just a little bit bigger than my Leatherman Micra in length, I would agree. Another recommended usage is as a money clip, and I have been experimenting with that over the past week. I like it as a money clip, because it is much slimmer than my current wallet and also provides for a knife easily at hand yet concealed in plain sight. Unlike my other knife, the Benchmade Mini-Griptilian 556, it is barely noticeable clipped to my pocket and completely inobtrusive. I attribute this to its obviously smaller size.
Benchmade Mini-Grip vs. Gerber Trendy.
But how is the Trendy as an actual knife? It cuts. After hearing MacTech's earlier rant on the poor quality of Gerber I expected poor performance. Nope, it cuts pretty well, despite whatever reputation Gerber knives are given. However, considering that I may not be as experienced as you knife-aholics out there, I may be unable to assess the finer points of the cutting edge. Let me just say, the knife works for me.
Gerber says you can open it one-handed. I find this difficult. To open it one-handed, I grip the middle of the blade and flick my wrist, so that the handle swings open, then adjust my grip for actual use. I find this less than optimal, but it is indeed a one-handed knife.
From my experience with the Gerber Trendy and the Gerber LST, it seems to me that Gerber is fond of what I'll call a "pinch-the-sides" grip, as opposed to what I believe is a more conventional grip, such as on the Griptilian, where the thumb rests on the spine of the blade. The placement of the liner locking mechanism also reinforces that observation, as holding the Trendy in a more conventional grip appears to dangerously put the index and middle fingers in a position that may disengage the locking mechanism. Thus, I hold the Trendy in such a way that is illustrated below.
Gripping the Trendy.
There is a little bit of play between the blade and the handle when open and locked, but this is after being constantly opened and closed throughout the period of one week. When I first bought it, there was no noticeable play. I think this is acceptable, though it may warrant a little Loc-tite on the retaining screw at some point.
Overall, I think this is a nice gift knife to someone you want to interest in knives (without spending more than a crisp $20), or as a casual use knife that is inobtrusive and won't scare the sheepies at the office or at school.
Considering Target's excellent 90-day return policy, if you're looking for a diminutive knife, it's worth a look.
(Soon to come, a review of the Gerber Mini Ridge... when I find one in a store.)
- carrot
Any other recommendations for small and compact knives $50 and under would be highly appreciated as well.
---
The Gerber Trendy comes in two versions, a businesslike silver model, and an elegant black model. (link) I know that many knife-aholics look down on Gerber for "sub-par" knives and "low grade" steel, but I must say that the Gerber Trendy, designed for light and casual knife work, is exactly as advertised.
I have the silver model, although the only differences seem to be purely aesthetic. It is available from Target for $20, which I felt was reasonable for a knife like this one. It is pleasing to the eye, and is about as non-threatening as I could imagine any knife to be. It's also pretty sharp, seeing how I managed to painlessly make a small crater in my index finger while carelessly playing with the Trendy. With a tip-down pocketclip it attaches easily and relatively safely to the inside of my pocket. I was afraid that it could be accidentally opened (especially in a pocket), but because of the design, it is pretty secure. There's no way it could cut you when closed, despite the open minimalist design.
The Gerber Trendy and Surefire E1L, pictured "artistically."
Need I mention it's pretty small? Opened, it appears to be a little less than an inch longer than the Surefire E1L. Gerber recommends the Trendy for attachment to a keychain, and since it is just a little bit bigger than my Leatherman Micra in length, I would agree. Another recommended usage is as a money clip, and I have been experimenting with that over the past week. I like it as a money clip, because it is much slimmer than my current wallet and also provides for a knife easily at hand yet concealed in plain sight. Unlike my other knife, the Benchmade Mini-Griptilian 556, it is barely noticeable clipped to my pocket and completely inobtrusive. I attribute this to its obviously smaller size.
Benchmade Mini-Grip vs. Gerber Trendy.
But how is the Trendy as an actual knife? It cuts. After hearing MacTech's earlier rant on the poor quality of Gerber I expected poor performance. Nope, it cuts pretty well, despite whatever reputation Gerber knives are given. However, considering that I may not be as experienced as you knife-aholics out there, I may be unable to assess the finer points of the cutting edge. Let me just say, the knife works for me.
Gerber says you can open it one-handed. I find this difficult. To open it one-handed, I grip the middle of the blade and flick my wrist, so that the handle swings open, then adjust my grip for actual use. I find this less than optimal, but it is indeed a one-handed knife.
From my experience with the Gerber Trendy and the Gerber LST, it seems to me that Gerber is fond of what I'll call a "pinch-the-sides" grip, as opposed to what I believe is a more conventional grip, such as on the Griptilian, where the thumb rests on the spine of the blade. The placement of the liner locking mechanism also reinforces that observation, as holding the Trendy in a more conventional grip appears to dangerously put the index and middle fingers in a position that may disengage the locking mechanism. Thus, I hold the Trendy in such a way that is illustrated below.
Gripping the Trendy.
There is a little bit of play between the blade and the handle when open and locked, but this is after being constantly opened and closed throughout the period of one week. When I first bought it, there was no noticeable play. I think this is acceptable, though it may warrant a little Loc-tite on the retaining screw at some point.
Overall, I think this is a nice gift knife to someone you want to interest in knives (without spending more than a crisp $20), or as a casual use knife that is inobtrusive and won't scare the sheepies at the office or at school.
Considering Target's excellent 90-day return policy, if you're looking for a diminutive knife, it's worth a look.
(Soon to come, a review of the Gerber Mini Ridge... when I find one in a store.)
- carrot
. I have one in AUS-8 (a decent steel) with a custom potterma scale - absolutely sweet. A real cutter too.
