This is a review for Imperial Schrade Corporation's Gemini, a Swiss Army-style pocketknife. This knife is made under the name "Century" and is made in Germany. It was first made in 1993, and discontinued in 1999. The model number is CN71. Tool-wise, it has the features of a Victorinox Camper. On with the review...
Handle Details: The Gemini is 3.45" long closed (normal SAK size). The liners are stainless steel, while the pins are brass. The handles are red plastic, very similar to the cellulose used in Victorinox' knives. The left handle scale has a star inside a shield - the Century emblem. This side also houses the plastic toothpick. The toothpick is standard SAK size, and is white plastic. It protrudes out the top of the handle a bit, but not enough to snag on clothes or cause an accidental withdrawal. The right handle scale is blank, and it houses the tweezers. A one-piece sheet of bent flat metal, the tweezers stick out even further than the toothpick. i've snagged them enough times to get them loose, but never completely out of the knife. They open to about .3", as compared to a Victorinox' .18". When pressed closed, they don't align all the time. If you wish to replace the toothpick and tweezers, as I did, you can just get a spare set of Victorinox parts and use them. However, the toothpick will have to go on the right side and the tweezers on the left (the opposite of what's here) in order to seat properly.
The Tools
Main Blade: It's 2.75" long with a 2.5" cutting edge. I don't know what type of steel is used, but it's very comparable to what Wenger or Victorinox uses. Very easy to resharpen. It's marked ISC over STAINLESS over GERMANY on the left tang. A nail nick is also cut into this side. It's the typical SAK large blade, so I'll skip the details any further. I can't tell the difference between this and a Vic blade (in terms of performance).
Small Blade: This one is 1.75" long with a 1.5" cutting edge. There are no markings on the blade, and the nail nick faces the right side. As with the main blade, this is a typical-quality SAK blade. It cuts very well and is easy to resharpen.
Bottle Opener: This is another typical SAK part. Large flathead screwdriver / wire stripper / bottle opener. It's 1.45" long. There's no half-hitch; it's either open or it's closed. It's handy for the odd screws that you encounter on a ranch or farm.
Can Opener: Yes, you guessed it, another typical SAK part. This one is 1.3" long. It's the can opener that you find on just about every SAK. However, the screwdriver is barely there. It's more like a flattened part of the can opener than a protrusion, as Vic or Wenger uses.
Wood Saw: 2.8" long and an exact, spec-to-spec version of Victorinox' wood saw. It performs just as flawlessly, and cuts like a champ. It cuts through bone just as effectively as wood.
Punch: It's 1.5" long, and has an odd cutting surface. There's a slight angle ground into it to make the "edge", which can be sharpened up if you take the time. There's no sewing eye on this on. It's great for what it was made for - punching holes in things. However, this tool is a real pain in the ass to open. The nail nick sits way too close to the liner, and I really have to dig to get it out. I don't think I've gotten it out a single time without having to file down my fingernail afterwards.
Corkscrew: 1.5" long piece of twisted steel. Very useful. If you plan on using a Vic mini screwdriver with this, as I did, you'll find out that you get a loose fit. This can be fixed by heating the mini screwdriver a bit.
No, it's not the great Camper, but for the money ($15) you can't go wrong. Cutting ability on all blades is on par with the Victorinox version, and I dare say, better in the case of the larger blade. This will probably be in my collection as a display piece for a while since it's no longer available, but it still makes a great cutter.
Handle Details: The Gemini is 3.45" long closed (normal SAK size). The liners are stainless steel, while the pins are brass. The handles are red plastic, very similar to the cellulose used in Victorinox' knives. The left handle scale has a star inside a shield - the Century emblem. This side also houses the plastic toothpick. The toothpick is standard SAK size, and is white plastic. It protrudes out the top of the handle a bit, but not enough to snag on clothes or cause an accidental withdrawal. The right handle scale is blank, and it houses the tweezers. A one-piece sheet of bent flat metal, the tweezers stick out even further than the toothpick. i've snagged them enough times to get them loose, but never completely out of the knife. They open to about .3", as compared to a Victorinox' .18". When pressed closed, they don't align all the time. If you wish to replace the toothpick and tweezers, as I did, you can just get a spare set of Victorinox parts and use them. However, the toothpick will have to go on the right side and the tweezers on the left (the opposite of what's here) in order to seat properly.
The Tools
Main Blade: It's 2.75" long with a 2.5" cutting edge. I don't know what type of steel is used, but it's very comparable to what Wenger or Victorinox uses. Very easy to resharpen. It's marked ISC over STAINLESS over GERMANY on the left tang. A nail nick is also cut into this side. It's the typical SAK large blade, so I'll skip the details any further. I can't tell the difference between this and a Vic blade (in terms of performance).
Small Blade: This one is 1.75" long with a 1.5" cutting edge. There are no markings on the blade, and the nail nick faces the right side. As with the main blade, this is a typical-quality SAK blade. It cuts very well and is easy to resharpen.
Bottle Opener: This is another typical SAK part. Large flathead screwdriver / wire stripper / bottle opener. It's 1.45" long. There's no half-hitch; it's either open or it's closed. It's handy for the odd screws that you encounter on a ranch or farm.
Can Opener: Yes, you guessed it, another typical SAK part. This one is 1.3" long. It's the can opener that you find on just about every SAK. However, the screwdriver is barely there. It's more like a flattened part of the can opener than a protrusion, as Vic or Wenger uses.
Wood Saw: 2.8" long and an exact, spec-to-spec version of Victorinox' wood saw. It performs just as flawlessly, and cuts like a champ. It cuts through bone just as effectively as wood.
Punch: It's 1.5" long, and has an odd cutting surface. There's a slight angle ground into it to make the "edge", which can be sharpened up if you take the time. There's no sewing eye on this on. It's great for what it was made for - punching holes in things. However, this tool is a real pain in the ass to open. The nail nick sits way too close to the liner, and I really have to dig to get it out. I don't think I've gotten it out a single time without having to file down my fingernail afterwards.
Corkscrew: 1.5" long piece of twisted steel. Very useful. If you plan on using a Vic mini screwdriver with this, as I did, you'll find out that you get a loose fit. This can be fixed by heating the mini screwdriver a bit.
No, it's not the great Camper, but for the money ($15) you can't go wrong. Cutting ability on all blades is on par with the Victorinox version, and I dare say, better in the case of the larger blade. This will probably be in my collection as a display piece for a while since it's no longer available, but it still makes a great cutter.