Kershaw Avalanche vs. Gerber Covert

Joined
Dec 13, 2002
Messages
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Which of the above would you guys prefer? It will be submitted to rough daily use as well as daily carry as a back-up self defense weapon. I have $75 to spend...that is all. X-mas broke me. One hand deployment is a must. Other brands will be considered...you guys know more than me. Thanks!
 
if all you want is a "pigsticker" then go for the covert, if you want a good all around utility knife then get the avalanche. oh by the way the kershaw is much, much better quality and it deploys so much faster than the covert!!!:D
 
I would actually rate the Covert much higher than the Avalanche myself. It has been one of my favorite knives since its introduction. The production quality is excellent on the Covert. The single ground Covert is a surprisingly good utility blade. It has a full-width flat grind on it that is excellent. The straight blade with the narrow tip makes it excellent for any chore from paring to self-defense. It is a strong, versatile, and efficient cutting tool. I would not bother with the double ground version.

The Covert is ambidextrous, the Avalanche is not. The Covert comes with the LAWKs safety, the Avalanch is a run of the mill liner lock. The SpeedSafe mechanism with a thumb stud, as opposed to a "flipper" is actually more of a liability than a benefit in my experience. You have to relearn your opening motion with your thumb, or the result can be a cut. You wind up flicking the Avalanch to start the assisted opening then having to raise your thumb out of the way to keep it from catching up to the blade edge. The same motion would result in a flicked open blade on a liner lock folder without the assistend opening, so the assisted opening is effectively wasted in my opinion.

The Avalanche does have good ergonomics, good steel, and a good initial cutting edge though. The Covert is still my favorite of the two by a wide margin.
 
the avalanche's speed-safe was definitely not waisted, the liner lock is much stonger, but it does not have the lawks. Good thing the gerber has the lawks as on that knife its definitely needed (much thinner linerlock). Overall the kershaw is a much better quality knife.

...just my experience with them.
 
I have both and would say the Avalanche is a much better EDC. I lucked up on a left hand conversion Avalanche with a NYPD enameled seal on it. Very cool. If you have your heart set on a Covert, let me know. I have a NIB one that doesn't excite me that much. - Lee
 
rev_jch:

rev_jch wrote:
...much thinner linerlock...

Ya? You've measure them? What are the respective thicknesses?

If you like the Avalanche better, that's fine with me, but let us be factual.

Every liner lock needs a LAWKs. The Covert is one of the very few that has it.

beemerphile:
If that is a single ground Covert, I will happily trade my plane-edge Avalance KS1570 for it. In fact, even if it is double ground. Let me know.

:) Cheers!
 
Steve,
yes it is thinner, since you have both go ahead and measure them yourself. Im afraid I dont have much free time to do it myself for you.

And thanks for the offer, very much appreciated!! but I have a few allready!!!
oh by the way the reason you might have trouble selling it is you can buy a new one for about $72-79 dollars. So a "like" nib one would need to be more like $50 dollars to really sell well.
try putting a lower price on it!!!

hope this helps you!!! :)
 
That's what I thought.

I will have the thicknesses for you tomorrow.

I apologize for editing my post while you were replying, but I thought I better not offer an item for sale. Wrong forum and all that.
 
Originally posted by Steve Harvey
rev_jch:beemerphile:
If that is a single ground Covert, I will happily trade my plane-edge Avalance KS1570 for it. In fact, even if it is double ground. Let me know. /B]


I already have the Avalanche. Not interested in a trade. thx - Lee
 
Hate to do this guys but I got to throw one more into this mix...the SOG Flash II w/alum handles. I HAVE to have this knife... it's a beauty! Actually I want all three....I think I'm addicted.
 
So you like the flash? Ive heard mixed things about the speed of this folder, whats your experience? I have to say they look good, but a alumnium handle version? sounds really good!!
 
Well on my old slide caliper the liners look pretty much identical in thickness, .045" plus or minus .005.

Maybe beemerphile has some calipers, and can verify that, since he owns both knives also.
 
Since you only have $75.00 to spend, I think you should wait and save some more money, and then buy a Kershaw Boa!

Good luck,
Allen.
 
Originally posted by Steve Harvey
Maybe beemerphile has some calipers, and can verify that, since he owns both knives also.

Well, beemerphile reads them the same on his Mitutoyo digital calipers except the value here is .051". (Of course the Covert has only a single liner whereas the Avalanche was two.) - Lee
 
Originally posted by beemerphile
Well, beemerphile reads them the same on his Mitutoyo digital calipers except the value here is .051". (Of course the Covert has only a single liner whereas the Avalanche was two.) - Lee

Thanks for verifying that beemerphile.

One correction though, the Covert has two liners also.
 
Originally posted by beemerphile
Mine doesn't. - Lee

You gentlemen hafta' work on those powers of observation! ;)

Look again. The Covert has dual full-length stainless liners, nested into the FRN.

Cheers. :D
 
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