Kershaw Vapor, Gerber AR 3.00, or Buck Mayo Cutback

BJE

BJE

Joined
Apr 12, 2006
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Which do you prefer and why? (both knives PE). Just curious. Also, how do you like the Cuda EDC?
 
I was just wondering about what other people thought about these knives. I already own two of them. I use them for light to medium edc.
 
I wouldn never, ever buy a Gerber again, so this one is out. The Buck, the Kershaw and the Camillus are both fine. The following is just my personal opinion.

I like he Hilo, althogh I 've never handled one. The lock and the size looks just right and the steel is acceptable. The Vapor is also a good bang for the buck, but personally I wouldn't buy anything in AUS-6. The EDC is just about right, but the handle is short and narrow therefore the knife is quite uncomfortable to use. If there were a bigger version I would by it in a heartbeat.

Sooo... For the price I would by a Benchmade Monocrome or a Kershaw Storm.
 
I owned a Vapor and really liked it. It is very nice for the money and (to me at least) extremely comfy in your hand.
The steel may not be the best but the price is so low that it makes up for it.
Plus it looks real nice and opens quick and smoothly. :thumbup:
 
Never used the Gerber. Owned a Cutback and Vapor. They are both great, but I prefered the Cutback. I liked how it looked better (which is subjective), and it opened easier. The ball baring and detent on the Vapor along with the pointy thumb stud ramp thingies made it more of a chore to open. But both are great for the money and it really just comes down to which one looks and feels better to you.

Also, the Buck is 440C which is a little better than the AUS-6 of the Vapor.
 
Redguy said:
I wouldn never, ever buy a Gerber again, so this one is out. The Buck, the Kershaw and the Camillus are both fine. The following is just my personal opinion.

I like he Hilo, althogh I 've never handled one. The lock and the size looks just right and the steel is acceptable. The Vapor is also a good bang for the buck, but personally I wouldn't buy anything in AUS-6. The EDC is just about right, but the handle is short and narrow therefore the knife is quite uncomfortable to use. If there were a bigger version I would by it in a heartbeat.

Sooo... For the price I would by a Benchmade Monocrome or a Kershaw Storm.
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Why would you never buy a Gerber again?
 
I have the Buck Cutback or Hilo,whichever is the larger one.I was surprised at the quality for the low price and made in China.The whole knife has a gunblue like color which looks very nice.Its a framelock(Mayo design)and fit is very good for the price.Opening very smooth,lockup is solid.I don't know what kind of steel the blade is made of,it has 1741- on the tang.Is this their version of 440c?The only worry and it may be totally unfounded is the pivot screw.I can't help worrying that some torqueing or slight prying may pop or strip the pivot pin.Maybe its just the made in China that worries me.One more interesting note this is the 1st folder I've seen that uses a square indentation for the ball bearing to keep the blade locked.Works great but every other folder used a round hole for the bearing.
 
174 is the model number. The l- is the date code. The Hilo is the larger version.
 
Redguy said:
Because I'm disillusioned.

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?p=2835268#post2835268
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Don't let one bad Gerber make you bitter, I just got a bad Mini-Ambush that I have to send back to factory because the blade has way too much play in it, but it certainly won't be my last BM. I have had Gerber knives since I was 10, and I have never had any problems with the quality. Some of the lower end pieces aren't nearly perfect, but you get what you pay for most of the time. I have never seen one fall apart with light use, I havn't ever seen more than a broken blade tip when someone used there knife as a screwdriver (which it was not designed to do). My dad has been carrying a Gerber AR 3.00 for four years now (with alot of hard use) and it is still in perfect condition except for a little Teflon worn from the blade, he has never had a lock failier. I liked his knife so much, that I just recently bought one at Wal-Mart for $27, and it is excellent for the price, tite lockup, nice fit&finish, the only complaint is that the gring lines aren't perfectly even, but even my Native has that problem. Try another Gerber (one of different design than the orig.) and see if you still feel the same way. I like Gerber better than Buck sometimes (with a few exceptions like the 110).
P.S. Why did you pay so much for the knife you talked about, could you not find one cheaper?
 
Gerber isn't the worst... but there are better knives from the money. Unless a certain Gerber model really appeals to you, Gerber is pretty much worthless in the face of the far superior knives for the same or less money.

Also, BJE, you should know that Gerber is no where near the same company they used to be.
 
BJE,

Maybe I was just unlucky but the two defected Gerber knives I bought in a row made me distrustful. At that time the Fred carter Utility II was the most expensive folder in the Gerber line, so even if their high end models were low quality, why should I trust the company? I've also seen a lot of defected Gerber multitools, which broke in short time, when a SOG, a Leatherman or a Victorinox and even my Bucktool kept on working perfectly.

I EDC a Camillus Cuda Quik-Action for years, it has seen a lots of abuse and it is simply perfect. I bet that even my son may use it without any troubles. I've never seen a Benchmade, a Fallkniven, a Buck a Spyderco , a Seki Cut or a Kershaw knife desintegrate during normal use like my Gerbers and Bökers did, so I see no reason for experimenting with those company's products again. Maybe your father is just lucky, I would never say that every knife from Gerber is bad, but since there are countless very proven companies out there, my money will go to them.

P.S. Why did you pay so much for the knife you talked about, could you not find one cheaper?
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I live in Hungary, which is located in Central-Europe, so with the handling, shipping, customs and taxes, I have pay nearly twice as much for a knife made overseas than Americans. It is very sad, but we just have to live with it. :(
 
Until yesterday, I had a Gerber AR 3.00, partially serrated. Decent quality and an excellent design. I lost it (the knife and at least one other item were snagged off my body at that time- not the knifes fault), and I can't wait to replace it. I and everyone else that I allowed to use it loved the knife.
 
mp510 said:
Until yesterday, I had a Gerber AR 3.00, partially serrated. Decent quality and an excellent design. I lost it (the knife and at least one other item were snagged off my body at that time- not the knifes fault), and I can't wait to replace it. I and everyone else that I allowed to use it loved the knife.
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Now it's time to move to a more reputable brand, don't you think? :D
 
Wow, this certainly is an old thread. I have found the quality of Gerber to be much lower than in previous years and I no longer carry them. I also like Buck knives soo much better than Gerbers, I guess people change (or get educated). By the way, the Cutback is an awsome knife, it is one of my favorite framelocks.
 
Don't own a Buck Mayo. But I do own the other two knives, both PE.

The Vapor is a neat little knife that is perfect as a mundane chores EDC.

The Gerber AR 3.00 is not a bad knife. Just badly designed. The thumbstuds are far too tiny and sharp, on top. It's tough to get a good purchase on them. Haven't had any problems with the clip. But it's been my experience that clips that only use 2 screws to hold them in place, tend to wobble after awhile of carrying the knife around. The rubber inserts are good for holding onto the knife. But there's a reason you don't usually find such inserts on the clip side of the knife handle.... This is not the knife to have if you need to get to your's in a hurry. That rubber insert will get in the way! Talk about friction! The liner-lock is thin, but I haven't had any problems with it.

I'd go with the Vapor.
 
Cosmic Superchunk said:
Now it's time to move to a more reputable brand, don't you think? :D
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I don't have any problem with Gerber or the model. If it wasn't at the bottom of a thigh deep in mucky, thickly overgrown swamp right now, I would be carrying that knife right now.

In fact, I don't really care what brand a knife is when I buy it. If there was a good knife put out by Mtech or Frost, sure as hell I would buy it and use it. That's why I avoid Gerber multitools like the plague- because I don't have trust in the quality or design- but again, that's my opinion.

For what it's worth, I can't figure out why people like Byrd's and Spyderco as much as they do- I mean opening holes are a PIA, and a liner lock knife can be closed a lot easier with 1 hand than a liner lock in my experience. I assume they like them out of personal preference, much like I like(d) my Gerber.
 
I have a Kershaw Leek, a Gerber AR 3.0, and a Native, as well as many traditional knives including Bucks. The Gerber AR 3.0 was purchased in 2001. It is a good knife, for $30+-. I expect it will outlast me and I was 32 when I bought it.
 
The Buck Mayo feels a lot like my old Buck Crosslock (which still lives in my backpack for food prep.) The first one I bought was confiscated by my 17 year old daughter when she compared it to the Kabar Dozier folder she was supposed to get. I keep a vapor in my glove box (still in it's the box) in case I ever find myself without a folder. The Buck fits my hand better and is more comfortable to use plus Buck is just a great company that I am always pleased to support.
 
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