Loveless style knives by Berretta, Gerber & Lone Wolf

C

collecter

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Aug 21, 2002
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Does any one out there have a Loveless style knife by Berretta, Gerber or Lone Wolf?

From what I've found so far it seems that they each are using different types of blade steel. How are each constructed and what level of quality can I expect.

I'm fairly criticle about both sides of the knife being symetrical.

I would like to get one and would appreciate your advice.

Thanks,
 
...but the Gerber and Lonewolf versions are both crafted by the same factory in Italy. In fact, the founder of Lonewolf broke off from Gerber not too long ago. The details and knife pics are here...

www.lonewolfknives.com

I've got the Loveless Utility fixed blade, #002, and with total disregard to collector value, I've been using it a bunch in the woods on the weekends. The integral guard design makes for a very stout and sturdy construction overall.

The green micarta slabs are very, very well fitted to the handles, with no apparent gaps or "epoxy fill-in's." While 440-B may not be considered a super-steel, it is a great work-knife steel in my opinion. It re-sharpens easily and holds its edge very well. The sheath is one of my favorite features, as it's a leather pouch style with an insert to keep the inside from getting all boogered-up.

While I promise a more in-depth review at a later date, the fact of the matter is that if they can maintain the grinds, fit, and finish of this early piece that I've got, they're really going to have something! Maintaining this with the folders will be the real challenge, but if my knife is any indication, my humble opinion is that they certainly have the potential to be real contenders. I finally have a Loveless-designed piece that I can beat the hell out of...

Professor.
 
"...the Gerber and Lonewolf versions are both crafted by the same factory in Italy."

If that's the case then I wonder if the Beretta version is from the same factory, Beretta being an Italian company and all. Beretta is using AUS 8, which is practically the same as 440B.
 
I didn't mention previously that I had bought a Beretta Loveless off of Ebay a few days before. I just received the knife yesterday and I must say I was pleasantly surprised by its quality. The fact that I scored it for $132 makes me very happy.

First off, it's not made in Italy like I wondered. It's made in Japan (the AUS 8 should have been the giveaway). Blade stock is 3/16" deeply hollow ground to a razor sharp edge. Out of the box it was the sharpest knife I'd gotten, equal to an AG Russell Quince handled drop point hunter I bought a few months earlier (quite similar knife in terms of esthetics), though the Russell was made from thinner stock. As a matter of fact, both these knives have such sharp edges that I would suspect they'd get edge damage fairly easily if you use them for outdoor woodwork. They seem to be made specifically as hunters--meat, hide, and food prep.

As for your concern of symmetrical grind, Collector, my Beretta piece looked excellent. I don't know if it's because it's machine made or because it's partially hand made with an expert craftsman. I do have 4 hand made knives in my collection, and 3 of them aren't symmetrical. Meanwhile, my Spydercos and Benchmade have better symmetry. It seems to me that sort of thing is easier up to a point with automatic machining, unless you have a very top notch maker grinding by hand. I'm fairly new to the custom knife thing so I don't know how much to expect handcrafted knives to meet the symmetry criteria. Whether this one is machined or hand ground, it's done with excellence.

The Beretta's handle was a very nice surprise. The quince wood on mine has great pattern and color. It's contoured and fits my small to medium sized hand well. The tang is tapered to a very thin end. It's almost symmetrical to the way the blade tapers to the point. Due to the handle's contouring, the tang's spine is slightly rounded. The factory carried this rounding of the spine all the way to the tip of the blade. A very nice subtle detail.

I can't speak for the knife's performance since I don't hunt and my chances to do anything outdoorsy with a knife is near zil living in the city. It does fulfill my fondling and daydreaming needs though.
 
Thanks for your comments.

I've seen some good pictures of the Beretta with the quince scales...it looks like it is very nicely made. The best price I found was $125.00

I like the Gerber a bit better. I like the micarta scales and the fact the it's forged from one piece of steel. The best price I found was $150.00. The pictures I've seen so far were not very good quality so it is difficult to see how well it is made. The knife looks like it has a brushed finish that is not very fine. It almost looks a bit crude. I hope I'm wrong. Lone Wolf is offering a very similar knife for $300.00. I'm assuming it must be better quality but both companies descriptions read identical so I have to wonder if they are the same knives.

Professor, how long ago did you get yours and do you know if the Gerber is the same as the knife you have by Lone Wolf?

Thanks in advance,
Collector
 
Thanks for finding that picture. That knife looks pretty nice. I think there must be two versions of the Loveless Hunter with Gerber etched on the blade. I've noticed the versions I see fot the $150 price have cut marks at the thumb rest area and the finish looks "not so good" and the knife on the AG Russel site for $220 looks very nice.


Thanks for your help.
 
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