New Gerber Folding Utility/Razor Knife "EAB Pocket Knife"

Tried mine out cutting down about ten boxes after helping a friend move. Found that the piece of sheet steel that forms the pivot/choil is easily distorted. At first the blade started rubbing against the side of the frame when opening and closing, but by the end of the day the pivot/choil was bent far enough that it no longer protected the end of the blade. This could be cured by increasing the thickness of the pivot/choil (and the corresponding spacer in the handle). The Craftsman Superknife knock-off we had worked much better as it had much more support around the pivot area.
 
I noticed that the latest versions of the Gerber EAB have had a few improvements/changes: 1) the pivot/choil has been thickened and strengthened by the addition of sheet steel on either side of the blade (enclosing the end of the blade at the bottom, which had been exposed), 2) a corresponding spacer was added to the handle which also helps the blade to be better centered in the closed position, 3) the screwhead has been changed to use a coin or wide slotted driver for changing the blade (it also has been moved back a bit) 4) the useless nail mark has been removed. This takes care of most of my gripes, so I may have to try one of the newer ones out.
 
BTW, I did a quick search to get more info on the newer version, seems the old version has been recalled and will be replaced by the new version by the maker. I'm gonna see if I can dig up my old one and send it in for an upgrade...
 
Sounds like I quit using my old one after the incident above just in time! Has anyone tried one of the newer ones?
 
I just got a new one as a replacement from Gerber.

The most noticeable change is the beefier choil, which covers not only the edge, but also the sides of the edge. The chances of accidentally bending the choil out of the way allowing for the user to get cut and/or the blade from falling out are much reduced on the revised design. The thicker choil is also a bit more comfortable with heavy gripping.

It also seems to me that the overall knife is a bit heavier and thick than the original. However, I don't have the original to make a comparison.

The blade retention screw inserts from the opposite direction. It still seems quite viable to hack a usable thumb stud with a longer replacement screw and a couple of small washers.
 
Called Gerber to get a postage paid envelope via the number listed in the CPSC link Allex posted. I'll send my old one in for an upgrade and see how the new version holds up. Shecky, let us know how yours works out when you've used it a bit. Thanks.
 
I received my trade-up in the mail a few weeks ago, but wanted to try it out for a while before I checked in here. I tried mine out cutting down boxes to send off Christmas items. The revised version is much better than the recalled version in terms of resistance to bending in the pivot area in normal use (which was the problem I had with the original). The pivot is three layers of sheet steel rather than one (the added side pieces that protect the blade from being exposed extend beyond the pivot), giving a much more solid feel. I don't think it will replace larger handled versions for everyday use, but it makes a handy knife to carry, especially for those who have not really learned to sharpen a knife. Considering the low cost I'll probably get a few more for stocking stuffers.
 
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