Old Gerber folder

[ichor]

While perusing a new pawn shop in town, I spotted an old Gerber lockback. I had one like it in the 70's. Brass frame with wood inserts. Fairly thin and quite dressy looking with a 2 1/2" blade, like a "gentleman's" knife. Blade is very tight with no vertical or lateral play. I figured I couldn't lose for 8 bucks so I brought it home and cleaned it up. It's quite nice to look at but the blade seems a bit difficult to sharpen. Anyone remember what steel Gerber used in these knives?

 

[Jeff Clark]

If it wasn't stainless steel it might be "high speed tool steel" aka L-6 or M2. Those really are a pain to sharpen compared to your average steel. It should really hold an edge once you get there. M2 takes a better edge than L-6, but L-6 is tougher. They are both extremely abrasion resistant.

 

[bob bowie]

Jeff nailed the steel question.

If you want to learn anything else about the knife, it was their "FS" (Folding Sportsman) line. Quite large and popular array of models till Gerber Discountinued them about 10 years back. The stainless steel was 440C, I believe.

 

[FullerH]

I have one of those with a "Flickit" attached to it. It was the knife that damned near got me arrested at Chicago's O'Hare International in, get this, November of 1979. I had put it in the tray at Washington National and the FAA police had not even taken notice, but we had a delay in Chicago with our transfer to a short hop plane to Milwaukee and my 6-year old son and I went for a walk around the airport. When I got back to the gate, there was a Chicago cop there who got all excited about my deadly weapon, especially about the Flickit, and was about to arrest me on the spot. I mean this dude was roaring angry, acting just like the films of the cops hassling the press and other non-violent types at the 1968 Democratic Convention, when an American Airlines managerial person stepped in and listened to what I had to say about the knife having been acceptable to the FAA police at my point of origin and about it being perfectly legal in Arlington, Virginia, my residence. The fact that I had a young boy with me also had an effect upon the other gate personnel. The American people took it, put it into a box, and the aircrew carried it to Milwaukee, where they returned it to me. I last saw the manager talking with the cop, who was still carrying on as my son and I walked onto the airplane. I packed it in my check-through for the trip home. And that is why I have never tried to carry any kind of knfe onto an airplane ever since.

 

[Don Luis]

Like Bob says, I think it´s one of the sporstman series in 440C, I have the one with the "Derringer" handle, it´s good steel.