Pretty nifty pawn shop find!

grownstar

grownstar

Joined
Apr 24, 2013
Messages
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So I was cruising a couple of local pawn shops last week and stumbled upon a very familiar-looking design. I asked the dude working the counter if I could take a look at it and once I flipped it out, I knew I was holding a Rick Hinderer designed Gerber Firestorm: Operation Iraqi Freedom edition! People are always saying that Gerber ain't what it used to be, and that the 440A used on this blade is crap, but when I held that thing in my hand I figured, "What the hell?" and asked what they wanted for it. I was able to talk them down from $20 to a mere $10 and the rest, as they say, is history :D

This is not a review, seeing as how I've only had it since Halloween, and it needs a little work. Blade needs to be touched up and the pocket clip needs to be bent back just a bit for a tighter fit. I'm just excited at this ten buck pawn shop score and wanted to share some pics.

Here's a shot in hand. The handle is very robust-feeling and follows the lines of Rick's XM series. The 3 and 1/4" combo edge tanto blade is very beefy and while the steel is nothing special, the term "hard-use" comes to mind:


The condition of this Firestorm isn't too bad. In fact, other than the blade being chipped up and dull, (see photo below):


the main problems were scratches and marks on the handle like this one:


With a little tweaking I was able to center the blade fairly well:


And despite being years old and used more than moderately, the lock-up is still extremely early. Makes me think this thing still has a couple of years left in her:


Final shot is just a size comparison. Here's the Firestorm next to a couple of my regular EDCs, the Kershaw Cryo and Blur:


Thank you guys/gals for taking the time to check out the newest member of my humble collection :)
 
Thank you, guys. Much appreciated. Can't wait to see what she can do once I've given her the spa treatment ;)
 
Nice score. I had no idea those were so large. I thought they were closer to cryo sized than Blur sized never having looked closely at specs or seen a size comparison.
Gerber has some great designs, with some made in the US using s30v, but I wish they didn't serrate everything. There are a number of knives they make that I'd love to own if they only came in a plain/fine edge.
 
oregonknifenerd said:
Nice score. I had no idea those were so large. I thought they were closer to cryo sized than Blur sized never having looked closely at specs or seen a size comparison.
Gerber has some great designs, with some made in the US using s30v, but I wish they didn't serrate everything. There are a number of knives they make that I'd love to own if they only came in a plain/fine edge.
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Thanks, 'nerd! I was taken a back at the size as well. I must admit I never paid much attention to these models. Now when I see Hinderer attached to anything, I know I've got to at the least check it out. After doing some checking online, I came across another model he did with Gerber called the Torch. That one is definitely more akin to the Cryo than this beast.

And I have to agree with you on all fronts. I don't understand their need to throw serrations on every model they put out!
 
There is a guy at the local gun show that has one of those NIB that has just been hanging out for the last 10 or so shows. I get him about 5 dollars down each show. When he gets down to 30.00, I am going to buy it just for the novelty.
 
NCCNC said:
There is a guy at the local gun show that has one of those NIB that has just been hanging out for the last 10 or so shows. I get him about 5 dollars down each show. When he gets down to 30.00, I am going to buy it just for the novelty.
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Haha exactly! Gotta love the art of haggling...:D

And I know what you mean. The price coupled with the fact that it's another Hinderer design is what sold me. If they didn't drop the price, I can't say I would have bought it right then and there.
 
I have handled it several times and it is a HORRIBLE flipper. The seller and I even laugh together about how horribly it flips. I let him flip my Hinderer Wharnie at the last show because he was talking about how he had never had one to sell and had never handled one. He's a cool guy and always has great prices ON KNIVES AT A GUN SHOW! which is pretty uncommon. I did pick up a spyderco dlc digi camo military at the last show for 80.00 new in the box. I do love to haggle.
 
grownstar said:
Haha exactly! Gotta love the art of haggling...:D

And I know what you mean. The price coupled with the fact that it's another Hinderer design is what sold me. If they didn't drop the price, I can't say I would have bought it right then and there.
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That's always a lot of fun :thumbup: It's always good at gun shows, since the vendors usually don't know their knives that well :p
 
NCCNC said:
I have handled it several times and it is a HORRIBLE flipper. The seller and I even laugh together about how horribly it flips. I let him flip my Hinderer Wharnie at the last show because he was talking about how he had never had one to sell and had never handled one. He's a cool guy and always has great prices ON KNIVES AT A GUN SHOW! which is pretty uncommon. I did pick up a spyderco dlc digi camo military at the last show for 80.00 new in the box. I do love to haggle.
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That first line got me to LOL! I'm trying to play with the pivot, see if I can find the sweet spot. I tightened her up a bit but now she's off-center and I need a whole forearm flick to get the blade out. I'm gonna loosen that pivot when I get home, and maybe clean the washers again. They're nylon...that may have a lot to do with it. And $80 for a new Millie? Dude you robbed him! :p
 
bpeezer said:
That's always a lot of fun :thumbup: It's always good at gun shows, since the vendors usually don't know their knives that well :p
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You know what I'm talking about! If you think vendors at a gun show don't know their knives, you really gotta drop by a pawn shop. I hear, "How do you close it?" so much, the employees should have it on their shirts!
 
Outstanding! I love these threads, ive made a few myself. Great score
 
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