Gerber Knives...another product recalled.

[gfanikf]

Seriously if you search for my threads in this sub forum, you'll see that this is I want to say 3rd Gerber product recalled in the 12-24 months (maybe even shorter).

http://www.cpsc.gov/en/Recalls/2013/Gerber-Recalls-Machetes-with-Stitched-Sheaths/

 

[Piraticalbob]

I think I can generalize a bit and say that, much in the same way as "pre-'64" Winchesters and "pre-CBS" Fender guitars, there is a similar quality difference between Gerber as owned by Pete Gerber and his family and Gerber as owned by Fiskars. I've never seen any Gerber product from the Fiskars era that inspired me to break my wallet out.

 

[JShirley]

This is a "problem with the sheath"- which just goes to show the advice I gave again today about how to draw a large knife is a good idea. I like being able to use my fingers.

 

[feedthehogs]

That has got to be one of the worst knife/sheath design mis matches I've ever seen.

 

[blindhari]

Seems a shame,
In 1967 on advice of a senior NCO I went down Main PX at Ft Benning to look at some "decent steel" Most of my pay for the month got me a Gerber Mk 1. I got out after my first hitch and my wife disliked the very look of that blade but I gave her the choice of that high in the closet or a .357 in the house
while the kids were growing up. We helped train Explorer Scouts for search and rescue in Solano county. 5 years later one of them showed up wearing 3 stripes and I gave the knife to him. He hit retirement and asked if I wanted the knife back, I told him to pass it on. It now rides in the boot of a female rotary flight warrant. This knife now has I believe right around a dozen deployments in more than 45 years. At my age and where I live I now carry a folding Buck adrenaline on my belt as it really does not look all that threatening. Down in a boot is a Buck lightning. Like my old Gerber MK 1 I am willing to stake my life on it. I have not seen a Gerber in years that I have that much confidence in.

blindhari

 

[ugaarguy]

I have not seen a Gerber in years that I have that much confidence in.

Unfortunately you have to start by looking to their ever diminishing US made product lines, and I don't even like much of what's there. I do like the De Facto, since it's basically a better version of the Guardian backup with an S30V blade, and a greatly improved sheath. The US made Applegate manual and auto folders (not the overseas made variants) are still nice, but that probably has to do with the design being unchanged (as in not ruined yet) since the mid 90s. That leaves the Alliance folder, and maybe the LMF II fixed blade as their remaining solid options? I guess we could add the reintroduced MK II and S35VN blade anniversary edition MKI to the list. Then again, we're going back to their old designs.

 

[scramasax]

Gerber isn't the only US company that has lowered the quality of their knives and scabbards. It's been a slippery slope of decline for over the last decade. I ordered new versions of older patterns to replicate kits for kids going into the sandbox since the first desert storm deployment and have seen these patterns being made with cheaper steel, poor heat treat and flimsy dangerous sheaths. That is why I only depend on custom knives from makers I know anymore.

Cheers,

ts

 

[Deltaboy1984]

Glad I got my Gator when I did, it was old New dealer stock and was made in the 80's.