They’re converging!
I have this knife and it’s my daily-carry knife too! But I’ve had a lot of trouble keeping it sharp. Tried a few at-home sharpeners with mediocre results. Any advice?
I think I had an old version of this and lost it. It didn’t have a clip on it. I’d lose a knife a year or so.
Finally bought a CRKT with a clip on it and have had the same knife for nearly 10 years. So what ever you get, get a clip.
Gerber’s quality went way down after being bought by Fiskar, and they are not known for using good steel…
Admittedly I’m a knife snob, but even on a budget I pass on Gerber.
Do you have the 440 version or the ATS34 version? Honestly, I think they try to “idiot proof” their blades by heat treating them to be a little softer (easier to sharpen, harder to chip or snap a tip off if you’re abusing it). The ATS34 version was a bit harder, but still didn’t live up at all to the performance that that steel can do. I eventually switched from Gerber as my “go-to” brand for cheap-ish pocket knives, and switched to Kershaw’s cheaper line in 8Cr13MoV.
I actually found that weight is the bigger concern for me than a belt clip. I’ll lose or forget something even mildly weighty regardless of clip situation. I also had a rather interesting conversation with some NYPD officers in Brooklyn one day about concealed knife laws in various jurisdictions. They stopped me because the clip, and just the clip was visible on the knife in my pocket. In NYC a visible knife, even just the clip is a violation. As it constitutes threatening carry of a weapon technically. The knife was of a size that if concealed it was totally legal. Kind of a reversal of where I’m from, where an openly carried knife of any size is legal. But a concealed ones needs to be below a certain size. They had no interest in citing me (I’m white, they hate paperwork, and the law is a bit weird/pointless), so they just asked me to drop it full on in my pocket. I think it would have just been a fine anyway.
I switched to an Opinel, weighs nothing, takes up no room in my pocket, and lacking a clip its never visible
I’ve got some dodgy Gerbers. A wallyword special gift box from my brother. They’re sharp enough and hold that edge well. Though one of them was bent at the tip out of the box, they’re soft, prone to rust despite being stainless, and generally feel a little flimsy. I mostly use them fishing, or when I’m otherwise near salt water. Its gonna kill them but I figure that kind of what they’re for. Now the brother who got them for me has quite a few of the nicer Gerbers that aren’t made in China. And they seem a lot better in every way. Basically on par with most of the good name brands at the same price point. But we both like the blade shapes better. He also has an older Gerber push dagger from before Friskar bought them. That thing is a hell of a lot nicer than any of the newer ones he has, and it held up for him through 3 tours in Iraq and 1 in Afghanistan (which is frankly the only excuse to own anything as otherwise stupid as a push dagger).
So I’d say you’re right, technically. But there isn’t really anything wrong with their product. You’re getting what you pay for. The cheap shit is cheap and some what less than shit. The more expensive stuff is of reasonable quality. But judging by that one push dagger their stuff used to be in the shocking value for price category. Which is a shame.
I’m a knife snob too. I have a SOG X-Ray Vision that’s my daily carry, and I must say, the tanto tip + partial serration + VG-10 steel on a 4" blade is a real winner in my book. It’s good for practically everything, from cutting straps and rope, to whittling, to scraping, to picking and prying with the tip to fine work with the short aspect of the tanto.
It’s more expensive than a Gerber, but I got it from the outlet for about $40 because there was a practically microscopic, pin-prick-sized ding at the back-side base of the blade. Otherwise it would have been about $140.
[quote=“Ryuthrowsstuff, post:7, topic:54757”]I also had a rather interesting conversation with some NYPD officers in Brooklyn one day about concealed knife laws in various jurisdictions. They stopped me because the clip, and just the clip was visible on the knife in my pocket. In NYC a visible knife, even just the clip is a violation. As it constitutes threatening carry of a weapon technically.
[/quote]
Thank god I don’t live in that shit hole… but good to know if I visit again.
lol, I walk into recreational pot dispensaries in Seattle with my knife clip showing. They have very prominent signs saying no weapons, and I haven’t been hassled yet. Because my knife isn’t a weapon. It’s a tool for cutting.
I like NYC just fine. The particular part of Brooklyn I was in at the time? Not so much. I’m 90% sure the major reason I didn’t get fined because they’re allergic to paper work. And if I hadn’t been living in that particular part of Brooklyn? I never would have been questioned in the first place (hispanic live there, so OMG). Same reason they talked my concussed ass out of filing a report when I got mugged. But the local precinct were good people for the most part, bureaucratic asshattery not withstanding.
More likely that Seattle hasn’t passed any bizarre “gang visibility” laws that classify a visible butter knife as a gang related offense. So they can roll on state level laws that limit themselves to length limits for things that are invisible. I remember when I lived in Philly there were certain parts of town where wearing certain colors would get you stopped.
In New York, any knife with one-hand opening is a prohibited “switchblade.”
And if an officer finds it in a Terry stop, the fact that you had it could be an initial charge of “assaulting a peace officer with a deadly weapon.”
Really? I guess I carry a switch blade, then.
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