Model: Gerber Gear 31-003928 Sumo Folding Pocket Knife, 3.9 Inch Fine Edge Blade, Cyan
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I have a hard time getting behind Gerber when for almost $30 they are still using 7Cr17MoV stainless steel. Their pivot lock is nice to see, and the scales look good, but the action isn't at all flippy unless you hold the lock open and do it all with your wrist. (Edit: which isn't all that important to a lot of people.)
I'll spend the same or less money for a Ganzo Firebird, on bearings, with a fantastic detent and thumb stud or flipper tab action in D2 or 440C over this. Or an Ontario Rat 1 in Aus-8.
That said, if the design of a knife ticks the box for you then the steel used isn't all that huge of a deal within reason. 7Cr17MoV will be tough, but not too hard of a stainless steel. It will serve you okay and be more likely to fold over rather than chip under rough use, which is easy to true up with a sharpening steel, but you will need to sharpen it a bit more often than more expensive steels. I've got knives in this steel and they do their job provided they get a good heat treatment. Which Gerber is at least competent at most of the time. IOW, don't be a steel snob unless you are ready to pay appropriately for it. 95% of knife users will be served just fine by a well built, properly heat treated, budget 7Cr17MoV stainless steel blade like this one. I would in no way be ashamed to carry this knife, I just don't love the design enough to add it to my collection at this price point, even though I gave the deal a thumbs up.
tl:dr: Meh, but you might think it looks awesome, love the pivot lock and it will open your Amazon boxes like a fvcking champ.
I have a hard time getting behind Gerber when for almost $30 they are still using 7Cr17MoV stainless steel. Their pivot lock is nice to see, and the scales look good, but the action isn't at all flippy unless you hold the lock open and do it all with your wrist.
I'll spend the same or less money for a Ganzo Firebird, on bearings, with a fantastic detent and thumb stud or flipper tab action in D2 or 440C over this. Or an Ontario Rat 1 in Aus-8.
That said, if the design of a knife ticks the box for you then the steel used isn't all that huge of a deal within reason. 7Cr17MoV will be tough, but not too hard of a stainless steel. It will serve you okay and be more likely to fold over rather than chip under rough use, which is easy to true up with a sharpening steel, but you will need to sharpen it a bit more often than more expensive steels. I've got knives in this steel and they do their job provided they get a good heat treatment. Which Gerber is at least competent at most of the time. IOW, don't be a steel snob unless you are ready to pay appropriately for it. 95% of knife users will be served just fine by a well built, properly heat treated, budget 7Cr17MoV stainless steel blade like this one. I would in no way be ashamed to carry this knife, I just don't love the design enough to add it to my collection at this price point, even though I gave the deal a thumbs up.
tl:dr: Meh, but you might think it looks awesome, love the pivot lock and it will open your Amazon boxes like a fvcking champ.
Nice write up.
The look was interesting but yes, not the best steel. I just picked up the Civici Elementum button lock which is great for fidgeting and the Urban Trapper in M390. So, I will skip.
I have a hard time getting behind Gerber when for almost $30 they are still using 7Cr17MoV stainless steel. Their pivot lock is nice to see, and the scales look good, but the action isn't at all flippy unless you hold the lock open and do it all with your wrist. (Edit: which isn't all that important to a lot of people.)
I'll spend the same or less money for a Ganzo Firebird, on bearings, with a fantastic detent and thumb stud or flipper tab action in D2 or 440C over this. Or an Ontario Rat 1 in Aus-8.
That said, if the design of a knife ticks the box for you then the steel used isn't all that huge of a deal within reason. 7Cr17MoV will be tough, but not too hard of a stainless steel. It will serve you okay and be more likely to fold over rather than chip under rough use, which is easy to true up with a sharpening steel, but you will need to sharpen it a bit more often than more expensive steels. I've got knives in this steel and they do their job provided they get a good heat treatment. Which Gerber is at least competent at most of the time. IOW, don't be a steel snob unless you are ready to pay appropriately for it. 95% of knife users will be served just fine by a well built, properly heat treated, budget 7Cr17MoV stainless steel blade like this one. I would in no way be ashamed to carry this knife, I just don't love the design enough to add it to my collection at this price point, even though I gave the deal a thumbs up.
tl:dr: Meh, but you might think it looks awesome, love the pivot lock and it will open your Amazon boxes like a fvcking champ.
I have a hard time getting behind Gerber when for almost $30 they are still using 7Cr17MoV stainless steel. Their pivot lock is nice to see, and the scales look good, but the action isn't at all flippy unless you hold the lock open and do it all with your wrist. (Edit: which isn't all that important to a lot of people.)
I'll spend the same or less money for a Ganzo Firebird, on bearings, with a fantastic detent and thumb stud or flipper tab action in D2 or 440C over this. Or an Ontario Rat 1 in Aus-8.
That said, if the design of a knife ticks the box for you then the steel used isn't all that huge of a deal within reason. 7Cr17MoV will be tough, but not too hard of a stainless steel. It will serve you okay and be more likely to fold over rather than chip under rough use, which is easy to true up with a sharpening steel, but you will need to sharpen it a bit more often than more expensive steels. I've got knives in this steel and they do their job provided they get a good heat treatment. Which Gerber is at least competent at most of the time. IOW, don't be a steel snob unless you are ready to pay appropriately for it. 95% of knife users will be served just fine by a well built, properly heat treated, budget 7Cr17MoV stainless steel blade like this one. I would in no way be ashamed to carry this knife, I just don't love the design enough to add it to my collection at this price point, even though I gave the deal a thumbs up.
tl:dr: Meh, but you might think it looks awesome, love the pivot lock and it will open your Amazon boxes like a fvcking champ.
Companies like Ganzo have been caught lying about their grade of steel. I highly doubt the Ganzo is realistically any better than t his Gerber.
Absolutely some Chinese companies have, but not Ganzo. LuvThemKnives on YouTube[youtube.com] has been sending out batches of knives for analysis and rockwell hardness testing, and Ganzo consistently test true to the claimed steel and also test relatively high HRC to indicate they are doing quality heat treatments.
If that's not enough for you I own several Ganzo Firebird knives in both D2 and 440c. I also own or have own many, many Gerber knives. I'll take a Ganzo Firebirds in D2 with an 60-61 HRC over anything Gerber puts out in 7Cr17MoV. And If I want a harder use knife, because D2 is a bit brittle, I'd take a Ganzo in 440c over a similarly priced Gerber.
There was a time when almost everything that came out of China was crap, but those days are over for the most part. Do your own research, though. LuvThemKnives[youtube.com] is a good place to start for steel tests on import knives. I've watched his channel and knife reviews for several years and trust him.
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I'll spend the same or less money for a Ganzo Firebird, on bearings, with a fantastic detent and thumb stud or flipper tab action in D2 or 440C over this. Or an Ontario Rat 1 in Aus-8.
That said, if the design of a knife ticks the box for you then the steel used isn't all that huge of a deal within reason. 7Cr17MoV will be tough, but not too hard of a stainless steel. It will serve you okay and be more likely to fold over rather than chip under rough use, which is easy to true up with a sharpening steel, but you will need to sharpen it a bit more often than more expensive steels. I've got knives in this steel and they do their job provided they get a good heat treatment. Which Gerber is at least competent at most of the time. IOW, don't be a steel snob unless you are ready to pay appropriately for it. 95% of knife users will be served just fine by a well built, properly heat treated, budget 7Cr17MoV stainless steel blade like this one. I would in no way be ashamed to carry this knife, I just don't love the design enough to add it to my collection at this price point, even though I gave the deal a thumbs up.
tl:dr: Meh, but you might think it looks awesome, love the pivot lock and it will open your Amazon boxes like a fvcking champ.
Here is David C. Anderson over at Knife Center and his comments on the Gerber Sumo. [youtu.be] And he considers it a bargain at $10 more than it's selling for in this deal.
I'll spend the same or less money for a Ganzo Firebird, on bearings, with a fantastic detent and thumb stud or flipper tab action in D2 or 440C over this. Or an Ontario Rat 1 in Aus-8.
That said, if the design of a knife ticks the box for you then the steel used isn't all that huge of a deal within reason. 7Cr17MoV will be tough, but not too hard of a stainless steel. It will serve you okay and be more likely to fold over rather than chip under rough use, which is easy to true up with a sharpening steel, but you will need to sharpen it a bit more often than more expensive steels. I've got knives in this steel and they do their job provided they get a good heat treatment. Which Gerber is at least competent at most of the time. IOW, don't be a steel snob unless you are ready to pay appropriately for it. 95% of knife users will be served just fine by a well built, properly heat treated, budget 7Cr17MoV stainless steel blade like this one. I would in no way be ashamed to carry this knife, I just don't love the design enough to add it to my collection at this price point, even though I gave the deal a thumbs up.
tl:dr: Meh, but you might think it looks awesome, love the pivot lock and it will open your Amazon boxes like a fvcking champ.
Here is David C. Anderson over at Knife Center and his comments on the Gerber Sumo. [youtu.be] And he considers it a bargain at $10 more than it's selling for in this deal.
The look was interesting but yes, not the best steel. I just picked up the Civici Elementum button lock which is great for fidgeting and the Urban Trapper in M390. So, I will skip.
https://www.amazon.com/Gerber-Gea...08BPGZKDX/
I'll spend the same or less money for a Ganzo Firebird, on bearings, with a fantastic detent and thumb stud or flipper tab action in D2 or 440C over this. Or an Ontario Rat 1 in Aus-8.
That said, if the design of a knife ticks the box for you then the steel used isn't all that huge of a deal within reason. 7Cr17MoV will be tough, but not too hard of a stainless steel. It will serve you okay and be more likely to fold over rather than chip under rough use, which is easy to true up with a sharpening steel, but you will need to sharpen it a bit more often than more expensive steels. I've got knives in this steel and they do their job provided they get a good heat treatment. Which Gerber is at least competent at most of the time. IOW, don't be a steel snob unless you are ready to pay appropriately for it. 95% of knife users will be served just fine by a well built, properly heat treated, budget 7Cr17MoV stainless steel blade like this one. I would in no way be ashamed to carry this knife, I just don't love the design enough to add it to my collection at this price point, even though I gave the deal a thumbs up.
tl:dr: Meh, but you might think it looks awesome, love the pivot lock and it will open your Amazon boxes like a fvcking champ.
Here is David C. Anderson over at Knife Center and his comments on the Gerber Sumo. [youtu.be] And he considers it a bargain at $10 more than it's selling for in this deal.
I second the Ganzo Firebirds. Underrated for what they are imo
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I'll spend the same or less money for a Ganzo Firebird, on bearings, with a fantastic detent and thumb stud or flipper tab action in D2 or 440C over this. Or an Ontario Rat 1 in Aus-8.
That said, if the design of a knife ticks the box for you then the steel used isn't all that huge of a deal within reason. 7Cr17MoV will be tough, but not too hard of a stainless steel. It will serve you okay and be more likely to fold over rather than chip under rough use, which is easy to true up with a sharpening steel, but you will need to sharpen it a bit more often than more expensive steels. I've got knives in this steel and they do their job provided they get a good heat treatment. Which Gerber is at least competent at most of the time. IOW, don't be a steel snob unless you are ready to pay appropriately for it. 95% of knife users will be served just fine by a well built, properly heat treated, budget 7Cr17MoV stainless steel blade like this one. I would in no way be ashamed to carry this knife, I just don't love the design enough to add it to my collection at this price point, even though I gave the deal a thumbs up.
tl:dr: Meh, but you might think it looks awesome, love the pivot lock and it will open your Amazon boxes like a fvcking champ.
Here is David C. Anderson over at Knife Center and his comments on the Gerber Sumo. [youtu.be] And he considers it a bargain at $10 more than it's selling for in this deal.
If that's not enough for you I own several Ganzo Firebird knives in both D2 and 440c. I also own or have own many, many Gerber knives. I'll take a Ganzo Firebirds in D2 with an 60-61 HRC over anything Gerber puts out in 7Cr17MoV. And If I want a harder use knife, because D2 is a bit brittle, I'd take a Ganzo in 440c over a similarly priced Gerber.
There was a time when almost everything that came out of China was crap, but those days are over for the most part. Do your own research, though. LuvThemKnives [youtube.com] is a good place to start for steel tests on import knives. I've watched his channel and knife reviews for several years and trust him.