Yeah they really really hurt themselves with the whole Bear Grylls thing. The Strong Arm and the 06 auto were great but most people know the Walmart stuff.
tony v gators are still pretty great, I have the folder in 420hc and it’s a great beater and fishing knife. Sharpens easily enough, grippy handle, good lock up, can’t complain for the $25 I paid
Bought both, Dividend and Fastball. After 2 months to using both I have found the Gerber to be superior in finish, overall quality and edge retention by a wide margin. Although both are great the Kershaw as good as it is will probably wind up in the tool box and the Gerber will be my EDC..
Reminds me of a Leek. It looks like it would need gun grip tape or something similar to keep it from being slippery. I don’t enjoy getting cut. They could always just stamp “Bear Grylls” on the defective ones and people will expect the defect. :)
If you’re going to say that, you might as well call all titanium scales slippery and needs grip tape.. im not sticking grip tape on my ZT’s or Spydercos lol.
John why are you on this channels comments if you dont. This channel is about the little nuances that make up pocket knives and good humor . You are clearly in the wrong neighborhood , feel free to leave and take your bad attitude with you
One is an early production example and one is revised to give the sharpeners a little more room to work without kissing the leading radius of scale with the belt. FYI.
I had a Gerber multitool back in the day before Gerber started their downhill slide. It was an amazing tool. I still have it, I still use it, and I’m glad to see Gerber wants to get back to that quality.
"If somebody who gives a damn gets one of 'em they will send it home, tell their friends, and mentally file Gerber away in the junk drawer". No truer words ever spoken. Great presentation.
I was actually interested in one until I saw this. Gerber has never been on my list of decent manufactures but I kind of hoped they had stepped up their game. Which it seems they have, but that shows how far they fell more than how far they've come.
If you told me I'd consider buying a Gerber one day, I would have asked you to put me out of my misery right there and then. But recently they've put out a lot of decent knives, and I'm turning around.
I like the design but I haven’t bought one because of some of the points you make. I’m sure they’ll fine tune for future release. House of blades has a Kershaw Dividend exclusive with the deep carry clip and same steel for $90. USA made too. Thanks for the info. 👍🏽
I am so glad to see that Gerber was able, after all of these years, to design the Kershaw Leek. Truly innovative. Really, though, I like the design a lot. :D
Well I mean the fact yours was fine and his had issues only shows how bad the QC is. But I'm glad yours was fine, trust me I've gotten plenty of QC issues on some knives I've bought for more than $100 and it sucks, I wouldn't wish it upon anyone else in the knife community.
Duh Doy most of my buddies who got theirs are also perfect out of the box. Most of the QC issue ones were early release models. First batch if you will. Any stragglers are standard 1 in 100 bad knives that every company, yes even Spyderco in my experience, put out. It is unfortunate, but Gerbers QC is not much different than the competition. And their warranty isn’t either. Sent a early centerdrive multitool back. They didn’t just fix it. They sent me a brand new one that was good to go. So I’d say they are doing good here and I hope people see it.
So... I take it the blade doesn't fall or swing shut? Good review. The thickness behind the edge and the edge itself were issues I was looking for, glad you brought them up.
This is a great review. Gerber should listen and act to your evaluation. They should also pay you. You told them what is wrong and how to fix it, a true engineer. Thanks.
I love the action but mine would tear cardboard due to the edge thickness. I had to really lay the edge back with a 220 grit water stone for it to cut decently. Great vid!
i have been waiting so patiently for them to do something like this. ima pick it up. i will be keeping an eye on them now instead of passing them over.
Alright Doc, I have a question. Does it not enable a knife maker to continue to disregard QC if I give them my money knowing that it's a roll of the dice? I could always return the Fastball if mine arrives low and outside, but to what end? I saw the Fastball a few weeks ago and was ready to play ball, but I was really put out by the mixed reviews. What are they are batting with you, .500? That's great in baseball but shameful for an 80-year-old US knife company. I'm sure I would love it if I got a home run, but I'm debating riding the bench on this one. Thoughts?
I think you're probably costing them more money by making them make it right. But I agree, as a community, we need to be clear that bad QC means fewer purchases.
@@NickShabazz Yeah, I liked your point about the cost of losing an entire generation. There is also the value of reclaiming any that were previously lost. As a kid, I remember when Gerber set the bar. They were silky smooth and had so much more attention to the fit and finish than other knives. My dad had a Gator he got from Eddie Bauer, with a curved blade that must have been bead blasted. I can still remember how it felt in my hand. It was a Gem all day long, albeit it might have made your Murdery list. That's what I want to see Gerber get back to. Solid, grippy, ergonomic, highly finished, sometimes Murdery, USA made knives.
Yes - dietear = whats known as "sheer & break" it shows up anytime steal is stamped or sheered. Most times it cannot be tumbled out. Its intresting that Gerber has decided to build a dedicated die, for these knives. I think it would have been much more cost efficient to program a waterjet, or laser, to produce these parts. It may suggest, Gerber plans on running this model, for many many years to come. I hope it works for them. I too, would like to see Gerber make a comeback. Thanks Nick. Good reveiw.
I've carried this knife for about a year now the clip became loose an I lost a couple screws I managed to find a screw to fit the clip an the screw in the middle is lost but it seems not needed other then that it's strong detent losses after awhile but still stronger then out of the box spiderco after a year lockup is still soild as it gets an flips out like a light switch super thin in the pocket for 100 bucks it's so good s30v American made 💪 its the best Gerber ive had for sure
@@MethodOverRide I did not. With it being a "beater" knife anyway I didn't feel like spending more $$ for shipping and handling. I just sharpened it up myself.
I feel like this knife competes directly with the Kershaw Bareknuckle and I feel like the bareknuckle is at a more appropriate price point and the fit and finish of mine is excellent. When I first saw this I was really excited but I decided to pass because of your review but I really hope they reiterate this knife and continue trying.
Nick, have you ever reviewed the Ozark Trails model 5514? At 3 1/2" it's a decently useful size. Blade steel is 3Cr13, equivalent to 420J2 stainless steel, not a fantastic steel but sufficient for a knife with a sub $7 price tag. It's a touch thick and the pocket clip is neither deep pocket nor tip up carry. I beat a Spam tin up with it and the edge held up to it. It's not the best knife of all time, but it seems to be the Hi Point pistol of pocket knives. It's chunky and there are better made knives on the market but at the price point it's surprisingly good.
Like others have said...this looks A LOT like the Kershaw Dividend. Although, the M390 Dividend (which is also USA made, BTW) has better blade steel. I'm thoroughly happy with my Dividend M390, and am glad Gerber has taken a step in the right direction.
Nick, I hope someone at Gerber is listening to you. I'd spring for a Fastball 2, incorporating your design recommendations and real QC, in a heartbeat (one additional request: a satin blade, please). Decades ago, a friend presented me with a beautiful Gerber slip joint. Great blade, about 2" long, but one of the mother-of-pearl scales fell off after a couple of years. Around that time, I bought another Gerber for myself as a duty knife. That one didn't impress: out of the box, it was difficult to distinguish the edge from the spine and returning it for a factory sharpening didn't help much. That was when I bought my first knife from the new kid on the block, Spyderco. Any time I heard of Gerber, I just thought, "Rubbish." That feeling only intensified when I started seeing the Bear Grylls armchair warrior stuff. So I'm really pulling for Gerber to change my opinion of them.
When we going to get a review on that Civivi? From what I could see, it looks a lot like the one I bought recently and I'd love to hear your thoughts on it.
I have the black and silver model and the same person who ruined the black one ruined the silver one.!Can I request a fastball unsharpened from the factory?
I picked up one. Overall happy at $100. Wish it was $20 cheaper but there is a whole list of knives I feel like that. Green finish on mind gives a good grip. Detent is a little strong but wow, when it opens it opens with authority! At $100 some won’t care for it. At $80, everyone should like it!
Thanks for the review Nick! Just curious- when will you and Tony release the GearGeeks episode with this designer? Sounds like itll be an interesting episode to listen to...
Great honest review. I had a bad experience with the sample they had at Shot Show. I can appreciate the effort that you're pointing to for certain. But really, that's a 80 dollar knife at best. And they're QC needs some attention as you say. The "overtravel" on the model they had out for people to handle was unacceptable. The nice thing about that blade design is they have bunch of options they can go to while they work out QC hopefully.
I had high hopes for this knife, but I also received one with a bad blade grind. If it cost me $30, I'd probably be willing to let it slide, but at $100, that's just not acceptable. Because of this, I'm more than likely going to pass on anything else they offer up in the future.
This is a compelling knife and I'm glad Gerber is making more quality blades, but as long as the kershaw dividend in m390 exists for less money, I'll pass.
EDC elephant how's it going man? The Kershaw Dividend is my favorite edc but I've never seen the M390 version for less than $100. Do you have a link? Thanks
It should be forbidden by the law to screw into the scales... at least it would prevent alot of blade companies from ruining their folder designs into garbage...
Hey Nick, love the reviews. Have you heard that NY/NYC changed their knife laws? I can now finally carry a knife that isn't a plastic one that happened to be included with my take out food! Time to give BladeHQ all my money!
cloudcleaver23 They removed all mentions of “gravity knife” from the law. So NYers are no longer limited to non locking knives. As long as the blade is under 4” and not automatic, then It’s legal. The only area where knives are illegal to carry are in the subways Look up the bill “A5944” for more info. NY had been trying to get this passed for 3 years and it finally passed.
The only thing that has changed is that we can carry most locking folding knives now (still illegal in the subway and pocket clips are still "brandishing" however). Retailers still do not ship to NY/NYC unfortunately.
PunnyRabbit BladeHQ ships to me. I’ve ordered about 4-5 Spyderco’s and Benchmades from them in the last 2 months. Amazon also ships to me, I bought my dad a Benchmade Bugout on Amazon for fathers day
Pocket clips are brandishing. 9_9 That's one of the stupidest things I've heard all year. At least it's getting better for y'all up there, but good God you're buried under a pile of idiotic laws.
Crkt is sitting in a pretty good spot in the sense that they make great introductory knives and have the capability to become so much more. Gerber has a handful of nice offerings but hasnt impressed me in some time.
@@thedrmurchindise CRKT has great designs but their QC and materials kinda suck. Gerber has the same problems as CRKT but has way fewer good designs imo
You can get a USA custom with an s30v cleaver blade and copper scales from their custom shop for cheaper than the new bugout. Glorious...Just saying :)
You're coming to my neck of the woods!! The Portland is a fantastic place to visit, and I'm curious (and a bit skeptical) as to how Gerber plans to come back from years of pandering mediocrity.
I would be interested if You could review the US Assist from Gerber and get Your take on it..Personally, owning One I dont think its that Bad.. I received a Fastball from my Boys for Christmas and you were Spot On, I like it and I hope that its a sign of Good Things to Come from Gerber
Portland is a great place to visit . Check out the best book store on the west coast , Powell’s city of books. This Gerber kinda reminds me of the dividend by Kershaw. Not a bad thing eh!
I know where Gerber got the idea for this design , they just looked at the Kershaw Dividend . The Dividend with M390 for $80.00 and wicked slicey blade , is a hell of a better deal . It looks like Gerber just shot themselves in their other foot.
Brian F idk. Doesn’t look much like it to me. More angular and abstract. And it’s a manual, which is better than assisted. I have both a link and the fastball and I prefer the fastball hands down. M390 can be really iffy on kershaws as well from what I heard
I bought one last year that was very disappointed. The lockup was way past 50% and the centering was abysmal. I bought another one today, on sale for 20% off. We'll see. I'm rooting for them, but this is probably the last chance, from me.
A kershaw dividend with Gerber goggles. Good for Gerber for working towards a great goal, and keep on trying, we'd love to have you back, but will I buy a fastball? Honestly no, though I will keep an eye on their efforts!
Let’s face it, the majority of us knife guys buy knives to fulfill the urge! For the most part we cut open the box our new knife came in with our old knife and on and on!
Honestly not surprised, the QC on Gerber has always been disappointing to me. Everytime I pick one up hoping I'll be surprised I end up dissatisfied and end up going back to Ruike for budget knives.
Looks like the Kershaw Dividend and Ferrite had a child that was adopted by Gerber... Has an improved steel vs those 2, but the Kershaws have a better fit & finish. For a $100 though, I'd expect much better QC. Kershaw Dividend: we made a well designed knife with lesser materials to keep it budget. - Gerber Fastball: we gave a $30 knife some better blade steel, and have to charge for that.
I've really wanted to like this knife since I saw the shot show coverage but everyone who's reviewed it has the same issues. Looks like Gerber still has some work to do.
I can say i own 3 of the Gerber autos and they are terrible. But what's even worse is their warranty department. Ive had a few bad experiences and i will say i will never buy another Gerber. But thanks for the review it certainly helper put things into perspective.
If the design is something you really like, I highly recommend checking out the Kershaw Dividend in m390. You can get a super steel in a very similar design for around the $70 mark. Kershaw is super quick about getting replacement springs to you if they break. Also, If you request a deep carry clip for it, they will get one shipped out to you free of charge!
Bottom line is Gerber needs to operate on smaller margins until they get their reputation back, blow me out of the water..then creep up the pricing over time. I am rooting for Gerber, but they should be putting these out perfect at $50.00 to just get them out there and get the mojo going. Great Vid.
Hunter Glaspell it’s called a loss leader, and you would write off some of the cost as marketing. It may not be an immediate return.. but they need hype..and Gerber is in a position to have to take a short term loss to create that hype, but it would be worth it in brand awareness etc. So..sometimes..yes, it is how you make a business thrive.
It would be interesting when mentioning price comparisons to at least have a couple of comparisons to US-made knives. A Buck Vantage in S30v is an unassisted flipper that I believe is a little cheaper, but no bearings, not great action, and not really great f&f. Benchmade maybe the Grip is in the same price territory. Spyderco really only has FRN lightweight knives around $100. Kershaw makes an M390 Dividend in that price range if you can tolerate the assist. Viewed in that context the price doesn't seem quite as bad, though of course it is a global market.
I wouldn't mind seeing more Gerbers like the US1 I got on clearance just after the new year at Walmart. Just in case anyone from Gerber happens to look through the comments... 😉
At $70 this would be a lot more compelling but still nice to see gerber getting away from Bear grylls wal mart knives.
Yes. My dad bought me a 154cm Gator back in the day. They used to make great knife that werent blaze orange.
Yeah they really really hurt themselves with the whole Bear Grylls thing. The Strong Arm and the 06 auto were great but most people know the Walmart stuff.
I had one of those gators in like 1999 also bought my wife at the time one both are now gone .wouldent mind having the gator back lol
tony v gators are still pretty great, I have the folder in 420hc and it’s a great beater and fishing knife. Sharpens easily enough, grippy handle, good lock up, can’t complain for the $25 I paid
I agree.
Hearing that “Hey everybody its nick heya” makes my day
Nick Shabazz brought me from the flea market to the knife world. I owe him.
Never was interested in Gerber , but this seems to be a large step in the right direction.Thanks for sharing!
Bought both, Dividend and Fastball. After 2 months to using both I have found the Gerber to be superior in finish, overall quality and edge retention by a wide margin. Although both are great the Kershaw as good as it is will probably wind up in the tool box and the Gerber will be my EDC..
Wow. Probably the most balanced review ever done. By anyone. As soon as Gerber gets on with your suggestions, I'm gonna buy 2 as well.👍
Reminds me of a Leek. It looks like it would need gun grip tape or something similar to keep it from being slippery. I don’t enjoy getting cut.
They could always just stamp “Bear Grylls” on the defective ones and people will expect the defect. :)
If you’re going to say that, you might as well call all titanium scales slippery and needs grip tape.. im not sticking grip tape on my ZT’s or Spydercos lol.
Who else noticed the sharpening choil as soon as he pulled the second one out 😂
who else cares about that.
John why are you on this channels comments if you dont. This channel is about the little nuances that make up pocket knives and good humor . You are clearly in the wrong neighborhood , feel free to leave and take your bad attitude with you
@@johnj.baranski6553 yeah who cares about quality control and expects the same product to look the same leaving the factory.
One is an early production example and one is revised to give the sharpeners a little more room to work without kissing the leading radius of scale with the belt. FYI.
Ahem...it’s pronounced “sha-pening choil”.
I had a Gerber multitool back in the day before Gerber started their downhill slide. It was an amazing tool. I still have it, I still use it, and I’m glad to see Gerber wants to get back to that quality.
I agree that $100 is a serious price with a lot of competition
"If somebody who gives a damn gets one of 'em they will send it home, tell their friends, and mentally file Gerber away in the junk drawer". No truer words ever spoken. Great presentation.
I was actually interested in one until I saw this. Gerber has never been on my list of decent manufactures but I kind of hoped they had stepped up their game. Which it seems they have, but that shows how far they fell more than how far they've come.
Gerber should use S30V steel on more of their knives.
If you told me I'd consider buying a Gerber one day, I would have asked you to put me out of my misery right there and then. But recently they've put out a lot of decent knives, and I'm turning around.
I like the design but I haven’t bought one because of some of the points you make. I’m sure they’ll fine tune for future release.
House of blades has a Kershaw Dividend exclusive with the deep carry clip and same steel for $90. USA made too.
Thanks for the info. 👍🏽
Hmm... Nick's going to the Gerber factory. I sense an impending bloodbath.
At least they're just inviting me. If they had all the reviewers, I'd worry about a red wedding sort of thing!
Why ??
Very interesting piece I like the intentions of Gerber, but for the price the fit and finish needs to be better for me.
I am so glad to see that Gerber was able, after all of these years, to design the Kershaw Leek. Truly innovative.
Really, though, I like the design a lot. :D
That's so funny and so true.
At least it’s unassisted. But yeah, you’re pretty much on point.
Looks like a Dividend. That is okay though.
"Die tear." Did not know that term until now, thank you!
I didn't either! I've got much to learn in all this.
Nick Shabazz lmao
now, with the Kershaw Dividend, with steel M390 is available, it would be great to see a comparison between the two...
Mine doesn’t have the QC issues yours had so it’s a gem to me. But QC does need improved
Well I mean the fact yours was fine and his had issues only shows how bad the QC is. But I'm glad yours was fine, trust me I've gotten plenty of QC issues on some knives I've bought for more than $100 and it sucks, I wouldn't wish it upon anyone else in the knife community.
Duh Doy most of my buddies who got theirs are also perfect out of the box. Most of the QC issue ones were early release models. First batch if you will. Any stragglers are standard 1 in 100 bad knives that every company, yes even Spyderco in my experience, put out. It is unfortunate, but Gerbers QC is not much different than the competition. And their warranty isn’t either. Sent a early centerdrive multitool back. They didn’t just fix it. They sent me a brand new one that was good to go. So I’d say they are doing good here and I hope people see it.
So... I take it the blade doesn't fall or swing shut?
Good review. The thickness behind the edge and the edge itself were issues I was looking for, glad you brought them up.
This is a great review. Gerber should listen and act to your evaluation. They should also pay you. You told them what is wrong and how to fix it, a true engineer. Thanks.
Good to see Gerber trying again. After Bear Grylls and the bendy rubber steel I wrote them off. I hope they pull a comeback.
I love the action but mine would tear cardboard due to the edge thickness. I had to really lay the edge back with a 220 grit water stone for it to cut decently. Great vid!
i have been waiting so patiently for them to do something like this. ima pick it up. i will be keeping an eye on them now instead of passing them over.
Alright Doc, I have a question. Does it not enable a knife maker to continue to disregard QC if I give them my money knowing that it's a roll of the dice? I could always return the Fastball if mine arrives low and outside, but to what end? I saw the Fastball a few weeks ago and was ready to play ball, but I was really put out by the mixed reviews. What are they are batting with you, .500? That's great in baseball but shameful for an 80-year-old US knife company. I'm sure I would love it if I got a home run, but I'm debating riding the bench on this one. Thoughts?
I think you're probably costing them more money by making them make it right. But I agree, as a community, we need to be clear that bad QC means fewer purchases.
@@NickShabazz Yeah, I liked your point about the cost of losing an entire generation. There is also the value of reclaiming any that were previously lost. As a kid, I remember when Gerber set the bar. They were silky smooth and had so much more attention to the fit and finish than other knives. My dad had a Gator he got from Eddie Bauer, with a curved blade that must have been bead blasted. I can still remember how it felt in my hand. It was a Gem all day long, albeit it might have made your Murdery list. That's what I want to see Gerber get back to. Solid, grippy, ergonomic, highly finished, sometimes Murdery, USA made knives.
I’m not even in the market for a knife but I watch this cause it’s a beautiful thing
Yes - dietear = whats known as "sheer & break" it shows up anytime steal is stamped or sheered. Most times it cannot be tumbled out. Its intresting that Gerber has decided to build a dedicated die, for these knives. I think it would have been much more cost efficient to program a waterjet, or laser, to produce these parts. It may suggest, Gerber plans on running this model, for many many years to come. I hope it works for them. I too, would like to see Gerber make a comeback. Thanks Nick. Good reveiw.
I've carried this knife for about a year now the clip became loose an I lost a couple screws I managed to find a screw to fit the clip an the screw in the middle is lost but it seems not needed other then that it's strong detent losses after awhile but still stronger then out of the box spiderco after a year lockup is still soild as it gets an flips out like a light switch super thin in the pocket for 100 bucks it's so good s30v American made 💪 its the best Gerber ive had for sure
I had similar Q.C. issues with the blade not being sharpe and uneven, got mine from bladeHQ.
Did you send it back?
@@MethodOverRide I did not. With it being a "beater" knife anyway I didn't feel like spending more $$ for shipping and handling. I just sharpened it up myself.
Wranglerstar recently reviewed this model and favourably compared it to his trusty old 940.
Do people listen to that guy?
@@toejamr1 Lol.... well I did..!!!
Sweet piece... unfortunately too small for my hands... hope they make a big version: 3.7" blade, 4.7" handle...
@Owen Dejong I know... but look how much hand estate you loose from your index finger to the blade... like 2 cm...
I know people look at the blade centering, but what does that really matter? Does the knife function just as well centered or not?
I feel like this knife competes directly with the Kershaw Bareknuckle and I feel like the bareknuckle is at a more appropriate price point and the fit and finish of mine is excellent. When I first saw this I was really excited but I decided to pass because of your review but I really hope they reiterate this knife and continue trying.
The gerber decree was a us made with a unassisted flipper. It required wrist flick to open it
Decree has thumb studs as well.
Someone let me know... should I buy the fastball or the para 3 lightweight
If it weren't so Wedgie Behind The Edgie and priced at about $75, this would be a real contender.
I was watching some of your earlier videos and did I hear you right? Are you from Michigan?
Nick, have you ever reviewed the Ozark Trails model 5514? At 3 1/2" it's a decently useful size. Blade steel is 3Cr13, equivalent to 420J2 stainless steel, not a fantastic steel but sufficient for a knife with a sub $7 price tag. It's a touch thick and the pocket clip is neither deep pocket nor tip up carry. I beat a Spam tin up with it and the edge held up to it. It's not the best knife of all time, but it seems to be the Hi Point pistol of pocket knives. It's chunky and there are better made knives on the market but at the price point it's surprisingly good.
Like others have said...this looks A LOT like the Kershaw Dividend. Although, the M390 Dividend (which is also USA made, BTW) has better blade steel. I'm thoroughly happy with my Dividend M390, and am glad Gerber has taken a step in the right direction.
Nick, I hope someone at Gerber is listening to you. I'd spring for a Fastball 2, incorporating your design recommendations and real QC, in a heartbeat (one additional request: a satin blade, please).
Decades ago, a friend presented me with a beautiful Gerber slip joint. Great blade, about 2" long, but one of the mother-of-pearl scales fell off after a couple of years. Around that time, I bought another Gerber for myself as a duty knife. That one didn't impress: out of the box, it was difficult to distinguish the edge from the spine and returning it for a factory sharpening didn't help much. That was when I bought my first knife from the new kid on the block, Spyderco. Any time I heard of Gerber, I just thought, "Rubbish." That feeling only intensified when I started seeing the Bear Grylls armchair warrior stuff. So I'm really pulling for Gerber to change my opinion of them.
When we going to get a review on that Civivi? From what I could see, it looks a lot like the one I bought recently and I'd love to hear your thoughts on it.
Thanks! I was going to grab one. I’ll wait to see if they clean it up via your recommendations
I have the black and silver model and the same person who ruined the black one ruined the silver one.!Can I request a fastball unsharpened from the factory?
I picked up one. Overall happy at $100. Wish it was $20 cheaper but there is a whole list of knives I feel like that. Green finish on mind gives a good grip. Detent is a little strong but wow, when it opens it opens with authority! At $100 some won’t care for it. At $80, everyone should like it!
I'm rooting for Gerber, I want them to good, but I agree that they missed some things here
Thanks for the review Nick!
Just curious- when will you and Tony release the GearGeeks episode with this designer? Sounds like itll be an interesting episode to listen to...
Nick, sure wish you had a comparison of this Gerber Fastball to the Kershaw Leek. I think that's an even closer comparison than the Delica....
How hard is it for a company that makes sharp things to make them truly sharp?
Hey, Nick. Could you review the CRKT CEO?
in one of his live streams he showed that it was coming
@@ThatGuy-uz7ew Thanks, man.
Great honest review. I had a bad experience with the sample they had at Shot Show. I can appreciate the effort that you're pointing to for certain. But really, that's a 80 dollar knife at best. And they're QC needs some attention as you say. The "overtravel" on the model they had out for people to handle was unacceptable. The nice thing about that blade design is they have bunch of options they can go to while they work out QC hopefully.
I had high hopes for this knife, but I also received one with a bad blade grind. If it cost me $30, I'd probably be willing to let it slide, but at $100, that's just not acceptable. Because of this, I'm more than likely going to pass on anything else they offer up in the future.
I bought an olive green one. And just like yours, it has a bunch of die tear on the liner & blade centering is exactly the same. Great knife tho
This is a compelling knife and I'm glad Gerber is making more quality blades, but as long as the kershaw dividend in m390 exists for less money, I'll pass.
EDC elephant how's it going man? The Kershaw Dividend is my favorite edc but I've never seen the M390 version for less than $100. Do you have a link? Thanks
@@sprtstr96 Google kershaw dividend m390 blade hq, it's the first link
It should be forbidden by the law to screw into the scales... at least it would prevent alot of blade companies from ruining their folder designs into garbage...
Hey Nick, love the reviews. Have you heard that NY/NYC changed their knife laws? I can now finally carry a knife that isn't a plastic one that happened to be included with my take out food! Time to give BladeHQ all my money!
They did? Was it judicial precedent or legislation? How much changed?
cloudcleaver23 They removed all mentions of “gravity knife” from the law. So NYers are no longer limited to non locking knives. As long as the blade is under 4” and not automatic, then It’s legal. The only area where knives are illegal to carry are in the subways
Look up the bill “A5944” for more info. NY had been trying to get this passed for 3 years and it finally passed.
The only thing that has changed is that we can carry most locking folding knives now (still illegal in the subway and pocket clips are still "brandishing" however). Retailers still do not ship to NY/NYC unfortunately.
PunnyRabbit BladeHQ ships to me. I’ve ordered about 4-5 Spyderco’s and Benchmades from them in the last 2 months. Amazon also ships to me, I bought my dad a Benchmade Bugout on Amazon for fathers day
Pocket clips are brandishing. 9_9 That's one of the stupidest things I've heard all year. At least it's getting better for y'all up there, but good God you're buried under a pile of idiotic laws.
How cool would it be if CRKT and Gerber got their mojo back
Crkt is sitting in a pretty good spot in the sense that they make great introductory knives and have the capability to become so much more. Gerber has a handful of nice offerings but hasnt impressed me in some time.
@@thedrmurchindise CRKT has great designs but their QC and materials kinda suck. Gerber has the same problems as CRKT but has way fewer good designs imo
The main gripe I have with this knife is that the handles are way too slick for me. I've almost had it slip out of my hand .
They are $79 now at lot of places very good knife
You can get a USA custom with an s30v cleaver blade and copper scales from their custom shop for cheaper than the new bugout. Glorious...Just saying :)
That looks sweet I’m going to pick one up soon. You’re really interesting compared to other reviewers
You're coming to my neck of the woods!! The Portland is a fantastic place to visit, and I'm curious (and a bit skeptical) as to how Gerber plans to come back from years of pandering mediocrity.
I would be interested if You could review the US Assist from Gerber and get Your take on it..Personally, owning One I dont think its that Bad.. I received a Fastball from my Boys for Christmas and you were Spot On, I like it and I hope that its a sign of Good Things to Come from Gerber
Portland is a great place to visit . Check out the best book store on the west coast , Powell’s city of books. This Gerber kinda reminds me of the dividend by Kershaw. Not a bad thing eh!
I know where Gerber got the idea for this design , they just looked at the Kershaw Dividend . The Dividend with M390 for $80.00 and wicked slicey blade , is a hell of a better deal . It looks like Gerber just shot themselves in their other foot.
Brian F idk. Doesn’t look much like it to me. More angular and abstract. And it’s a manual, which is better than assisted. I have both a link and the fastball and I prefer the fastball hands down. M390 can be really iffy on kershaws as well from what I heard
Why are you flicking your wrist everytime you open it? Isnt the finger enough??
It honestly reminds me a lot of the Kershaw atmos but more expensive and with a "better" steal.
Really? For some people S30V is not good enough anymore?
I know right? A year ago 8cr was ok and d2 was great now its m390 or it sucks. Hilarious.
There are some steel snobs out there
I don't get it either. I have some issues with 8cr. But everything from 154 cm up is more than adequate.
“Your Ontario rat number-this is a PM2...”
Thanks for honest review. Subscribed
I bought one last year that was very disappointed. The lockup was way past 50% and the centering was abysmal. I bought another one today, on sale for 20% off. We'll see. I'm rooting for them, but this is probably the last chance, from me.
A kershaw dividend with Gerber goggles. Good for Gerber for working towards a great goal, and keep on trying, we'd love to have you back, but will I buy a fastball? Honestly no, though I will keep an eye on their efforts!
Let’s face it, the majority of us knife guys buy knives to fulfill the urge! For the most part we cut open the box our new knife came in with our old knife and on and on!
i bought two gerbers. the grinds weren't symmetrical/even on both knives.
Honestly not surprised, the QC on Gerber has always been disappointing to me. Everytime I pick one up hoping I'll be surprised I end up dissatisfied and end up going back to Ruike for budget knives.
I hope Gerber is listening, they need to step up their game if they want to make it back into the gamem
Looks like the Kershaw Dividend and Ferrite had a child that was adopted by Gerber... Has an improved steel vs those 2, but the Kershaws have a better fit & finish. For a $100 though, I'd expect much better QC. Kershaw Dividend: we made a well designed knife with lesser materials to keep it budget. - Gerber Fastball: we gave a $30 knife some better blade steel, and have to charge for that.
I've really wanted to like this knife since I saw the shot show coverage but everyone who's reviewed it has the same issues. Looks like Gerber still has some work to do.
Great video Nick.
They let mine out the door worse than your frist one. Super dissatisfied. Hopefully you can get them on point.
I can say i own 3 of the Gerber autos and they are terrible. But what's even worse is their warranty department. Ive had a few bad experiences and i will say i will never buy another Gerber. But thanks for the review it certainly helper put things into perspective.
Another great review. Thanks
those 3 letters mean more to me than anything else.
🙄
sounds like a movie script from a mafia movie or something. amazing verbal talent
I know all too well about Gerber's soft screws after trying to fix up one of my dad's knives.
If the design is something you really like, I highly recommend checking out the Kershaw Dividend in m390. You can get a super steel in a very similar design for around the $70 mark. Kershaw is super quick about getting replacement springs to you if they break. Also, If you request a deep carry clip for it, they will get one shipped out to you free of charge!
Speedsafe is ugly.
Bottom line is Gerber needs to operate on smaller margins until they get their reputation back, blow me out of the water..then creep up the pricing over time. I am rooting for Gerber, but they should be putting these out perfect at $50.00 to just get them out there and get the mojo going. Great Vid.
Damian KokEnnen that’s not how you keep a business afloat sir 😂
Hunter Glaspell it’s called a loss leader, and you would write off some of the cost as marketing. It may not be an immediate return.. but they need hype..and Gerber is in a position to have to take a short term loss to create that hype, but it would be worth it in brand awareness etc. So..sometimes..yes, it is how you make a business thrive.
Benchmade makes knives with the same steel for over 150$
It would be interesting when mentioning price comparisons to at least have a couple of comparisons to US-made knives. A Buck Vantage in S30v is an unassisted flipper that I believe is a little cheaper, but no bearings, not great action, and not really great f&f. Benchmade maybe the Grip is in the same price territory. Spyderco really only has FRN lightweight knives around $100. Kershaw makes an M390 Dividend in that price range if you can tolerate the assist. Viewed in that context the price doesn't seem quite as bad, though of course it is a global market.
Enormous flipper tab prevents cutting on flat surface. I guess I just don’t get it.
I’d snap one up at
Thanks for sharing
Flipper tab, when knife opened, looks ugly gigantic comparing to blade size. Overall - good design, especially for gerber )
I wouldn't mind seeing more Gerbers like the US1 I got on clearance just after the new year at Walmart. Just in case anyone from Gerber happens to look through the comments... 😉
Im waiting for the day to hear Nick say something is the end of the world!!!
Have him review the Bear Grylls "ultimate knife " .
Is that Leek soup I smell? (That's not an insult. The Leek is a classic for a reason.)
Having said that, you can have a Leek in carbon fiber and 154CM.
I got this one because of the concept and to support them, but, it’s simply too small for my needs and it will be a safe queen.
I know you’re not a fan of showing your face on camera, but how about a meet ‘n greet here in PDX? Also, Benchmade isn’t too far south.
You saved me $100. Much thanks.
Not bad! Looks like the Kershaw leek though. Thanks for video bud!