gerber knives

Gerber Covert F.A.S.T Knife: A classic Applegate-Fairbairn design

The Gerber Covert F.A.S.T Knife is a nice little piece of tactical history in your pocket. The first thing I noticed before it was out of the package was the signatures on the blade, Fairbairn & Applegate. For those that don’t know, Fairbairn is kind of a tactical legend from the early part of last century. He served in the British military police in Shanghai. He co-authored Shoot to Live, pioneered innovative and effective hand to hand fighting techniques for the British Army and helped design the commando knife that the British Royal Marines are still issued today.

I know, I know… we beat them twice, so why would I want some Red Coat knife? Don’t worry, the same year Fairbairn and Sykes made their knife for the Brits an American Colonel by the name of Rex Applegate made a more sturdy and hefty version and Fairbairn signed off on it. The American version is this knife’s granddaddy. No skinny European stiletto daggers here.
This is a sturdy American knife.

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The blade itself at 3.6 inches is not quite a half size version and not quite 2/3rds size of the original 6-inch knife. This makes it handy for both utility and defense. The spear point offers excellent penetration, the combination razor/serrated blade offers good options in cutting ability. It’s small enough to do work in tight spaces and big enough to do damage if needed. After a little break in, the assisted opening is so smooth, it might as well be a slightly slower automatic knife.

The safety/locking mechanism is robust and would take some serious force to make it fail. It locks automatically when the blade is opened and is positioned so that your thumb keeps the safety/lock activated when holding it. When closed, the safety does an excellent job of being a safety. I found it a little hard to deactivate in a hurry but a drop of oil and some manipulation of the safety smoothed it out quickly without making it deactivate too easily. My only complaint is that if you want to carry it safety off for faster deployment, the design basically forces it on as you pocket it. The assisted opening isn’t sensitive enough to warrant needing to carry it on safe, in my opinion. But, I do like the option.

The handle is wide enough for a good grip, yet slim enough to not add any real bulk to your pocket. It’d be perfect to carry in the waistband for even more concealment if you’re in a place where pocket knife clips stick out. It’s an easy knife to “grey man” with.
The pocket clip only goes in one place. I think they missed an opportunity here to let the end user position the clip so that you could reach in and deactivate the safety easily as you pulled the knife. But that’s nothing a little focused training can’t overcome.

All in all, I think that had Applegate and Fairbairn survived to today to see the Cold War and GWOT, they’d think of this pocket folder as a natural evolution of their knife for EDC or low pro/low vis operations. So if you’re looking for a new pocket knife with solid design and history behind it, the Gerber Covert F.A.S.T knife is definitely a blade to consider. Especially considering it only runs about Gerber Covert F.A.S.T. You’re getting a lot of blade for your buck here.

Author – Seth Lewis served as a reconnaissance infantryman in the 82nd Airborne with two deployments to Iraq as well as 18 months in Afghanistan doing High Threat Protection for the Department of State. He has a bachelor’s degree in economics and us currently working as a security contractor for DHS and a firearms instructor.

Gerber Remix Tactical: Unique Design and Exceptional Control

After receiving and a tip from a confidential informant (CI) that some drug carriers were transporting some illegal narcotics through my jurisdiction, we planned an operation to take down the vehicle. The op went well and the vehicle was ours. Our CI claimed he was certain the drugs were in the seats. After covering our butts, following all laws, policies and procedures, we confiscated the vehicle, and it’s seats. My partner was using some flimsy knife (brand unnamed) which was having trouble cutting through the seat. Gerber Remix Tactical folding knife to the rescue. I pulled out my Gerber and went to town. The partially serrated blade made short work of the seats, and yes, we found our drugs.

The Gerber Remix Tactical folding knife really catches the eye. A uniquely designed handle provides great control with an “Axle Hole” to secure one of your digits and lock the knife in your grip. The blade is partially serrated allowing for a wide range of cutting and the tanto design turns this utility knife, into a self-defense weapon. Definitely an EDC (every day carry) item and built with quality in mind.

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Gerber kept appearance sleek and tactical with a slim build and a carbon fiber, G10 composite handle. A solid thumb lift/rest allows for an easy open. Out of the box, the blade is a little rough to open, but loosens up after a few uses. Surprisingly tough with a blade sharp enough for any job, this knife has earned a spot on my side. Check out the video to see it in action.

Author – Matt Walker is a Texas Law Enforcement Officer of 10 years and serves as a SWAT Officer for his department. He is also the head defensive tactics instructor and holds various instructor certificates such as Krav Maga Force Division Instructor, FBI Defensive Tactics Instructor, Tactical Breaching Instructor and various others. Mr. Walker holds and undefeated Mixed Martial Arts record and is a practitioner of Muay Thai Kickboxing, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and Olympic weightlifting.

Combat blades and the Gerber Ghoststrike

Combat blades and the Gerber Ghostrike

I’m fond of the SOCP Dagger. It’s light, sturdy, and it has a great sheath. It falls into the category of an effective combat dagger. Although one problem with the SOCP dagger is that in many States in the US it is classified as a dagger and you are unable to carry it (depending upon State laws). Enter the Gerber Ghostrike. Only sharpened on one end and looking more like a classic knife, the Ghoststrike looks good. It is these qualities that will likely allow it to be carried due to some states laws compared to the SOCP dagger. When I first received the Ghostrike I thought, this will break the first time I use it. Fast forward a week and I was attending a “stab lab” where a dummy was dressed in standard military ripstop clothing and you test to see what knives can penetrate effectively.

Gerber Ghoststrike (Left), SOCP Dagger (Middle), SOCP Trainer (Right).

I’ve seen many knives not penetrate clothing. In fact, it’s a lot more common than you’d think. With some trepidation, I yanked the Ghoststrike free and did a quick jab into the ribcage of the dummy through a Military ripstop top and a soft t-shirt underneath. It penetrated smoothly and without resistance. In fact, it felt better than the SOCP dagger in puncturing through the clothing. I spent the next hour pushing this blade through various layers of clothing and at varying angles. In each case, it penetrated smoothly and without resistance. The grip of the Ghoststrike is skeletonized with a rubber covering. I’ve seen some user reviews which state that the rubberized texture had broken free with light use. However, I’ve worn this knife for approximately a month in some very harsh conditions without any signs of the rubberized grip coming loose. The knife grips very easily and will not slip out even when wet from sweat or rain.

Gerber Ghoststrike (Left), SOCP Dagger (Middle), SOCP Trainer (Right). The Ghoststrike sheath is excellent and modular.

The sheath has excellent retention and multiple options for mounting it. However, I wish there were a deeper sheath similar to the SOCP dagger. Further, I’ve found that on close combat knives a ring at the end really helps with drawing and retention. And finally, my largest problem with the Gerber Ghoststrike is that it does not have a training knife. This limits my ability to train with this knife in various scenarios. The Gerber Ghoststrike utilizes 420HC stainless steel which is corrosion resistant and tough. Some may argue that this type of steel will not hold an edge well but frankly this knife will not be used often and if it is – can be sharpened easily which I can attest to. Again I stabbed with this knife violently and multiple times through clothing and the knife held strong.

In any case, I’m nitpicking this knife, it has a great ability to puncture smoothly and comes with a sheath that will give you what you need. The knife handles well, is light, strong and will puncture when you need it to.

Gerber Outrigger: Designed to be your reliable daily carry knife

In the past several years, Gerber has seemed to redefine themselves with a growing line of products. This is a good thing for consumers that enjoy different products for a wide variety of uses. The Gerber Outrigger is a line of folding knives that are available in various sizes and styles.

Under review is the Fine Edge Outrigger, which is the regular size knife of the product line. This knife is right in line with the quality you would expect from a company like Gerber. If there is one quality I can easily attest to, it’s the sharpness of the blade right out of the package. Within minutes of handling, and because of my carelessness, I was able to surgically remove a healthy portion of flesh from the top of my finger. It only happens once, they say.

While on the subject of the blade, it’s important to note the high quality stainless steel, in this case, the Outrigger is made of 7Cr17Mov Stainless Steel. You’ll have no problems worrying about the sharpness and it’s very easy to sharpen after heavy use. The blade retains its edge for a very decent amount of use.

With a blade length of 3”, closed length of 4”, and overall length of 7”, the Outrigger is what you’d expect from a regular sized product. The drop point blade comes to a fine point, but with a shorter distance than normal from the spine to the blade. The aluminum handle is surrounded with a SoftGrip Overmold that helps to keep a firm grip during excessive use.

The Outrigger line of knives all feature Assisted Opening 2.0, which opens very quickly. I had a few issues with getting the blade to open, as it was very stiff and even with the thumb studs, it wanted to resist as I opened it. Overall, this is another great product from Gerber, but it’s also available with a serrated edge, a Mini, and an XL model.

Pick yours up from Gerber now for $49.

Author – Rodney Pointer is a former Army Infantryman. After graduating from Airborne School, he was ruthlessly assigned to Fort Polk, Louisiana to live out his days as a dirty leg. He served with the 2nd BN, 30th Infantry of the 4th Brigade, 10th Mountain Division. Following his deployment to Afghanistan, he received a Bachelor’s degree in Intelligence Operations. He currently works as a nuclear security contractor.

Gerber Instant | When Trouble Calls Be Ready!

Gerber Instant assisted opening knife | When Trouble Calls Be Ready!

Gerber Knives have been around since the early 90’s and have a proven track record. I personally carried a Gerber folding knife during my enlisted years in the Marine Corps. The knife was always there and never failed me. I used it for everything from opening up that favorite MRE to prying open ammunition crates. Since then there have been quite a few new knife companies come into the industry. There for a while, I personally felt that Gerber Knives had fallen behind in quality and craftsmanship of their tools. As of recently though they have been putting out an impressive line of knives targeted towards the military and law enforcement. One of those knives is the Gerber Instant.

Before I decided to purchase this specific blade I did my homework to be sure the knife would work for what I wanted and that it met my specifications. There didn’t seem to be a whole lot of Youtube video reviews (that I approved of), so I searched other blogs and gear sites that I frequent. One of the companies that I follow is STS (Survival Tactical Systems). STS is owned by a former MARSOC Marine and he also endorses Gerber Gear. I figured that if he was putting his name out there to endorse their products that I couldn’t go wrong with picking up one of Gerber’s new offerings; specifically the Gerber Instant.

Another guy who’s opinion I respect is also a former Marine and former 10 year CIA Operative (Drew Dwyer over at SOFREP). During his tenure within the CIA, Gerber provided him with a few tools with the idea of giving them direct feedback from the clandestine world. Now that he is out of the CIA he still trusts and uses Gerber knives. His personal favorite and one he carries most of the time is the Gerber Instant.

The Gerber Instant offers some features that I really like.

partially serrated blade. Over the past year, I’ve become more fond of a partially serrated blade for EDC purposes. As a civilian chances are more likely that I will roll up on an accident and need those serrations to cut through seat belts or clothing.
The blade profile of the Gerber Instant makes it extremely easy to hone and sharpen with a standard fine sharpening stone.
The assisted opening makes opening this knife with a single hand easy (even if you’re wearing gloves). Some have claimed that the knife opens when carried in the pocket, but I have not had that issue at all and I’ve been carrying this blade daily for a few weeks.
The lock they use on this knife is whats called a plunge lock that locks into a small cut out in the blade. I’ve had no issues with the lock disengaging during use.
The handle scales have full stainless steel inserts which provide additional strength.
The price point. The Gerber Instant can be found on Amazon for around $34.

Gerber Instant Specifications (courtesy of gerbergear.com)

Blade Length: 3.18″
Closed Length: 4.57″
Overall Length: 7.75″
Weight: 4.01 oz.
Steel Type: 7Cr17Mo

Gerber Edict folding knife (Green)

Gerber has released the evolution to their successful Edict knife, which featured a tanto blade and black ceramic coating to minimize reflective surfaces. The Edict was marketed for soldiers and first responders. The new Edict is designed for the role of everyday carry, and it fills that role nicely.

This version of the Edict is different from its predecessor in a few different ways, the first being the blade style. The Edict-Green uses a fully fine edge, drop point blade that is made of 154CM steel. This steel type gives the knife one of the best edge retentions available with minimal reflection and a glass bead finish, while still being easy to sharpen for the end user. It is guaranteed to hold its edge for a long time, which is a plus in my book for the EDC category.

The blade includes dual thumb studs to assist in easy and quick openings with one hand. The lock back mechanism keeps the knife open in the most heavy duty uses. I appreciated the feel of the mechanism and you can tell that it’s ready for abuse from the moment you open it. The audible click is sharp and does a good job in letting you know it’s secure.

The handle is made of glass-filled nylon with rubber overmold and features a large palm swell to give you a solid grip on the knife during any work applications. The finger guard is fairly deep and I felt confident working with it in the outdoors. There is also a nice groove cut into the spine of the blade which is very useful for your thumb to rest in.

The green rubber overmold has a diamond texture pattern that is perfect for EDC use as it lets you keep a firm grip on the handle. The blade length is 3.6”, which gives an open length of 8.5” and closed at 4.9”. The Edict – Green weighs 3.6 oz. and is just the perfect weight for a working knife that will find its way into your EDC rotation. Best of all, the knife is made in Portland, Oregon.

While it is a great EDC knife, I plan on using this one at work since it will let me use it to its full potential. You can pick yours up from Gerber for $80.