Gerber Strongarm

 

Gerber Strongarm— that's a hell of a name, isn't it?  But yet I remember strongarm inspection.  Maybe it's not such a great name.

Despite the name, the Strongarm is a combat knife.  First, let me get this out of the way.  According to the Gerber website, they have made 'survival' knives since 1968.  Gerber released the Mark 1 and 2 back around '66 as combat knives, and they were a hit with the military.  That is to say, with the boots on the ground.  For reasons never explained, Gerber was stopped from selling these knives in PXs.  Gerber relabeled them as survival knives and PX's welcomed them with open arms.

The Gerber Strongarm

Since a survival knife can be defined as the knife you survive with, the Strongarm certainly qualifies.  But it is a combat knife.

The blade is ground from 420GHC steel, a hard martensitic steel.  With 12% chromium content, it qualifies as stainless.  Gerber gives the blade what it calls a ceramic coating for additional protection.  Washing off corrosive chemicals and wiping a blade down with oil never hurts.  The partially serrated blade at 4.8 inches long, is a useful length for many knife chores. 

Gerber describes the blade as a drop point; it is really a clip point with a false edge.  The Strongarm reminds me of a Bowie knife blade.

I see this as more of a clip point with a false edge

The full tang blade is 0.19 inches or 3/16 of an inch thick.  Gerber doesn’t say what the hardness is, but it has been suggested 420HC steel has a sweet spot for hardness around 56 to 57 RHC. 

The handle is shaped to help retain the knife in your hand.  The diamond texturing helps

I know.  Some of you are only satisfied once a blade reaches such hardness that only a monocrystalline diamond in a tungsten carbide matrix will sharpen it.  A general rule is that hard knives are brittle knives, which leads to the truism that a broken knife is junk, while a bent knife is still a knife.

The handle is a rubberized polymer with a diamond texture and striking pommel.  It also sports a guard to keep your fingers off the blade, a handy feature in working knives.

Get a grip, bunkie!  The pommel can be attached to a lanyard. 

The knife is 9.75 inches long and weighs just over 7 ounces.  The sheath is customizable, and Gerber provides adaptors so you can wear the Strongarm on your belt, as a drop leg, on a MOLLE rig, sideways, upside down, or horizontally.  The sheath can also be lashed to other items.

The sheath is very adaptable.

I like this knife a lot.  If I was heading out to hunt Dal sheep, raft the Amazon, or shipping out to active duty overseas, I'd take at least one of these with me.  Remember, one is none and a knife-less man is a life-less man.

The knife’s balance was in the handle behind the guards, where I like it, and the grip felt good in my hand.  The Strongarm clips in very securely in the sheath.  I welcome the little extra force needed to draw this knife.  I want to know my knife isn’t going to fall out if I take a spill.  The polymeric sheath looks tough enough to prevent the blade from penetrating the sheath and injuring me, another feature I’m crazy about.

The Gerber Strongarm

Does it cut?  Well, here’s where I must assume so.  It isn't my knife, but it belongs to a retired military man who wants to set up his daypack the way he carried it back in the day. 

Don't be a foolish.  Consider Gerber's Strongarm if you need a hard-working, EDC fixed blade for harsh environments.

You can find one at https://www.gerbergear.com/en-us/shop/knives/all-knives/strongarm-coyote-brown-serrated-30-001059 for $90.00.  It's a good deal for what you get.

A Retail Find

  Every once in a while, I impulse buy.  The other day, I saw a blister pack for True Utility Knives made by/sold by Alliance Consumer Group.  The knife kit donates a dollar to DAV for every kit sold.  DAV stands for Disabled American Veterans; more on them later.  The kit has a waterproof case, a dog tag bottle opener, a knife, and mini-tool.  You might be able to sell me an empty box to help veterans so it came home with me.

The dog tag is a bottle opener with a short ball chain.  Since I can be a sissy even with twist-off caps, that's welcome. 

Bottle Opener/ Dog Tag

The mini-tool is, well, let’s just say having a tool is better than having no tool.  The mini-blade is sharp enough to casually cut me. 

Didn't even know I cut myself

The scissors are spring-loaded to open and cut paper and the occasional thread.  I'm trying to figure out what to make of the curved hook blade.  Is it for cutting line?  Opening seams?  I'm sure I'll find a use sooner or later.

Mini-tool

A bottle opener is built into the handle, and I've already given it a test spin around the bar.  It opens beer bottles just fine!

Closed, the knife is 4.25 inches long.  The 2.9-inch blade is flipper-activated and made from 7CR17MOV stainless steel.  This is a fortified version of 440A.  The fortification?  Vanadium.  Here's the meat of the steel analysis:

Carbon 0.6-0.7%,  Chromium 16-17%,  Molybdenum  0.5-0.6%, Vanadium 0.1% or less.  There’s a smattering of trace elements.

Not a bad little knife for what it is

7CR17MOV has been described as good steel with acceptable edge retention for the price.  Not exactly a ringing endorsement, but isn’t that what most good products give us?  Acceptable performance for the money.

The blade is a straight-back pattern with a high saber grind.  A slight false edge gives the blade a finished look.  There's no opening stud or nail nick.  While you can pinch the blade out, you'll find the flipper works very well.  I didn’t find any burs, misalignments, or other quality issues.

The blade is as sharp as I want right out of the box.  I thought about trying to touch it up, but it's a good edge just as it comes.

The blade rides between two brass spacers, and I'm adding a drop of oil on each.  The clip isn't reversible but is set up for tip-up right-hand carry.  Impressively, the knife uses two steel liners to give the knife strength.  The metal lanyard hole is well done as well.

Brown polymer grips complete the knife.

The Kit

I see this knife as a working man's friend.  You could use it to score sheetrock, but there are much better products for that.  It will sharpen a pencil, cut open a blister pack open packing boxes and, most importantly, it is a great knife to lend that moocher who either fails to return anything or breaks it.

I may trim a little of the foam out of the water-tight box and store the knife and mini-tool with a flashlight in the back of my truck.  You never know.

But you can know about DAV.  According to Charity Navigator, they are a 501(c)(4) charity with a four-star rating.  They report DAV uses 85% of their income to help veterans. 

It's one thing to help with hospitalization, rehab, or prosthesis fitting, but they still have to reenter the world.  But when some vets walk out the door, they walk the wire alone.  All too often, they need help getting to the doctors, filing paperwork, and rejoining society.

DAV has provided 19 million rides to medical appointments, submitted 12 million claims for assistance for vets, and has helped over 168,000 vets find jobs. 

Knife, mini-pliers and a bottle opener What more do you want?

Oh, hell, it seems my computer screen is blowing dust in my eyes again.

 

Launch 13

I just got my hands on Kershaw’s Launch 13.  It’s a very icey knife.  But then, I’ve always liked Kershaw knives.

Kershaw Launch 13

Pete Kershaw started the company in 1979 when he left Gerber Blades.  At the time, Ichiro Hattori made most of Kershaw’s knives in Japan.  Constantly evolving, Kershaw has introduced many innovative knives designed by people like Ken Onion, Ernest Emerson, Frank Centofante, and Rick Hinderer, to name a few.

The internet claims Kershaw makes over a million knives a year.  Impressive.

Pete retired from Kershaw on June 1, 1998, and by that time, Kershaw was connected with KAI and is now wholly owned by the KAI Group. 

I really like the blade and dark green handle.  CMP 154 is a nice knife steel.

The Launch series was introduced in the 2015 catalog with the Launch 1, 2, and 3 knives.  It was a bold move.  It was at a time when many states still had restrictions on automatic knives.  More of these interesting automatic knives were released over the years, constantly exciting knife fanciers.  In 2019, the Launch 13 Auto was released.

Here are some Launch 13 stats:

The blade is made from CPM 154 powdered metal and hardened to HRc of 58-60.  This is hard enough to retain an edge and not be brittle. The blade is a little over 0.1 inches thick and has a tapered false edge, giving the blade a jazzy look.

If a knife doesn't feel good in your hand, it's the wrong knife for you.  This one feels great!

Crucible 154CM is a martensitic stainless steel similar to type 440C but fortified with molybdenum.  Like many knife steels, it was initially developed for challenging industrial applications.  Those properties made it a desirable material for knife makers.  

The blade is a high saber grind Wharncliffe mounted in a strikingly attractive sculpted aluminum handle.  The low-profile button helps prevent accidental opening, and the deep carry pocket clip is reversible. 

The knife arrived set up for right-hand and tip-up carry, which is perfect, as I carry folding blades against the back edge of my pant's right pocket.

The knife weighs in at 2.4 oz.  Surprisingly, the balance point puts the weight chiefly on the handle.  I like this as it makes the blade feel lively.

The clip can be reversed for left or right pocket carry

This one is a special edition in a dark olive green that I find attractive.  The Launch 13 has been out for a while, but this is the first dark green one I’ve seen.

SMOCK!

 

“Hey, you got my knife!”

That's different from what I hear very often at my sales table.  Often, I hear, "You got the knife I’m looking for!’ or the slightly different version, ‘You got the knife I lost!’  Neither of these states assures you of a sale.

“You’re Mr. Smock?” I ask.  He was pointing at Spyderco’s Smock in carbon fiber.

You must understand I grew up with Steve Allen's late-night TV show, Tonight.   Allan launched the careers of people like Don Knotts, Lewis Nye, Bill Dana, and many more.  But it was his catch phrase that always fascinated me:  'Smock, Smock."

So, when Mr. Smock walked up to my table and introduced himself, I was, without a doubt, at a loss for words and very confused.

Kevin Smock 
He's holding a flier for the WRCA Knife show in April 6 and 7th at MAPS

                                                           near the Akron-Canton Airport

“Yes, I am, and you," he said, pointing at the Smock on my table, "have the new pivot.  I didn’t like the old one.”  It turns out he is Kevin Smock, the designer of Spyderco’s Smock.  The previous one was a simple screw head inset in the carbon fiber handle.  The new one is a polished metal head with an aerospace look. 

I like the look, that button release is totally icey

I've met other famous knife designers, but usually at the SHOT Show or Blade.  But never at the Medina Community Center until today. 

Kevin started as a knife modifier.  He would take other factory knives and modify them, creating unique, one-of-a-kind knives.  This is a bigger knife hobby than you might think.  Facebook is filled with postings of 'patina-ized’ blades, replaced grips, and altered grinds.  I met a fellow who shortened the blades and sometimes the grip of factory knives.  Finally, Kevin’s friends told him, ‘Look, you got the skill and the knowledge; you should be making your own knives.'

That did it.  Kevin wanted to use Spyderco's top compression lock, so he approached them and got permission.  The result is the SK23.

 

Notice the flipper, it's very easy to use and doesn't distract from the streamline profile.  

Later, Kevin showed Eric Glesser his creation and Eric was impressed.  He gave Kevin his card and told him we should talk.  The rest is history.

You can look up Spyderco’s Smock for yourself.  It’s a very cool knife.  The flipper is uniquely positioned and utilizes a button to disengage the compression lock.  The button lets you close the knife without your fingers coming near the closing blade.  That’s a nice touch.

If you don’t think this is significant, you’re wrong.  I constantly deal with people who want a knife, in some cases need a knife, but worry about cutting themselves while closing the knife.  A lot of effort and time goes into finding a knife they feel comfortable with.  This apprehension is especially common with frame and liner locks.

The Smock weighs in at 3.7 oz, and the blade, incompletely described as a modified Wharncliffe, is ground from CPMS30V steel. 

Kevin still makes his SK23 but also makes custom scales for the Spyderco Smock.  You can check out these and other items at https://www.smockknives.com/

Meeting him made my day.  Here's an entrepreneur creating industry and generating profits.  There's a lot to be said for that.