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COLUMBIA RIVER KNIFE AND TOOL (CRKT)

First up we are going to talk about the CRKT M1614DSFG. The reason we are starting with the M16 style is because, in it’s many incarnations, it is reportedly one of the best selling tactical knives to military personnel.

There are many good, and a few bad, points to this tanto knife. I like the size, it’s bigger than the regular M16 and it has good balance. It is heavier so you may want to keep that in mind if weight is a concern. It is razor sharp out of the box, fast to deploy, and comes with CRKT’s autoLAWKS safety locking system that is a safeguard to keep it from closing on your hand. The other thing I really like about this folder is the 4-position pocket clip that you can move to your favorite carry position, left, right, tip up, or tip down. These are also some of the best affordable folding knives as they are in the 45-60 dollar range.

Ok, that’s the good, so here’s the bad. A small drawback to this knife is all the holes in the handle. I’ll admit, I like the way they look. They have a classic retro airplane rivet look to them that appeals to me. However, these holes attract lint and dirt, and I can see them filling up with mud in a wet weather situation so keeping this knife clean is going to be an issue. The autoLAWKS system, while keeping your hand safe from the blade closing on it, is kind of a backup to the liner lock on this knife. You have to flip down the autoLAWKS to disengage it to close the knife and it takes some getting used to. Especially if you’re wearing gloves.

One other thing to remember is that CRKT knives are counterfeited a lot and the counterfeits look and feel real but they are made with inferior products. Be careful where you purchase your knife that you’re getting the real thing.

Finally I want to address the serrations on the blade of this folding knife. I’m not a fan of the Veff serrations. I have to agree with several other reviewers I’ve seen that the serrations are just too thin and fragile. Too many people have reported too many problems with them bending and chipping for me to order a knife with them on it. I’ve also seen them first hand on my buddy’s My Tighe and his were bent and chipped. I think they look really cool but I would take standard serrations that work over these.

My personal preference for a folding knife in this style is the M1614D. It has most of the same features as the above knife and it has the standard serrations on the blade. It does only have one flipper though, not two. My issue with the second flipper is that it catches on things I’m trying to get out of my pocket but I have to say I love the fact that the M1614DSFG has a true hilt.

For the price range that these folders fall in, all things considered, both of these knives are solid excellent choices in a tactical folder. Yes, I have issues with the serrations, but if the serrations aren’t something you think you’ll use much then I certainly wouldn’t let it hold me back from buying this knife.

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SPYDERCO

Next up we have the Spyderco Military G-10. As the story is told by Spyderco, This knife came about after someone asked Spyderco’s owner Sal Glesser, “If your son were going into the military what folding knife would you send him with?” His answer to that question is this knife.

The blade is my favorite, CPM-S30V and it comes razor sharp and ready to go to work. The other thing I really like is the texture they put on the G-10 handle. It’s just rough enough that it doesn’t get slippery when it gets wet and not so rough that if you carried it inside your waistband it would be uncomfortable. This knife is also nice and light weighing in at just 4.2 ounces. You can get it in a carbon fiber handle with Crucible Steel’s CPM-S90V exotic alloy blade that weighs just 4.0 ounces as well.

As incredible as this military tactical folding knife is, there is one thing you need to consider before you purchase it. This is a LARGE folding knife, perfect for a bug out bag. The overall length on this big boy is 9 1/2 inches and even closed it’s still 5 1/2 inches long! That means you’re going to have to take into account how deep the pocket is that you want to carry it in.

One final cautionary remark about this knife, there is a number of people out there that have cut themselves learning how to open it. Remember… let’s be careful out there.

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KERSHAW

I recently bought a SpeedSafe equipped Kershaw Blur with an S30V blade. I love this knife. The rough texture of the trac-tec inserts really help you keep a good grip. This thing was razor sharp right out the box and when you open it, it has a satisfyingly solid “thwack” sound.

I really like the no-nonsense thumb studs. They have a ribbed pattern cut into them and you place your thumb on the flat part of the thumbstud to push the blade open. Very effective and very secure feeling.

When researching this knife before I bought it, I read some reviews that said they felt that the pocket clip was too tight. I can verify that it is pretty tight, and with the rough texture of the inserts I can see it tearing up the pocket on my jeans with repeated use. I’m hoping that with use it will loosen up a bit.

This knife also comes with a tanto style blade and with different styles of handles. But these have blades made from Sandvick 14C28N steel not S30V.

I’ll be posting an update on this knife the more it gets used in a real world environment so stay tuned.

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AL MAR KNIVES

The Al Mar Sere 2000 knife is an excellent choice in a tactical folder. The original design of this knife was done by AL Mar and Col. Nick Rowe in the early 80′s for the U.S. Army’s SERE school.

These came out several years ago but you’d be hard pressed to find anyone who owns one of these and doesn’t love it. They may not be as flashy as some of the newer knives, but they still have some excellent features, such as:

• Smooth action with one handed opening
• Solidly built
• Deep pocket clip with right or left carry
• Dual thumbstuds
• Razor sharp out of the box
• A VG10 Steel blade made in Japan

It is a liner lock style, it weighs about 6 ounces and has a blade length of 3.6 inches.

I’ll be adding to this list as I test out other knives, don’t forget to check out our Top Picks For Combat Survival Knives as well!

Survival knives have been around in one form or another since the dawn of man. From sharp rocks to man made steels and polymers knives have come a long way. The survival knives being manufactured today are without a doubt the best knives ever built in history, but are any of them being built by Gerber?

There are several knives produced by Gerber that fall into the survival category. I am going to focus on a few of the fixed blade knives currently available on the market. I will show you what’s out there, point out some things to watch out for, and give you some insight on how these knives have performed.

The first knife I’d like to tell you about is the brand new Bear Grylls Ultimate Survival Knife. This knife was out of stock everywhere I could find it when it first hit the market so it is definitely a popular knife, but the press on it is mixed right now. It hasn’t been out long enough to get any real hard practical use (although it did come out right at deer season) and I think there are some out there that just don’t like Bear Grylls. Knocking his products seems to be in fashion at the moment.

I personally don’t have a problem with Bear. I know he’s not from the U.S. and he probably doesn’t care that the knife isn’t made here. However, I probably would have done a more thorough job of checking out the product that was going to carry my initials. No, I don’t own the knife, I did get the chance to check one out pretty well, and I have done some extensive research on this knife.

I guess the deal breaker for me was the review I read of the guy who was batoning a small limb and the plastic handle broke and the metal pommel went flying. That being said, I think it’s fine for someone who is hiking or bike riding and doesn’t want to carry a larger survival knife with them. Since this knife is “feature rich” I’m going to list them for you here, you can also pick up the Bear Grylls Ultimate Survival Knife Here.

Knife Features:

* 1/2 Serrated High Carbon Stainless Steel Drop Point Blade – Ideal for edge retention and cutting rope
* Full Tang Blade Construction- For maximum durability
* Ergonomic Textured Rubber Grip – Maximizes comfort and reduces slippage
* Stainless Steel Pommel – At base of handle for hammering
* Emergency Whistle – Integrated into lanyard cord

Sheath Features:
* Fire Starter – Ferrocerium rod locks into sheath, striker notch incorporated into back of knife blade
* Nylon Sheath – Lightweight, military-grade, mildew resistant
* Land to air rescue instructions
* Diamond Sharpener – Integrated into sheath for on-the-go sharpening
* Priorities of Survival – Pocket guide outlining survival essentials

Tech Specs:
* Overall Length: 10-Inch
* Blade Length: 4.75-Inch
* Weight: 11.2-Ounce alone, 14.72-Ounce with sheath

If you would like a different option to the Bear Grylls Ultimate Survival Knife, you could use a Gerber LMF II or a Gerber Prodigy and the whistle or signalling mirror A-Poc writes about.

Right now at the top of the food chain for a Gerber Survival Knife, in my opinion, is the Gerber LMF II. This knife has proven itself in battle and is gaining a reputation as being one of the toughest knives on the market today. This top rated survival knife comes in three different versions. The ASEK, the Survival, and the Infantry. The differences in these versions is strictly in color and accessories, the knife itself being the same in all three flavors. I’m going to break these down for you so you can see the differences. You can also read more about these in my blog post here.

The Gerber LMF II ASEK only comes in foliage green, it is infra red (IR) resistant and comes with a sheath, 2 leg straps, and a safety knife w/sheath.

The Gerber LMF II Survivalonly comes in camel brown. It is NOT infra red resistant and comes with the exact same accessories as the ASEK but in the camel brown color.

The Gerber LMF II Infantry comes in (IR) resistant Foliage Green, Camel Brown,and Black. This knife only comes with a sheath and one leg strap.

Next up is the Gerber Prodigy. This knife is like the little brother of the LMF II.  There’s lots of information out there about this knife so I’m just going to cut to the chase and tell you what I DON’T like about it.  This knife seems to be blade heavy, unlike the LMF II which is more balanced. I’m not a fan of the sheath on this knife, the LMF II sheath is MUCH better, but I do like the fact that it is MOLLE compatible.  I haven’t decided if I like the overmolded grip yet, it seems to have a thin coating of rubber over a hard plastic handle.  I haven’t had a problem with this yet (I don’t use this knife much) but I’ve had a knife like it and the handle eventually peeled on it.  Granted it was a cheap knife but for me it’s a potential problem on the Prodigy.

Now, with all that being said, this is still a great knife.  Most people want a light hiking knife that could get them out of any trouble they happen to stumble upon.  This knife is perfect in that application.  It is well made, it is a good solid fixed blade knife, and it also gets great reviews.

Gerber is a great company that makes excellent knives. I personally wish all of their knives were made here in the USA but global economics being what they are that’s just not possible. To be able to compete they need to be able to appeal to all economic classes of people.  Consumers who live outside the U.S. are only concerned with the quality of the knife they buy not where it’s made. That being said, several of Gerber’s knives ARE made right here in the good ole U.S. of A. which means they are keeping lots of people working. For the money I think Gerber knives are an excellent value. You can spend more on a knife, and if you’re a hard core survivalist you probably should, but for the average person building a bug out bag or getting a camping knife you can’t go wrong with a Gerber fixed blade.

The Cold Steel Recon Scout has been one of their top selling knives for many years. Do a search on Google and you can find Recon Scouts reviewed, modified, sold and traded all over the internet and in many different countries. In other words, it’s an extremely popular knife.

I’m not going to bore you with a glowing review of this survival knife. Suffice it to say that I think it’s an excellent knife that would give many years of service as long as it is well taken care of. You certainly can’t go wrong adding this knife to your survival preparedness arsenal.

That being said, here are what I consider to be its cons. The Cold Steel Recon Scout is NOT made in the U.S. It is currently being manufactured in Taiwan. I know that for those of you that don’t live in the U.S. this fact isn’t even on your radar as to why you would or would not purchase a knife, but here in the good ole U.S. of A. when (according to some analysts) we’ve “lost” many of our jobs overseas this is becoming a much bigger issue to some people.

I have read reports that with extended use the Recon Scout can be hard on your hands. I watched one review where the reviewer had actually used a piece of a bicycle tube and stretched it over the handle to give him a better grip when it is wet and to give him a little more “meat” to fit his hand better. This problem could be solely based on the size of your hand, not necessarily a problem with the knife itself.

The blade steel, whether you have the Carbon V or the SK-5 version, can rust easily if not taken care of properly. So you need to be careful if this knife is going to be sitting in a bug out bag and not getting much use. And the final thing I don’t really like about this knife is the Kraton handle. Personally I’m more of a fan of Micarta. Not that I don’t own knives that have Kraton handles because I do, I just prefer Micarta.

Here is the Cold Steel Recon Scout 39LRST. However, when I wrote this they only had 3 left so you might want to hurry if this is the knife you’re looking for. Also, if your looking for the San Mai III Recon Scout CS37S you can find it there too.

The combat survival knife is a staple on any field of battle. It has to be able to cut through anything that is thrown at it including but not limited to perhaps the fuselage of a downed plane, hacking through rough terrain, or cutting items for building a sturdy shelter quickly in the face of a storm. It also needs to be adept at killing game, digging up roots and other vegetables, and a multitude of cooking chores. And, of course, it needs to be able to be used for what could be it’s most important function… dealing with an enemy.

There are many war stories out there that include the simple fact that without a good survival knife a fine soldier may not have survived. In fact there is one modern story of a soldier in Iraq who used his Gerber LMF II to help him remain under cover of darkness. Here is his story:

“Army SFC Dillard Johnson, penned down in an abandoned building by insurgent gunfire in Iraq, came under a heavy night attack after bright lights were used to illuminate his position. With his Gerber LMF II, a rugged 10-inch survival knife with an insulated handle, Johnson was able to sever a pair of 220-volt power cords without being shocked, disabling the lights. Under the veil of darkness, Johnson and a comrade were able to wait for reinforcements before exiting the building unharmed.” Photo of SFC Jonhnson’s Gerber LMF II.

This article will provide an overview of some of the best knives in the “Military Survival Knife” class available today. Feel free to follow the links peppered throughout for deeper details.

 

To jump to a particular knife click on the links below.

Gerber LMF II
Cold Steel Recon
SOG Seal Knives
ESEE RC-5 and H.E.S.T.

GERBER LMF II ASEK
Mfg. Gerber Legendary Blades

I have several pages on this site devoted to the Gerber LMF II. I personally own it and it currently resides on my bug out bag. (By the way, go check out A-Poc’s new Bug Out Bag post. I think you’ll like it.) I will admit that this knife has a few limitations but, in my opinion, this is one of the best knives on the market today for the money. One of the first questions I get asked is, “What are the differences in the Gerber LMF II ASEK, SURVIVAL, and INFANTRY models of this knife?” You can read all about it in my Gerber Fixed Blade Knives post.

I also recently wrote a post on a couple of the Gerber LMF’s features that I like. If you are curious about the blade on the Gerber LMF II, I got a great question from a reader about the type of steel used in the manufacturing process and learned that it has actually changed a couple of times. Check out my post on the Gerber LMF II Blade Steel.

Follow these links to find the Gerber LMF II ASEK, Gerber LMF II Survival, Foliage Green Infantry, *Camel Brown Infantry,and the Black Infantry knives.

*(Personally, I don’t see a reason to buy the Camel Brown Infantry version, you can get the LMF II Survival that has all the extras cheaper.)

RECON SCOUT
Mfg. Cold Steel

 

I have to say I like the Cold Steel line of knives. They are a no nonsense straight forward knife company. Their knives do exactly what they are supposed to, cut stuff. Lots of stuff. And they cut lots of stuff well. That being said the number one biggest problem I have with Cold Steel is the fact that none of their knives are made in the U.S.A.!! Most of them are made in China, however their company is here in the U.S. and they do employ a lot of Americans.

The Recon Scout comes in two different styles, the standard Recon Scout and the Recon Scout Tanto. The Recon Scout comes in two different types of steel, the SK-5 Carbon, and San Mai III Stainless Steel. Of the two knives the Recon Scout Tanto would be my pick from Cold Steel as a Military Survival Knife.

Cold Steel’s Trailmaster knife is an excellent choice for a survival knife. The only reason I wouldn’t consider it a great military survival knife is because of it’s size. It has a blade that is 9 1/2″ long and this makes the knife 14 1/2″ long overall.

You can find the Recon Scout, Recon Tanto, and the Trail Master knives in SK-5 High Carbon Steel here.

SOG Seal Team Elite
Mfg. SOG

 

SOG makes some of the most innovative tactical knives on the market today. Their knives are sleek and stylish as well as highly functional and with the addition of Gunnery Sgt. R. Lee Ermey as their spokesman look for these knives to gain even more popularity. However, the biggest problem I have with this knife company is that, again, their knives are made overseas. Most of SOG’s knives are made in Taiwan. That being said SOG has two knives I would pick as combat survival knives.

The SOG Seal Team Elite would be my first pick. The two things to remember about this knife is that it is quite large. It comes in at 12.3 inches in overall length. And it has a partially serrated blade. If the serrations have to be sharpened it’s not easy to do it in the field. Most people don’t want to carry the extra weight of special sharpeners. I have read good things about the nylon sheath that it comes with, such as, it has a pocket on it to hold a sharpener. Personally, however, I would spend the $25 to upgrade to the Kydex sheath.

The SOG Seal Pup Elite is another fine knife and is shorter than it’s big brother, the Seal Team Elite, by almost a full 3 inches. Since the blade is a little over 4 1/2 inches long, I would recommend getting the SOG E37S-K Seal Pup Elite Straightedge Knife with the Kydex Sheath and the Black TiNi blade. The size of the blade would lead me toward skipping on the serrations and going with the straight black TiNi blade with the added bonus that it wouldn’t be reflective. But I must say that I REALLY like the tiger striped version with the black TiNi blade, the only drawback is the serrations.

ESEE RC-5 and the H.E.S.T.
Mfg. ESEE Knives (formerly RAT Cutlery)

 

ESEE Knives (formerly RAT Cutlery) makes some of the finest survival knives available. Their attention to detail and customer service are excellent to say the least. You can find out how much I like them (and other great info) by going to my ESEE/RAT knife page. One thing you need to keep in mind, when you order an ESEE knife there are codes that determine knife style, color, and sheath options. Be sure you understand the codes before you order your knife.

The ESEE RC-5 would make an excellent military survival knife. This knife comes with a small divot in the handle so that it can be used with a bow drill for fire making and the butt end can be used as a glass breaker.

The other knife I would recommend is the H.E.S.T. knife. This knife has many features that lend itself to being an exceptional military survival knife. It has a notch for breaking wire, a bottle opener, and it can be used as a pry bar. Inside the handle is a hollowed out area for some survival essentials. One thing I have heard is that the skull icon on the handle wears off after some use, it’s strictly cosmetic but it’s still a bummer.

I read where one reviewer bought two of these for his sons in the military. Overall this knife does exactly what it was designed to do but with a blade length of 3 1/8 inches long, if you’re looking for something with a big blade on it this isn’t it. Remember though, bigger isn’t always better.

Go here to check out the ESEE RC-5, and H.E.S.T knives. The H.E.S.T. knives are finally in stock now.

Ka-Bar and Becker Knives
Mfg. Ka-Bar

 

Ka-Bar is the standard. They set the bar years ago for combat knives and everyone has been chasing them ever since. Yes, there are better knives out there, but you’ll pay more for them. Ka-Bar has stayed the course, they are a consistent company turning out consistent products and they create excellent knives at a great price.

Their original combat/utility knifeis instantly recognizable at the camp site. As soon as you pull it out of it’s sheath everyone knows what kind of knife it is. Of course, being around for over 66 years will do that for you. It has been a favorite of the U.S. Marines since it was first manufactured.

The BK7 and BK9 knives were out of production until Ka-Bar recently took over the duties of teaming up with Becker to manufacture them. These knives were produced by Camillus and when they came out you could pick one up for around 55 dollars. They are a bit more expensive now, they start at around 75 dollars. Don’t let that put you off, these are still excellent knives and that is still an awesome price for what you get. The nice thing about the0007 model of the BK7 is that you get a small knife that fits in the front pouch on the sheath. It’s great for doing small chores like starting fires and general cooking.

Although the Ka-Bar Becker BK9 Combat Bowie Fixed Blade Knifeis an excellent knife, I feel it is too big for a good combat survival knife. You don’t want a knife that is going to be cumbersome to use in an emergency situation. However, if a big knife is what you’re looking for, the BK9 should be given serious consideration. If you’re going to be doing a lot of batoning wood then you should go with a large knife that can stand up to the abuse.

Check out my other post for more information on Ka-bar Fixed Blade Knives.

I recently received a question from a reader of this site on what type of steel the blade of the Gerber LMF II that he bought was made. I sent an email over to Donda at Gerber and got a great response from her. I didn’t realize that the steel had been changed permanently from the Sandvik 12C27 SS to the US 420HC. Also Donda points out at the bottom of her response that you need to check the packaging to know what type of steel your Gerber LMF II has because it’s not stamped anywhere on the knife itself.

By the way, you can find the Gerber 22-01400 LMF II Survival Knife – Coyote Brown knife here.

Hi Caddotx,

Thank you for contacting Gerber Blades.

***NOTE*** January 2006 – December 2007 this steel type was comprised of Sandvik 12C27 SS.

***NOTE*** January 2008 – April 2008 the steel type was temporarily changed from the Sandvik 12C27 SS to 440A U.S. SS.

***NOTE*** May 2008 – current: Production had not resumed with the Sandvik 12C27 SS due to complications with material availability, but switched to a more closely matching steel, the US 420HC.

Carbon

: Present in all steels, it is the most important hardening element. Also increases the strength of the steel but, added in isolation, decreases toughness. We usually want knife-grade steel to have >.5% carbon, which makes it “high-carbon” steel.

Chromium

: Added for wear resistance, harden-ability, and (most importantly) for corrosion resistance. A steel with at least 13% chromium is typically deemed “stainless” steel, though another definition says the steel must have at least 11.5% *free* chromium (as opposed to being tied up in carbides) to be considered “stainless”. Despite the name, all steel can rust if not maintained properly. Adding chromium in high amounts decreases toughness. Chromium is a carbide-former, which is why it increases wear resistance.

Manganese

: An important element, manganese aids the grain structure, and contributes to harden-ability. Also strength & wear resistance. Improves the steel (e.g., deoxidizes) during the steel’s manufacturing (hot working and rolling). Present in most cutlery steel except for A2, L-6, and CPM 420V.

Molybdenum

: A carbide former, prevents brittleness & maintains the steel’s strength at high temperatures. Present in many steels, and air-hardening steels (e.g., A2, ATS-34) always have 1% or more molybdenum — molybdenum is what gives those steels the ability to harden in air.

Phosphorus

: Present in small amounts in most steels, phosphorus is a essentially a contaminant which reduces toughness.

Silicon

: Contributes to strength. Like manganese, it makes the steel more sound while it’s being manufactured.

Sulfur

: Typically not desirable in cutlery steel, sulfur increases machine-ability but decreases toughness.

Vanadium

: Contributes to wear resistance and harden ability, and as a carbide former (in fact, vanadium carbides are the hardest carbides) it contribute to wear resistance. It also refines the grain of the steel, which contributes to toughness and allows the blade to take a very sharp edge. A number of steels have vanadium, but M2, Vascowear, and CPM T440V and 420V (in order of increasing amounts) have high amounts of vanadium. BG-42′s biggest difference with ATS-34 is the addition of vanadium.

Due to inconsistencies with the Sandvik 12C27 and quality concerns; the decision to move forward with the U.S. 420HC was determined to be the best choice and closest match to the Sandvik 12C27 SS. The U.S. 420HC not only exceeded overall performance but also met our high volume and quality production requirements.

Please note that the blades are not stamped or etched as such. The product specifications will be specifically marked on the accompanying packages. The differences between all the steels used, are so closely matched, we believe you will be sincerely challenged to find any performance differences at all.

Unfortunately however, the only way to tell which steel your LMF might be comprised from is the packaging. We apologize for any inconvenience.

Sincerely,

Donda Burnett

Customer Service Representative

Fiskars Outdoor – Americas

Gerber | Brunton

I’ve been wanting to post an update on the Gerber LMF II knives. These are some of the best survival knives available and if you take a look around this site you’ll see several pages and articles we’ve dedicated to this great knife. I personally own the Gerber LMF II Survival version of this knife and since there are a couple of features to this knife that don’t get much recognition, I thought I’d show them to you.

First up is the safety knife. The ASEK and the Survival versions both come with a safety knife. This is a separate knife that comes with it’s own sheath and the first picture below is the safety knife. You may not see much of a need for this knife but I’ll tell you that I reach for it more often than my LMF II. I’m constantly doing something with paracord or rope around the camp and this knife is EXCELLENT for the job of cutting some type of cord. You can certainly do it with the LMF II but it’s a little overkill for paracord. Because of the design you can lay it on your leg as you kneel down to tie something, or shove it quickly into a pocket. It even has extra blades in the handle, although mine are still sharp and I haven’t had to use them yet. I highly recommend getting the ASEK or Survival versions over the Infantry due to the fact that the Infantry version does NOT come with a safety knife.

The other feature I’d like to point out is on the leg straps. If you look closely at the picture you’ll see what looks like gray stitching. That is actually rubber that is stitched into the strap to help keep it fixed on your leg. This works great when I have my LMF II strapped to my calf. And remember, the Infantry version only comes with ONE leg strap, not TWO. Here’s a couple of pics for clarification.

You can find the Foliage Green Gerber LMF II ASEK Knife By Clicking Here and the Gerber LMF II Survival Knife Here.

Gerber makes some excellent folding knives. Many of these are used by military personnel as well as law enforcement officers all around the world. These are some of the best selling and most popular folding knives manufactured by Gerber. They also have an excellent survival knife in the fixed blade Gerber LMF II you may want to check out.

The Gerber Gator II gets it’s name from the simulated alligator skin on the handle of the knife. This knife is sold in two different styles, each available in a plain or partially serrated blade. The standard Gerber Gator II is a lock back knife with a drop point style blade.

The Gerber Gator II with the Gut Hook style blade also comes in a lock back design. Both these knives have a strategically placed thumb hole that allows for quick effortless opening of the stainless steel blade.

There is one other configuration in which you can purchase this knife. That is the standard Gerber Gator II with a separate E-Z gut hook knife. this is a great option for the hunter that wants an everyday folder plus the option of using the gut hook when needed.

One more important thing to keep in mind when shopping for Gerber Gator Knives. The Gator has been an excellent seller for Gerber and they have several different styles of this knife. The main difference between the Gator I and the Gator II is the thumb hole for opening the blade. The Gator I doesn’t have it, remember that when you’re ordering your knife because I’ve seen dealers advertising knives with the wrong picture.

Gerber 22-41414 Gator II Drop Point, Fine Edge Knife
KNIFE, GATOR II DROP POINT (2201413)
KNIFE, GATOR II GUT HOOK, FINE
KNIFE, GATOR II GUT HOOK, SERRATED
Gerber 22-41416 Gator II Fine Edge Knife with Gut Hook
Gerber 22-41417 Gator II Serrated Edge Knife with Gut Hook

The Gerber Game Pro is a knife designed by Rick Hinderer of Rick Hinderer Knives. He has designed a couple of knives for Gerber and came up with a different frame lock design, which is a feature on this knife, that he calls the “lockbar stabilizer”.

This is a drop point style knife, which makes it excellent for skinning game. The size of this knife is more suited for smaller game. In a survival situation you would probably be going for smaller game anyway so this is perfect as an all around carry or bug out bag knife. The length is a hair over 7″ but a little over 4″ of that is handle.

The blade is made from High Carbon Steel and the handle is stainless steel with Softgrip inserts. It also has a thumb stud for quick one-handed opening.

Knife, Game Pro Foldig Hunter (2208460) Category: Swat Knives

Another great knife designed by Rick Hinderer. The Gerber Torch II Tanto. This knife comes with a “finger flip” design which means you can open the blade lightning fast. Just push down on the finger flip while you flick the blade open. It’s that easy. The “finger flip” does double duty as a finger guard as well.

The blade is made from 440A stainless steel and the handle is stainless steel with machined G10 inserts. G10 is basically a fiberglass laminate common in knife handles, it is lightweight and very strong. Overall length is 8.1″, the blade is 3.5″ It is a lock back knife using Rick Hinderer’s “Lockbar Stabilizer” design.

The only drawback to this knife would be sharpening it. The Tanto blade has to be sharpened from two different angles and the serrated sections would require special sharpening stones. Keep this in mind before purchasing it.

Gerber Torch II Tanto G-10 Black Serrated Edge Knife

If you like exotic looking Tanto knives then the Kiowa (named after the Kiowa helicopter manufactured by Bell Helicopters) is the knife for you. I really like the look of this knife and I haven’t found many complaints on it’s function. The one thing I did find out about it is that, with use, the paint can come off the handle. Although the blade is anodized it appears that the handle is not.

It has a partially serrated tanto blade and the locking mechanism is a liner lock. It is 7.4″ long and is made of High Carbon Stainless and features one-handed opening.

Gerber 22-41405 Kiowa Tanto, Black – Serrated Edge – Clam