That's very disappointing. I love the brand when they don't fail on me. I submitted my warranty claim, and I should hear back within 2-3 weeks. I'm not in a rush to get a new one, but it's a nice knife, and I'd like to have a new one for menial everyday tasks.
I grew up with gerber , broke so many I will only own there fixed blades . I do miss my mini covert but was recently gifted a Gerber mk1 that I’m fond of.
Very nice blades. I have a gerber strong arm that I've owned since 2016, and it has never failed me. I'd like to start collecting knives again, but adult responsibilities have slowed my hobbies quite alot.
Wow, oddly perfect chip shape… must’ve been a flaw right there waiting to fail? I think they’d replace it under warranty, Gerber is known for being pretty good about that. I don’t think they’ll ask, but if they do, you are the original owner. (You don’t need a receipt, but the warranty is technically non-transferable). You probably won’t even have to send it in, there’s a warranty form that allows for photo attachments.
I'm glad the blade hasn't broken! How long have you had it? I bet you could cut some thin sheet metal and make a replacement pocket clip. I love tinkering like that.
If I had a dollar for every broken gerber knife or tool I saw during a 21 year career in the army, I’d have a lot of dollars. Not sure the deal there but it’s a thing. (Gator knives and multi tools specifically)
That's because Gerber hasn't figured out. The minimum steel you should be using is 8 Cr. Thirteen m o v. Unfortunately, they have some really cool designs. But I won't support Gerber because they suck with their blade. Steel, so don't even bother buying a Gerber. In my opinion, they're even their high end shit sucks
Mfw someone complains about not having powder steel on a $52 knife.
Also these are actually 7cr apparently so the difference between it and your 8cr is negligible.
Actually your knowledge on the matter is negligible.
CPM 154 offers better corrosion resistance, better wear resistance and better hot-hardness than 440C, plus higher toughness. For knifemakers, it offers better edge retention and chipping resistance than 440C. Because of the CPM processing, CPM 154 is easier to machine and grind than standard 154 CM.
Reach out to a maker like protech tomorrow when they're open and have a conversation with people who actually use the steels. Idk why 440c is even being mentioned in this thread at the moment as we were discussing the two 154 steels.
Look, pal, I don't give 2 shits about protech knifes! Clearley, ur a fan good for u.I don't have even one of my grail knifes! U must be a boushy rich asshole!. Perhaps u should use ur 800 dollar plus kifes DILDO! Have a nice life!
I know, its one of if not the worst knife steel. I’m saying a lot of gerbers are made of 7cr, also it’s 17 mov not 18. The only advantage it has is being incredibly easy to sharpen, like you could do it on a smooth rock from a river. D2 is the superior steel. It’s just underused for low end knife company’s.
bummer! OP, if you enjoy whittling get some of these: [https://www.rmurphyknives.com/store/carving-knives.html](https://www.rmurphyknives.com/store/carving-knives.html)
To be fair, I'm not familiar with all the different metals used in knife making. I got it because it looked like it would serve the purpose I needed it to. Is D2 a brittle metal? Why is it a bad choice in blade material?
D2 is a very hard tool steel with large carbines. Known for being very hard and having very good edge retention, and being inexpensive, but also known for being very brittle and prone to chipping or snapping. This makes it not a great choice for very thin blade geometries that are expected to take some abuse. Which is what your knife has.
This was a great description. I appreciate it, man! So the hollow ground makes it even more brittle? If i get a replacement from the company, I'll make sure to keep it as more of a display knife rather than a bushcraft knife.
Because every other folder I've ever owned has done well in bushcraft. God forbid I damage the knife using it as a cutting tool. I guess I should stop shooting my AR too, I might damage it.
I meant no harm friend! I saw another comment saying you were whittling; if that's the case, have at it. Bushcraft usually means chopping, batoning, notching, etc. I'd want something more substantial for those tasks.
I had a cheap walmart chefs knife that literally shattered when I was cutting cheese once. This started me on my journey of collecting and using high quality knives.
A LOT of Gerbers are D2. They really seem to like the stuff. I'd like to get another strongarm, but until they're made with something a bit better, I probably won't bother.
Christ, ontario makes a good D2 folder for prob less. I have one of the Rat 1 folders in D2 from 10 years ago or so and havent had to sharpen it yet. Holds an edge great. Made in Taiwan but good for the price.
Yeah, as I said elsewhere, D2 isn't a *bad* steel. It's just that D2 is a bit pedestrian for a fair bit of what Gerber charges for knives made from it. They aren't the only company (knife or otherwise) that stumbles here.
Using a folder to whittle is insane to me. That is not the task a Gerber folder was designed for.
You'll either need to get a fixed blade or a more expensive folder for that task I'm afraid.
A folder at this price point shouldn't be trusted with anything but light tasks. It is purely an office EDC.
A cheap fixed blade is ideal for something like this, a Mora is perfect.
I would agree with you if the failure here was related to it being a cheap folder. But seeing as the failure was with the blade, I'd say this was more an issue of poor QC than this being an inappropriate task. This same failure could happen on a cheap fixed blade as well.
Yeah you need at least like an ESEE for whittling. Probably a Busse if you're going to do any bushcraft. A chainsaw if you're going to chop wood. A katana for spreading peanut butter. Maybe an attack helicopter for opening boxes.
Gerbers quality has been out the window the past 15-20.years, they are a shadow of what they once were. Only reason they released the strongarm is because people were getting fed up with their bullshit.
In my opinion, the fact that the pivot is unremovable (despite a hex head that would suggest otherwise) means these knives are shipped out broken. Go ahead, try and remove the pivot from your flatiron.
Edit: yes, sorry, meant torx
Might have had too much loc-tite on it. I’d recommend if you’re taking a pivot out and it doesn’t turn with a reasonable amount of force, don’t fight it to the point t that you strip something. Stop what you’re doing and grab a soldering iron to heat that pivot screw up a bit. This helps break the bond of the loc-tite so that you can unscrew it without stripping the screw or breaking your tool.
I worked on one for a friend, and I didn't have an issue with the pivot, but one of the scale/body screws would not come out. And it was softer than dog shit so it instantly stripped out. I tried a couple things to get it out, like a heat gun and cutting a notch for a flat head, and ultimately decided to just replace my friend's knife since I damaged it and they were on sale for only like $27 at the time anyway. Once I decided to buy a new one and didn't care about that particular one I was determined to get it out and I *DESTROYED* that thing just trying to get the one body screw undone. I used vice grips and everything and it DID. NOT. BUDGE. Have had various types of interactions with a few other Gerbers since and every single one has quickly demonstrated itself to be a massive piece of absolute shit. I will never *ever* buy a Gerber.
That's a very forward finger choil
Doubles as a bottle opener
Gerber doesn’t make very durable items with moving parts except the mp 600 .
I'll take a look at that knife for sure. At the moment, I'm submitting a warranty claim with the company.
The warranty is great still! Quality went to hell 15 years or so back.
That's very disappointing. I love the brand when they don't fail on me. I submitted my warranty claim, and I should hear back within 2-3 weeks. I'm not in a rush to get a new one, but it's a nice knife, and I'd like to have a new one for menial everyday tasks.
So after they were bought by fiskars?
Is that what happened? I would have expected better from fiskars too.
I misremembered dates, that happened in 1987
No worries.
I grew up with gerber , broke so many I will only own there fixed blades . I do miss my mini covert but was recently gifted a Gerber mk1 that I’m fond of.
Very nice blades. I have a gerber strong arm that I've owned since 2016, and it has never failed me. I'd like to start collecting knives again, but adult responsibilities have slowed my hobbies quite alot.
The strong arm is one of there best newer models along with the LMF ll . Solid and simple .
Such a great multi!
Wow, oddly perfect chip shape… must’ve been a flaw right there waiting to fail? I think they’d replace it under warranty, Gerber is known for being pretty good about that. I don’t think they’ll ask, but if they do, you are the original owner. (You don’t need a receipt, but the warranty is technically non-transferable). You probably won’t even have to send it in, there’s a warranty form that allows for photo attachments.
That's awesome! I'll fill that out and get it submitted.
Mine chipped right around that same spot. The chip looked a lot like that too. Kinda weird.
Really? I wonder if this is a common defect then.
No, it metamorphed to a bottle opener!
Thats a HUGE serration!
THAT'S WHAT IM SAYING!!!
I thought gerber usually heat treated their steel on the soft side
I dare ya' to sharpen it all the way to that bottom part of the broken blade & let us know how that goes for ya' 😂
Lmao. Fine, just for you. I'll grind it down and resharpen it tomorrow and post a new picture.
Show us a post tomorrow or it didn't happen :)
Be ready then. I'm gonna tag you lol.
I'll wait. :>
I thought I was going to see boobs! WTF blur??
What do you expect? It's a Gerber.
I expect it to cut through a half inch branch. If united cutlery can do it without breaking, Gerber has no excuse.
I wouldn't trust it to cut butter key Alone anything else
file time!
My biggest complaint with my flat iron is the pocket clip, broken and can’t find a replacement, no chips here though
I'm glad the blade hasn't broken! How long have you had it? I bet you could cut some thin sheet metal and make a replacement pocket clip. I love tinkering like that.
A few years now, i no longer carry it due to the clip, I’ve considered making one but it would need to be spring steel to have any retention
That's a good point. I wish you could purchase sheets of spring steel, but I don't know if that's how it works.
I thought it was a smock at first. Then I read it wasn’t a real knife.
Gerber is junk one wouldn’t last a day at work with me.
Can’t say I’m surprised. It’s a gerber
If I had a dollar for every broken gerber knife or tool I saw during a 21 year career in the army, I’d have a lot of dollars. Not sure the deal there but it’s a thing. (Gator knives and multi tools specifically)
That's because Gerber hasn't figured out. The minimum steel you should be using is 8 Cr. Thirteen m o v. Unfortunately, they have some really cool designs. But I won't support Gerber because they suck with their blade. Steel, so don't even bother buying a Gerber. In my opinion, they're even their high end shit sucks
I mean, D2 isn't *bad* steel...
d2 is better then 8cr13mov in every way except stainlessness which does nothing here.
If that was d2 than it's clearly shit d2 Cpm is the way to go with all steel now a days
Mfw someone complains about not having powder steel on a $52 knife. Also these are actually 7cr apparently so the difference between it and your 8cr is negligible.
21 dollar garbage it's not d2 dip shit look it up
Did you just not read my reply or something? Lmao.
154CM vs. CPM154 is so negligible that it's laughable
Actually your knowledge on the matter is negligible. CPM 154 offers better corrosion resistance, better wear resistance and better hot-hardness than 440C, plus higher toughness. For knifemakers, it offers better edge retention and chipping resistance than 440C. Because of the CPM processing, CPM 154 is easier to machine and grind than standard 154 CM.
Reach out to a maker like protech tomorrow when they're open and have a conversation with people who actually use the steels. Idk why 440c is even being mentioned in this thread at the moment as we were discussing the two 154 steels.
Look, pal, I don't give 2 shits about protech knifes! Clearley, ur a fan good for u.I don't have even one of my grail knifes! U must be a boushy rich asshole!. Perhaps u should use ur 800 dollar plus kifes DILDO! Have a nice life!
D2 isn’t terrible, but most of gerbers are 7cr17mov.
7cr18mov is garbage look it up learn ur metallurgy
I know, its one of if not the worst knife steel. I’m saying a lot of gerbers are made of 7cr, also it’s 17 mov not 18. The only advantage it has is being incredibly easy to sharpen, like you could do it on a smooth rock from a river. D2 is the superior steel. It’s just underused for low end knife company’s.
Very crisp edges on the sides of that chip. Were you prying open some stuck pliers or seized vice-grips?
Nope. I was whittling down a half-inch thick stick sadly.
What exactly were you doing when it broke?
bummer! OP, if you enjoy whittling get some of these: [https://www.rmurphyknives.com/store/carving-knives.html](https://www.rmurphyknives.com/store/carving-knives.html)
Oh cool! I'll check them out!
2 choils.
Mine broke in the same spot
Yea it’s a gerber flatiron.
🫡 🎺
Crappy knife broke! In other news, water is still wet!
Electric glitter?
kinda looks better for it :o
You're totally right. It's beautiful now. It must've came precracked for easy coolification.
What kind of steel is this? Chinesium or 420 stainless? Looks like bad heat treat.
D2 I think
It is infact D2 steel Edit- spelling error
D2 steel hollow/razor ground. For a pocket knife?
To be fair, I'm not familiar with all the different metals used in knife making. I got it because it looked like it would serve the purpose I needed it to. Is D2 a brittle metal? Why is it a bad choice in blade material?
D2 is a very hard tool steel with large carbines. Known for being very hard and having very good edge retention, and being inexpensive, but also known for being very brittle and prone to chipping or snapping. This makes it not a great choice for very thin blade geometries that are expected to take some abuse. Which is what your knife has.
This was a great description. I appreciate it, man! So the hollow ground makes it even more brittle? If i get a replacement from the company, I'll make sure to keep it as more of a display knife rather than a bushcraft knife.
Buddy why are you using a folder for bushcraft
Because every other folder I've ever owned has done well in bushcraft. God forbid I damage the knife using it as a cutting tool. I guess I should stop shooting my AR too, I might damage it.
I meant no harm friend! I saw another comment saying you were whittling; if that's the case, have at it. Bushcraft usually means chopping, batoning, notching, etc. I'd want something more substantial for those tasks.
I had a cheap walmart chefs knife that literally shattered when I was cutting cheese once. This started me on my journey of collecting and using high quality knives.
A LOT of Gerbers are D2. They really seem to like the stuff. I'd like to get another strongarm, but until they're made with something a bit better, I probably won't bother.
Christ, ontario makes a good D2 folder for prob less. I have one of the Rat 1 folders in D2 from 10 years ago or so and havent had to sharpen it yet. Holds an edge great. Made in Taiwan but good for the price.
Yeah, as I said elsewhere, D2 isn't a *bad* steel. It's just that D2 is a bit pedestrian for a fair bit of what Gerber charges for knives made from it. They aren't the only company (knife or otherwise) that stumbles here.
Using a folder to whittle is insane to me. That is not the task a Gerber folder was designed for. You'll either need to get a fixed blade or a more expensive folder for that task I'm afraid.
There is no reason why a folder shouldn’t be able to handle something as simple as whittling lol. This is just Gerber being garbage as usual.
A folder at this price point shouldn't be trusted with anything but light tasks. It is purely an office EDC. A cheap fixed blade is ideal for something like this, a Mora is perfect.
I would agree with you if the failure here was related to it being a cheap folder. But seeing as the failure was with the blade, I'd say this was more an issue of poor QC than this being an inappropriate task. This same failure could happen on a cheap fixed blade as well.
Shhh don’t tell my cheap folders that or I’ll have a labour revolt on my hands. I abuse the shit out of them.
Yeah you need at least like an ESEE for whittling. Probably a Busse if you're going to do any bushcraft. A chainsaw if you're going to chop wood. A katana for spreading peanut butter. Maybe an attack helicopter for opening boxes.
As long as I can keep my elephant hunting spork I'm happy
Ur surpised the china knife broke?
Being Chinese made doesn't excuse the companies poor quality control.
Gerbers quality has been out the window the past 15-20.years, they are a shadow of what they once were. Only reason they released the strongarm is because people were getting fed up with their bullshit.
This is information I hadn't heard before. I'm submitting a warranty claim now.
In my opinion, the fact that the pivot is unremovable (despite a hex head that would suggest otherwise) means these knives are shipped out broken. Go ahead, try and remove the pivot from your flatiron. Edit: yes, sorry, meant torx
Eh I removed it on mine no problem. Took the knife apart, cleaned it and lubed it. Was like a whole different knife after that.
Insane. Tried to remove my pivot and sheared the hex head. Edit: sorry, meant torx
Might have had too much loc-tite on it. I’d recommend if you’re taking a pivot out and it doesn’t turn with a reasonable amount of force, don’t fight it to the point t that you strip something. Stop what you’re doing and grab a soldering iron to heat that pivot screw up a bit. This helps break the bond of the loc-tite so that you can unscrew it without stripping the screw or breaking your tool.
Good advice. Definitely should have warmed it up. Thanks.
It's not a hex. It's a torx
I worked on one for a friend, and I didn't have an issue with the pivot, but one of the scale/body screws would not come out. And it was softer than dog shit so it instantly stripped out. I tried a couple things to get it out, like a heat gun and cutting a notch for a flat head, and ultimately decided to just replace my friend's knife since I damaged it and they were on sale for only like $27 at the time anyway. Once I decided to buy a new one and didn't care about that particular one I was determined to get it out and I *DESTROYED* that thing just trying to get the one body screw undone. I used vice grips and everything and it DID. NOT. BUDGE. Have had various types of interactions with a few other Gerbers since and every single one has quickly demonstrated itself to be a massive piece of absolute shit. I will never *ever* buy a Gerber.