A couple years ago, I purchased a Gerber Profile Fixed Blade Knife Drop Point. I generally take it camping with me, but have never thought of reviewing it. In fact, I am not a knife afficiando. However, I’m going to give it a shot here.
Like I said, I have had this knife for a couple years. It generally comes camping with me, and to be quite on the up and up, it gets very light use. however, this weekend, I strapped it on my waist.
First, a little history about the Gerber Profile. One, I bought it for sub $20.00 at a big box retailer a couple years ago. This blade has been reviewed numerous times on the Internet already. Here is what I know. I have purchased a Ka-Bar Marine Fighting Knife, a Ka-Bar Becker II, Mora Clipper, and numerous other knives over several years. I have used each one for various tasks, less the Ka-Bar Marine Fighting Knife. In hind sight, I may not have purchased that one. It’s utility is limit by comparison to several of the others I have purchased.
Now, for the Gerber Profile. Here is what I like about it. The full tang blade is thick and strong. It was inexpensive, and you can continue to find them on Amazon.com and other online stores. I like the special thumb area on the spine of the full tang blade. It makes it more versatile and gives additional leverage when using the knife. The rubberized handle is comfortable and my forefinger fits comfortably around the handle. There’s a lanyard hole in the handle as well… As far as balance, the handle is a bit heavier than the blade itself. It holds an edge well. I used it for some heavy baton work this weekend while camping, and verified the edge held well… It seems to be a good all around camp knife.
Now for what I don’t like. If you read any of the reviews of this knife, many of them will discuss the sheath being kind of flimsy. It seems to be a little flimsy to me as well. I am no expert, but I can see why so many people mentioned that with daily use it fell apart. But for $20.00 what can you expect? I would like to find a place to purchase a Kydex sheath at some point as it would be much more durable for years to come. The second thing that I didn’t like, was that the blade is coated in that “Gerber coating” that will not let the spine of the blade spark a fire steel.
The upside. It is light on my hip when strapped on, not like some of the other knives I have. I barely know it is there, and can wear it all day. Make sure the handle is buttoned in with the strap that holds the knife in the sheath, otherwise you might lose it in the field.
Finally, I think that this is a good knife for both camping and for light hunting tasks. I am not sure how well it would perform dressing game such as a deer, or other large animal, but am sure it would be fine for small game such as rabbit, squirrel, etc.
I have some buck knives and a Kabar. But to tell the truth, most of my knives are from the Budk catalog and they are good knives, with the added advantage of being cheap.
I too have some from BudK. In fact, I have a Cold Steel Roach Belly coming shortly from them… Their prices are right if you know what you are buying. I also picked up a couple of rubberized compression bags and a rubber bowl/container from them recently that I liked off of their Military Surplus page.
We are truly spoiled these days when it comes to knives. I have a multitude of knives of all descriptions. You can pay as little or as much as you want now days and choose a profile, grind, steel, heat treating process, finish and sheath that suits your fancy. It’s a great time in history to buy a knife, but the concept of the blade hasn’t changed too much in a long, long time.
To be honest, I am a little spoiled when it comes to knives too… There are so many types, varieties, brands, and as you mentioned, grinds, etc. I think I buy them as much to collect them as to actually use them in the field, albeit, most of them get light use. But the Gerber Profile, probably gets the most use of all my knives… If the situation warranted it, I am sure I would use several of the others more often.
I am spoiled too Brother. I have edged tools made by all sorts of manufacturers … also somewhat to collect them, but each has it’s niche. Could you ever have too many knives? I don’t think so. Right now, my primany “survival knife” is an MOD Nightwing by Allen Eishewitz in a Spec Ops Brand Survivor MOLLE Sheath. In the pouch on the sheath I carry a Victorinox Swiss Army Knife (the model escapes me at the moment) magnesium & ferrocerium rods, a carbide scraper/sharpener a Photon Micro Light II, a small Brunton compass and a mini BIC lighter. The sheath also has a bunch of paracord on it … it uses paracord for the leg tie. Even with all this utility I find it necessary to carry mess of other blades and edged tools for different jobs and I don’t plan to stop collecting knives any time soon. I just think it’s interesting that species of our genus have been making edged tools for 2.8 million years and the basic concept remains the same. The major innovations are the thinngs like the axe handle and the saw. I think it’s great that we can buy functional blades so cheaply. Imagine what an investment a good knife was for our ancestors.
All good points to be sure… I don’t think I will stop collecting them, either. It is an addiction. 🙂
You need to take a soldering iron and melt the edges of the sheath together and melt a lanyard hole in the bottom of it as well as the snap to keep the thread from coming loose and your knife vanishing. Get a very light grit sandpaper and remove that annoying coating. I used a round 1/8 file and put a stryker groove at the base of my blade. I stippled the cheapo rubber grips, colored in the WHITE “Gerber” lettering on the sheath and put a lanyard on the knife handle as well.
I took some inner tube bands and created a mini survival kit on the sheath with Ranger bands and attached a Sanrenmu 710 to the outside edge of the sheath.
Last I put a REAL edge on the little knife. This is my 3rd one. Everytime someone see’s them they can’t believe it’s a cheap little Gerber Profile and end up trading me for them. someone wants the one I have now.
These little knives are excellent for customizing and improving upon.
For $20 + tax and a little innovation and elbow grease this is one good little back up camping/bushcraft knife.
RECON — Thanks for the note. I ended up having a kydex sheath made for it. It is one of my favorite camp knives. One of the things about the blade I didn’t like was the coating. You couldn’t strike a fire steel. But like you said, a fine sandpaper, and you fix that. How did you make the striker notch? Round file?
Silly me, I had to read your reply again to see the answer was yes. Sorry…