Gerber 22-01629 LMF II Black Infantry Knife with 4.8-Inch Blade
by Gerber
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List Price: Our Price: $64.65 You Save: $71.41 (52%) Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours Buy Used: from $59.31 (click here) Category: Tools See more product details |
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Tools and Hardware Reviews of Gerber 22-01629 LMF II Black Infantry Knife with 4.8-Inch Blade
Customer Review: Good knife by a US company
Summary: 4 Stars
Just a few quick thoughts on this knife:
1) It is larger than you expect. The handle is much larger than the grip of my hand, it only really feels good when I'm wearing gloves (I normally wear size large).
2) It is heavier than you expect. This is a really thick knife, and feels really solid when you are holding it. I have no doubt that this knife and Twinkies will be the only thing surviving a nuclear apocalypse. Unfortunately, it is just too heavy for backpacking, but will serve great for other outdoor applications where weight isn't a big issue.
3) The serrations, in my opinion, are on the wrong side for right-handers. When holding the knife in your right hand, across your body (like you were going to slice off a chunk of wood), the serrations are facing down. Not sure what the reasoning for that is.
4) The sheath is extremely tight. I read that the reason why is that this knife was designed for the military, and part of its design is that it be able to stay closed when a 10g force is applied to it. For the average civilian though, it almost makes the knife dangerous to use, you really have to be careful when pulling the knife out. I'll probably be modifying the nylon guard that holds it in so that it is easier to remove, the nylon straps and buttons will be more than adequate to hold it in.
5) American made. When more and more things seem to be having quality problems from being made overseas, its nice to see an American company "getting it right". The only cons I have on this knife are all personal preferences, and shouldn't take away from the fact that this is an excellent outdoor knife.
Customer Review: Seems to be built well
Summary: 4 Stars
I have not had an oppotunity to put this knife through any trials yet so I will update this when I do. What I have to say for now is that it seems to be a well built hefty knife with a very comfortable handle. One of the main reasons I decided on this knife was because of the sheath. Most of the knives that I have ever owned had what I would call barely adequate sheaths. This one is very good. I like that it is made with synthetic material that will not rot. I also like that it has drain holes so it will not retain moisture. The built in sharpner is a nice idea though I allways pack a small one anyway. And of course the many many different ways in which this sheath can be attached to a pack, your leg, belt etc. gives a lot of options for the type of activity you are planning on. The serations on the knife for me are just right. The fact that they are on the blade instead of the spine means that the knife will not loose rigidity or strength. Also that it is stainless and will not rust is a big plus for me since I live in the Pacific Northwest. I know that some say that stainless is too hard to sharpen in the field, but that is why I carry the extra sharpner. I have other stainless knives and have realy not found this to be a problem.
Update: I finaly had a chance to get out to the woods for some camping and had a chance to use it. I am a bit dissapointed that I got a small chip in the blade just from shaving some branches. I also used it with my fire starter and it seemed to do no damage from shaving the magnesium and scraping it on the sparker. It feels nice in my hand with a nice heft. I will continue to update as it gets more use.
Customer Review: More than pleased with it
Summary: 5 Stars
Fit and finish was perfect and the blade was razor sharp out of the box. The balance is excellent and feels great in my hand. The grip is nice and sticky so I doubt slippage will ever be a problem. I really can't think of anything I would do differently on this one.
The Sheath needs a review of it's own. This is what puts the knife from 4 to 5 stars. If your knife is properly inserted, it will never ever fall out. I would have priced the sheath at $30ish alone. It does have an "emergency" sharpener in it, just in case your in the field and need a quick edge.
I was considering a Fallkniven A1, but for almost 3 times more than the gerber. I still might pick up an A1 but for camping and such the gerber seems like it will be more than enough. I decided on the gerber after watching the torture test performed on it at http://knifetests.com/GerberLMFIIASEK.html I figured If it went through that much, It might be the last knife I ever purchase.
Final thought:
If your going to actually use your knife as opposed to putting it on a shelf, then the gerber is definately the workhorse you need.
I liked it so much, I just purchased another one.
Pro: Just about everything
Cons: Petty, but it sat in the W.house for 10 days before shipping(which only took 2 days). Free shipping, you get what you pay for). If you need it quickly, you might want to check the other purchase options on here and pay an extra couple bucks for it.(I will post my seconds knives shipping time later).
Customer Review: Not a Cheap Knife
Summary: 5 Stars
The old saying you get what you pay for applies here. This knife will last a lifetime. It is well made and sharp, an excellent choice as a "survival" knife. The knife and sheath work well together as system.
The blade is strong and sharp. The blade is thick enough to chop small trees and pry things with, not what you would normally use a knife for. This is still a knife though and it excels at its primary function which is cutting. Its sharp enough to shave with and has a serrated portion for cutting rope. The handle is a comfortable non-slip rubber that feels good in your hand. The butcap has a great point for smashing safety glass or as a secondary defensive striking option. By detaching the plastic portion of the sheath from the webbing the blade becomes a handle and a flat portion at the butcap end can be used as a hammer.
The sheath is smartly constructed with leg straps and multiple attachment options. A built in sharpner helps you keep the blade sharp after heavy use. The knife is held in place in the plastic part of the sheath by a spap in pressure fit. The plastic part of the sheath attaches to the nylon webbing with sturdy velcro straps which makes for easy removal. The webbing portion adds 2 retaining straps that have button snaps that help hold the knife in the sheath. There are 2 elastic webbing leg straps with plastic buckles for use in an ankle carry or use 1 as a leg strap with the belt loop.
This is the best knife for the money I have ever owned. If I could only have one knife this would be it.
Customer Review: Crazy-Insane Knife
Summary: 5 Stars
First off. My dad was the one who opened the box. The first thing he asked me was how much? He figured it was around 200 for the knife. The box was a little dented when I got it,and it appeared to be handled a bit, but maybe that is just a flaw in the coating. The blade had a few very very minor dings that were taken out after sharpening it. It has a but if a rubbery odor that goes away with time. other than that all the stuff was fine. Comes with the sheath, and two legs straps ( I was worried because the details did not say that it came with any) The blade was pretty sharp out of box, I ran it through the sheath sharpener and it was razor sharp. The nylon straps have a rubber stitch in them to prevent slipping of the straps. It has so many ways you can wear it its unreal. I found I think four or five ways you can carry it. Its is really lite, a lot lighter than i expected it to be. Really sturdy, the glass breaker works like a dream. Punched out my old tv set glass in two fairly strong hits.
The only problems i can find is getting used to ripping the knife out of its sheath, and the two straps that hold the butt of the knife in, are very very tight. The flame retardant works pretty well two, it took forever for me to even get a little bit of flame on the nylon.
All in all. The knife is probably one of the best investments you can make. Even if you want to semi-protect your house, or go hiking in the woods for a few days. Even just to have something to play with. I'd pick this knife over anything. SO far so good.