Gerber 22-41121 Prodigy Survival Knife
by Gerber
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List Price: Our Price: $41.99 You Save: $40.41 (49%) Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours Category: Tools See more product details |
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Tools and Hardware Reviews of Gerber 22-41121 Prodigy Survival Knife
Customer Review: Nice
Summary: 5 Stars
Blade 4.75" long, 0.188" thick, full tang, Handle 5", weight 8 oz. Bowie type blade shape, Flat grind, factory razor sharp, with a generous 2" of serration.
I wanted something a little lighter and smaller than my Kabar Bull Dozier. This is like a bigger and fixed blade version of the Gerber Auto 06 military. The handle is a snug fit in the hand but that's the tradeoff for something smaller. Balance is a tad biased to the blade end. I am a big fan of high toughness knife steels. I don't mind losing a little edge retention but the blade must NOT break or chip when it gets used hard. The sandvik SS used in this blade has a great reputation for high toughness and good edge retention. In the end, that was the reason why I chose this one over others.
The sheath is effective, and quiet deployment. It's also MOLLE compatible, with countless loops and snaps and velcro dohickeys so you can mount it in every which way imaginable. But it seems a little overkill for a smaller knife and I'm no longer in the service so I don't need all that stuff, just a belt loop thank you. The sheath ends up being a very complex piece of hardware that weighs almost as much as the knife 6 oz. Hence the 4 stars (5 stars if you are mil).
EDit update: I've been using the knife now for a month and I have grown to absolutely love it. Its the perfect size and incredibly rugged. I even use it in the kitchen. I use it a lot more than the LMF. I got a cheap leather sheath from Kabar and its now perfect. Upgraded to 5 stars!
Customer Review: Good balance, excellent grip, stays sharp
Summary: 5 Stars
I have the big brother to this knife, the LMF II. This one is slightly smaller and doesn't come with that immense sheath, but is a solid knife in its own right. The grip is very comfortable and fits my hand well. In my opinion, a good grip is as important as a good blade because you can easily open your hand if the knife slips.
Out of the box, the blade was sharp enough to shave my forearm. It's a good weight -- not very heavy -- but feels solid. It does just about everything as well as the LMF II, except that it's just a touch lighter and shorter.
My usual knife test is to grab a couple coconuts from my neighbor's tree and see how easily I can open it up (carve the top off, open a hole to drink, carve a spoon from the husk, then chop it open). I did the test with this one and am happy to say that it did the job beautifully.
Next, I have this mutant tree in my back yard that grows like crazy. When green I can chop one branch with two swings from my machete. This knife took four to five hits but cut cleanly.
The Prodigy is actually a better bargain than the LMF II if you don't plan on "egressing" from a aircraft anytime soon. My "combat" experience is mainly waging war against the foliage, but I'm happy to have this knife during the fight.
Customer Review: Get it and don't look back
Summary: 5 Stars
This is an outstanding knife - The best of it's type you can buy for less than [...] bucks. End of discussion. I prefer the 12c27 Sandvik stainless version to the other types of steel it comes in but seriously doubt there's a big enough difference to notice for most people. I LOVE serrations on a utility / survival-type knife. I don't understand why so many people think you need a plain edge. I know plain edges are "easier to sharpen" and better for controlled cuts on wood but if you want a truly useful edge for cutting man-made materials and the types of things you're likely to encounter in an urban environment, the serrations are a MUST, and the shallow serrations on this knife are perfect. The handle material insulates your hand from cold and electric shock, ensures solid grip when wet, it's very ergonomic and comfortable. I chose this over the SOG Seal Pup after handling both multiple times because the grippy handle feels better in my hand. The sheath is outstanding at this price point, allowing for a number of different carry options, and can accept the knife for left or right handed draw. Gerber delivers another serious knife at a great price. Don't be fooled by the low cost, this is no "cheap" tool. It will serve you well for a lifetime if you do your part and take care of it.Customer Review: Gerber Prodigy
Summary: 5 Stars
Gerber Prodigy CSK
I have used the LMF II before in training, and decided it was a little too beefy for my smaller hands. Don't get me wrong, the LMF is a great knife, and you really can't go wrong when you buy Gerber (I now own five knives by that brand). So, in lieu of my small mitts, I elected to give the Prodigy a try. Overall, I would say I'm extremely impressed yet again with my Gerber selection. Ounce for ounce, this knife is a little beefier than it appears, yet very comfortable. Very sharp and clean out of the box. I intend on bringing this and an LMF on my next deployment April 2010. For the price, you will have a good, solid knife suited for all types of small tasks, as well as combat and self-defense. My only two (very small) gripes would be the lack of a sharpener, which you can find anywhere else for a small price, and the sheath is kind of weird... it looks like you should be able to take the molded plastic part off of the actual sheath, but it is screwed in near the top. I know these are small issues, and in the long run don't affect the knife in any negative way. I would highly recommend this knife for the price, as well as any tools from the Gerber selection. The Gerber Prodigy is no different. Do yourself a favor, and buy this knife.
Customer Review: Impressive product for the price
Summary: 4 Stars
I really like this knife for most of the reasons the other reviewers sing about: Very sturdy, very sharp, good size and feel for utility use, nice grip, great price. No real inferiorities as compared to its more pricey big brother the LMF II (one arguable superiority: the Prodigy is full-tang, where some have shown the LMF can break at the butt cap because it's separated from the blade tang for insulation purposes). I do like the sheath and the retention system--it works very well for me.
Some (minor) constructive cons that may or may not influence your choice of a survival/utility blade: The symetrical guard feels good and is great for safety, but you can't comfortably "choke up" on the blade for close work (put your thumb up on the back edge), and (as some reviewers on Youtube have discovered with the LMF) if you baton and hit the backside guard, you can break the handle. Also, while the black oxide coating is downright gorgeous, it is rather high-friction, and I've noticed definite resistance in cutting through things that I don't get with a plain or Teflon-coated blade. Finally, my personal preference would be for a little less serrations and a little more fine edge...
Still, overall, I love this "little" knife.