All About Pocket Knives

Took a minute for me to find, but here ya are. Can't understand the rynite made from zytel thing. I thought they were different, from what I've read. That's the word from Gerber.
Y'all have a good day.

When did the Gator come out I picked up mine 20 years ago at a closeout sale.

I've got an LST II (discontinued) with a 2 5/8" blade, thumb stud, slightly different shaped Zytel handle with rubber inserts. Great knife! But what's the story? Why were they discontinued? Shoulda bought more while I had the chance.

3 of the greats from Gerber International, Pete Kershaw, Al Mar and Blackie Collins, the contributions these gentleman made to the cutlery industry are undeniable, their emerging styles honed while working for Gerber followed them and became evident in their own knives later. Look at a Gerber Silver Knight and tell me you don't see Al Mar's influence or Blackie's AO influences, his use of plastics to reduce cost and improve manufacturing quality. Kershaw's experimenting with different materials and production procedures, his departure from traditionals shapes and silhouettes are all evident in their (Kerhaw's) knives made while employed at Gerber and while working for himself. If I'm not mistaken Pete is the only one left, both Al Mar and Blackie Collins are gone, Blackie died in 2011 in a motorcycle accident and Al Mar died in 1992 from an aneurysm.

I have some information about tang stamps and dates for the Silver Knight 250. I don't remember where I got it but I would like opinions about whether or not the information seems more or less correct. Here it is:

Gerber/By Sakai (prototype late 1976 or early 1977)
Gerber Portland, Oregon 97233 USA /Silver Eagle by Sakai.Japan(1977-1978)
Gerber Portland, OR/ Silver Knight by Sakai. Japan (1979-1980)
Gerber International/Silver Knight Japan (1981-1986)
Gerber/Silver Knight Japan (1987-1994)

Bert

That is cool info Mud!
Where did you find it?

orvet wrote:That is cool info Mud!
Where did you find it?

Well sir, quite a few years ago I made the acquaintance of a gentleman that works for Gerber. He was in customer relations/warranty back then and ever since... I'll just say he has moved way up in the food chain and we are still good friends.

When I had to get a new phone, the 4 page history got lost somewhere. Possibly the cloud it was in or on blew away or it came a storm. The only reason I found out is the questions that hard.time asked. So I asked for another.

I'd posted the info awhile back, but figured I'd post the original I got from Gerber. He also included the copy of the late 70s-early 80s literature that came with your new knife. Didn't expect that.

The Classic and FS1 are what the original micarta LST's were modeled after. They came out in 1980. The Zytel injection molded LST came in 82. The LST still looks like the FS1. I guess he figured that it'd be cool to see the beginning and he was right.

Thanks Mud. Great information. And, please thank your friend at Gerber on behalf of all Gerber "nuts".

Mark

Hopefully I'll get this right.

Found this the other day.
https://blademag.com/knife-collecting/h ... es-forever

Figured I'd go ahead n make a hat trick outta LST info.

I reckon after almost 40 years with no major changes, they got the 'pizzazz' they were looking for.

MUD:
Thanks for the download. Heck of a story. Really good read.
moss

Mossdancer wrote:MUD:
Thanks for the download. Heck of a story. Really good read.
moss

My pleasure.

I've tried to get some info on the special run knife, but so far... nothing. I even sent a few emails out to different folks at Dupont. Neither they not Gerber have anything.

It's crazy, the article says 50th anniversary. Didn't think about it til now, I've got one but it was made in 1984. The articles dated March of this year. Maybe I can't read, or time travel really is possible?????
2+2 ain't adding up. Maybe just me. I've been told my mind is a terrible thing.

It was the 50th anniversary of the plastic.
moss

Where do the "skookum" PK-1s and PK-2s fit into this time line?

I was very mixed up about this term which came to my attention by an eBay buyer. I thought it referred to the overall look of the knife and called the next one I put eBay a skookum only to find out it was a sportsman. Does skookum always refer to a two blade knife? Who came up with the wrap-around look of these two Gerbers. I would assume it was Pete Kershaw, and the PK is him!

Another question in this line of sportsman & skookum; Some of these have brass liners and some stainless steel. Do collectors have special names to differentiate the two?

These are the most "modern" knives in my father-in-laws collection. No plastic, injection molded handles for him! He loved the workmanship that went into the wood, bone and staghorn handles. He had a few SAKs that were probably purchased for the casual browser in his shop that never was.

To my knowledge, the brass and wood knives are all lockbacks and are Gerber's folding sportsman line of knives made from the early 70s to the mid 90s.

The PK series of four knives we're stainless and wood with brass liners made fithe mid 70s to early 80a

The Skookum was the first in the PK series.
The PK 2 (Pete's knife) was the second. Two variations, straight and drop point.
The PK 3 (Handyman) has a linerlock Maine blade and a screwdriver secondary.

As for what PK is (I always figured Pete's knife because of the PK 2) , one of the Gerber guru's will have to answer that one.

Hope that helps.

Pk1 1973-81
PK2 1974-81
Pk3 1975-81
Pk2d 1976-82

Pk1 1973-81
PK2 1974-81
Pk3 1975-81
Pk2d 1976-82

Pk1 Skookum

Hi guys & gals, I'm new here, but I've been a fan of Gerber Legendary Blades since almost forever. I bought my first one in the early-mid '70s, a Sportsman II, and carried it until it was lost in the Williamson River doing battle with a large rainbow trout, sometime around 1994.
(A long sad story about how to lose a great knife and a large fish in a VERY short time)
It gutted and skinned many a deer and a few elk, and cleaned an untold number of Klamath Basin trout before it disappeared into the waters of the Williamson.

Since long before I lost that one, I added a number to my collection, and have continued ever since even though I'm a user not a collector. There's few things as satisfying as using a quality knife for the purpose it was intended. So I do.
And for me, nothing has ever come close to my Gerbers. In my shop, in the field, and in my forays into the kitchen.

Anyway, I came across this history of Gerber sometime back, and thought it might be of interest here. Included in this woman's account of the family, the company and the kitchen knives, is the story of the legendary swords these fine blades were named after.
It's in Adobe PDF, if you want to download it and save it, or print it out.

http://www.susandoreydesigns.com/insigh ... Blades.pdf

Hi WilValOr,
From your name I would guess we don't live too far apart, I am in Salem.
Welcome to AAPK!

If you do live in the Willamette Valley also you may be familiar with the OKCA, (Oregon Knife Collectors Association), based in Eugene. One of our members, Phil Rodenberg, wrote the only book I am aware of on Gerber knives. It is called A Chronology of Gerber Legendary Blades; 1939-1986. I believe they still have a few copies of this left at Knife World Books. http://www.knifeworld.com/gerber.html

If you can get a copy of Phil's book I'm sure you will enjoy it.
Welcome aboard!

orvet wrote:Hi WilValOr,
From your name I would guess we don't live too far apart, I am in Salem.
Welcome to AAPK!

If you do live in the Willamette Valley also you may be familiar with the OKCA, (Oregon Knife Collectors Association), based in Eugene. One of our members, Phil Rodenberg, wrote the only book I am aware of on Gerber knives. It is called A Chronology of Gerber Legendary Blades; 1939-1986. I believe they still have a few copies of this left at Knife World Books. http://www.knifeworld.com/gerber.html

If you can get a copy of Phil's book I'm sure you will enjoy it.
Welcome aboard!

Yup, I'm just east of you Orvet, in the beautiful Santiam Canyon country.


And I'll be following up on that book, you can be sure of that.
In the meantime I'll see what I can share on the Gerber gems I have acquired over the years. From my "Classic Walnut" favorites to the U.S. assist I just received.
But my favorites will always be my FSII, FSIID and the FSIII. "The finest production folding knives ever built, at any price."

Did you know that there is a one day mini show at the fairgrounds in Eugene on next Saturday the eighth?
I will be there with a table. The when her show has been so good the last few years that they have double the number of tables. And the show is free to the public. I think OKCA is one of the better clubs and their April show is world-renowned.

There's a flyer below with information on dates and time for next Saturday's show.

Sorry to hijack the thread, now we can get back to Gerber's, but if you come to the show you are almost guaranteed to see plenty of Gerber's!

Oh great, somebody else to help me find ways to spend my money. As if I needed any help.
Gee thanks orvet! ;^)

WilValOr wrote:Oh great, somebody else to help me find ways to spend my money. As if I needed any help.
Gee thanks orvet! ;^)

HAHAHAHAHA!!
Good thing I live an airplane ride away.
Ain't getting on no plane Hannibal!!!
But I might have to find me a Face man to slip me a mickey.

Might as well spend it can't take it with ya
Plus you get to enjoy it that way

WilValOr wrote:Hi guys & gals, I'm new here, but I've been a fan of Gerber Legendary Blades since almost forever. I bought my first one in the early-mid '70s, a Sportsman II, and carried it until it was lost in the Williamson River doing battle with a large rainbow trout, sometime around 1994.
(A long sad story about how to lose a great knife and a large fish in a VERY short time)
It gutted and skinned many a deer and a few elk, and cleaned an untold number of Klamath Basin trout before it disappeared into the waters of the Williamson.

Since long before I lost that one, I added a number to my collection, and have continued ever since even though I'm a user not a collector. There's few things as satisfying as using a quality knife for the purpose it was intended. So I do.
And for me, nothing has ever come close to my Gerbers. In my shop, in the field, and in my forays into the kitchen.

Anyway, I came across this history of Gerber sometime back, and thought it might be of interest here. Included in this woman's account of the family, the company and the kitchen knives, is the story of the legendary swords these fine blades were named after.
It's in Adobe PDF, if you want to download it and save it, or print it out.

http://www.susandoreydesigns.com/insigh ... Blades.pdf

Thanks for the download.