Gerber/ LOVELESS drop point...

N

Nakano 2

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Jan 1, 1999
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Okay, so who' s gotten their hands on the new Gerber/ Loveless designed drop point fixed blade??

Nakano
 
I've only saw the picture in SMKW they are a great looking knife but I question why gerber didn't use a better steel. if I'm not mistaken they are 440A correct me if I'm wrong.$159 is pretty serious money for a 440A knife but it sure looks good.
 
Once again the folks at Gerber have their head in the wrong place. I mean 440a at $150!?. Plus the pics I have seen don't impress me. It appears that the finnish is not all the great. At least from what I have seen. I have not had one in my hand yet. For that much money I don't think I will bother.


Regards,

Tom Carey
 
At this pricepoint, why wouldn't you get a Geno Denning or Bob Dozier?

I have two Geno Denning knives that are simply wonderful. Fit and finish are top notch. $150 will get you a lot of knife from Geno.

6m_large.jpg
 
I've seen the prototype at the Blade Show. Very nice looking knife, I like its looks. But when I found out what the steel is and the price, no thanks. Gerber should have used ATS-34 or better for a knife like this. I have no idea why it is so expensive with 440A, other than the fact that it bers the Loveless name.
 
From the first Loveless designed knife in the 70's, any knife with Bob's name on it raises the price dramatically even though Bob has practically nothing to do with the design and the making of the knife. It continually amazes me why one would purchase one of these knives. They are way overpriced and in this case made of a steel whose only attribute is that is polishes very nice and is very rust resistant. .-Dick
 
Actually I pretty sure that the Gerber/Loveless is 12C27 because it can be drop forged to shape, reducing a lot of machining time to form the integral bolster.

ATS-34, BG42, etc etc probably cannot be drop forged in that fashion.

Oh Yes, the integral bolster.

You cannot buy an integral hunting knife of similar construction from a good maker for less than $400.

Maybe that explains some of the price?

This Gerber's 3rd Loveless Collaboration I believe.
The Guardian boot knife and dagger, as well as the Loveless folder were done many years ago.

They weren't trying to hit a homer, just sell 2001 of this classic knife. There are plenty of collectors who will buy them for the Loveless connection, and with all due respect to the makers mentioned they aren't Bob Loveless.

The devil is in the details guys, and you have missed some of them here.

1)Integral
2)Custom sheath
3)Limited edition
4)Loveless

Not a defense, just a possible explanation of the price.

I would prefer BG42 or 154-CM, but for reasons mentioned above, I dont believe that is possible at anywhere near this price with distributor, dealer, and cataloguer margins figured in.
 
Anthony, you are correct on three of your four points. Your fourth point is incorrect. The only thing Loveless about the knife is the name on the blade. -Dick
 
Thats what I was referring to,
We all know Bob doesn't touch these knives..

He does however make a minium of 5-10% on a Royalty(At wholesale), and guys that costs money.
 
Anthony Lombardo pretty much typed what I would have.

I've handled the production version, and the fit & finish are very good for an integral production knife (I've handled Kresslers, own a Velarde and a Tshager and a Ted Dowell integral).

Sheath is fairly nicely done also, and actually fits the knife fairly snugly. It really strikes me more as a collector's piece, although construction-wise it would put up with some hard use. I'm sure they had to choose a low carbon, zero vanadium, zero molybdenum steel to get it drop forged. 440A is consistent with a collectors piece for hunting, since it isn't exactly a stellar edge holder.

I did also hear the 12C27 thing, probably on these forums.

Knife is fully flat ground (well, flat forged and then finished flat ground), and is pretty beefy/heavy since integral. Finished nicely ... radiused spine.
 
The Loveless that we have in our Christmas catalog is 440 stainless.

The Loveless that AG Russell has is made from ATS 34.

That is the reason for the difference in price between AG and SMKW.

Have a good one,
 
Just spoke with Gerber.

They claim:

1)Knife is 440-A
2)Made in USA

I have it on good advice that it is actually 12c27 (which is better)

They do not make it in 154-CM or ATS-34

The difference in price is just that, a difference in price.

I am actually surprised it is flat ground, since RWL is possibly the most famous hollow grinder out there.

Gerber has SOLD all 2001 of them.. No more will be made this year.
 
Good discussion here. It' s been said earlier. That any collaboration with a famous name such as Loveless would auotmatically yield a collectors piece. And not necessarily for a good user. Hence the 440A steel selection for exceptional corrosion resistance.

However, I' m told by a distributor that these 440A models are made in Italy as are their leather sheaths. What' s the deal? Surely the folks at Gerber know best. Or do they Anthony?

Nakano
 
I remember seeing an Italy marked proto at the BLADE show, I also remember 12C27 too.

The Lady(customer service specialist!) I spoke with at Gerber wasnt very familar with this Model.
She had to go ask someone about it specifically.
I was not surprised.
 
Ours were out of the box for about 20 seconds before I boxed them up and sent them back.

They were marked "Italy" on the blade.

Foo on that "radiused handle" stuff...they were about as ergonomic as a brick, and just about as blocky.

I saw just about zero redeeming qualities in the 20 seconds that I handled one of our two.

There are much better knives for the money out there, nuff said...
 
As I said: From the first Loveless designed knife in the 70's, any knife with Bob's name on it raises the price dramatically even though Bob has practically nothing to do with the design and the making of the knife. It continually amazes me why one would purchase one of these knives. They are way overpriced and in this case made of a steel whose only attribute is that is polishes very nice and is very rust resistant. .-Dick
 
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