Gerber mini paraframe blade steel?

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Cold Kill

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I emailed Gerber, no response, and looked both here and on Google. No avail. So I figured I should just ask here. What is the blade steel for the Gerber Mini Paraframe, and if it is one of the Chinese jibberish steels, what is out equivalent to?
Another thing that I would like to know, what is the hardness of the Mini Paraframe?
 
It's tough to say. Gerber is notorious for using "mystery steel". It's pretty low quality stuff and isn't very hard, maybe 55 HRC.
 
Gerber's 'Mystery Steel' is usually 425m. Pretty similar to 420HC IIRC. It's not very good stuff, but not the worst out there.
 
Does Gerber not realize that if they specified their steel, they would get some business back? I don't buy their "surgical steel" knives (anymore) because I know it could be anything from 420J2 which is about as good as a brick.
 
Gerber mostly uses 440A and 420HC, or their Chinese cognates.

In this case, heat treat does matter. And with Gerber, apparently it is variable.
I have two EZ-Outs. one from the 90s and one from early this century. Both are 420HC. One measured 55HRC, the other 59HRC. The difference in performance is notable.

Going from 55 to 59? That's just bad engineering. Doesn't have anything to do with metallurgy. Once you have developed a heat treat schedule (metallurgy), everything else is making sure your equipment is uniform and accurate (engineering). This is apparently beyond their current ability. And engineering failure is just frickin' inexcusable. PHHHTTT on them.
 
Don't buy it. I got a Gerber Paraframe before I knew anything about knives, and now that I do it feels like a piece of junk.

That reminds me, though, I was talking with someone the other day (non knife person, of course) who attempted to champion the cause of the Paraframe. I showed him my Spec Bump to no avail. His reasoning was "But this one has steel handles, so I could throw it off a building and it will last forever." Then one of my friends (ironically, an engineer who thinks that fiberglass is more ductile than steel) chimed in and said, "But [the Spec Bump] will flex as you stab someone!" I gave up at that point, too astounded to even respond.
 
Gerber just makes junk most of the time. Last knife I had from them was an EZout whose steel was so soft it could not be sharpened , the knife is still out in the shop somewhere abused all to hell.
What a waste of money , you are way better off buying a SRM if you're looking for cheap , at least they HT their steel.

Tostig
 
My min paraframe was around 55rc and was made out of 5cr15mov. basically a decently rust resistant steel with next to no edge holding capabilities. think 300 series ss
 
The Paraframe is one of the absolute worst knives it has been my misfortune to come across.
The edge holding ability of the steel is horrendous.
 
Finally got a reply, it is made out of 7cr17mov, hardened to 55-57. 7cr17 is equivalent to 440A, and considering it cost me like $9, that is pretty decent. I will have to modify mine, though, to make the lock... lock.
 
Cold Kill said:
Finally got a reply, it is made out of 7cr17mov, hardened to 55-57. 7cr17 is equivalent to 440A, and considering it cost me like $9, that is pretty decent. I will have to modify mine, though, to make the lock... lock.
Click to expand...

Regardless of what they say, it isn't comparable to 440A.
I've had PLENTY of 440 stainless blades over at least 26 years, and none of them were even close to as crappy as the garbage the Paraframe is made out of.
If I really hated someone, I'd give them a Paraframe.:thumbdn:
 
My paraframe took a 25° edge slowly, but got very sharp and has held it pretty well. You have to factor in the price with the materials, and a 440A cognate on a knife that can be had for less than $10 is pretty good.
Also note that CRKT uses 7cr17 and other cheap Chinese steels on their knives that sell for upwards of $40, many of them at a low hardness. If you give Gerber flak, then the more expensive (by far) company with the same materials also deserves the flak.
 
Cold Kill said:
If you give Gerber flak, then the more expensive (by far) company with the same materials also deserves the flak.
Click to expand...
It ain't Gerber that the problem...it's that terrible knife which is.
Gerber has and still does make some very good knives.
The Paraframe isn't one of them. It's a turd.
 
I think I am done even trying to debate this. Some people are just too stuck in their ideas to accept anything else.
 
Cold Kill said:
Some people are just too stuck in their ideas to accept anything else.
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Yes, apparently you are.
Sub-par steel (WAY sub-par).
Bad lock.
Bad design.

Since you are not the person I hate most in the entire world, I wouldn't recommend the Paraframe.
I'd suggest herpes about the same time I suggested the Paraframe.

I've had better knives for $10 from Pakistan...and that isn't even a joke.
 
You likely had a faulty knife. My Buck Omni Hunter 12pt had a faulty heat treat, and it made me hate Buck with a passion. I even was talked into buying another, and the steel was perfect, and every other Buck I have bought had perfect steel, just hit me wrong (didn't like the f&f). I no longer hate Buck, and have actually grown to respect 420HC.
 
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