Why hate Gerber?

S

Slice n dice 27

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I just got my MP600 pro scout. I like it better than my dad's wave, (besides the knife). After oiling and playing with it out of the box, it is smooth and I like it. I think victorinox and leatherman are better quality but they cost way more. So tell me, why does everyone hate Gerber. Do they forget how much more the other guys are because people always compare gerbers to stuff like the swiss tool and wave, which cost way more.
 
Some of my students and co-workers carry Gerber multi-tools. The 400 and 600 series, and the "Diesel" are decent serviceable tools, and as you pointed out, they can be found at very reasonable prices. If you practice, you can flick the pliers out like the cool kids do, and opening the pliers one handed is a feature some folks really like (and in some cases that's why they carry a Gerber). But you'll have to open the pliers and then use both hands every time you need to use one of the blades, and once you've carried a Swisstool or a Wave, going through that many steps to open the knife blade, well...

I'm not a great fan of any of the Legend series, the tool is OK, but all those little rubber inlays will fall off and the price is comparable to the better tools available from other makers
 
I think for some of the bigger companies with some history that becomes a hindrance.

Either someone had one they broke before they knew how to use it or they feel their dad had one and if they get it that's like buying a Buick. And in some cases (not singling out Gerber) quality has dropped off.

I have a set of the Gerber pliers I got more than 15 years ago and it's still my favorite muli-tool. I like that it snaps open and I like that the jaws lock so I can use with one hand. I broke one of the master clips and they sent out a replacement without a hitch.
 
Its also because you might be thinking of your MP600, which you love, and I'm thinking of a Suspension which I gave away and is in the glovebox of someone's truck. One of us got a good, useful tool, and one got a heavy, stiff, stubby-bladed, goofy looking bit of boat anchor. And I think a lot of folks tend to wrap all Gerber stuff up in with the BG branded stuff, and it is a bit off-putting. But the truth of the matter is even a blind squirrel finds a nut once and a while, and even some companies that produce the worst crap in an industry sometimes have just one product that leads the pack.
Are you wrong to love your multi? not in the least, if we all liked one thing, there would only be one knife. But some guys do forget that a lemon shouldn't dictate the reputation of a company. Just don't listen to all the hate.
 
My most used multitool is an first production Multiplier. I bought it when I was much younger for about $20. I have many Leatherman multitools that don't get used much. I have a Gerber Grappler that broke on me and was replaced under warranty. It was the only time any multitool failed on me.
 
Because Gerber wants to be up there with the big boys and it fails so hard on quality, design, ergonomics, finish.. everything.
MP600 Pro Scout is one of the best Gerbers ever made, but most are absolute junk... hard to access tools, falling to pieces parts, flimsy materials, stubby drivers and ow so very rattly.
Compare it to the smooth action and elegant work of Victorinox/Leatherman.

I have a Gerber MP400 BO, a Gerber Dime Travel and a Gerber LST2 ... all are pretty and fun to play with... but flimsy, clunky, poorly finished and alltogether subpar...
 
I had a Gerber tool at one time. Not a terrible tool, but I didn't think the fit and finish was on par with the Leatherman. I prefer the Leatherman tool personally and that is what I use.

Gerber as a company is not my favorite. When I was growing up getting a Gerber knife was a big deal. Watching their quality circle and go down the drain over the years has been hard to watch. There is not a single Gerber product I would buy right now.
 
I like the MP400 and MP600 as well as the old Multi-Plier A.K.A the Mr. Pinchy. One thing I hate about the new MP400/600 is the blade design. I cannot fathom why or how anyone would choose that poor excuse for a blade over the original. Its like the designers said lets make the shittiest blade we can as a joke and present it to the head honchos. They did and the higher ups loved it. :D It just blows my mind how they downgrade a design like that. The rattling does not bother me and is the nature of the beast when you have pliers that deploy in such a way. The MP400/600 was described as the AK47 of multitools and I completely agree. They are rattly and the tolerances aren't very tight, but they will never jam up and perform no matter what. Drop it in some mud, smash it on some rocks, throw it in the sand, and its still good to go.
 
I issue my guys a multitool to use. Industrial setting. Chemical plant. Fairly labor intensive process for a continuous process. The downside of making gorilla glue.

Anyway, gerbers don't last. They wear out. The jaws wear down leaving teeth rounded and useless. The blades suck. The files can't cut shit after a few uses. The screwdrivers are too soft. They would probably last pretty well at home when just used in a pinch or the occasional on the road car fix. Currently , I issue the leatherman surge. Seems to be the one that they don't break weekly right now.
 
My experience with Gerber has been very limited. I've only had one multi tool and one knife.

Gerber FLIK (black) - I wanted to like this tool. I really did, I ended up purchasing one a few years back. The pliers didn't want to flick open for a while until it was broken in. No big deal, non issue once its broken in. To close the pliers the springs get caught pushing the tabs in and you have to fiddle with it sometimes. The lock for the internal tools has a plastic release. I HATE plastic on multi tools. The model I have also lacks a saw and scissors. Only used the can opener twice and it wasn't as good as the vic already in my pocket, even though they look very close it doesn't perform as well. Overall ease of use and having to fiddle with it to get the pliers back in turned me off of Gerber, when I have LM and Vic as options I can't see myself ever spending $$$ on a Gerber again.

I was gifted a Gerber Paraframe knife. This wasn't something I bought for myself. Cheap knife I wouldn't EDC or as my primary or backup. Fit and finish isn't great. It wants to stick when trying to open the knife. Has the double thumb studs for a lefty but pocket clip cannot be moved making that a bit useless.
 
I have a curve multitool that I love. Its tiny and it has one of the best (multi-tool) beer bottle openers I've used. I also make regular use of the file, which has more bite than those on most similar sized tools. The other tools are limited but I like the fact that they all lock up when opened. I also have a Paraframe that is complete garbage that I would not dare pawn off on any but my worst enemy. Personally, I think Gerber has traded their name for profit. Other knife companies (Spyderco and KAI come to mind) produce knives in China but still protect their brand by making sure their Chinese made products live up to their name. Gerber seems willing to produce bad products to make a buck and that gives all their products a bad name, even the good ones.

On the subject of Chinese manufacturing. I have seen the rise of Chinese manufacturing quality over the past 15 years in the Guitar instrument industry and I firmly believe they can produce top quality goods (heck look at the iPhone). However, if a company demands dirt cheap goods with shoddy materials and questionable QC, the Chinese are more than happy to provide that service as well.
 
SVTFreak said:
I issue my guys a multitool to use. Industrial setting. Chemical plant. Fairly labor intensive process for a continuous process. The downside of making gorilla glue.

Anyway, gerbers don't last. They wear out. The jaws wear down leaving teeth rounded and useless. The blades suck. The files can't cut shit after a few uses. The screwdrivers are too soft. They would probably last pretty well at home when just used in a pinch or the occasional on the road car fix. Currently , I issue the leatherman surge. Seems to be the one that they don't break weekly right now.
Click to expand...
Why not issue separate hand tools?
 
EnricoGimondi said:
I have a curve multitool that I love. Its tiny and it has one of the best (multi-tool) beer bottle openers I've used. I also make regular use of the file, which has more bite than those on most similar sized tools. The other tools are limited but I like the fact that they all lock up when opened. I also have a Paraframe that is complete garbage that I would not dare pawn off on any but my worst enemy. Personally, I think Gerber has traded their name for profit. Other knife companies (Spyderco and KAI come to mind) produce knives in China but still protect their brand by making sure their Chinese made products live up to their name. Gerber seems willing to produce bad products to make a buck and that gives all their products a bad name, even the good ones.

On the subject of Chinese manufacturing. I have seen the rise of Chinese manufacturing quality over the past 15 years in the Guitar instrument industry and I firmly believe they can produce top quality goods (heck look at the iPhone). However, if a company demands dirt cheap goods with shoddy materials and questionable QC, the Chinese are more than happy to provide that service as well.
Click to expand...

Gerber is owned by Fiskars "a global consumer products company with a strong portfolio of trusted brands including Fiskars, Iittala, Arabia, Hackman, Gerber, and Buster. The company is listed on NASDAQ OMX Helsinki in Finland." I would prefer a trusted product to a trusted brand.
 
Gerber still makes fine products, one problem is that those products are far and few between. The other problem is that they're usually made in America and for Gerber that means a massive price hike. So massive that you can find far superior american made products for much less. I do own 1 Gerber multitool. Its the mini suspension. Which is basically the mini bear grylls tool and I think they have another toll just like it by a different name. It doesn't beat my Micra or Squirt but for the $5 I paid, I've used it in a pinch and gotten my money's worth out of it.

In the end, I wouldn't call it hate for gerber. I would sooner call it disappointment. To see a once great brand slip and fall to cheap labor with poor quality control for a higher profit margin.
 
My cousin had a Gerber 600 about 20 years ago that I remember playing with the pliers sliding them into place and back. He was in the air force so I thought the pliers were the coolest thing as a kid. Well fast forward to now and I finally ended up with one.....actually 3! The first one was had by mistake by receiving a black oxide one in a "lot of knives" on fleabay and some how .... actually ended up with a few nice pieces out of that lot. Well to make a long story short I have been searching for a sheath for the black oxide one and ended up buying 2 more with sheaths for less than I could find the sheaths by themselves. The older Gerbers are nice, though the whole process of taking the pliers out ( and keeping them out/ or sliding them back in once you picked your tool) is a little cumbersome though the locking tools are a plus. So here I am with 3 Gerber 600's - one black oxide , one blunt nose and one older plain one. I ended up with three of these things for less than I paid for my old leatherman sideclip and for less than half of my swisstool spirit! I feel like they are cool , but as far as being as user friendly as the more refined leathermans or swisstools they fall a bit short. They are a good , less expensive tool (at least used) and I feel like if you can pick one up used for a backup or glovebox multitool you wont regret it. I think my cousin still has his.
 
Gerber still makes plenty of people happy. Personally, I've snapped a knive blade on mine; I was not abusing it or using it incorrectly.
 
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