Gerber StrongArm Fixed Blade Knife vs Schrade Extreme Survival Large Fixed Blade Knife

The product arrived with a terrible edge grind, uneven and rolled edge, I am exchanging it, hopefully for a new one. The first one had been repackaged. The weight of the knife feels good and I think if I get one with a decent edge on it I will love it and probably give it 4 stars. The grip is slim but it feels good in the hand

Out of the box, the sheer bulk of the knife was the first thing I noticed - as many others have said, this thing is a beast, weighing in at close to a full pound. The grips are nicer than expected, rubber-like and with a slight give that gives a comfortable feel. I wish they fit better, as the tang slightly protrudes all around the handle. It's not uncomfortable, but I do wonder if that would be true once the knife was used for any extended period

I found the handle does get slippery when wet, especially the top and bottom part of the handle that is in line with the spine and edge of the blade as that portion is smooth and without the diamond pattern. Also, the thumb/finger guards near the spine and blade respectively were very slippery even when dry. I used grip tape for the handle which seems to hold for now, however grip tape for the thumb guards always slid off after a few days. I decided to stipple the thumb guards with a soldering iron (most people use a wood burner tool instead for stippling

The edges of the handle do not come flush with the tang of the knife and when you look closely along the top of the sides of the handles you can see small dimples from the molding process. If you use gloves, which I do, the handle defects will not be a problem. However, it would be nice if the handles were defect-free. Another defect is found in the blade itself

Now it seems the knives don't even survive a day out of the package. Gerber gets a lot of hate for using "cheap" 420 HC stainless steel. I'm no steel expert so I can't speak to that, though I do know treatment and tempering play a big part, and that may be where they are lacking. I would give 1 or 2 stars, but Gerber supposedly has lifetime guarantees on their knives and will replace them, and I don't think it's fair for me to down rate that much without first giving the company a chance to make it right (I don't have the knife in my possession anymore or I would)

rubber handle is not flushed with the tang, you can feel the metal edges when holding. heavy, solid and sturdy. surely will last

For splitting wood that is a big deal and represents a significant portion of the limited straight surface of the blade. Secondly, in doing some 'simulated' feathering I felt that the cutout in the middle of the grip made it a bit too skinny for my hand. Overall though it's such a nice piece that I probably would have kept it in spite of these limitations, if it wasn't for the finish on the blade, which was just not satisfactory. The grind was rough, unequal on the two sides, uneven (wandering) along the length of the blade and on one side, the bevel stopped short of the tip

I had a small Schrade folder from when I was a kid, but I haven't seen any since, so I thought I would test it out and if I hated it I could just exchange it towards one of the Beckers. The knife arrived beautifully, protected well in it's box, even though some textbooks in my order crushed it. The blade steel was clean and spotless, almost a bead blasted- gunmetal gray tone. Heavy, as expected, with a beautiful curve to the blade that resembles the kopis style on my CS Spartan

you have to stabilize the sheath at the same time as you are trying (at an awkward angle) to pop the knife out of the sheath with your thumb. And that is assuming it is hanging where you want it to in the first place, which, if you're moving around much, it probably won't be. The pics show the relative movement that is easily possible and that makes removing it difficult

-Extra, removable mini cargo pouch on the sheath. I'm HUGE on more pockets, and this comes through! CONS: -THE SHEATH!! Now although the knife itself is absolutely fantastic, the sheath leaves a bit to be desired. First off its just nylon with a plastic insert for the blade. Not a high quality nylon, but in all fairness

Value: 3/5 Aesthetics:4/5 Handle: 4/5 Sheath: 3/5 Factory grind: 0/5 Grind and factory edge was hilariously bad. I mean, I really can't believe it. Chineese products have never looked better after I got my hands on this thing! True jokes aside.

Let's be clear here... This knife is definitely one of the best bargains going! I don't think you can get a more heavy duty knife for this price guys

The knife looks and feels strong and well made. It and cuts very well and came sharp. The edge grinds are even. The main body of the sheath is sturdy and well put together

1095 steel, for the price this is a plus since this steel is pretty good for outdoors/survival tasks, will need to be taken care of to avoid rust though. Looks and feels tough, very thick spine, don't think it will suffer any damage when chopping or battoning. Price!, for the size and steel material this is a great price point. Ok now for the CONS: The balance feels a little off, I can't quite describe it but it just something you have to feel for yourself