#GERBER AUTOMATIC KNIFE WINDOWS#

The suggested retail price of these knives is $259. Both knives come with black ballistic nylon belt pouches that have a belt loop that is easily snapped on to a belt or load-bearing equipment. Since neither knife is petite or particularly light, many users will prefer to carry them in a belt pouch instead of a pocket. Along the same lines, either knife would make an excellent knife for parachute jump masters or parachutists in general. Even the tanto model has its point dropped as an aid in accomplishing this task without cutting the person you are trying to save. One of the potential uses for these knives is to cut through seatbelts and other straps during an emergency evacuation of people from a vehicle. This burr was easily removed with a few strokes on a leather strop charged with super-fine abrasive. The unserrated portions of the blades’ edge were hair-shaving sharp right out of the box, except for a small section of wire edge burr on the drop-point model. In my experience, most military automatic knives are not nearly so tight in the open position. This held true even after the blades were snapped open hundreds of times. The blades of both knives locked open with absolutely no play in any direction. The blades on these knives are made from S30V stainless steel, which is one of the best conventional stainless steels available for folder use with regard to edge holding, toughness, and resistance to corrosion. The primary reason is that troops in the field will rarely have access to the special tools needed to properly resharpen a serrated edge when it gets dull, and they will get dull. I strongly suggest that Gerber also offer these models without serrations. Both models have the rear half of the blade’s edge aggressively serrated, which should serve well for cutting rope and other fibrous materials. The blades, like the handles, are finished in a tactical dull black finish and are just over 3-1/2 inches in length. The heart of any knife is its blade and that is an area where this knife really shines (figuratively but not literally). This allows the knife to be carried comfortably in the pockets of typical military field uniforms and full-cut civilian trousers. The handle is 9/16-inch thick, not including the pocket clip, button, or safety. I have a medium-size hand, and I find the handle of the 06 knives to be very comfortable and secure to use.

#GERBER AUTOMATIC KNIFE WINDOWS#

Actually, the latter can be quite handy for breaking out windows to obtain a firing position. The handle of this knife is 5 inches long, including a combination lanyard hole/strike point. Since the pocket clip cannot be moved to the left side, lefties have to use a half-twist draw, but that, too, is not so tough to learn. After a day or two of carry, I can get used to either style of carry. Personally, I prefer the pocket clip to be attached on the pivot end, but realize that many prefer it the other way. The pocket clip on this knife is attached at the butt end on the right side. While the Gerber 06 knives are set up primarily for right-handed use, I found that I could operate the safety and firing button quite handily using the forefinger of my left hand instead of my thumb as a right-handed person would. With some practice the user can learn to pull back the safety and push the firing button, all in one smooth motion. The downside is that use of the safety slightly slows down the deployment of the knife. It also ensures that when the blade is locked into the open position, there is virtually no chance of it accidentally folding and injuring the user, even if the firing button is accidentally pushed. When used properly, this safety ensures that the blade of the knife will not open accidentally in a pocket or other carrying system. Unlike the Florida Black Knife, these blades have a sliding safety that locks the locking/firing button with the blade open or closed. A simple button mechanism locks the blade in both the open and closed positions. The blades are propelled open by a torsion spring that keeps constant tension on the blade, thereby preventing blade bounce. They are also identical to each other except for their respective point styles, revealed in their names. These knives are called the “06 Drop Point” and the “06 Tanto.” The new Gerbers are much-refined versions of the now immortal Florida Black Knife in both design and function. This allows federal agencies, including the military, to procure these knives without going through an adoption or bidding process. Gerber Legendary Blades now has two tactical automatic knives that have Federal National Stock Numbers (NSN).

Gerber automatic knife