Gerber Strongarm: The Gauntlet Review - Preparedmind101 

Bought myself one for a tour of South Sudan when serving in the British Army, my version had the serrated blade, used it regularly and never let me down, a great knife and now sits in my grab bag in the boot of my car.

Ive tested the hell out if this knife on my channel. I think its a great knife, but the oddness in fine control comes from the double guard, which stops the natural 'thumb creeping on the blade' thing. I have gotten mine razor sharp on the worksharp, using the outdoor guide. I also stuck it an inch into a tree and the steel survived me stompibg on it. The BG ultimate pro snapped. A dumb test, but the Strongarm, LMF2 avd my trusty Fallkniven F1 passed this test. All stainless, all tough. Abuse certainly, but telling of the merits of 420HC as a survival blade. All viewabke testing on my channel.

420HC with a good heat treat, is a respectable steel.

1. They do offer a serrated edge. If you do not know how to sharpen, go with serrated. 2. It's a teflon coating. It does wear, but like you said, VERY slowly. It does help glide thru wood when splitting. 3. If you're worried about sheath retention just take a hairdryer and heat up the retention lips and press them together, let it cool, and you'll get a VERY good lockup

Man that knife is one of my favorites. It is such a well made knife, it just takes a person, who is so used to handling other types of knives so much, a little while to get adapted to. I have bent & broken many knives including both bear grylls knives stabbing hard types of wood & trust me that strong arm is the only one that never bent or broke , it is a monster especially at the tip.

I know this is an old vid but I cant let this go.The something that you don't like is the awesome simplicity. You are clearly a knife snob and because it doesn't cost $200 you cant brag about " your awesome expensive knife". If you "an expert" cant put into words whats wrong its cause there is nothing wrong with it. If there is something wrong with the edge its because you or the guy before you messed it up. I have been using these knives along with the prodigy "the serrated version" for years and they are hands down the best knife in its price range. Its even better than 90% of the knives in the $200 price range. I am a subscriber and enjoy your vids so I mean no disrespect. I was surfing through your old vids when i found this. I own lots of different brands and I am in no way a Gerber fan boy. They did however hit a home run with this knife. Maybe do an update for 2020 and put into words what you don"t like. That way even if i don't agree i can respect your opinion. Telling us you don't know what it is but don't really like it is something we expect from a nub who knows nothing about blades, which you by no means are.

Great video!

We just used my Gerber strongarm on a bullet proof vest.it had no problem going through it far easier than I was expecting.

Imported Gerber is crapola. Gerber out of Oregon is top notch, and I've always been a fan.

I got mine yesterday and it is partially serrated. So far I am very impressed with the knife. It is super sharp and feels great in the hand. I also love the sheathe. I am sure it will last me a lifetime.

Strongarm is hands down the toughest knife you can buy close to the price point.

I had a Gerber in the 1970s in Alaska. It was stainless with a metal textured handle. I skinned and processed moose, caribou, and a large black bear. It was a good knife. For processing wood I used a bowie or a hatchet. Thanks for the video Chris.

Its a combat knife plain and simple. Its not designed for wood or any of that. I get why we test it that way but at the end of the day the real question is will it serve as a defensive back up in combat if needed? Answer...Hell yes

Thats one thing I have liked about most Gerber knives are the handles. They do a great job there. I've been eyeballing this knife for a while. I still use my BG knife once in a while, do some hard work with it to see if it will fail and its still holding up. I would use it more but I dont care for the serrations and brandishing the BG logo. Im glad they also offer this in OD green, I might have to get one and see for myself.

This is one of the best feeling knives in the hand, and I love everything about mine including sharpening it.

There is a serrated version, but I'm with you on preferring the plain edge. I suspect it's the thickness of the knife, coupled with the angle on the secondary bevel. I had a similar issue with the factory edge on my BK14 and it took me a while before I ground t to the angle that really worked for me.

I have this and prodigy straight edge I love them Gerber has phenomenal edge it's easy to sharpen anywhere and keep a great edge

"Boom, they can cut space/time" ... best line ever!

The clip that holds the horizontal belt loop on the sheath is also a MOLLE clip, to attach directly to a vest or pack.

I feel like if somebody tested this same knife with 150 dollar price tag that review would be a lot better

My Strongarm is a year old now and very pleased with it ,with the exception of the sheath is made in China , couldn't get past it , so now it' rest in a leather .

if you enjoy being in the woods get a good axe and a foldable saw a single knife will never replace those two plain edge is the best option

I bought one today from a pawn shop for $20.00 out the door. It's the tan one with all the sheath items in nice shape about 97%+.

3 years with mine. I think what you were trying to say at the time was on the knife actually catching or grabbing the wood so it can slice it better.

great looking knife but that 420hc is a deal breaker at that price.

good review, thanks. perhaps i will actually own a gerber product now....we will see. fyi, 420hc is not a high carbon steel, its a stainless. at .45% carbon, the "hc" is really there because its higher than regular 420, but not what anyone would consider alot of carbon. and with 13% chromium, its in the stainless range.

Its all about the angle. I ree angle all of my knife that have an angle like this. The 420HC that gerber offer is a very well heat treated steel. My Prodigy is razor sharp and very easy to fix in the field if you need that. Just flat the edge out a little bit and then you have yourself a superknife.

I wasn't a big Gerber knife fan or of the HC 420 steel they use in this one.but I am very impressed with the one I have.i hear they got one in bdz1 steel upgrade would love to try it out myself.

I bought a combo blade tan version. I like having the deep cutting power when I need it. I mainly bought mine to use the horizontal carry. When I'm outdoors and caring my fixed blade, I had a hard time caring both my knife and pistol on body and easily accessible. This keeps my gun at my 3-4 o'clock and my knife at my 6. The knife is good enough for it's price and American made status. Yeah, my bk9 is going to be better at wood processing, but that's why I keep it in/on my pack. The Strongarm works as a intermediary between the convenience of a folder and the heft and size of my bk9. I think of my Strongarm like a slightly bigger Mora. Again, my biggest love with this knife is it's sheath and American made status.

I get it. My favorite hard use work knives -> Gerbers.. But I've never been happy with the factory angle for my tasks. 20deg or less works well for me. Play around with it, I've seen em roll over, but never chip lower than 20deg. Room to play with angle on these things. Price is right if you lose one. But like cheap sunglasses, you never seem to. -Primary tasks, Survey work in North Canadian Boreal . Cheers mate.

Buck and Gerber do their 420HC right, it will compete with higher end steel's, it's more about heat treat than the actual steel.

It was more designed for pilots or soldiers to be able to cut their way out of a downed aircraft, I think that's the geometry is the way it is.

I find this interesting because the prodigy is almost the exact same knife made from the same 420hc and it sharpens easily on a blade medic or smiyhs sharpener I even saw a guy sharpen a prodigy on a stone he found in the woods in a few minutes so thst is interesting to know about the strongarm

Gerber is so much more than just their bear grylls knives. What’re you talking about😂

I really like my new Gerber Strongarm. Great size, weight, ergos, sheath, fit, finish, made in USA, and price. If I happen to break the 420 HC steel... well I'm only out $55 shipped so really can't compare to knifes like the Fallkniven A1 at $200.

One of the things I like about the 420 HC steel is it's rust resistance. I like my carbon knives, but they rust amazingly fast. Like in a day. My Buck knives made from 420hc don't rust.

I worked the edge of the blade with the worksharp just with the straps on all my strongarms and the convex obtained is magnificent on all they are all perfect for real boushcraft use...

I thought Schrade was a department store brand?

That sheath is just awesome

I had the same knife and put a slightly higher angle grind on the blade and it corrected the problem with the wood shaving . It then became one of my best backup knives. Someone stole it so it is what it is. I guess they needed it more than I did. Love your show by the way.

I agree with you, bought a Gerber Prodigy very similar to that, it’s brand new, and not too sharp, had it sharpened yesterday, pick it up tomorrow, had my KBAR 1211 sharpened there, he did a great job..I like you want to like this knife, the ergos are great, good weight, pummel is sharp, but I cannot get around a blade that does not hold its edge, we will see if it passes tomorrow.

I have one in coyote brown. It's one of my favourite knives. I think Gerber really got their act back together with this one. It's excellent value for money at that price point. Great review.

After all this time I finally got one! Would have liked it in green but they only had them in tan. That's okay. Still s great looking knife and I don't question the quality. Made in Oregon Gerber's are well made. Still have my MK II I bought way back in 1980! Tough as nails and scalpel sharp! The Gauntlet Reviews really sold me on this knife. Only had it a few days and I'm dying to try it out!

I love your concept of the gauntlet right from the get go... and I of course am not alone there! I will say that it would be nice to see a review of this knife outta the box, with the edge, unaltered. But still, I liked this review a lot.

Nice honest review brother. Funny how people get butt hurt when someone speaks there mind. Bottom line is everyone is different. Appreciate the honesty

The grind is 25 to 27 degree. I plan on changing it to 20 degree. Love your honest opinion. I will not own anything BG.

Good to see your review cycling idea is working out.

I just bought one. It is razor sharp from factory. I love it

You mentioned that you had a hard time with the grind on the blade....that you had to seemingly work harder both in the field and at home. Well Arron didn't just sharpen it, he clearly stated that he spent about 20 minutes re-profiling the blade.

Dec 2018. Just bought one for a new LBV/quick response gear set up. I have always steered away from Gerber. I have a wide range of knives in my collection from low dollar to high dollar. But I have to say I am impressed with this knife!

I have the LMF2, I love it. gonna order this one soon, thank you for the review! subbed.

I’ve found what the problems is with the edge. Where the belly is if you look the grind directions follows the bend of the blade. If you compare with the Garberg or Kansbol the machine sharpening stays in the same direction but not so with the strong arm. They are following the direction of the bend and not machining the sharpness to follow the same direction. That’s why it feels all wrong.

My Bk 7 arrived in the mail today ! Lovin it

My little smiths sharpener just got my old crusty lmf2 shaving sharp and they're pretty much the same geometry

While I am not a fan of Gerber knives in general(they lost me with BG and orange all over everything) I like the looks of this knife. While a better steel would have been much preferred, I do have a cpl knives with 420hc and they do perform better than expected. The one thing I do on all my 420hc knives is put a convex micro bevel. It allows the edge to have more steel right at the cutting edge and allows it to hold it's edge much better. Good review. The gauntlet seems to be working really well. Peace Jerry

definitely looking at this knife. lol i like this intro more than the other; it's classic PM101

I'm pretty new to sharpening using the lansky kit. Bought a used strongarm that may have been a factory second since it did not have the sharpened edge. The stones just sort of slid around on the curved portion. Did freehand on a diamond block to speed up the reprofile needed. It took a lot of work to get it down to 30 degrees on the curve to the tip...the blade seems very thick there. Finally reached the edge and verified it with my loupe. Have to conclude they made the bevel very large in that area of the knife for some reason. Sold it and may buy a new one that is factory sharpened. Thanks for your vid

Thanks a million for this great informative review. It was like I’m doing the tests. A couple of notes here; 1- maybe that coating is a problem aside from you like it or not. 2- For the geometry wish Wako could have hand’s on it. And at last, I need to ask your opinion on a2 steel. Recently I ordered half a dozens of knives including survival, bushcraft, hunting, butchering to a great local costume knife maker. He told me a2 is the best locally available so I gave him a go. It’s kind of tool steel I’ve heard. But not sure about it as a knife. Anyway, excited a lot about your judgment and about when I get and use that package. Ps. For past 23 years my 420hc buck zipper has been my first and only hunting company and served really great for that purpose. My Jessica :d Thanks again and keep it up

My Prodigy and LMF both came with a fat edge which I think is typical of these. This is not good for fine woodwork but great for heavy work. You have to take the edge angle down closer to 20 each side if you want it to be a better woodworker. Good like Chris.

I just picked up the serrated / fine edge version of this blade from an ebay auction, $41 delivered. I took a hike yesterday and stopped to give the knife a good field test. I am really impressed with the heat treat of Gerbers 420hc, extremely awesome! The handle material has a fantastic grip to it. The only thing I would like to see is the grip a bit thicker. Although, it won't take long to get used to the current thickness of the grip. Where you said there is a certain feel to the knife that you could not put a finger on it, I think it was the handles slimmer size that may of bugged you a bit. I can say for me, I did get used to the slimmer handle size pretty quick, a good day or two. All in all I think its a great blade! Thanks for the video on it, good job!

Thanks again Chris..You put a solid foundation for me not to purchase any Gerber Knifes. I didn't like them before like you, it didn't feel right cutting. Thanks again for your info..

Enjoy all your videos bud, thanks for the input on this blade 😊

Haven't seen your vids in a while. I appreciate your channel

I really enjoyed that review. It's great to see you reviewing different brands.

Aaron is who I first heard about this one from & was on the fence. Think I will stick with my ESEEs, BKs, & TOPS...y'all both do terrific reviews. Peace man.

Very honest review. Thank you.

Bear Grylls Ultimate Pro is the John Cena of knives. Tacky, Brandy, Colorful, and it Never Give(s) Up. Also, "U Can't C" it in my collection because I would never buy it!!!

knives without serrations !! LOL I liked that and agree 110% Thanks for the video.

this is the first video i've seen of you and it is so awsome keep making videos man it makes me happy🙌

Yes there is a serratted version for strong arm

For hand to hand combat use the horizontal fix is the way to go for sure otherwise vertical could be pulled off your during a fight

I've recently received my order of the Gerber Strongarm and yes I to noticed that problem with the knife. I think it's the edge it's sharp don't get me wrong but I think there is to much metal right above the sharp edge that causes the knife to sort of glide against the wood instead of slicing it. You can still do feather sticks it just takes a little more effort to do so. Like Chris said though you can rework the edge of the knife so that the edge grabs the wood a whole lot easier.

Hi Chris. Excellent review. My son has a friend in the navy and he has this knife with serrations. I have a work sharp so you know the story. I do not like serrations on the blade. put them on top and that will work. I did like the knife. looked good. felt good. I am considering one for myself. After seeing your review I think I will get one. I think I can work around the grind. Thank you. Grate channel.

I suggest the Schrade SCHF42 with it's 1095 steel and the Schrade SCHF30. Both are easily maintained and handle any camp chore you throw at it. If you're a skilled sharpener the Gerber Armstrong is a good choice it's an excellent knife.

I'd rather spend a few more bucks and get something in 5160 spring steel. I'm debating Ontario ranger rd6 for next knife. 420hc is technically stainless. 5160 is tougher.

If you hand sharpen it, you should notice that 420 sharpens up super easy. It is much easier to sharpen than 1095 in my experience. I have used Buck and Gerber 420HC quite a bit in deer cleaning knives and they get shaving sharp quick on a bench stone or Lansky system. That razor edge will be lost fairly quick, though. In my use, 420HC and AUS8 steels behave similar, but the edge is more likely to roll on the 420. Still, it is has been much more durable than 8cr13 in my experience.

The gerber strongarm is a beast of a knife if you can get it in bdz-1 steel its a whole new animal.

Another knife by Gerber that isn't serrated is the Gerber Air Ranger G-10. Just thought I would throw it out there.

Great knife , Gerber should have sprayed a orange B G on the handle and just called that there bear grylls special.

Always liked Gerber good to see

Great video Chris. It looks to me like it would function better as a combat knife than a bushcraft knife. Guess we will see with the further testing.

GREAT REVIEW! I JUST ORDERED ONE FROM AMAZON. CANT WAIT TO GET IT

You guys should do this on the mora garberg carbon

There is a serrated model for those who likes them, but I believe they are starting to produce both serrated models that they will produce in the future. They also remove the serrations on the paraframe knifes (i think it gerber or someone is making them without serrations)

I have one too. I agree with everything. I don't personally have an issue with the feel of the knife but I have more combat style knives. I think this knife is more of a killing knife then a outdoor knife. I know it can be used for both but they have a different feel to them when they are designed for outdoor or combat. It might not be cutting wood right because of that. I also think the edge doesn't go deep enough up the blade and almost had a flat feel to it if anyone knows what I mean.

Why is the Gauntlet not called the Full Tang Clan?

I dont think the knife is coated. I believe its Parkerized or what's known as a black oxide coating hense the smooth and even wear. It will also hold oil well to prevent corrosion. Common finish on firearms an firearm parts.

Would this be a good backpacking knife

I have one with serrations on the back 2 inches. Great blade overall.

Amen on the serrated blades. I bought the Strongarm because the LMF is not offered with a plain edge. I wanted a combat/bushcraft knife with a MOLLE friendly sheath. Gerber won me back with this knife.

Great knife, I think the issue is though the blade is somewhat narrow , thick and has a sabre grind. I think this is the reason for the wood shaving feeling a bit off. I think reducing the age bevel angle would do wonders

Doesn't Buck use 420HC on their knives as well? Just curious.

Chris, your review of the various knife steel options and the pros and cons would be a GREAT vid...

they should make the Strongarm sandvick or 154cm, as well as the more budget 420hc. I think that would be a good steel for this knife.

Buck is kinda a box store knife brand. Seen a lot of Buck knives at Walmart, Target etc.

I feel exactly the same way as you on gerber. I bought one anyway for the fun of it. 😀

Blade thickness, low angle sharpnes, maybe rounded, will make the blade jump from the wood when slice. Solution is to make a higher angle of sharpnes.

Over from Gideon's and Survival on Purpose to see the rest of the Gauntlet. Subscribed.

Once you go with the big and black ferro rod, you NEVER go back. Thanks for sharing your thoughts and opinions on this awesome blade by Gerber, I appreciate it sir.