While handiness has become the name of the game in today’s world, it hasn’t always been that way! Gerber is a company that remembers when the Great Outdoors was about survival, rather than convenience. The company’s story began when a man named David Murphy produced and sold kitchen knives during his free time. Murphy worked as a blacksmith in Oregon, USA. Gerber Knives was born in 1939 when Murphy joined forces with Joseph Gerber, who owned an advertising agency. Murphy produced the knives, while Gerber marketed them.
In terms of price, the Gerber Gator Machete with its gator grip seems to be either a fantastic deal, or a rip-off. For less than $30 you can buy the machete and have it shipped to your doorstep. Various home improvement stores carry similar tools for roughly the same price-but with fewer features. So is the machete from Gerber under-priced or overpriced?
It’s important to note that Gerber isn’t new to the world of knives. The company was founded in 1939, by a blacksmith named David Murphy and an advertising agent named Joseph Gerber. For over 70 years, Gerber has remained an innovator in knives, creating state-of-the-art blades and handles. In fact, during the Vietnam Conflict, Gerber sold knives directly to American soldiers.
Besides being compact, the Gerber Gator Machete includes a host of other features. One of the most convenient perks of this tool is the sheath that’s included with the knife-machete. A sheath is something that you’d need anyways, so it’s an added bonus when you don’t have to buy it separately. This certainly adds to the tool’s value.
Now, moving on to the machete itself. An amazing aspect of the Gerber Gator Machete is that it’s effective, yet not overly bulky. The overall length of the big knife is slightly over two feet, while the weight is a mere one pound. So you’ll have no problems handling the tool when clearing brush ranging from sparse to thick.
Then there’s the blade. It’s lengthy enough to make easy work when you need to clear brush. The steel blade is oxide coated, which helps to prevent rust and corrosion. Meanwhile, the backside of this tool includes a saw that you can use for cutting down small trees. This integrated saw comes in handy whenever you need to saw something down, when the tool’s blade isn’t effective. The machete from Gerber also includes a hole at the far end of the blade, which allows you to store it easily on a wall.
The bottom line is that the Gerber Machete tool is a fantastic deal. Mini machetes sold in home improvement stores tend to have approximately the same price tag, but often lack features such as the oxide coating and complimentary sheath. Meanwhile, the Gerber version with its Gator Grip can cost less than $30-including the shipping cost!
If you’re looking for a machete with some style, then Gerber Gator Machete is the right one for you. Whether you’re in your backyard or the Outback, this tool’s effective form and function will make it the last machete you’ll ever need.
Gerber Gator Machete with Sheath
I bought one of these to cull back some wild blackberry. The blade comes "child safe" and needs to be sharpened before use. Its light weight is great for what I bought it for, but does not have the kinetic energy for substantial hacking at woody shrubs. The saw, meh, works OK though although light weight blade is very whippy and binds easily. Really like the sheath and strap. What's to complain when its Gerber and $20 bucks. Might work in a pinch against boneless zombies.