Gerber knife sharpeners range from full-size sturdy diamond knife sharpeners, to compact pocket size sharpeners. Are Gerber knife sharpeners ideal to use and own? Hopefully after reading this, you will be able to make an informed decision and won't have to ask your buddy to sharpen your knife for you anymore, LOL! Don't feel bad, I've been there too.

Now, modern day stainless steels (which Gerber knives are made of) are quite hard, and when properly sharpened, will hold an edge for quite some time, unless abused of course. Maintaining a sharp edge on your blade can be done easily with all Gerber knife sharpeners. They feature stock removal surfaces made of diamond, ceramic abrasive, or hard stone.

Diamond and ceramic materials, being harder than most steels, will easily cut a razor sharp edge on your knife blade. A hard stone knife sharpener will do the trick too, however it's only slightly harder than the steel blade of your knife and will require quite a bit more effort on your part.

When using Gerber's sharpeners the key to obtaining a sharp blade, is to maintain a consistent angle. Being inconsistent with the angle will result in a rounded edge, which may end up sharp to a degree, but will dull a lot faster. Knives are best sharpened while maintaining a consistent 15° angle on both sides of the blade.

Compact Pocket-Size Knife Sharpeners

If you are using Gerber's compact pocket sharpener, this sharpener contains coarse ceramic rods for aggressive sharpening plus fine ceramic rods for a razor sharpness you could shave with. These are held between the thumb and forefinger and contain four (4) recessed ceramic sharpening surfaces. These measure 2 3/8" x 1 5/8" x 3/8"

Proper use:

1. Simply place your fingers behind the finger guards and hold the blade you are sharpening at a 90° angle to the sharpener.
2. Pull the blade back lightly in straight even strokes.
3. Start with the coarse rods to remove imperfections in the blade.
4. Flip the knife sharpener over and use the fine rods for the final touches, and to get that razor edge you really want.

The downside to the compact pocket-size sharpener is that it's a little smaller than the average Gerber knife sharpeners, but then again it is a pocket sharpener. It may take a little adapting to get used to using a sharpener of this size.

Diamond Gerber Knife Sharpeners

Diamond Gerber knife sharpeners, have an overall length of 7½ inches. These small but sturdy tools are ideal for the "on the go sharpening". With a sleek style that looks like a steel pen, and fits in your shirt pocket. Diamond Gerber knife sharpeners work like a charm, made from high quality stainless steel with a triple plated diamond design.

The locking system of all Gerber diamond knife sharpeners twist around the shaft and are knurled for a secure grip in either the locked or unlocked settings, depending on if you are using it or not. Uses for these stylish knife sharpeners include sharpening small hard to get to areas like fish hooks or small knife blades.

The downside to owning many Diamond Gerber knife sharpeners is although these are ideal for on the go, they may easily be lost because of their pen size shape. Let's say you have just purchased two Diamond sharpeners and you slide them into your shirt pocket.

Now let's say you drop your keys in the parking lot, bend over to pick them up, and out slides both of your brand new diamond sharpeners. You may see them fall out and you may not. Just be sure not to forget to fasten the clips securely to your pocket.

DF6 Gerber Knife Sharpeners

Other kinds of Gerber knife sharpeners you may own, or want to check out are the DF6 and DF8 sharpeners; these sharpeners are specifically designed to give you that perfect 30° edge every time. They do this by having intertwined diamond coated fingers arranged so that one smooth slide across the Gerber DF6 is equal to about six (6) slides across an average honing steel.

These sharpeners will not round the edge of your blade and are compact, making them ideal for travel or adding to the toolbox. The DF6 Gerber knife sharpeners are 3" in length. Their unique design allows you to flip out the stability platform, making them stable enough to set on a table.

The main downfall we can think of, regarding these sharpeners, is being overly aggressive and accidentally bending or damaging the diamond coated fingers.

Whether you are here learning for the first time about sharpening knives, learning about the different types of Gerber knife sharpeners, or have been at it for years, remember, the decision you make regarding the cutting edge of your blade should be no mystery. See what Gerber knife sharpeners can do for your blade today!

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What would you call a true army knife? Does it include more than just a blade? Can you use it like you would no other? Is it light enough that it won't be annoying to carry? If any of these questions are on your checklist, you may be looking for a Gerber style army knife.

Gerber offers many different styles of army knives, some of which are rigorously used by the U.S. military personnel making them true army knife material. The best thing about being backed by the U.S. military is that you have a sense of confidence about your next Gerber army knife.

If you were to think about Gerber, and then think about what knives they may have that are used by military personnel; the LMF II might come to mind. The LMF II is for sure the most reputable military used Gerber army knife, but it definitely isn't alone.

The Gerber® LMF II™ Knife Series

Just to cover the basics of the Gerber LMF II™ series for anyone that hasn't already heard of this military grade army knife; the overall length is 10.59", blade length is 4.48" and it weighs 11.4 oz. The LMF II has a reputation that will stand up for it-self, plus the LMF II has been rigorously field-tested by military personnel it is used by.

This army knife will literally change your perception of what an army knife should be, if it has not already. The LMF II is ready for anything, an example would be there is a complete separation between the tang and butt cap, and so the knife effectively absorbs the shocks of hammering, and also prevents the shocks of electricity.

Gerber® Prodigy™ Army Knife

A similar army knife style by Gerber that got its inspiration from the LMF II is called the Prodigy. The Gerber Prodigy™ is much smaller than the LMF II with an overall length of 9.75", a blade length of 4.75", and weighing in at 7 oz. This army knife style is from none other than Gerber's own Jeff Freeman, and has just as much bite as the LMF II.

The Prodigy style includes a blade coated with black oxide for improved corrosion resistance and reduced visual signature, an ergonomic over-molded rubber handle for insured grip, and a fine edge or partially serrated blade made from U.S. 420HC stainless steel.

Even though Gerber has many different styles of army knives styles, the few that make an impression in your mind are what count. These two above are only a few, so feel free to browse and find the army knife you truly want.

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When looking for tactical knives how do you know what exactly to look for, or what to expect? First of all let's cover the basics when looking for tactical knives. When searching the web, keep in mind that what you want is out there, but may take you longer to find.

When starting your search for tactical knives it's good to have a general idea of what you expect out of the knife, how much you are willing to spend, and possibly how long you are willing to wait to get it.

Also when searching for tactical knives, remember combat knives are closely related, so if you don't find any you like, search for combat knives as well.

Now that the basics are covered let's move on to tactical knives in general. When searching through the many different styles, brands, and sizes of tactical knives there are a few things that should be included no matter which knife you choose.

One feature tactical knives should always have is that they can be used in many different ways, making it seem like your knife is actually a multi tool.

You should generally look for tactical knives with a blade made from high quality strong steels such as 440A, or 420, these steels are very strong and offer good corrosion resistance. Plus tactical knives are often used for every day use, as well as more strenuous activities like prying or just overall abuse, and the quality of steel is ideal to the situation.

Another factor to consider when looking for tactical knives is weight. It is just as important to have a knife you can comfortably carry for long distances just in case you have to; but try not to go overboard. Remember if it's only a few ounces in difference, you don't want to sacrifice toughness for lightness.

Now even though there are factors that have to be taken into consideration when purchasing tactical knives, there is still a lot for you to choose from on a personal level, such as blade shape and style, colors of the knife, size, and price of course.

The only thing left to do now is put what you have read to the test and find the best tactical knives out there waiting for you. Even though price can be a big factor, don't settle for the tactical knives that are priced at rock bottom, because studies have shown disappointment occurs more when customers settle for what they are given instead of what they can find.

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