Unless you're a knife expert, buying a knife for yourself or as a gift can be a daunting task. You have so many aspects of the purchase to consider. Knife quality, the blade style, the steel, construction and warranty, the grip and handle, the locking mechanism if it's a folder, the tang, the sheath and much more.

Be Aware

And in today's world of knock-offs on everything from beauty products to shoes, you want to be sure you're getting the real deal and not a counterfeit. Thankfully, there are some pretty simple ways to ensure you're getting an authentic knife made by the authorized manufacturer.

Where to Buy

First off, buy from a reputable dealer. Avoid the guy on the street corner who set up shop out of the trunk of his car. At least, if you want to be sure you're getting an authentic knife. Remember that old adage that if "something seems too good to be true, it probably is"? Well, that applies to knife purchases as much as anything else. The first step to take to ensure you're not buying a counterfeit knife is to consider who you buy from.

What's the Brand

Another way to ensure you're buying an authentic knife is to look for the "brand." Not just the brand of knife, but the brand ON the knife. Gerber knives, for instance, proudly carry the name "Gerber" emblazoned on the blade. That lets you know that the knife you're buying is a real Gerber original. You don't have to worry that you may be getting a knock-off version or cheap imitation.

Study Beforehand

Also, know what the knife you're buying should look like. Visit the manufacturer's site. Learn about the design. Read up on the knife's features and properties. If you're looking at a Gerber LMF II, for instance, you'll see that the handle is either brown or green. If you're offered a knife with a blue handle and someone tells you it's an authentic LMF II knife, you'll know to question its authenticity since you did your homework.

Be Cautions

Sometimes when a counterfeiter or an agent is trying to sell you a fake knife, they'll go on and on about who owned it, where they got it, how much it cost originally, and more. If the seller is offering too much information or trying too hard to convince you of the authenticity of a knife you're considering, you might want to be weary. That's not to say that a seller is necessarily trying to sell you a counterfeit knife just because he's chatty, but that, coupled with other questionable aspects could help you determine if a knife you're considering is the real deal.

Get Out There

When you're buying a knife, especially as a gift but for yourself as well, you want to know you're getting your money's worth. You want to get a real, authentic, brand name knife that is what it claims to be. Keeping these few simple tips in mind will help you in that situation and you can know that you're getting a knife you can be proud to own, use and display for years to come. And you'll never have to feel you've "been taken" or duped into buying a counterfeit knife that you're ashamed of.

Comment (0)

Awhile back we reported that the Gerber Downrange Sharpener, which wasn't available yet, was only for the pros. Here's the update to that story... the Downrange Sharpener has been released and is ready for purchase for military personnel and law enforcement officers as promised. But there is also a version available for "average" users who can buy the Downrange without credentials. Pretty cool of Gerber, don't you think?

It's Perfect

Both versions of the Downrange Sharpener are designed to keep your Gerber knives and tools exceptionally sharp. Regardless of how good a knife is, and how sharp the edge is when you buy it, after awhile all knife blades need maintenance. The key is finding a sharpener that will bring the edge back to the precision it had when new. And that's what the Downrange is designed for.

Features

The Downrange features a quality carbide sharpener designed to put a razor sharp edge on your fine edge blades as well as two diamond coated rods that work on serrated blades. There's also a flat diamond coated plate designed for polishing and finishing your sharpening task to bring your blade to the most perfectly sharp edge possible. And the carbide cutters can easily be replaced when they lose their pizzazz or are damaged for whatever reason.

The compact format of the Downrange's machined aluminum body is encased in TAN499 ceramic to give it a durable, solid structure. And it comes with a 550 lanyard to make it easily portable, and easy to keep on hand for quick sharpening tasks, whether in the garage or on the front lines.

Made In the USA

Because the Gerber Downrange Sharpener military version is made for professionals, it's comforting to know it's also made in the USA. That's something to be proud of when you're carrying a tool into a foreign field in the name of your country. Whether you choose the pro or standard version, depending on your specific situation and qualifications, you'll know that you're getting American quality and American backing with the Downrange.

Lucky for You

Not all Gerber tools or knives that are designed for military use offer a version for average, everyday users. But the Downrange does. That means that you can be sure of the same qualities in your personal knife sharpener as military personnel and other emergency response professionals receive in theirs. And of course, the same lifetime warranty applies to both.

Great Idea

Keep in mind, too, that the Gerber Downrange Sharpener will make an excellent gift, whether for your military son or daughter, or your brother-in-law who just likes to keep his knives sharp. Either way, there's a Downrange to meet their needs, average user or pro.

Comment (0)

Having a collection is always fun. You can show it to others that come to visit and when you need extra money you'd be surprised at what you can get for some of the items you've had for years. Gerber knives are perfect for any type of collection.

It doesn't matter how young or old you are collecting knives can be awesome and so much fun. There are so many knives to choose from that are cool and either are already collectible or will be in the years to come. So don't be afraid to do some research before you buy.

What Really Makes It Collectible

There are so many knives to choose from, but do you know what really makes a knife collectible? Here are three things to look at when you're deciding if a knife is a collectible.

1. Demand

Supply and demand is huge when it comes to collectible knives. If there's no supply for the knife you want, that means it's collectible and the demand is probably high. You may have to search high and low to find it, but when you do, it'll be perfect for your collection.

2. No longer made

More likely than not, if a knife goes out of production it'll become a collectible. This isn't always the case, but it does happen often. People think they can continue to get them whenever they want and then when production ends, they realize they lost out so the search begins.

3. Unusual or original designs

There are times when a knife has a low production count for whatever reason and when this occurs it makes it unusual or original and that makes it collectible. When you have 20 knives made and that's it it's more collectible than one that had 20,000 made.

You May Have Seen This One

There are a number of Gerber knives that are collectible, but one knife that stands out is the Gerber Mark I  is one that's hard to find. This knife has been discontinued and as you know from the above information that makes it a collectible. The stainless steel blade makes the quality good and that's another feature of a collectible. If you can find one of these knives, it's definitely one you should add to your collection.

Happy Collecting

Having a collection at your home is appreciated. You'll be able to look at them and search to find more as time goes on. Having a knife collection is great, but it's important to know what's collectible and what's not and with this information you'll know what to look for when you make a purchase.

Comment (0)