Product review of Gerber Paraframe

[kev]

This Gerber Paraframe was purchased from a local store and was not supplied by Gerber for this review. What you are about to read is my opinion of performance based on my use of this knife. A couple of weeks ago, while at a local retail store, I noticed this Gerber - the Paraframe I. After thinking about it for a little while I decided to buy the knife, and my first impression was very good.

Take a good look at the picture, notice how aggressive the serrated edges are? Some people might say that is a good thing, but too deep a serration drags instead of cutting. Plus, the knife edge was DULL, very dull as in butter knife dull. This may be the only knife that I have ever purchased that did not come with a razor sharp edge from the factory. Some people might say, "why do you want a sharp edge knive with a serrated section of the blade" - well its a knife it should be sharp. It's really embarrassing to hand someone your knife and you have to explain how the edge is dull and the thing is BRAND NEW!!!!
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The knife comes with a nice clip which is very stiff, so there is little worry about it just "falling off" your belt or pocket. I do like the knobs on the side of the blade to help with opening the knife.
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The knife has a slim design which makes carrying it a breeze. It fits right next to your wallet in the rear pocket. This is the way that a knife this size should be carried. If carried in the front pants pocket it is visible to everyone that looks at you. Rear pocket carrying is more comfortable, and is somewhat concealed by the wallet.
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Bottom Line: Even though this knife came dull from the factory and sharpening it was a pain, it's still a good knife. If your in the market for a knife with a 3 inch blade, go ahead and pick up a Gerber Paraframe I. Just remember, when it comes time to sharpen the blade, get ready to spend 30 minutes or more.

UPDATE:
After a year of carrying this knife, it is no longer my daily carry. The blade will not hold an edge and it is very hard to sharpen. Both of these characteristics (easy to dull and hard to sharpen) are typical of a stainless blade. The Gerber Paraframe should be considered a bottom bargain knife and should be avoided.

[Switchblade]

"The Gerber Paraframe should be considered a bottom bargain knife and should be avoided."

I have to agree with you on this one :-).

[frontlinedude]

well, i have the paraframe II w/o ser. edge and although it's not my daily cary anymore i still really like the knife. Mine came razor sharp when i purchased it. It has a nice slim profile which i like. For the price it does really well. Its my only knife w/o ser. edge so thats why i no longer cary it daily. I replaced it with the gerber fast draw mini. I really like that knife.

[void]

My paraframe came razor sharp, I've used it heavily for about a year and a half. It holds an edge for me very well. I have sharpened it once pretty much for my own enjoyment. It took a pretty nice edge in little time, but sharping is somewhat of a hobby for me. Maybe your knife was used or was a second or just plain crap from the factory. I don't buy a knife without inspecting it first. I haven't had any problems with major retail stores allowing me to give the knife a look over, it never hurts to ask.

[Huckleberry]

I have a paraframe I and a mini w/2" blade. I am a plain clothes (suit) detective and carry the mini with me daily. I like it as it disappears in my pants pocket. I use it every day for light duty chores in the evidence room such as open packages and cutting tape. Although small, it will cut a seatbelt if needed without a problem.

Off duty I carry the paraframe I and a leatherman. I like the PF I because its thin. I use it all the time. Both knives came razor sharp. I have owed both knives for over a year. They hold an edge relatively well and I touch up the edge every 3 months or so. For the money they are very good knives. I have $30.00 total in both knives so if something happens to them its no big loss.

The biggest problem I see people make with knives is they think they are a muti-purpose tool such as a wire cutter, pry bar, hatchet etc... Then they complain the knife does not hold up. (No flame intended Kev).

If your looking for a decent knife for the money the Gerber paraframe is a good choice IMO. Are there better knives out there? Absolutely, but I would prefer to spend my money on guns, ammo and food than have a $100.00 - $150.00 knife that may disappear. I can buy alot of paraframes for that kind of money.

Huck

[Mrl4ng]

To me, this knife became very uncomfortable to use when making heavy cuts. Solid construction, good for daily light blade work, (opening pesky plastic packaging etc) but not really a knife i'd take camping.

[sammyscout]

At one time possibly, gerber made a quality product, but although I am not against chinese mass produced items, (they have to pass alot of Qa to be produced in the millions), this breed of knives just doesn't cut it. If I cant rely on it, I have no use for it. I avoid folders with too many screws nuts whatever. I find that after Ive used it for 2-3 months, all of them are loose.

[georgeg]

I would guess it was a fluke on the dull gerber, never seen one that wasn't razor sharp when new. Gerber has always been hard to sharpen to me.

Loved the comment on folks using knives for everything not meant for. Thats me in my younger days. I have worn out many a buck 110. GREAT knives though, man tough.

new cheap knives these days, make it so easy to get a good knife, I don't worry about the brand names any more. just what feels right.

[georgeg]

also have to agree, maybe Gerber isn't what they used to be.

but man they sure were fine if you could afford them!

[kbonnel]

Thank you for the review. I was looking at this recently, and I had some questions that your reviewed answered. My search continues

Enjoy the videos and site, thanks for all your hard work.

Kimo

[Ulfric]

I originally purchased my PF in '06 or '07. I was back from Af-Paki for six months and had taken a seasonal job doing IT work. At the time my primary folders were either a CS 4" Voyager tanto or a Gerber Covert model of the Applegate-Fairbairn (wish that didn't have serrations or it would've been a nice knife). I was told by my boss that there was an HR complaint that my knives were far too aggressive looking and would have to make a change. He and I were driving to an off site location at the time so we stopped off at a local Wally World as I was going to have to have something to cut the cabling we were replacing, as well as boxes and other materials. This store had several blades I wasn't very happy with and the PF was the only one without serrations on it. The boss wasn't happy with the blade length but was only marginally larger than his own so he approved it. Years ago when they were first released I had a Gerber LST and the lock/spine broke when cutting down cardboard boxes. After three free replacements I gave up and went to a strong lock design as in the CS knives. I was hesitant with the PF but since it had a good liner lock instead of their traditional type in the old LST I went ahead and made the purchase.

Yes, the first three boxes I tried had very dull blades. The fourth and last one had a sharp edge, though not one that would shave.

In the three to four years I've had my PF it's held up under normal use and some extreme abuse. I agree that it's difficult to sharpen (my carbon blades usually only need a touch up here and there) and it doesn't hold a razor edge for long at all. It has, though, become my primary carry folder by default as my voyager, covert, and Benchmade folders were lost in transshipping to Af-Paki in '08 and I haven't replaced them.

The clip has held up better than most any clip equipped folder I've ever carried, and the blade is sound, though after years of use it can now open on its own with a very light flick of the wrist without utilizing the thumb studs. That it's action is smooth is good, but on the few occasions it's been dropped when getting other items out of the pocket, it's been opening on it's own lately to about 1/2 to 3/4 travel on the hinge.

All in all I'd say it's worth the cost for a beater and I've used it to clean many a squirrel, rabbit, and other small game.