Gerber
Knives and multitools, cutler from Portland since 1939
Gerber is not artisan, it's mass-market tooling, made in the USA since 1939. But a good Gerber multi-tool at $30 does the job for years. Not glamorous, not expensive, not fragile. That's the point.
Philosophy
American knife and multitool maker since 1939. Based in Portland, compact and reliable EDC tools for daily use. American everyday performance.
History
The story starts well: 1939, Portland, an adman named Joseph Gerber sends handmade tool as Christmas gifts to clients. Abercrombie & Fitch notices, orders, and the ad agency becomes a knife maker. For decades, Gerber is an American reference - the military, special forces, bushcrafters. Then Fiskars buys the brand, and the slide begins. Among enthusiasts, the consensus is brutal: 'Price went up and quality went down.' Production moved to China, QC all over the place, low-end materials on most of the line. The StrongArm and LMF Infantry still have fans among military users, but the rest? 'Got left behind' sums up one user. Gerber is living on a reputation it no longer fully deserves.
Iconic Products
Splice Multitool
Compact pocket multitool. Blades, screwdrivers, and tools in pocket-friendly format.
StrongArm Fixed Blade
Fixed blade survival knife. Still respected by military users despite the brand's general decline.
LMF Infantry
Robust military knife. One of the few Gerber references that keeps fans among special forces.