Gerber Tactical Grey Ghostrike Fixed Blade Knife Review

Gerber says, “Like the men and women who carry our gear, Gerber is Unstoppable. Decades of innovation and dedication have put us here. Renowned as a master of knives and tools, Gerber’s problem-solving, life-saving products are designed with the unique needs of specific activities in mind. Today that includes much more than a blade.”

The company was founded in 1939 and is based in Portland, Oregon. This is an American brand whose products have global reach and relevance. Their knives are carried and used often by hunters, soldiers, and tradesmen, with their heritage running deep. Gerber is looking toward the future, because they recognize that tomorrow’s problems can and will be solved by the next generation of innovations.

All Gerber products are designed and engineered in Portland, Oregon, where many of them are also produced. They use their global supply chain to create a wide range of activity specific gear of a wide variety of consumers. And no matter what, every product that bears the Gerber name is backed by their famous lifetime warranty.

They say, “Quality, reliability, innovation. For over 70 years this is what our customers have expected from us. And whether our products are used to save time, save the day, or save a life, Gerber always delivers.”

Today we will be discussing the new Gerber Tactical Grey Ghostrike Fixed Blade.

 

The Blade:

The blade on this knife is made out of BDZ-1 Stainless steel. This steel is a great steel for knives that are meant to perform pretty rough tasks, or for utility blades. This is because utility and survival knives require high hardness and edge retention, both of which this steel can offer. While this is not a super steel, it should perform as well as a utility blade is required to. This steel is not extremely expensive, so the overall cost of the knife is not going to increase dramatically. Gerber has been experimenting with this steel, putting it on knives that have previously used 420HC. This is because the knives that have been using 420HC are more tactical and survival style knives, usually fixed blades, and the general consensus is that most of the customers have not loved 420HC. So while this is not a super steel, it will perform what you need it to. And, it is an improvement on the previous 420HC steel.

The blade has been finished with a stonewash finish. The stonewash finish is very rugged and gives the knife a well-worn look. It is created by tumbling the steel in an abrasive material until it looks almost textured. After it has been tumbled in the abrasive material, which is most commonly pebbles or stones (hence the name), the steel is smoothed out and polished. The finish is a great finish for a tougher knife like this one because it hides scratches while also reducing the reflective nature that you would get with a brushed or a satin finish. The stonewash finish can also hide smudges, which are bound to accumulate over time. In essence, the stonewash finish works to maintain the original look of the blade through long periods of time.

The blade has been carved into a modified drop point blade shape. The original drop point blade is tough and versatile, which is why it is so popular. This modified drop point is still going to be tough and versatile, it is just constructed a little differently. Typically, a drop point has a spine that slowly curves from the handle to the tip of the knife, which creates a lowered point. The biggest difference between a typical drop point shape and this drop point is that instead of going from the handle to the tip in a slow curve, it goes from the handle to the tip in a straight line that is angled towards the tip. Because of this, it still gives you the lowered tip, which helps you have more control over your cuts and slices. The tip is still broad, although it is not as broad as a typical drop points. Because it is still broad, it is going to still have the strength that people love in a drop point. And, it is going to be able to pierce or stab better than a typical drop point can. This blade still has the large belly that a drop point is known for, which makes slicing an absolute breeze. While you will be able to pierce better with the Ghostrike than you would have been able to with a regular drop point, you are still not going to be able to pierce well. This is taken from you because of the strength that you get from a broad tip.

The blade on this knife has a plain edge, which is great for a tactical knife because it allows you to take on a wider variety of tasks as well as giving you cleaner cuts. Plus, if you are in the field with this knife, you can more easily sharpen a plain edge with a rock than you would be able to a serrated edge. However, plain edges do dull more easily and quickly than a serrated edge would.

 

The Handle:

             The handle on this knife is made out of rubber. The rubber handle is used to keep costs of the knife down, but also to provide a more secure grip on this knife. The rubber has been texturized with small bumps to give you texture and grip when you need it most. This is a benefit for a tactical knife, because you never know how messy or sweaty the situation is going to be. With the rubber handle, you are going to have a good grip on the knife no matter the environment. Not only that, but rubber is easier to care for, because you don’t have to worry about it corroding. This means that you will be able to take the knife into more humid environments without repercussions on the handle. Of course, fi the rubber is too soft, it is going to break down, which is an entirely different issue. The rubber handle is going to be low maintenance and easy to care for in the field, which is exactly what most people want out of a tactical knife.

The handle is designed to give you the absolute best grip possible. The spine is straight, similar to the spine of the blade. The belly is where things are a little different. The rubber has a thick row of jimping that extends from the blade to the butt of the handle on the belly of the handle. This jimping is there to give you a more secure grip. There is a large finger guard, which is there to protect your fingers in case of accidental slipping. After the guard, there is a deep finger groove. This groove is large enough to fit any finger and will help the handle by making it a little more comfortable.

The handle has been skeletonized. This cuts down on weight, but also allows you to slip your fingers inside of the knife handle to really hold onto the knife. This is a benefit of the Ghostrike tactical knife, because you never know how strong of a grip you might need. With the Ghostrike, you are going to be able to have the strongest grip possible.

Lastly, the handle has been equipped with a lanyard hole.

 

The Mechanism:

This is a fixed blade knife. For a tactical knife, there is the one really obvious benefit to having a fixed blade: it is going to be the superior tactical tool. While it is not going to be as discrete as a pocket knife would, it is going to be able to be brought into play much faster. When it comes to a tactical situation, every single second counts. With a folding knife, the knife has to be taken out of your pocket, opened, and then it is ready for use. With a fixed blade, the only thing to do is remove it from the sheath and it is ready to go.

Other than being the superior tactical tool, it is also going to be the superior survival tool. This is because fixed blades are usually longer and stronger than folding knives. For starters, the blade can be thicker because it does not have to fit inside the handle of the knife. This means that there is going to be less bending of the blade and in the end, less snapping of the blade. There is also no mechanism that can wear down or break over time. With a folding knife, you have to be worried about the hinge wearing out as well as worrying about the spring rusting or wearing out. There are none of those pieces on a fixed blade, so the knife is not going to break. Because of these characteristics, the Ghostrike is also going to make a great survival knife, because you can use this knife for things other than cutting. It is going to be strong enough that you can dig with it, pry with it, use it as a food preparation tool, a first aid tool, or even just a regular knife. When it comes to fixed blades in survival settings, there is almost no end to what they can do.

Lastly, cleaning and maintenance are going to be especially easy with this Gerber knife because it is a fixed blade. As for cleaning, all you have to do is wipe down the blade and the handle and make sure that the blade is dry before putting it in its sheath. Maintenance is also going to be easy because there are no moving parts on this knife that will need replacing. When it comes to a fixed blade, what you see is what you get. And with the Ghostrike, what you see is pretty fantastic.

 

The Sheath:

             The sheath that comes with this knife is a molded polymer. This is essentially a plastic sheath. The plastic sheaths are going to be the cheapest ones that you can find on the market. However, you do get what you pay for which means that the plastic sheaths are also going to be the least quality ones on the market. While some plastic knives can be durable, they are not the best home for you knife because they trap in moisture. For long periods of time, a plastic sheath is going to have a significantly negative effect on your blade. However, this did keep the cost of the knife down, which is a benefit. The sheath is very rectangular and has a variety of carrying options because of the design of the sheath. With this sheath, you will be able to have your knife with you at all times.

 

The Specs:

The blade on this knife measures in at 3.3 inches long with a blade thickness of 0.08 inches. The handle on the Ghostrike measures in at 3.6 inches long. The overall length of this knife measures in at 6.9 inches long. The sheath that comes with this knife weighs 1.9 ounces. The knife, without the sheath, weighs in at 1.9 ounces. This knife was made in the United States of America, so you can feel proud to own, carry, and use it. 7

 

Conclusion:

Gerber has been producing fixed blade combat and survival knives for the military forces since the late 60’s and the Ghostrike continues with that fine tradition of excellence. The new-and-improved Ghostrike sports a new handle color in addition to a stronger blade steel so you can tackle more tasks while it still holds an edge. Key highlights of this knife include an ultra-light skeletonized profile and also includes a diamond textured handle and dedicated finger groove for extra support. This model features a tactical grey rubber handle, a modified drop point style blade in a stonewash finish and the molded polymer sheath allows for a variety of carry options. You can pick up this new knife today at BladeOps.