I received this product just a few days ago from writing this post. So far I am impressed with the quality of it, it is a solid feeling tool. In the few days I have owned it, I have used the blade, the cord cutter slot, the nail puller, and the bottle opener. The blade opens and works as it should. I like the fact that you must push down on the slide button before the blade will slide open. This keeps it from opening when I pull my phone out of my pocket. The cord cutter works as advertised. The nail puller works well in a pinch. I was pulling one nail with this tool, while my dad tried to pull another nail out with is SOG pliers. His pliers broke and I was able to pull out both nails without a problem once I figured out the method. Bottle opener works well also.
As far as the "flat head screw drivers" I have not yet found these to be too useful. For reference; they will not fit in flat head screws for wall outlet covers and light switches, but it is capable of turning the screw in my lansky knife sharpener. If they were just slightly filed down it would be a bit more practical as a flaflat head, but I am happy with the strength of the pry bar so far.
The tool longs for a pocket clip. With the size of this knife, I am currently running it as my primary blade, in place of my Spyderco Endura 4. The size of the tool closed is about the same size as an average EDC pocket knife. Its too long to sit flush in a change pocket. I have seen people add a pocket clip through use of the lanyard hole, but I opted to use an adhesive pocket clip, and I carry it tip up so the pry bar is not exposed. The clip I chose was the Boring Products pocket clip. I have also seen folks use the Nite Ize clips. I'm happy with my choice so far.
The blade is slightly difficult to take out which I am fine with as it will hopefully limit accidents. It is still doable to remove without use of tools. I plan to continue using this as my primary EDC blade for a while. If I run into any major issues I will try and update this review.
UPDATE:
I've been using this tool now for over a month, carrying it every day as my primary knife. Since EDC-ing this tool, I have not missed carrying a normal folding knife. This tool is much more useful and has proven itself to me. I have not been easy on it. I have used every feature on the tool except for the wire strippers, and I do not have a lanyard attached to it. I stand by my previous statement about the "flat head" screwdriver function. It is not a practical flat head IMO as there are few screws that have a wide enough slot to utilize it.
Some things I have used the tool for:
Finish nails
Sheetrock nails
Bending fence wire
Opening stubborn chainsaw gas caps
Prying open paint cans
Opening bottles
Various cutting tasks from sheet rock, to clearing small brush
The nail puller is more impressive than I imagined it would be. I was on a demo job and there were not enough prybars for everybody on the crew. I pulled this out of my pocket and pulled probably over 50 Sheetrock nails from the studs, working just about as fast as the guys with the crowbars. Just a couple of "bops" and the nail was out. After that job though, I did notice the slide was much more difficult to open. Some WD40 and a few minutes of playing with it and it was mostly back to normal.
One con to note is I have found that the metal slot that holds the blade in place will dull that part of the blade, so you can't have two uses out of one blade like with a typical utility knife. This is not a deal breaker, just something to note before purchasing.
If I were Gerber, a couple things I would try to change:
Add a pocket clip (I would have rated 5 stars if it had a clip)
Make the lanyard hole slightly larger so it could also function as an oxygen bottle wrench.
UPDATE MAY, 2024:
Unfortunately, after continuous hard use of this tool, I lost it in the yard while mowing. I was not easy on this tool intentionally. It wouldn't break. Since I lost it and it has become an essential tool for me, I came back on amazon to buy another just like it. To my surprise, I was very pleased to see Gerber had listened to us and added a pocket clip on the new, blue tool. I purchased it right away. I have not had a chance to break it in yet but I am a fan of the clip and the new scales as well. I am even able to utilize the clip as an O2 wrench for work. I have changed my rating from 4 to 5 stars. So much functionality! Thank you for listening to us, Gerber!
Material | G10, Metal |
---|---|
Brand | GERBER |
Color | Grey |
Item Length | 4.2 Inches |
Handle Material | Fiberglass |
Blade Material | Stainless Steel |
Style | Grey |
Handle Type | Manual-Retractable |
Manufacturer | Gerber |
UPC | 013658159204 |
Part Number | 31-003745 |
Item Weight | 4.2 ounces |
Country of Origin | China |
Item model number | 31-003745 |
Shape | Straight |
Power Source | Hand Powered |
Item Package Quantity | 1 |
Blade Edge | Flat |
Included Components | Utility Blade, Knife |
Batteries Required? | No |
Warranty Description | Limited Lifetime Warranty |