DESCRIPTION:
The Gerber Gator and Gatormate - a value line of knives introduced in 1991 by Gerber Legendary Blades. When the line was introduced, it was revolutionary. The line won the Most Innovative Knife of the Year at the 1991 Blade Show upon its introduction. The Gator was the first production knife ever to use a Zytel frame with molded and bonded Kraton scales. This gave the knife a very rigid, lightweight structure with excellent purchase and great feel in the hand. The design overall is not without its flaws, however.

The Gatormate has a very small finger choil, which really serves no purpose except as decoration. It almost would have been better to leave the design clean, but it does give it a bit of visual distinction. Practically, however, the choil is useless. Some larger flaws in my estimation are the deployment method and the lockback design. Deployment is NOT intended for one-handed use, and is extremely slow and awkward. The knife is really designed for two-handed opening, which shows how much power the protectionist culture of the day had over knife design, as this was at the height of the "switchblade" scare era. Those in power did not want you to have a fast opening knife. As such, the design is clumsy at best. The lockback design is also a drawback in my opinion, but others may think differently. I prefer a good line lock design for my own uses. In addition, I have no use for serrations on a pocket knife or survival knife, but your mileage may vary. Personally, I find that if a plain edge blade is properly sharpened, it is a much more versatile design, in addition to being easier to sharpen and maintain.

With all of that being said, I like the knife. It has a good blade steel (400 series "surgical" steel) and maintains an edge like nobodies business. The pivot design is outstanding, as this particular knife has needed NO adjustment over a period of 21 years of HARD use. Some of the other things I like about the blade have to do with the handle construction. Being made out of a chemically bonded Zytel/Kraton duo, this knife is incredibly light. With its 3" blade, this knife weighs in at a whopping 2.215oz. That's a stellar power to weight ratio. Speaking of the blade, I know I hammer it for being a serrated blade, but overall, I am a definite fan of the blade shape. It is a clip point design with an unsharpened swage on the spine, and a reasonable amount of belly for slicing tasks. This is a handsome knife. Some might buy it just for its looks - it's that good looking. Not bad for a $20-something knife.

Overall, this is a decent pocket knife, and would make a good backup knife or gift purchase. In the right hands, it can be an extremely useful tool.