The Perfect Gerber Folding Knife - Do You Need a Tactical Folding Knife Or a Hunting Knife?

To pick the perfect Gerber Folding Knife you first need to ask yourself what you need in a knife. If you need a tactical folding knife you may want to go with a tanto blade. Do you need an edge that is plain or serrated? What kind of handle do you need? All very good questions.

Now let's break these questions down and get some answers to get your perfect Gerber folding knife.

Clip Point, Drop Point, or Tanto Blade - I personally prefer a clip or drop point blade. I'm partial to Bowie Knives which have the clip point style blade. A drop point blade is great for skinning animals. The Tanto blade is said to be good at puncturing body armor, but I've read mixed results on that front.

Aluminum, Stainless Steel, G-10, Micarta, and other handle materials - This will come down to what environment in which you think you will be using your knife.

One negative to aluminum or stainless steel would be if you plan on using your knife in extreme cold (like climbing Everest) or extreme heat (like hiking across the desert). Without gloves the knife itself could injure your hand. I read a report of a guy in an extremely cold climate that took off his glove and his knife stuck to his hand. In those cases I would want a G-10 or Micarta handle. These are also good for wet conditions.

Plain edge or serrated? A plain edge knife is easier to sharpen and doesn't require any special sharpening stones. However the serrated edge is excellent at cutting tinder or rope. Partially serrated edges work better on longer blades.

Answering these questions should put you on the road to picking the perfect Gerber Folding Knife.

I do my best to verify all of my information with the actual manufacturer of the knives I write about.

I am a collector of knives and I've recently decided to become more self sufficient. I've started learning how to garden, I'm trying to get completely out of debt. and I'm learning how to do things on my own.

For folding knives, fixed blade knives, and more come see the blog I'm helping with at http://www.72hoursurvival.com You can also check out my Gerber Folding Knife page.