REVIEW – I recently had the chance to try out Gerber Custom, a new tool on the Gerber Gear website that lets you design a customized knife or multi-tool that Gerber will then build and send to you. The design process was simple and fun, and I was impressed with the number of customization options Gerber offers. The price isn’t too bad but starts to creep higher as you add or upload your own text and images.
With seven knives to choose from, along with the Gerber Center-Drive Plus multi-tool as well, there’s something here for everybody. Each knife has different customization options based on its profile and design, and the options also vary in price depending on the materials you choose. Gerber even offers some pre-made designs you can modify to get your creative juices flowing.
I went with a Gerber Fastball because I have always liked its no-nonsense aesthetic, and I’ve never owned a cleaver-type folding knife.
For my handle, I chose the black Machined G-10 option because of the textured grip. G-10 is a high-pressure fiberglass laminate composite, so it’s strong and incredibly lightweight as well. Other handle options, like anodized aluminum, allow you to add text, images, and patterns, but the G-10 doesn’t. Gerber also offers a carbon fiber handle.
You can choose from preset patterns and images to adorn your blade and handle or upload your own. Picking a pattern for the blade was tough, but I finally settled on a subtle topographic option. Instead of filling the blade with type, I just added my initials to one side and my personal logo to the other.
The 3D models of the knives are incredibly realistic. You can click and drag or rotate the knife around to check it out from every angle before committing to your design. You can even choose the “Knife to Scale” option to get an idea of the actual size of the finished product.
Final Product
Once I submitted my design, it was a few weeks before my custom knife arrived in the mail.
I was blown away by how great the elements all came together on the final product.
The Fastball looked even better in person than it did on screen. The quality of the build was outstanding, with completely smooth action and no looseness to it.
All of my choices were accurately reproduced, right down to the tiny black inserts.
The topographic pattern even continued onto the knurled finger flipper.
While a little bit out of my black-on-black comfort zone, the gold highlights of the knife’s hardware gave it a very classy look.
As did the Fastball’s gold clip and fasteners.
The inner gold liner is my favorite element because it pops so well instead of just disappearing into the knife’s interior.
The blade of the Fastball arrived scary sharp, which I appreciate since I hate having to sharpen a brand-new knife out of the box.
At first glance, my initials and logo looked great, as did the simple topographic pattern. But I did notice a slight defect on one side of the blade where it was either scratched or misprinted during production.
It’s barely noticeable unless you’re looking for it, but unfortunately, I cannot unsee it.
Also, despite my best efforts during the design process, both my initials and my logo printed across curves in the blade.
Again, not a deal-breaker, but something to take into consideration when designing your own knife.
Final thoughts
I had a great time creating my own custom Gerber knife and was thoroughly impressed with the quality of the final product. The design process was incredibly simple, with tons of options to choose from. As someone who is very particular about the knives I carry, it was really satisfying to pick the blade profile, handle material, and hardware like the liner, backspacer, and fasteners. While the price of customization can quickly skyrocket when uploading your own images and patterns or inputting text, it’s worth it to have a one-of-a-kind knife or multi-tool. Lead times are 12-15 business days, so it may not arrive in time for the holidays, but these make great gifts any time of the year.
Price: $278 as configured
Where to buy: Gerber
Source: The sample of this product was provided for free by Gerber. Gerber did not have a final say on the review and did not preview the review before it was published.
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