A Gun Guy's Knife Review: Gerber 06 Auto
It’s funny how guns and knives just go together. I’m willing to bet that if you own a gun, chances are that you own at least one knife. I think I own 10 — I lost count somewhere along the way. I don’t know if the converse is true where many knife owners are also guns owners, but that’s a topic a knife guy can write about.
So I’ve been using the Gerber 06 Auto knife since February of this year, and it has been with me through many shooting practice sessions, competitions across the country, a number of hunts, and even fishing excursions. It’s in my bag almost anytime I’m doing outdoor stuff.
What I like about the 06 Auto is the quick one-hand opening feature (via a metal button), along with its compact length of 4.8″. The blade is 3.8″ which is a good length for what I want to accomplish. The handle feels good in my hand, and the G-10 grip helps ensure the blade is less likely to slip in my hand. There’s a locking switch in case you want to lock the blade open or close for extra safety.
For the knife un-initiated, the tanto blade is somewhat controversial, with one camp thinking it’s just for looks, and another camp who notes the tanto blade is thick all the way to the tip, which means it is less likely to break. I guess I don’t see why I need to pick one or the other!
On the range, a knife is an indispensible item. Your natural reaction is that a knife is designed to cut things. Ammo boxes, packaging, rope, and other stuff just begging to be cut. Well, it can do more than just cut. It’s actually useful as:
A screwdriver, a choke tool, and an extractor tool for stuck, expended cartridges and shells.
Chris Cheng is History Channel's Top Shot Season 4 champion and author of "Shoot to Win," a book for beginning shooters. A self-taught amateur turned pro through his Top Shot win, Cheng very much still considers himself an amateur who parachuted into this new career. He is a professional marksman for Bass Pro Shops who shares his thoughts and experiences from the perspective of a newbie to the shooting community. He resides in San Francisco, CA and works in Silicon Valley.www.TopShotChris.com.
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I think a big point on the Tanto tip was missed. The kinetic energy of the thrust is placed on a much smaller, exagerated point than a traditional drop point. With a quality tanto you can easily penetrate a car door multiple times. I'm not suggesting everyone with a tanto tipped blade start stabbing cars, but it helps to give an idea of what this design of blade is intended for. It's purely a penetrating tip. It is also argued, by some really enthusiastic knife users, that a more traditional japanese tanto design, similar to this was to prevent the sword from being bound against a bone, or piece of armor, and causing your hand to slip up the unhilted blades of the times and effectively seriouslyt wounding yourself. the theory behind this is that it deflects off of a hard surface while continuing forwardish momentum instead of just halting on the wider surface area of a different point.
The switchblade law is a stupid law just like most others. I can open my assisted open Gerber 06 Fast just as fast from pocket to open probably faster than the auto version. Silly Liberals!!!