Customer Reviews

Gerber 06425 Chameleon II Medium Serrated

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

i bought this knife to orginally give to a friend, but when it came in i liked it so much i decided to keep it for myself and get him something else...the knife came razor sharp and has kept it's edge...the hole in the knife is great for controlling the knife...works great for skinning...would reccommend to all, only down side is you may want to get the next larger size...this one turned out to be just a little small...but works great for most jobs...

Reading the other reviews I'm seeing a lot of truth about this knife. Yes, it's not very smooth in its opening and it is literally impossible to 'flip' it out. I even disassembled it and polished the insides trying to get it to, and all that got me was an open-lock that would fail under moderate closing-pressure. (Though I did manage to fix that with a kiss from a grinder.) It does open with one hand, but it's not as elegant as most. I have to use my thumb and ring-finger (on opposing sides) to make the initial opening shove, after which my thumb carries it through to fully open. Closing it is also a two-stage effort- thumb pulls button while index finger presses back of blade, then index finger returns to the opening and the thumb pulls the blade closed. It's not quite as awkward as it sounds, but it's not impressive to behold. It takes me about a second to open or close it.

Anyways, about the ergonomics. Don't try to hold this knife in a closed fist. I hold it with the 'eye' between the first and second joint of my index finger. My other three fingers are similarly curled around the handle and my thumb rests on the backstrap. This allows some very strong leverage against the blade, especially since you don't have to worry about slipping off the handle. It's very comfortable for extended use (carving something) as it doesn't take a lot of gripping force to control it.

The tip is extremely thin and pointy- if you're in the habit of prying things with your knife you're likely to break it. The composite handle makes it light enough for me to not mind carrying around every day, so I do. The size is large enough to be useful and not ungainly. It has no clip so I sometimes have to feel around for it in my pocket, but if I really cared I'd just use the included belt sheath. The serrated portion of the blade ensures that I can cut something even when I've been lazy about sharpening it. This is a useful utility carry knife. If only there could be an assisted-opening version of this...

This knife isn't very pretty. Either closed or open the knife just doesn't look "cool." However, this knife is very practical. It's size and Gerber quality make it a wonderful all purpose knife. It is impossible to fling the blade out, but, with practice, you can get used to gripping it correctly to open the knife with just your thumb. This is a knife you will have to take time to get used to using for some of the more general purposes of any pocket knife, but for a job that requires a lot of effort and control for an extended period of time this is the most comfortable knife I have ever used. If you take the time to get used to it, you can do some cool spinning tricks with it too. Of all the knives I have ever owned, this knife was my favorite.

I bought this knife by mistake as I was trying to replace the smaller version. When it first arrived I was dismayed to see how large it was, but I had no problems adapting as I usually have shorts on with large pockets. If you do not dress in this manner, I would recommend the smaller version of the same knife. The blade holds an edge well, and the finger hole allows you to get a good grip so you can really dig in without fear of cutting yourself. Packaging, ties, wires, splitting a hamburger, carving your name in a picnic table....this knife will soon become indispensable.

I personally find the finger hole to be very uncomfortable. The inside is a thick tube shape, so it isn't shaped for a finger very well. Maybe it will work for you, but it sure didn't for me.

The bolt lock is a neat idea, but the opening and closing is kind of rough. It just feels like a low quality knife.

You should definitely see if your local "discount retailer" that starts with a "W" and ends in "al-mart" has one in stock so you can try it out before buying.

Got this knife at[on] sale...
not worth it (will return soon)
the main problem - it feels so cheap. there are no blade play, and lock hold for a time beeing bet action isn't smooth. It came well oiled, but still opening feels like there are some sand in it.
Bottom line not the best knife for a price.