Home Forums Gear Free Classifieds WTB Old Gerber Exchange-Blade knife

Looking for one of these knives or just the blades themselves and wondered if anybody here might have one laying around that they don't use anymore:



Thanks much!

...I own one, but still use it!Great little knives. As compact as they are they do the job!

I got a 2nd one but it has a straight blade, gut hook blade and saw if your interested.

Believe it or not, that knife is one of my inventions and designs. Pete Gerber did a big presentation of the first blade stamping and the first assembled knife off of the production line. The photos and the framed knife and framed blade are above my desk.

No, the bastards never paid me any money. And when they asked for more designs (presumably at the same non-wage) I told them to go screw themselves.

Anyway, that is a fun little piece of history and a very handy knife. I have several (free to the designer, I guess) and have gutted/skinned/butchered hundreds of big game critters with mine.

I've made several non-factory blade shapes and one, a super little bungholer, is a real winner.

Steve

It's called the Gerber Exchange-Blade Bolt Action Hunter, just in case anyone wanted to know. Locals call it "Steve's Knife."

I've got a schitload of blades around here someplace. If I find them, I'll holler.

Steve

Steve-
I knew that little set must have been the product of a supreme intellect, but had no idea it was yours!!!!

Now everybody will want one for the nostalgia!

By the way, you are missing the "Hunter" blade with the guthook. Actually, I never slit the belly with it, but the guthook is kinda handy for running a slit up the legs before skinning.

Yeah, all came from a devious mind.

The locking system was Blackie Collins' design. He was working on contract in-plant and we worked together for a few days perfecting the whole knife. Very nice guy.

Steve

Recognize the knife in this pic Steve?



It did this in September.



I've been using that same bolt action knife for almost 23 years. Have sawed trees out of the way with it also. It is ALWAYS in my pack.

Scott

Friend Scott,

That is COOL, very cool and it makes me feel really good to be a part of your hunting.

By the way, the saw was my idea. I figgered out a way of making a small saw by using small grinder rods. If you look at the saw teeth, you'll see what I mean. I had a devil of a time explaining the concept to Gerber's machinists and engineers, but after they caught it, making the blades was simple. And it made a superior saw.

Thank you for sharing you hunts, my friend.

Steve

I was hoping that some of the guys with Ingrams would be willing to part with their old, worn out, second rate Gerbers. I guess I was wrong about that!

Now, you guys knock it off before Joel changes his mind about selling me his!

Seriously, I am glad to learn that others like 'em, and the history of the design. Thanks guys!

The majority of the work on these two was done with the drop-point blade on mine, the saw went through the pelvis and up the brisket of the spike.

Would it not go through the pelvis on the bigger one....or just more work?

Nice knife, may have to look for one myself, been looking for ways to carry less gear and lighter weight without giving up to much functionality.

J

J-
I didn't get there in time to help with gutting the 5pt, only the skinning and quartering. (Actually, we sixed him to make sure he cooled out. It got hot that day). My saw has zipped through several other grown-up bulls. It's a wicked little sucker that is not hampered much by its lack of length.

Guys,

Here is a photo of the presentation that Pete Gerber gave me. The knife is the FIRST Bolt Action Hunter off the production line.

In another presentation, he gave me the first blade stamping off the production line.

By the way, I was killing elk pretty seriously when all of this happened, so I carefully removed the #1 knife, went hunting with it (very carefully), killed a few elk and butchered them all with the knife. When I returned, I carefully cleaned the knife and restored its edge (we were a Gerber dealer and have the professional tooling) and put it away safely in the presentation frame.

Yup, the Number One knife went hunting and it got freakin' bloody. Did a great job, too.

Steve

PS. The plaque is dated August 1984 and all of the First Production Run knives (10,000, I believe) are marked August 1984. The first production knives hae a steel tube in the lanyard hole.

I resemble that remark.

Steve

I'll take it!

$100 sound fair

J

Friend Jason,

With the frame and engraved plaque or without????

Inquiring minds want to know.

Steve

You can keep the plaque with the engraving and the frame, but I'd hope to at least get the other 2 blades with it for that price

Are they taped to the back of the frame?

Got a sheath?

J

The First Production Run was a single blade with no exchange capability. The Exchange-Blade came a year or two later. No sheath came with the presentation, but I have a few.

Karen and I have little or no family and it's kind of sad that these kinds of things, which clutter our home (of 43 years), will eventually be thrown away by whoever cleans out this mess. Or, at best, be sold in a garage sale to crapheads who will never appreciate their historical value. Oh well, enough of sad thoughts.

Today is sunny, cold, crisp and the best possible day to be alive. That's a good thought and a true one.

Steve

DZ,

Where are you from Portland?

Jason

Between Milwaukie and Oregon City.

Steve