Odd Vintage Gerber Fixed Blade?

[Jackal]

Howdy. I recently acquired what I believe to be a vintage Gerber Big Hunter and I cannot find another one like it online. The markings are odd. The handle is simply stamped "Gerber". It has no model designations on the grip like all the other ones I can find. No other markings anywhere. Also, the sheath has only "Gerber" stamped on it, all the ones I see online have the place of manufacture and model stamped on them. Is this a super early model? It seems odd that I cannot find another like it referenced online. I've emailed Gerber, but I doubt I will get a response...

Any of you fine folk know anything about these? It seems like a darn nice knife. I'd love to know when it was made, quality, general impressions, opinions, etc.

 

[hso]

The steel should be L6, good stuff.

It would have been made in Oregon in the 1970s.

Great knives at the time (before Fiskars bought the company).

 

[bannockburn]

Jackal

I would venture a guess that you're probably right about this one being an earlier model. I seem to recall seeing this version before they went with a more conventional looking Armorhide handle. This is their smaller A400 hunting knife that I have.

 

[AJumbo]

A good friend used one of those for skinning game and castrating cattle. It was real work to sharpen it, but it only needed a real sharpening about once a year. He got by fine with a butcher's steel between visits to the stones. I would love to find one.

 

[AJumbo]

Jackal

I would venture a guess that you're probably right about this one being an earlier model. I seem to recall seeing this version before they went with a more conventional looking Armorhide handle. This is their smaller A400 hunting knife that I have.

That's aluminum or Zamac, isn't it? I hated the material, but I guess it wouldn't wear out in a big hurry.

 

[hso]

I don't recall Gerber ever using a zinc alloy. They used aluminum alloy for their handles.

 

[bannockburn]

AJumbo

I believe hso is correct: Armorhide was an aluminum alloy which was quite durable and had a rather non-slip surface texture to it. I also have the A-475 hunting knife and the Trout and Bird knife which was as sharp as a surgeon's scalpel right out of the box. I usually keep these knives in with my camping gear.

 

[hso]

Just a detail, Armorhide was the surface treatment on the aluminum handles.

 

[Gordon]

I believe those early Gerber Cast on aluminum handle knives were certainly some kind of surface treatment, maybe sprayed with abrasive media when still molten as they were harder than aluminun 1/8 " or less below it. . I had several of them from 70s with that handle and that thin large blade was a real slicer and rust free. I lost it some where and tried the Russel style "Canadian " pattern with it's assymetrical elipitical thicker blade and was not near as good. Very nice knife.you have