# My new small knife, The Gerber Kettlebell Frame Lock Knife



## The Tourist (Jun 9, 2016)

I wanted a little knife with a "big voice." I did some rudimentary searching, and found what I felt was a good candidate for such a cutting instrument. I found this Gerber Kettlebell Frame Lock. I was hoping it was going to "hard use" for its size, but I needn't have worried! The little guy's is a beast!

The picture shows The Kettlebell next to your average folder with a 4-inch handle and a 3.25 inch blade. The little knife is close to only 2/3s the size of the big one, but it is over built! The entire obverse side is built one thick slab of stonewashed stainless steel, so beefy that it's thicker than any other my other folders.

The little blade has a another nice feature I admire, that being, a full width finger choil. Sooner or later a little folder is going to have to slit something open like a UPS package or trim an errant thread. In those cases you need to choke up on the blade. No problem here.

You'll notice that the left handle is dimpled like a golf ball. I have not soaked the knife in water to check for slippage, but Gerber's pattern is a nice touch. Just because you're little doesn't mean you'll be spared of some very strange surroundings.

When I did the picture of the knife's backbone I thought I had taken a shot making the blade blank appear thicker. I did not! It's fully thicker than the blank on the traditional folder, and Gerber left the full top third of the blank untouched. I'm not familiar with 7cr17mov stainless, but after looking at the edge they ground at the factory, my guess is that this alloy is in the top third of blade steels and probably over-hardened. The upside on alloys like this is they dent--but seldom chip--and I hate polishing out chips!

The lock is situated perfectly for my taste, that being "half on and half off" the left side of the pivot area when viewed from the bottom. Years of wear here.

And if you buy this knife--and you should--you'd better call Joyce for her syringe of "Quick Release" penetrating oil. This knife arrived tight and stubborn, and it's going to need some break-in miles.

Great little knife, it earned the lead position in my left front jeans pocket!


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## The Tourist (Jun 9, 2016)

I would like to add one thing about how this knife was delivered. While the right side of the bevel was uniform in shape, the left side bevel was wider at the heel and got thinner as it approached the tip. Frankly, I do not care.

That might surprise you since I slavishly re-polish every flaw out of a new knife. But this knife isn't going to used as a "knife." Let me explain. This is a 'tool.'

Even with the edge as it is, it is in the "very sharp" range. I will also reiterate that this folder is not a 'weapon.' I have lots of other knives that serve that function a lot better. This little folder is the tool that you use to fix a radiator hose at zero-dark-thirty as your flashlight starts to crap out. Using its superior strength and the width of the blade blank, this little jewel can get into tight, filthy places where your hand barely fits.

Go to Blade HQ, *I get no kick-back for leads or sales, none*. It's 21 bucks for the best, strongest slicing tool you will ever see. Oh, and the handles come in green or this dark gray.

https://www.bladehq.com/item--Gerber-Kettlebell-Frame-Lock-Knife--81312


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## The Tourist (Jun 9, 2016)

Short update. I like this little Kettlebell knife so much that I just called Blade HQ and ordered a spare.

My bigger folder is in my right pocket, and it's been there unused since the little knife showed up. Incredibly strong little demon!


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## The Tourist (Jun 9, 2016)

It's raining hard here in my Wisconsin area, so I got up to do chores in hope the weather would clear. My 2nd Kettlebell has not come yet, and I had ample time, so I made the bevel uniform on my original one. I only took the edge to 1K with a blue speckled stone from Ken Schwartz. It looks just like the 2K, but it cuts a lot easier.

I'm glad both sides of the little knife are straight and true now, and the edge is toothy enough to bite into cardboard. So far the only drawback is the copious amounts of Joyce's "Quick Release" oil to make the blade swing out smoothly.

Oh, and you'd better have a strong index finger for this knife! Yikes, when the liner-lock pops behind the blade, the little folder turns into a "fixed blade." Nothing is going to fold that knife until you force that spring portion off center.


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## The Tourist (Jun 9, 2016)

This little knife keeps amazing me! It is the strongest knife in my collection with the stoutest blade blank. I just had to polish it.

Yikes, the thing is a mini-razor!


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## The Tourist (Jun 9, 2016)

My "spare" Kettlebell knife came yesterday afternoon. I had another member's knife to do, so I didn't really give it a good going over. I needn't have worried, the second one was better than the first! But to be honest, getting the first one's edge uniform and shiny was a very easy project.

This second Kettlebell had all the strength, fit and finish of the first, but with a lot more uniform edge. I didn't even bother polishing it, I just oiled the pivot and salted it away. These little knives are so tough and overbuilt that it's going to take me a decade to wear one out!

Now, these knives are tougher than most of my switchblades. If you have to go into areas that frown on knives in their places of business, a small Kettlebell might be the answer. If confronted, you can always say that you "just have a small penknife."

But when I get ready to leave the house, I pocket my Kettlebell.


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