Gerber Fastball Liner Lock Flipper Knife Black (3" Black) 30-001612

Fast as hell, reliable, durable, the design is flawless, and above all, it is QUALITY!!!

So I technically ordered a custom version of this knife, however I'm not sure why but it won't let me post a review under that one.
Anyway, I got the black blade and black parts for everything except the handle which was olive/tan and the customizations anyways so it's similar enough to what I got.
Anyway! On to the review!
This knife is freaking GORGEOUS and flawless!!… read more I got it as an early birthday present from my father, and my God, does the thing perform amazingly! It's so so SO fast, I mean I can draw it in less than a second, it's amazing.
Then it's made entirely super sturdy & strong, meaning you know it'll last.
The print is high quality, crisp and beautiful in colour. Along with this, the knife's custom writing I had engraved is shiny and beautiful on the blade!
I also love the texture of the blade, the design has a raised surface to it so it feels relaxing to pet the knife, haha!
The only "downside" I could see having with this knife is it's quite small, smaller than I expected at first,
but that is actually a huge advantage when you think about it--when it can fit in your hand without anyone knowing you're prepared to defend yourself, not seeing it due to its small size, and not expecting it when it swiftly comes out!
(Of course, I hope to use it for work and hopefully never battle lol!)

Overall, this knife's quality is absolutely AMAZING.
And the website is made very well too! No confusing layout here, super easy to traverse. Also your knife customizer is really really good, like it showed my knife exactly as it looks like, now that I see it in person.
And of course, shipping was amazing too! It said it would arrive in 2-4 weeks, and it came in about 1-2 ish weeks.

All around, fantastic customer service! I've always loved Gerber in the past, and things have not changed since I found the company! You guys are the best, thanks for the great work, keep it up!
And for those looking to hear if Gerber is the right brand for you, I urge you to consider it strongly! It is the most well-made, durable knife around, and the fact they give you customisation options makes it all the better.
Makes for a terrific gift for those blade-lovers in your family/friend group!

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Good Job Gerber

Gerber did a good job on this American made EDC. The blade is S30v steel and was super sharp out of the box. The blade alignment was spot on and there was absolutely no blade play at all. The liner lock was positioned dead center where it should be.The overall fit and finish were a nice surprise considering some of the negative reviews I read online. The detent is a little stiff… read more and takes a bit of effort, but nothing major to worry about. The nice knife has a nice quick snap/pop when deployed. The handle offers a good grip and feels very secure in your hand. I really like the look, style and feel of this knife. The look reminds me of a cross between a Kershaw Leek and a Dividend. This EDC is the perfect size for an everyday pocket carry and appears to be robust enough for actual use not just sitting in a drawer or a knife case. This Portland, Oregon made Fastball might change the minds of a few knife snobs and hopefully move Gerber in a new direction.

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Great knife - fit and finish need work

Even though I gave this four stars, I love this knife.
Action - This is my first rear flipper knife, but I'm happy with the action. Very snappy and reliable.
Handle - My favorite part of the knife. The handle is slim and the aluminum feels great. This knife is pretty unobtrusive in the pocket.
Blade - Good steel and was delivered sharp.
Fit and Finish - This is my only… read more complaint about the knife. The blade grind wasn't completely symmetrical. If you stare down the spine you can see a bit of unevenness. You really have to look for it, but it's there. Doesn't affect performance and only someone seeking it out would notice it. The liner also has a bit of roughness to it. This can't be felt, but you can see that it's not a polished piece of metal. To me this should not be present on a $100 knife.

Even with the fit and finish issues, this is my new favorite knife. While my Spyrderco Para 3 is superior in most ways, this Fastball fits better in my pocket and is a pleasure to hold, so it has become my primary carry knife. This knife is a great step forward for Gerber.

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Fastball Liner

Received the knife and liked the appearance and the weight. I didn't like the liner because it had some defects. I wish it had a smoother finish. Lock was a little stiff and hope that it will loosen up over time. The main draw was the price for S30V steel.

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Tight de-tent

I have worked the de-tent to break in the action. Have a blister on my finger and still is tight. If the action is still tight after a time, may have to polish the action.

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Meh

Not too impressed. Flipping this knife open is a task - the action is horrible. Sharpness is ok, but not good for even the discounted price available through BHQ. Really wanted to like this knife, sorely disappointed with Gerber on this effort. If you have $80 - $100 to spend I'd look for a Kershaw or CRKT.

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A step in the right direction

I fell in love with this knife as soon as I saw it. It feels great, looks great, performs great, perfect centering, nice materials, etc.

The only issue I had was uneven/rough grinding on the edge. I was definitely disappointed - but there are knives that have been around for years that cost twice as much with the same issue. A little love on a sharpening system fixed it right… read more up! I've heard from a couple people that most QC issues like this have seemed to be fixed since the knife has been out for a couple months now.

Perfect lightweight EDC knife (especially if you're like me and dislike the flexible bugout handles or need more real-estate than a mini-grip etc)

It might be worth looking at the Blur or Dividend but neither of those are manual flippers.

If you like how it looks, i'd recommend getting one. The performance will not disappoint and Gerber (so i've heard) has been doing well with customer support (not to mention BladeHQ :D ) if there ever is an issue.

Thanks!

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Nice!!

Great steel, comfortable in the hand, nice design. I like the warncliff blade shape, it makes a nice acute point helping to pierce whatever your cutting.

Make sure to read reviews on the different color options if you are using reviews to help make a decision.

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Save your money

Recently purchased this after seeing it last month online. For a hundred bucks why not give it a try? It has S30V and is made by a popular brand. Well the opening and the closing stick way more than I like. And it honestly looks way too much like a Kershaw leek or a Dividend. This knife is honestly not worth a hundred bucks. Ya it has good steel but it's not a great knife. But I… read more will say it came really sharp. Nothing special here sadly

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