GerberGear Fastball - Slim, Lightweight Folding Knife with Lock Release - Pocket Knife with 3-Position Clip - EDC Gear - 3", Black

I've carried a few other knives everyday for the past few years, my favorite being the Leatherman c33T (and c33Tx) mainly because of the screwdriver tools. For my entire youth I carried a Victorinox Tinker (or similar) because I worshipped Macgyver. Let that color my review if you want, but I use the built-in screwdrivers in the c33T daily. People ask "why not just carry a multi-tool?" Well, because I don't want a multi-tool. I want a knife with some screwdrivers.So that was my standard before deciding to give the Fastball a try. I was looking for something slightly more basic and diminutive in size.First impressions of the Fastball are:- Super slimline, low profile frame- One-handed opening action is the most positive I've ever used. The design is brilliant.- Blade profile is unique, very cool- Clip has two positions, you can remount it on the other end of the frame if you like- One-handed closing took a little practice.Carrying is a much better experience because of the low profile frame. It's easy to forget it's clipped to the inside of my pocket. On most knives, the clip has a bent-out end to facilitate easy sliding onto whatever you're clipping it to. I don't like it because I wear my knife on the inside of my pocket and that little bent-out metal end scratches whatever I lean against. So for all all my knives I will remove the clip, put it in the vise, and bend the end so that it's not so proud. The Fastball is no exception. The clip is great but I bent the end back a little so it's lower profile.The edge that comes on the Fastball is pretty decent, but like most factory knives it's just a start.It's hard to describe how amazing the one-handed opening of the Fastball feels. It's almost effortless, and it's pure geometry of the quillon/guard part of the blade.My one reservation initially was the one-handed closure. At first it felt like closing it required a little too much effort to break the detent and it would accelerate the blade closed, maybe on my thumb. After a little playing with it, I realized that while my thumb was working the release, it was totally protected by the quillon of the blade. You keep your thumb there until you've pushed the blade beyond the detent, then move it out of the way and the blade closes with no effort. I can see how this might take a little practice for someone not used to it.Overall, I'm pretty pleased with the Fastball. The form factor, the aesthetic, the dynamic of the one-handed opening...all are awesome. The only thing that could make it better are built-in phillips and flat head drivers. :)

A tactical switchblade paring knife? It looks like one and cuts with the same precision. It peals and slices through apples and potatoes like Gordon Ramsay’s wet dream. It definitely deserves a spot in Hell’s Kitchen, but for now, it fits perfectly in my pocket. It’s slim, lightweight, and comfortable enough that I don’t even notice it’s there. The clip keeps it low and nicely secured without tearing up my pocket, and did I mention it cuts?!!! The blades centering is ever so slightly off, but it’s otherwise a perfect EDC knife with a fast and crisp flippy-open mechanism, and a sturdy handle and blade!

First off, not one QC issue - flipper action is as easy and smooth as it gets, lock release is also easy on the thumb. Zero blade play - it’s just smooth and solid. The feel over all is light, but not cheap. Very comfortable in the hand, and a nice size for light to medium EDC use. I don’t see or feel any of the rough spots that have been mentioned on the liner or clip. A few more models of this quality and price point should put Gerber back in the game. I think they really nailed this one.

Right off the bat, Gerber needs their QC guy fired if they want to breach into the "enthusiast" market. I consider myself one, and own many knives, including Spydercos, Benchmades and two Kershaw Launches. Usually carry a Para 3 or a Kershaw Leek, and was in the market for something of a hybrid, smaller than the Para, but higher quality/slightly beefier and with better steel than my Leek. Then this thing hit the market, from a company I have no experience with, but I thought hey, this could be the one. Of course, I was also heavily influenced my the looks, which are, excellent. While I'm writing this after having the knife for less than a day (maybe I'll update my review if things change for better or worse), my immediate first impressions are not great, quality control being the major reason why. Refer to the pictures for visuals, but among the things I found (in no particular order):- Plastic on the backspace is clearly molded cheaply, and some flashing/sharp edges are left.- The blade grind is off, one side flawless, the other much shallower at the tip. This is particularly noticeable around the tip.- The blade centering is off. For me, it was slightly to the right. Could potentially be fixed by adjusting the tension on all the screws.- Tiny tiny amount of left/right blade play. Barely noticeable, but present if you look for it.- The liner is poorly finished with the black coating. While I'm sure its just an uneven coat, it looks as thought the metal underneath is actually pitted- The acton feels gritty. Almost definitely a breaking-in thing, but very present when new.Those are all the QC issues I noticed. Not really QC related, but the one other thing that struck me is how difficult this knife is too close. The detent is so damn strong it's difficult to do with one hand. You have to apply so much pressure to get the blade past the initial detent, with fingers near the blade I've actually closed the thing on my hand twice now. To do so safely, you have to disengage the liner lock, completely alter your grip so your fingers are nowhere near the blade, then shove it, hard, with your index finger. Not fun. Hence stars knocked for comfort.On the other hand, I don't intend to return this knife, and I like it. I'm a user, and all of the knives I own are worn, with finish coming off and having been resharpened a number of times. I like a distressed look. That being said, all these little issues don't really bother me, because once I'm done with it, it's not going to look anywhere near as good.My final verdict is this. Gerber has some bad QC issues, and anyone who buys this as pocket jewelry or as a collection piece may be disappointed. But for my use, it will serve just fine (I assume. If otherwise, this review will be updated). The major issue is price. While I have no problem paying over $100 for a knife, I do have a problem paying $105 and having to disassemble the thing to straighten the blade and re-profiling the blade to make it even. For not much more, my Para 3 had a flawless grind, dead center blade and still does to this day, with absolutely zero blade play (Thus, stars knocked for value). Some would say it's unfair to compare a Spyderco to a Gerber, but in this case I feel it is entirely justified. Gerber claims to be making a product to appeal to fellow knife nuts like us, and if that's the case they're going to have to compete with the big dogs, and so far, they are falling short.EDIT 9-17-19: After about 3 months with this knife, I think an update is necessary. I initially dinged this knife for its somewhat obvious quality control flaws, which a number of other reviewers have pointed out. I'm updating my star rating to 4/5, the only reason for the missing star being QC. Using this knife everyday as a retail manager, I've come to really love it. After my initial review, I took the knife apart and cleaned and re lubricated it. Contrary to my expectations, the knife was incredibly easy to hone in, and after the blade centering was spot on! But the main reason for this update is just how pleasant this knife is to use. Push the flipper, and the knife comes out, push the liner lock and close the knife and it's closed. The overly-string detent I wrote about earlier is something I've gotten used to, and it does not bother me anymore. This knife is a joy to use. After a while of daily use, the knife had molded to my hand in a way that few others have. Opening boxes I'll often use a pinch grip right on the blade to avoid cutting too deep, breaking down cardboard I'll use a full grip and really bear down, and if I'm doing sorting else I can grip the knife with my index finger and use my other fingers for another task. It's a brilliant knife, and if it weren't for the QC issues, this would be a 5/5 knife. I would recommend this knife for anyone looking for a no-nonsense, really well thought out EDC piece.