Gerber Prodigy Fixed Blade Survival Knife Review

Gerber Prodigy Combat 4.8" Black Combo Edge Fixed Blade with Sheath

The Gerber Prodigy Survival Knife was engineered by Gerber’s Jeff Freeman. The Prodigy is 9.75" in overall length, with a blade length of 4.75". It has a full tang and the 440 Stainless Steel blade is big. The combo edge serves well for quick cutting of straps and rope, with enough plain edge up front for ordinary work. The Gerber Prodigy has a black oxide coating for corrosion protection and also dampens any shine that could give a person away in a combat situation. The black oxide coating has the non-reflective finish that real tactical knives need and other types often copy. The grip is ergonomic. The over-molded rubber handle ensures a soft, comfortable, but secure grip in any situation.

 

Gerber Prodigy Combat 4.8" Black Combo Edge Fixed Blade with Sheath

The Gerber Prodigy Survival Knife would be a great knife even without serrated edges. In my opinion, serrated edges are a must on Survival Knives. A serrated edge just increases the effectiveness of a good knife. The options for what you can cut and hack with such a knife in a survival situation just jumps tremendously when your survival knife has a serrated edge.

Military considerations influenced the design of the sheath, which is built for silent work. A soft-grip coating on the textured handle and the sheath dampens noise as the Prodigy leaves the scabbard. Another feature of the ballistic nylon sheath is a friction release thumb catch, which locks the Prodigy in the scabbard until pressed. For anyone who crawls through heavy brush on occasion, that's a real plus. Adding a thigh strap to the sheath makes it even more secure.

 

Gerber Prodigy Combat 4.8" Black Combo Edge Fixed Blade with Sheath
 

Though it was designed with the military in mind, the Prodigy is a good knife for anyone needing a dependable but light survival knife or emergency blade. 7.3 ounces is a very reasonable weight for a good belt knife, so the Gerber Prodigy will be welcome on the trail as well as on the road. The butt of the handle is stout enough to be used as a window breaker, so the Prodigy can double as the emergency escape tool everyone should have in the car.

The Gerber Prodigy comes with a great Limited Lifetime Warranty and If the product fails while being used as it was intended to be used, they will service the Survival Knife under the warranty. At Gerber’s option, defective product will be repaired, replaced, or substituted with a product of equal value. 

Overall, I rate the Gerber Prodigy a solid 9 out of 10. Whatever outdoor experience you deal with next, this Gerber prodigy Survival Knife will be there to get you through. I recommend it!

To buy or get more information on the Gerber Prodigy Combat 4.8" Black Combo Edge Fixed Blade with Sheath, click the link below. 

Gerber Prodigy Combat 4.8" Black Combo Edge Fixed Blade with Sheath

Gerber Prodigy Combat 4.8" Black Combo Edge Fixed Blade with Sheath

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Buck Hoodlum Survival Knife Review

 Buck 060 Buck/Hood Hoodlum Survival Knife Fixed 10" Carbon Steel Blade, Micarta Handles

The Buck Hoodlum was designed by the famous late survival expert and knife designer Ron Hood. The design on this knife is excellent, the lightweight large blade design makes this knife the best of both worlds. At 14.6 oz it is one of the lightest blades for its size and durability on the market. this knife is an excellent batoning knife and makes chopping a breeze. The great thing about the Buck Hoodlum is that not only is it great for all of the big camp tasks but it is also really good at the small tasks like making notches for traps and friction fire parts.

 

Buck 060 Buck/Hood Hoodlum Survival Knife Fixed 10" Carbon Steel Blade, Micarta Handles

The Buck Hoodlum Knife features a 10" blade made out of 5160 spring steel with an overall length of 15.5". The blade thickness is 0.220" - thick enough for tough chores, and thin enough to make the knife balance nicely in the hand. The Hoodlum is large enough and tough enough for chopping wood and has a large choil for control in detailed uses. This versatile tool also has a small "cut out" in the blade spine for everything from scoring bone and bending wire to removing pots from the campfire. Also this knife is plenty big enough for defensive and/or offensive purposes.

One of the primary concerns I have heard regarding the Buck Hoodlum Knife is that due to it's light weight of 14.6 ounces it would lack major chopping ability. That is simply not the case. The Buck Hoodlum is an excellent chopper. I attribute this to the balance. Since the handle is light, when the knife is held in the standard position, it has a good forward balance. However, the pivot point is at the center of the choil, therefore, when you choke up on the blade, it becomes very easy to control.

The Buck Hood Hoodlum comes equipped with Micarta handles and are built with a Shock Mitigation System (SMS). This feature alleviates shock and wasted energy even in the most demanding uses. Many outdoorsmen note it for its extraordinary functionality and usability, saying it functions pretty much as a smaller-sized machete. This is despite the fact that it weighs just 14.6 ounces. I would like to see G-10 handles scales, as it is stronger than Micarta - and who knows, maybe Buck will come out with a G-10 handle version. There is also a lanyard hole in the butt of the knife.

The one thing about this knife that didn't thrill me was the blade's finish. Now, any finish will wear down over time, and it's something easily fixed, so that is not a deal breaker. The Hoodlum's finish just seemed to wear down all the way to bare steel faster than I'd ever seen. It is definitely not a miss for me, but there is always room for improvement.

 

Buck 060 Buck/Hood Hoodlum Survival Knife Fixed 10" Carbon Steel Blade, Micarta Handles

The sheath is built of heavy-duty nylon, M.O.L.L.E. compatible with leg strap cord and a roomy front storage carry pouch that will fit a sharpening stone, and/or other items. There are many ways this knife can be worn or attached to other gear, and the sheath is feather-light, coming in at just over 7 ounces.

Overall I rate this knife a 9 out of 10. The Buck Hoodlum is a great knife if you are looking for one this large, this is one of my favorite survival knives. I recommend it!

To buy or get more information on the Buck 060 Buck/Hood Hoodlum Survival Knife Fixed 10" Carbon Steel Blade with Micarta Handles, click the link below.

Buck 060 Buck/Hood Hoodlum Survival Knife Fixed 10" Carbon Steel Blade, Micarta Handles

 

Buck 060 Buck/Hood Hoodlum Survival Knife Fixed 10" Carbon Steel Blade, Micarta Handles

All Comments are Welcome and Appreciated.

Support the fight for our freedoms with a Knife Rights t-shirt, mug or any of the other clothing or accessories from the new Knife Rights Online Market Place. 100% of the profits go to support Knife Rights.