The Everyday Carry (EDC) knife category has been flooded with knives over the last few years with all the hype that has been generated. Many companies simply took existing knives and kind of just marketed them towards the EDC crowd, which has worked.
Gerber decided to take the problem head on with their Gerber Fuse folding knife which has been built to specifically be an EDC knife and is marketed as such. The Gerber Fuse blade features 7Cr17MoV steel to keep costs down. The blade measures 3.37 inches while the overall length of the Gerber Fuse is 8.23 inches opened. The closed length of the Gerber Fuse comes in at 4.86 inches. It has an electroformed stainless-steel grip with an easy access liner lock. The pocket clip is designed to sit deeper which is exactly what you want out of an EDC knife. Gerber lists some of the key features and specifications as:
- Electroformed stainless steel grip section
- Easy access liner lock
- Exposed spine liner with jimping
- Barrel construction
- Scutcheon axle shroud
- Deep carry pocket clip
- Lightweight
- Steel type: 7Cr17MoV
- Edge: Fine edge
- Blade Length: 3.37″
- Closed Length: 4.86″
- Overall Length: 8.23″
- Weight: 2.83 oz.
With those features and specifications in mind, keep in mind the Gerber Fuse is targeted at the budget market. Depending on where you find it, and when, you can get the Gerber Fuse in the $25-35 price range. With that said, the price point seems fantastic for what you’re getting. Since it is Gerber branded you can easily find this knife pretty much anywhere.
Personally, I really enjoyed handling this knife as it is super light coming in at just 2.83 ounces. The weight is exactly what you want from an EDC knife, so I think Gerber nailed it on the weight. The ergonomics of the handle and knife overall feel great. The Gerber Fuse is an easy to handle and to carry. I also found the blade length and overall size of the knife to be on point coming in at just 4.86 inches when closed and 8.23 inches with the blade out. The blade is 7Cr17MoV steel which is on the lower end of steels for knives, and I know this might turn some people right off. Just keep in mind, Gerber isn’t trying to push this as some high-end knife. The good news is that 7Cr17MoV has great corrosion resistance and hardness which a good knife steel to use for everyday purposes. As I’ve previously mentioned, as long as you routinely clean any 7Cr17MoV blade and sharpen it regularly (this steel doesn’t have good blade retention), you’ll enjoy it.
As far as the performance of the knife I think it does a good job. The drop point blade style is exactly what I feel like anyone looking for an EDC knife. A drop point blade gives you lots of flexibility, and while it’s not really going to be great on something specifically it’s going to be good at quite a few things. The blade has some thumb studs that make it an easy knife to operate on the fly. I think anyone who spends 20 minutes operating this knife you can easily get the opening down to an impressive flip action. With that said, I did find the knife to be a bit harder to close. It is almost like Gerber really wanted you to be committed to pointing the knife away. I thought this would loosen up with usage, but it never budged, and I used the knife fairly regularly for about 4 months.
Overall, the construction of the Gerber Fuse knife is great and probably on point with higher end knives which was impressive. Apart from the blade steel, nothing really feels budget or cheap on this knife. I have to say, Gerber really knocked it out of the park with the Fuse to produce an economical folder that can handle EDC usage. For that, I would recommend the Gerber Fuse and give it a great score. 8.5/10.
Happy knifing!
