Thursday, November 24, 2011

Infantry Knife

Gerber 22-01629 LMF II Black Infantry Knife with 4.8-Inch Blade




Product Details

  • Amazon Sales Rank: #992 in Home Improvement
  • Brand: Gerber Legendary Blades
  • Model: 22-01629
  • Number of items: 1
  • Dimensions: .0" h x .0" w x .0" l, .73 pounds

Features

  • Partially serrated blade
  • Plexiglass punch
  • Can be used as a hammer
  • Converts to a spear
  • Sheath has integrated sharpener

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Product Description
The Gerber 22-01629 LMF II Black Infantry Knife was designed for survival during even the worst conditions. This 10-inch survival knife was engineered by former military man Jeff Freeman and was field-tested with troops, ensuring that it can stand up to rugged, rigorous use and offer high performance under a variety of emergency conditions.

The Gerber 22-01629 LMF II Black Infantry Knife includes:
  • 10-inch serrated knife
  • Pointed stainless steel buttcap
  • Overmolded handle
  • Lashing holes
  • Sheath with built-in carbide sharpener




The stainless steel blade and buttcap deliver precision strength.View Larger.

The sheath features a carbide sharpener and a belt attachment.
Strong, Serrated Blade Can Be Used in All Situations
Whether you need to cut firewood, build a shelter, or slice through a seat belt, the LMF II survival knife has you covered. It was designed to adapt to a wide variety of situations, so you'll never have to worry whether you have the right knife.
Unique Buttcap Can Pierce Glass
In addition to the blade end of the knife, Gerber also gave the LMF II a unique, pointed buttcap that is made of stainless steel. This heavy end can be used to pierce glass in the event you need to egress from a helicopter or other vehicle. The buttcap features a smart design that is physically separated from the tang in order to offer shock absorption when it's used as a hammer and also to prevent electrical shock.
Smart, Versatile, Comfortable Design
The LMF II features an overmolded handle, which helps prevent hand blisters and provides a secure grip. It is also designed with lashing holes, allowing it to be converted into a spear and extending its usability. The black color keeps you inconspicuous while you are out on night-time missions.
Sheath Included with Built-In Sharpener
A low-profile sheath is included and it features a built-in carbide sharpener. The stainless steel blade can withstand a ton of abuse, but if it ever gets damaged or needs sharpening, you won't be stuck out in the open with a dull knife. The sheath facilitates movement and attaches to a belt or MOLLE vest.
Gerber's History of Ingenuity
Savvy. Moxie. Craftsmanship. Attention to detail. These are just a few of the company traits that contributed to Gerber's emergence as a world leader in outdoor gear. Joseph Gerber started Portland, Oregon's Gerber Advertising back in 1910, and one Christmas, he hired a local knife-maker to craft 25 sets of kitchen cutlery as client gifts. The knives were so popular, Mr. Gerber ultimately left his agency to launch Gerber Legendary Blades in 1939.
For more than half a century, Gerber Legendary Blades has been helping people fend for themselves. Gerber designs popular, dependable tools and knives along with other outdoor gear that helps users accomplish whatever tasks they may be faced with, promoting the lost art of self-reliance.
What's in the Box
Gerber 22-01629 LMF II Black Infantry Knife, sheath


Customer Reviews

Most helpful customer reviews
246 of 252 people found the following review helpful.
5Perfection with an edge
By Jonathan Lee Holland
I love this knife. I spent the last quarter century bumping around remote locations in Alaska sleeping on the ground, mushing dogs and hunting and fishing at every opportunity. During that time I've bought dozens of knives looking for the perfect utility knife. If they'd made this one when I started, I'd have never had to buy a second. It's sturdy, nicely balanced with most of the weight in the ample grip, the serrated section of the edge is actually long enough to be useful, and the straight edge takes and holds an edge nicely. About the only thing I wouldn't do with this knife is fillet fish, because the heavy blade is not particularly flexible. On the other hand, a stout blade is perfect for just about anything else. I suspect I've found a companion for life. This knife is going to go everywhere with me, with the possible exception of commercial airliners, and that's not by choice. In Alaska anybody who gets on an airplane without a sturdy knife is a damn fool.
131 of 132 people found the following review helpful.
5A Well-Designed Survival Knife
By D. Edwards
For those not interested in details: "It's a great knife."


For those interested in details: The blade steel is 12C27 - comparable in toughness (durability in rough use) and hardness (edge retention) to 440A. It's a good blend of both qualities.

The construction is not full tang but push tang; however, this does not appear to affect its structural integrity. The LMF II is constructed in this manner in order to give this particular knife an insulated handle. This means that you can cut an electrically "live" wire without fear of injury. The story you might have heard already about this knife is a true one - this is the knife that allowed an advanced marksman team to cut a live electrical line in Afghanistan powering insurgent search lights that would have given their position away.

Since 12C27 is a stainless steel, maintenance is minimal as is the probability of corrosion. The blade takes quite a good edge and shows good edge retention also. As a matter of fact, I was quite surprised at the edge retention. I recently spent near three hours outside doing some hacking on some light, but woody, brush. When I had finished, the blade had dulled only slightly. The blade coating also held up very well and showed no flaking, chipping, scratching, or dusting.

As to sharpening, this steel was very easy to sharpen, and it takes a decent edge too. The sharpener built into the sheath works very well on the blade and will restore the knife's edge with only a few strokes. NOTE: Since part of the blade is serrated, this sharpener is limited in its ability - it can only sharpen the non-serrated part of the blade. Sharpening the serrations should be done using a diamond rod or a similar sharpening tool.

The handle design looked funny to me a first - didn't seem like a good design, but, thankfully, it's only looks. For starters, the grip is made of Kraton (rubber-like) and offers a very secure and solid grip. As to comfort, my hand only started hurting after the first two hours of cutting, and that was minimal pain... but I'll admit after three, it was plum tuckered out. :) In other words, it was a very comfortable handle.

The "skull-crusher" butt (steel projection below the handle) is also insulated, so don't worry about getting shocked though there either. It is also designed to function as a make-shift hammer by using the top side of the butt as a hammer head.

The three holes in the knife (two in the guard, one in the butt) are intended for lashing the knife to a rod for use as a spear. The hollows or concave indents/depressions in the handle are also designed for this purpose and allow a lashed pole to fit snugly against the knife handle.

The blade performs well at light chopping (provided you make contact with the non-serrated part of the blade). Light chopping accounts for a large portion of outdoor/survival work with a knife. Heavy wood cutting should be done with a saw of some kind (wire saw, folding saw) or an axe. The serrations also function very well and are useful in many ways - cutting rope being a big one. The serrations do seem a bit more "aggressive" than some other knives and seemed to make the work go faster.

As was already mentioned, the sheath has a built-in sharpener that works well and is easy to use. All you have to do is stick the blade in and pull it back out a couple times - you don't have to worry about the blade angle, because it's all taken care of for you. Overall, the sheath is very well made. The different carrying options are very nice and allow you to carry the knife on your thigh (using the leg straps - "drop-leg" style), on your belt (disconnect the leg straps), or on a MOLLE vest or pack.

This is a great knife for utility/survival purposes at an affordable price. Though I would love to buy a Fallkniven A1 or Odin or a Busse or a Randall, etc., the Gerber LMF II is a much more budget friendly knife, and it still exudes quality while serving its purpose very well. You really can't go wrong with this knife.

Another note of import, Gerber's customer service has a good reputation overall. I have heard numerous accounts of professionalism in regards to their customer service - paying for shipping, replacing an item, etc.
294 of 308 people found the following review helpful.
5Best Designed Survival Knife
By R. Lynch
This model of knife was originally designed to be an ASEK (Aircrew Survival Egress Knife) and came with a cord cutter hook. The Infrantry Knife aspect came about after it was given to US troops in Afghanistan and Iraq as a demo item. It is a rugged knife, and has a window punch on its butt and a full tang blade completely insulated by the grip. This aspect came in handy to a certain sniper team in Iraq who cut a power line to a 250 KW Generator in order to dim the lights illuminating their position among around 100 insurgents. The electric arc put an eighth of an inch gash in the knife's blade, but the operator remained unshocked and was able to survive the incident. I am using it currently in Iraq, and I have found that though it isn't the sexiest of edged weapons, it is by far one of the most unyielding. Built in sharpener in sheath is nice, if you know exactly how to use it, otherwise you will nick the blade up a little. Came originally in desert tan/coyote brown, now out in straight black so I will have to by another one for my darker endeavors.

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