Sometimes, you buy a knife for its impressive utility. Other times, you buy it for its incredible design. And then, there are those times you just want to buy a knife because it’s so dang pretty. That’s exactly how we feel about the Gerber Quadrant.
A straight flipper knife, it’s reminiscent of those of those flip-out combs you occasionally see people rocking. Except, you know, it’s got a blade instead of a comb, so you’re more likely to scrape your scalp nasty if you ever mistake it for one. As such, we highly recommend not carrying one of those combs if you ever decide to bring this along as your EDC folder, lest be at risk of making the mistake.
The Gerber Quadrant has a completely straight design that flows through from the handle to the blade, which, honestly, makes it look like an ergonomic nightmare. If you’re the kind of person who rarely finds actual use for the EDC knife you carry daily, though, maybe a good-looking knife is all you really need to have in your life and this definitely does the trick. It has two scale options for the handle, G10 composite and bamboo, with the bamboo looking many times more elevated that there’s really no point in picking the other one.
Gerber calls the model “a fashion statement with a function.” And they’re not wrong, as this thing is all about the style. It just looks too darn good. A finger flipper opening supposedly deploys the blade in one swift move, although based on the video (and the reviews we’ve seen so far), this is not an easy blade to open. We have, however, found people who say it eventually gets easier, especially if you use a little oil to grease up the frame lock mechanism. Suffice to say, you’ll probably need to open this with two hands until you can get it to loosen up enough.
The Gerber Quadrant has a 2.7-inch long 7Cr17MoV steel blade, with a straight edge sheepsfoot shape that, the outfit claims, will be as functional as it is stylish, while a satin finish rounds out the blade’s admittedly rocking looks. The edge takes up all but a fraction of that length, too, so there’s plenty of edge in there to execute a versatile range of cutting and slicing tasks. An integrated pocket clip lets you secure it in place when not in use.
Will you want to use this in place of your everyday folder? We don’t know. It certainly doesn’t bring any advantages as far as deployment, ergonomics, or actual function. Does it look better than your current everyday folder? There’s a good chance it does and, if you enjoy carrying a fine-looking blade more than a highly-functional one, it just might find its way in your EDC stash. At any rate, the blade seems affordable enough that you may want to snag one just to add it to your collection. We mean, it’s one heck of a good-looking knife, after all.
The Gerber Quadrant is available now.
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