There have been a lot of great products that have come out of Gerber this year and the De Facto is no exception. Developed with veteran SF Operators, the De Facto is one tuff knife! Sporting a double edged spear point/serrated blade with full tang construction and a strike pommel, its more than able to handle anything or anyone that gets in its way.
The rubberized handle is nicely contoured and provides a nonslip grip while the knife is well balanced and feels comfortable in the hand. The polymer sheath utilizes a friction lock to keep in the knife in but ready to deploy at a moments notice. There is also a secondary thumb lock that can be used during high speed insertions to secure the blade as necessary. Overall it is everything I have come to expect from Gerber. The craftsmanship and attention to detail is second to none making this a quality piece.
On to the testing…
Normally when I get something new to test I have friends and family coming out of the woodwork to help but when it came to testing the combat functionality of the De Facto nobody could be found!! Looking at it…feeling the heft…it’s a born fighter, no doubt about that. This knife, with the proper training, could save your life. Taking all that into consideration, I decided to skip over that part of the testing and move right on to outdoor use and survival!
It performed great! From meal prep to making snare parts, the De Facto worked really
well. The serrations made quick work of the larger sticks and the spear point was great for cutting everything else. Paracord and tooling leather proved no match. Using it to build traps and spears for food procurement is not a problem for this knife.
After much chopping, prying and cutting the blade’s finish and edge remains intact and free of blemishes and the strike pommel is still as pointy as it was when I took it out of the box… even after repeat penetrating blows to heavy sheet metal.
The blade tip has held its point and remains quite lethal after nonstop plunging through fabric, heavy leather and even an interior door!! The balance is there and the knife is accurate and effective when thrown. Now I don’t advocate throwing your weapon away in a fight but in other situations, a good throw could land you a rabbit or squirrel depending on your tastes!
With the blade measuring in at four inches and the whole knife a little over eight, its just the right size to fit in your Go Bag. The way the draw feels, for me the optimal placement is on a chest rig or vest…cross draw…riding high. It takes a bit of force to get it out of the sheath but not enough as to be cumbersome. A good sharp tug or determined pull is all that’s required to release the knife and your in business.
In my opinion the Gerber De Facto is competent in outdoor survival and the best choice for self defense. You would not be making a mistake by adding this one to your EDC, Bug Out Bag or survival kit. If your looking for a knife that will protect your butt and help get you food, the De Facto is a perfect choice.
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