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The Gerber Fastball Knife Should Be Your New EDC Knife

We have the ancient Romans to thank for the invention of the folding knife. The tool that now seems timeless was, in that day, an innovation on a par with the smartphone. It took an essential accouterment for living amid a politically turbulent and religiously barbaric culture and made it safer to carry and easy to conceal. By the 16th century, pocket knives were a standard part of a man’s uniform, be he a soldier, sailor, merchant, farmer, or anything in between.

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There are those who carry a pocket knife and there are those who carry a Gerber.

Even in this far gentler day and age, the pocket knife is just as essential as it was in antiquity. True, you’re unlikely (not to mention ill-advised) to use your knife as a form of personal defense (for that, we have Twitter). However, while online tech may be the best way to brandish your aggression, it can’t do much to help you sharpen a pencil, open a letter, or tighten a screw. Enabling everything from picking a lock to get out of a train station bathroom (yes, that’s happened to me) to cutting a flower to offer a pretty lady, the pocket knife confers a signature stamp of manliness upon its owner. The man who carries a pocket knife is a man who is ready for anything.

Today, there are those who carry a pocket knife and there are those who carry a Gerber. This American heritage company, which turns 70 years old this year, makes the kind of knives that no one should carry until they’ve ruined a few blades with careless use and learned to respect this small but indispensable element of being a grown-ass man.

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Gerber’s latest release, the Fastball, follows in that same proud lineage while boasting a few trend-forward features. This EDC (that’s “everyday carry” for you noobs) folding knife features an aircraft-grade aluminum handle with an oxide-coated S30V Wharncliffe blade that flips open with the flick of a finger. That quick, smooth deployment comes courtesy of Gerber’s trademark B.O.S.S. technology (again for the noobs, that’s “Balls of Stainless Steel”). This unique ball-bearing system reduces frictions for consistent and seamless opening. The three-position pocket clip allows for ambidextrous carry—you can also remove it entirely if stealth is of the essence.

Weighing in at just 2.7 ounces, with a blade length of 3 inches and an overall length of 7.1 inches, the Gerber Fastball can be ordered in three handle colors: green, gray, and black. No matter which you choose, the Fastball will complement your style and keep you ready for whatever life throws your way.

Chelsea Batten
Former Former Digital Trends Contributor, The Manual
Chelsea Batten is a writer, photographer, and Kerouac groupie. One of the original digital nomads, she was seduced from life…
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