Whether you’re attempting to survive a night lost in the woods, an extended trek through the desert, a Zombie outbreak or attack, or even a hostile environment like a war-torn city, a well made knife can be key to survival… not to mention a comfort to have by your side.
The Gerber LMF II Survival Knife has a seemingly simple yet powerful design. Measuring a total of 10.59 inches long from tip to tip with a 4.84 inch long x 1/4 inch 420HC Stainless steel blade and weighing a total of 11.67 oz. (just under one pound), you know you’ve got a workhorse when you’ve got an LMF II in your hand. Originally made as a tool for egress from downed aircraft and survival applications needed after escape, the LMF II was built to last… and that’s exactly what it does, no matter what you throw its way.
THE KNIFE
Technical Specs:
- Overall Length: 10.59″
- Blade Length: 4.84″
- Weight: 24.28 oz. (w/ Sheath)
- Weight: 11.67 oz. (w/o Sheath)
- Blade Style: Drop Point
- Blade Material: 420HC Stainless
- Blade Type: Serrated
- Handle Material: Glass-filled nylon with TPV overmold
- Separate Safety Knife Included (Classic belt cutter style with individual sheath)
Half serrated and half straight-edged, the nearly 5 inch 420HC corrosion- and wear-resistant stainless steel blade of the LMF II focuses on real world survival and ease of use, and not just brute force hack and slash jobs or detail work alone. The serrated portion of the LMF II makes short work of cordage and tough materials such as hardwoods and metals, while the straight edge portion of the blade gives users the ability to do detail work and push cuts on softer and less dense materials like soft woods, meats, and bandages. With a dual-edged (not double-sided) blade like this you can hack, slash, rip, tear, slice, chop, and generally do just about anything you can think of that you might need a blade for… including use with a ferro-rods and fire-strikers.
The 1/4 inch thick spine of the LMF II gives users the perfect surface for battoning firewood, kindling, and other small to mid-diameter wood, as well as doubling for use as a prybar when attempting to gain entry into or escape from buildings or storage units and other locked or sealed containers.
By sacrificing a fraction of a full-tang, Gerber increased protection from electrical and concussive shocks while using the LMF II. That means that whether you’re chopping through the power-lines in an apocalypse (something we don’t recommend) or you’re hacking through a door frame, your hand and body make use of the buffer in the handle and it allows for long-term use without discomfort or exhaustion of hand muscles.
A textured TPV overmold covers the body of a rugged glass-filled nylon handle that allows for an exceptional and comfortable non-slip grip even during wet and muddy conditions… or when your hands are covered in Zombie gore. The 5.75 inch handle has three lashing points that are useful for a number of applications from constructing traps and spears, to stowing extra paracord and additional lashing. Each lashing point is embedded directly into the handle, creating a sturdy and fail-safe attachment to just about anything you can wrap a bit of cord around.
In addition to the basic build of the handle, the LMF II sports a flat-head steel hammer and pinpoint glass-breaker on the butt end. Both the hammer and glass-breaker work well for real-world application, including but not limited to minor construction, reinforcement, gaining entry and more… and of course blunt force trauma to Zombie skulls. Well-placed and easy to use, the addition of a quality surface for use as a hammer and a well placed glass-breaker are key to placing the LMF II above many other knives designed for survival applications.
We started with a factory edge and by the end of our rigorous tests the LMF II still had a great edge on it… though it did need a few swipes in the sharpener after we took it to a cinder block. From simple paper and cardboard cuts all the way from piercing melons, chopping coconuts, hacking 2x4s, smashing red brick and demolishing cinder blocks, to sharpening a pencil to take notes with, the LMF II Survival Knife held up astoundingly well to our tests, never showing signs of failure or poor design.
THE SHEATH
Technical Specs:
- Ballistic nylon with fire retardant coating.
- Low-profile sheath with built-in sharpener.
- 2 Leg Straps.
- MOLLE Compatible.
Made of military grade ballistic nylon with a fire retardant coating and double stitching throughout, the LMF II sheath is put together like a piece of art. Every stitch matters, and every stitch is perfectly placed for optimum strength and flexibility without an overabundance of the tough stuff or a lack of it either.
Featuring a wide variety of methods for carry, including two adjustable leg straps, two MOLLE straps, two velcro straps, two belt loops, multiple lashing points and a fully removable main body, the sheath for the Gerber LMF II Survival Knife can literally be worn just about any where in any way you can think of on just about any gear you have on hand or might come across.
The main body of the sheath, a HOW BIG rubberized dual function plastic housing, features an ambidextrous locking mechanism that allows for blade placement in any direction and keeps it snug and in place, no matter how fast your moving or what kind of terrain your working your way through. The main body houses a built-in sharpener for use with the straight edged portion of the LMF II or other similar blades. While the built in sharpener is well-meaning it can be difficult to access as you have to remove the main body from the rest of the sheath to use it effectively.
IN CONCLUSION
Extremely multi-purpose and useful during most survival situations, a well-made knife can help keep you alive… as long as you know how to wield it. Whether you’re using it for defense, hunting, crafting, medical or otherwise, the Gerber LMF II Survival Knife is one tool that wont ever let you down. Zombie outbreak or not, the real world benefits of a knife like this are many, and they can’t be argued with.
Special thanks to J and J Tactical, home to some of the best gear and prices around, for providing the Gerber LMF II Survival Knife for review and testing. Grab one today for just $81.20 + shipping and handling, buy now
