Gerber Gator Machete Jr. a Survival Podcast Review

[bizzarementbrun]

I just bought one this weekend. I agree with everything you said. I ummmed and eeerred between the longer one for $5 more but stuck with the Jr for the same reason you mentioned. My only gripe is it wasn't very sharp out of the package. My whetstone fixed that though in about thirty minutes. Oh and yes, it is illegal to carry one.....on a plane, or in your kids's classroom or a courthouse. Other than that, have fun and be safe. Thanks for the vid.

[WeAreJuniorDuBclan]

what come sharper?

great review man keep going

[NESurvivalPrep]

Almost picked one up today, but wanted to see some reviews on it. Looks like I might be getting one.

[CanItAlready]

How's this machete holding up?

[inov8ve]

great review. i got the same one for xmas. havent got to test it out yet.

[DRIVEBYRACHKO]

Just purchased the larger Gerber Gator, I think it would be perfectly reasonable to draw with one hand, however, in more of a "sword-drawing" fashion, across the body.

[whiteboypatrickkelly]

hey I satyed in hotsprings village for a while, hotsprings is a cool lil town. Im happy to be back in CA now but hotsprings realy changed my hillbilly opion of Arkansas.

[ninvin21]

oooooooh your bad it's illegal to carry that!

[survivalpodcasting]

@ninvin21 What? Seriously some people shouldn't be allowed access to a key board! Where is it illegal? NYC?

[dorbo314]

It isn't. I have one. It's the 18" blade version

[thoromicina2]

Great review, and mainly, a practical real life one.

BTW, nevermind those city dwelling creeps who believe watching "survival" TV shows entitles them to emit stupid opinions on stuff they don´t even know how to handle.

Blessings

[Gunzshow55312]

I agree completely on this tooI, and you are correct--the shorter one is the better choice. I found that model on sale at a farm store for $14. When I see Gerber knives, tools, etc. on sale, I grab them. I noticed from one of your other recent videos you and I have the same CRKT knife, they are awesome. Hardly recognize you in these older vids!

[survivalpodcasting]

@thewickets1 - Well that is a well thought out argument.

[traines2332]

Keep up the good work Jack. Beware the basement trolls, feed at your own risk.

[survivalpodcasting]

@traines2332 Thanks man have you ever noticed such ass clowns never do a damn thing, just talk shit to other who do?

[bucketbot]

@survivalpodcasting HAHA! ain't that the truth!

Whatever you do in life there will always be a troup of people there telling you that you "can't do that" or "that will never work".

This group can very easily be identified by their individual inability to accomplish anything of worth in their own lives

Keep up the great work Jack!

Love your podcast and love your work!

[survivalpodcasting]

@SeattleKingCounty you really are a dumb ass aren't you?

[Jay5355]

I noticed that your blade handle is missing the lanyard, the lanyard is actually a safety mechanism, it prevents your hand from slipping onto the blade when sawing

[survivalpodcasting]

@Jay5355

1. It isn't missing because it doesn't come with one.

2. You would have to be compete idiot simplton to hurt yourself that way.

[Jay5355]

@survivalpodcasting 1. it IS missing the lanyard, i work for a major retailer that carries them and they all have them, you're probably just too fat and stupid to read the instructions or you better take it back to whatever back country swap meet you got it at.

2. if it takes a complete idiot to do that, then you definitly need that lanyard, you're obviously no scholar, you're a moron and your fat ass doesn't know how to use that machete

[survivalpodcasting]

@Jay5355 - So you expert qualifications and the reason we should all listen to you is you are a "stock boy". LOL.

[mooseboy66]

just picked up this machete at academy for 20 bucks .and I dont know what people are complaining about so much .this thing is way sharp and if you want it sharper all u have to do is sharpen more. and if you use it properly and dont wrench on the thing unecessarily while cutting it should last several lifetimes . in my opinion not bad for around 20 bucks . I probably spent more money in lunch and gas on the trip to academy lol

[ramusling]

Nice tool but wouldnt it be better to test in on dead trees rather than live one?

[survivalpodcasting]

@ramusling - No! It is my land, the tree was growing into my drive way.

[Jay5355]

@survivalpodcasting you're an ignorant pathetic loser, I hope you get killed

[neighbour666]

@Jay5355 Well, there's nothing like some constructive critcism, and that was nothing like constructive criticism. I sometimes wonder what's worse: drinking and driving or drinking and commenting. Anyway, good vid and I'm just about to order one of these - a good bit of kit by the look of it.

[damaka]

how about a review of the sogfari machete so we can compare with this one? that will be awesome!

[survivalpodcasting]

@damaka - Yea sure spend your money on it, send it to me and I will review it. LOL 

[PolishedTurd4Life]

i just bought one love it

[BassmanSW]

I think Gerber improved this machete over the last several years. Seems like those who bought one 2-3 years ago aren't very happy with them. The reviews I see that are more recent seem to be more favorable. I just picked up the long one today for $25. It seems to be well made and it IS sharp. The blade seems to be pretty flexible so I fear it may bend under use.

[iamtheprototype]

after watching this...now i have both lol

[boontize]

that thing is a peice a knife is supposed to come sharp u should not have to sharpen it right away any way i took it out doin some grassing my duck blind it could barely cut throu a few cat tails and it was not me i gave it a few chances put it back in the sheath which was the only cool part and threw it in the swamp that was worth the 20 bucks to me junk

[Jay5355]

@boontize too bad you didn't sharpen it...its not rocket science...its a edged piece of metal, i assumed mine was a dud

[8drewski]

do i have to feed it?

[fwfrazorx]

I bought the jr and think its good for what i want. I used machetes for 10 yrs as a surveyor and like this size and light weight. I attached to my BOB w/ a Gerber LMF II and have a Gerber extending, light weight saw too, oh also have a Gerber assisted opening knife that ive beaten for 10 yrs lol. I didn't know how much Gerber crap i had til now lol but think they make nice stuff but would recommend researching as Gerber also has some ok gear and Im sure better machetes are out there but $18.99?

[neighbour666]

Thanks buddy. Good review. And it's odd that some people out there still don't know the mysterious and magical art of something like SHARPENING. Anyway, I'm about to order one right now on the strength of your demo; the one I bought in Guatemala a few years back is just about OK for cutting bread. And we can actually order these in England! Woo hoo! BTW, you're nowhere near as irritating as Bare Frills (as I like to call the bullshitting egomaniac), so keep 'em coming.

[liebre4x4]

i bought one and its duller than a butter knife. do not buy

[survivalpodcasting]

@liebre4x4 - First you just saw me use it out of the package, it is no razor blade but it sure as hell ain't a butter knife.

Second anyone obsessed with a "factory edge" clearly has a real problem. Putting it simply learn to sharpen blades, if you depend on a factory edge at any level your only choice is to buy a new knife, machate, hatchet, axe, etc. when it gets dull.

Personally the factory edge is the least important factor of a cutting tool if you actually plan to use it long term.

[tattoomykl]

@survivalpodcasting

well or learn how to sharpen well. Personally, I got to the point where I sharpen all my knives straight out of the box even higher end knives like benchmades and spydercos

[Jay5355]

@survivalpodcasting 

[twizz420]

@liebre4x4 Maybe you should learn to use a $1 whetstone before you bitch and whine.

Out of the package, I was able to cut through 3" thick vines in one chop. I sharpened it myself yesterday with a whetstone and now it's RAZOR sharp. Took me all of 5 minutes of actual WORK, something you have yet to discover.

The saw is something a lot of people have been bitching about, but I absolutely love it. I'd be cutting for hours with ANY machete to get through stuff that the saw does in 10 minutes.

[MarcViper]

@liebre4x4 Its a Machete for chopping not a Mora Scandi grind bushcraft knife.... Also if you cant sharpen a tool you probably shouldn't be using it!

[Jay5355]

@liebre4x4 me too, I figured i can get it sharpend...but i haven't yet...it only cost 35$



[stevebushido]

I tried it on some tamarack trees and got some rolling on the blade. A friend of mine was using it with me and i think he tried to pry with it which caused the bending on the edge. For the price if you use it right it's a good blade. I plan on buying another one so it is not bad.

[koxlc]

what is the best way to sharpen jr gators blade? whats your method?

tnx for answer!

[d3pHc0n]

I own this machete and it works fine until compared to other machetes. It NEVER bites into harder wood. Rubber grip is poorly anchored and WILL loosen during use. Buy a Condor, Ontario, or Cold Steel machete instead.

I should add, if you never intend to seriously use the machete, any machete will work just fine.

[ayokay123]

Can you bash on the spine of this thing with a nice sized baton without damaging the blade?

[gowdaflow]

Thanks a lot for this review. You actually made the difference of wether I was gonna get the longer one or this one.

Question though, do you know how long the metal part of the machete goes into the handle? Does the metal stop at the two middle holes or does it extend all the way to the string hole? This is really what would make it a long lasting machete..

Thanks again.

[survivalpodcasting]

@gowdaflow - I can't say for sure as the literature doesn't say if it is full tang or not and I am not going to cut it apart to find out. What I can say is it really feels full tang, when you chop with it really hard you feel it in the handle solid no movement. So I have to guess but my guess it that it is full or damn close to a full tang blade.

[gowdaflow]

@survivalpodcasting

I went and got the Jr. Machete yesterday and I really like it. It feels really strong, and you're right, it feels full tang. The saw is a nice touch for those strainght cuts that are needed sometimes.

The only thing I was a bit dissapointed is that I thought it was made here in the USA, but it reads: made in china at the bottom, lol. Oh well, the Chinese have invaded our market anyways, and their products have gotten much better. Great machete for $20, can't complain.

[VeritasObitus]

@gowdaflow Try using a magnet, if it sticks at the end of the handle then i would say it has a full tang.

[cameraguy1968]

Very accurate review, I've used this tool several times and it is one of my favorites.

[YTBYlover]

That is nice

[AlpHaBetViLleN]

did you sharpen the blade yourself or is it the factory edge, if you did do it yourself what type of edge did you put on it, convex edge?

[survivalpodcasting]

@AlpHaBetViLleN - I now have an edge you could shave with on it but for the test I left it factory which did leave something to be desired.

[goldenscales]

@survivalpodcasting You're right, it does leave a lot to be desired. Seems there should be more weight in the end of the blade to make it a bit heavier for chopping. I'm not impressed with the saw part, I believe that machete's and saws don't mix. Either that, or come up with a better design. And yes, if I could, I would.

[mrchip4u]

THERE IS A RECALL ON THE FIRST GENERATION GATOR FULL SIZE AND JR. survivalpodcasting's model used in this video appears to be the newer version which has the new style grip yo make it safer. btw...great vid and review. just a heads up folks

[survivalpodcasting]

@mrchip4u - Thank you I think this explains why some people take exception to my praise of the handle and why I thought they were nuts. The handle is absolutely awesome, if you can't hold onto this you shouldn't have anything with a blade in your hands, ever.

[joshkkv]

@survivalpodcasting just out of curiousity would this be suitable for skinning a medium sized animal if you had a good edge on it ?

[tiamify]

how you sharp the machete?:) pls answer

[bubber25]

loved your review man. i just ordered me the full size gerber gator. cant wait to get it!

[Newblood75]

Good review

[shelltech83]

just a small note, the saw is very unsafe, your hand can easily slip onto the blade, make sure to use a lanyard around your wrist to prevent you hand from slipping

[survivalpodcasting]

@shelltech83 - I completely disagree with that. First any BLADE is dangerous if you allow your self to slip onto it. Saw or strait edge doesn't really matter. Secondly I doubt you have every actually held this tool in your hand based on your comments as it is a hell of a lot easier to hold onto then most machetes. One wonders what motivation you have for your comment?

[manlazy602]

@survivalpodcasting Great review and nice hat were u buy it lol. Any ways iam asking is the blade safe becuase the back has spikes incase i slip my hands will i hurt my self? Not to offend u or anything just asking somethiung

[survivalpodcasting]

@manlazy602 - Hat is probably from Academy Sports and Outdoors, not sure I remember. On safety, I just don't understand how anyone would worry about the saw blade being safe as though the strait edge is any safer. I mean just think about it, you are worried about 9 inches of saw but not 14 inches of razor blade? Do you get what I am saying? You certainly did not offend me I am just trying to put it in perspective for you.

[manlazy602]

@survivalpodcasting Oh good point i guess i,ll hold it really tight then :D ty

[shelltech83]

@survivalpodcasting i have the second version with a lanyard and I use it quite often, I meant do disrespect I was just try to let people know this machete doesn't have the safety features as the new Gerber gator machetes

[survivalpodcasting]

@shelltech83 - I don't see it as disrespect everyone is entitled to their opinion. My view is simply different the handle is extremely nice, it doesn't slip as is sure less likely to than most other machetes. Also again, I just find it strange that anyone would worry any more about slipping with the saw blade than the strait blade. So how is it different or less safe than any machete. Adding a lanyard though is a good idea!

[jojo664769]

@shelltech83 thats the old model that has been recalled it has been redone properly,besides anytime your cutting chopping or sawing you should use a lanyard

[chace1995]

you should do a review on the full size machete

[MrSpreadShit]

There is a grip on the new version now

[roboman3678]

funny i bought one of these just a day ago is it good olny 20 bucks not expensive at all

[survivalpodcasting]

@alfredotp - Thanks it is a good tool, the grip is awesome, the saw is decent. For a pure machette though check out the cold steel kukri, the cheapo machete one not the expensive San Mai version. The handle of the gerber is better but the chopping ability of the cold steel kukri is really awesome and the short version is about the same size. The kukri also has paint on the factory edge so you need to sharpen it, & the sheath isn't as nice. It is all in what you want, Kukri review coming soon.

[Jacksonsman1]

the people who are so concerned about this tree really need to relax. appreciate the solid review and keep up the good work

[survivalpodcasting]

@Jacksonsman1 - Or they should watch me talk about clearing bush with a reciprocating saw. That would really drive them nuts, 5 pines down in about 20 seconds. I will be cutting a lot of stuff off of my land when we move in Feb, and doing even more planting and land sculpting. This idiots don't get that I am a permaculturist and do all I can to be a positive influence on the environment. Sometimes a tree has to go, so another thing can grow.

[swissfa18]

I got the Wakther Mach Tac 1 Machete... This serves as an axe :D

[LiberalsLickBalls]

The problem is with this tool, is that they didn't put any fucking grips on it.

When it's hot outside, your hand slips off, and you are likely to hurt yourself, or someone else.

You can make your own, but then you have to lengthen the strap, or the front part of the handle won't enter the sheath correctly.

Make new grips, or loose a drinking buddy, your choice.

I don't recommend Gerber anymore anyway.

Made in China

[survivalpodcasting]

@LiberalsLickBalls I reailly don't think you have used this tool, ever, based on your comments. The grip is probably the best feature it has. Funny ass youtube handle BTW.

[LiberalsLickBalls]

@survivalpodcasting

The rubber grip on this thing has no finger inlets, me and my son were going through the bush in 90 degree humid weather, I could barely hold the thing in my hand because of the sweat and had to tell the boy to stay back a bit in case it flew out. Finger notches would have helped a shitload, as well as being sharpened from the factory, I had to do that.

I ended up using hockey tape like on my stick to get some grip. Now it works decent.

Believe me now? HAHA!

[masluxx]

why, does everyone make such thick bladed machetes? Swing that all day will whoop your ars and in all reality is unusable. I use a Christmas tree knife for breaking trail, just a flick of the wrist will cut anything up to 1/3 inch in diameter, anything larger i will just step around.

[jhynesyahoo]

nice, im getting one on the base of your review, i wasnt sure but after seeing this i am. cheers my man.

[etekballer14]

do u think tht u could baton with tht machete?

[survivalpodcasting]

@etekballer14 I guess you could but it wouldn't be very good for it, the saw blade would make it a real pain in the ass.

[kaijiex3]

actually the cutting is only depends on how u sharpen ur knife

[ScoutCrafter]

Outstanding review! Thanks!!!!

[pablo81042]

i bought one of these earlier this month and so far its doing pretty well nice review on it.

[klbrumann]

Thanks for the review!

All the other ones about this on youtube are done by 12-14 year-old kids...

I really enjoyed the hands-on approach to the review :)

[winnipegdiver]

To start I just picked the GATOR jr.over the weekend and love it it is a grate tool...

Now on to johnnycal161616. you can do pretty much what you want to do on your land in any state you can clear cut if you want. But no you can't and shouldn't cut down live trees if there is no need to do so.

[survivalpodcasting]

@JohnnyCAl161616 - Yes remotely from the bug out location, my bug out location. Property I own in a remote area of Arkansas.

[survivalpodcasting]

@JohnnyCAl161616 - I am not buying that one! If you mean on public property most states have that same law. Now on your own property you can't cut down a tree? B.S.! Really? How are houses and roads built if you can't cut down a tree?

[Sarge223]

i basicly have the same one except its sog brand i rilly like it!

[kryptiea]

the best thing about a tree is what you make out of it after you cut it down

[biohax]

why cut a living tree when there are dead ones around? typical brute

[survivalpodcasting]

@biohax Because this tree is growing a bad spot in my driveway, it obscures vision when we are backing large vehicles and trailers in and out of the drive way. You are clearly an idiot by the way to worry that I cut a tree down on MY PROPERTY. Why don't you go back to what ever bush hippie nonsense you typically engage in.

As I stated in the video the tree was removed in the past and these portions continue to cospice and regrow. The up shot is renewable high quality cooking wood.

[basszack]

Jack just so you know the older style of this machete has been recalled for safety reasons and thought you might want to know.

[sadehunter]

i have the full size it is one of the best machete i have ever owned that 2inch tr it would slice threw it like hot butter but you do need to change the angel but over all good review both large and small both great machete

[trevor55757]

I just took mine out to the woods and wow what a great knife i got the long one it saws great splits great needs to be sharper but for the money it cant be beat

[thewizardking13]

I love mine too.

[wilcox1219]

Have you ever used it on some hard wood (seasoned)?

[thefishingangler1]

It's no longer at Amazon. Anyone know where else you can find?

Thanks.

[noaffiliationsfr]

ACADEMY SELLS EM

[patakajet7]

which is better 2 get kabar or this machete im goin 2 cut trees like you did in the vid

[trevor55757]

I got both

[Sylvia441]

we have used those around our homestead, don't buy "cheaper then dirt," they are cheap & don't cut worth a hill of beans. Hay Jack, where is your "other" side arm?

[Bakken92]

I Havne got one of those myself, And its realy good in grip and lenght. only bad thing is that it is less sharp here in norway, because of eu regulations and stuff.

[yaknowurright]

.......then sharpen it?

[Mekurion]

From watching other reviews I got the impression that is was kind of flimsy, is that the case?

In this review it really looks like a great (and rather cheap) tool.

[survivalpodcasting]

No it is not, I can't speak for the bigger machete though. The short version is really nice but you would expect it to be stiffer simply due to the shorter length.

[bassfuryvi]

@survivalpodcasting Agreed,,it does flex a little,,the blade seems to only go past the bolts a little making it a half tang,, but for the money it is a useful bit of kit and the saw I find to be damn handy !

[GRIM2594]

I recently purchased this machete and I love it.

Actually, while I was at the store about to purchase the longer version, the sales associate informed me that the longer version was flimsy because of the length. He told me that this one was much better, so I took his word and bought the Jr version.

Man, am I happy with my purchase. This Jr version was beyond my expectations.

Also, as this video shows, the saw works wonderfully!

[trevor55757]

I got the 18 in version and it does have some wiggle to it

[offgridmontana]

I'm buying one, and carrying it around town (Helena) and on my off grid land in Montana. Great determent against criminals too.

[pipersmitty87]

20 bucks just got one fits the hand like none other

[longracin]

I love all the reviews

[rooftopeagle]

Oh and the Tops Tom Brown Tracker Knife looks great!

[rooftopeagle]

I'd rather go for the Ontario Machete, but for the price this looks pretty good.