Gerber is a legendary knife maker that got started in 1939 in Tigard, Oregon (near Portland), where the company is still headquartered today. Pete Gerber started the business back then making kitchen knives, but quickly pivoted to more tactical knives as the business took off. Today, they are the 2nd leading manufacturer of multi-tools (behind Leatherman) and employ over 300 Americans. In 1987, however, Gerber was bought by a Finnish company called Fiskars Brands, which still owns them today. Often, when companies get bought by international conglomerates, their manufacturing process shortly follows suit. So, we dug in to find out if Gerber Gear knives are still made in America. Our verdict is below.
Verdict: Are Gerber Knives Made in the USA?
Yes, Gerber still manufactures several of its knives and other products in the USA—139 products, to be exact, which is 21.8% of the products we found in its online store. However, the production for the rest of its products seems to be outsourced to countries like China, following a similar trend in the knives and tools industry.
However, the 139 products manufactured in the U.S. give us hope—that number has increased over the years, and Gerber shows no signs of shutting down American manufacturing in its Portland factory, which operates 24/7. They use an impressive 686,000 pounds of U.S. steel every year to make their knives. Additionally, Gerber is the top direct supplier of U.S. military knives and multi-tools.
To find which of their products are American made, head over to this page on the Gerber website, where you’ll find an archive of all their American made products. Each one is marked with a unique symbol of the state of Oregon and the American flag, as you see below. We’ve also outlined which of the most popular Gerber products are made in America.
Popular American Made Gerber Knives
- Multi-Plier 600 series
- Ghostrike Tactical Knife
- LMF II Survival knife
- Propel DownRange AO
- US-Assist S30V
- Gator Premium Fixed Drop Point: Impressively sharp right out of the box. It’s easy to handle with one hand, and you can open and close it safely. It has a Gator Grip rubberized handle that has been tested in several conditions, including humid weather, while wet and many others.
Popular Gerber Knives Not Made in the USA
- Torch I and II Serrated knives – China
- Sharkbelly Serrated Edge – China
- Truss multi-tool – China
- Strongarm fixed blade – China
