Gerber's Affinity Gentleman's Folder Drops to $15 at KnifeCenter
There is a specific kind of knife that exists to be carried to a wedding and then forgotten in a drawer. The Gerber Affinity Gentleman's Folder is that knife, and at the moment it costs $15 at KnifeCenter against a $48 list price, a 69 percent cut that turns a mild curiosity into an easy experiment.
The specification is reasonable for the original money and absurd for the sale price. A stonewashed D2 tool steel blade, a machined aluminum front scale, a frame lock, an adjustable and removable thumb stud, and a contrast-colored pinch plate. Gerber lists the blade at 3.7 inches and the overall length at 8.45 inches, and the whole knife weighs 4.62 ounces — heavier than its slim profile suggests, because the frame is steel-backed.
D2 is the interesting choice. It is a semi-stainless tool steel with good wear resistance and modest corrosion resistance, which means it holds an edge well and asks for occasional oil. On a knife intended for light duty that trade is fine, and it is far better than the 440A that usually shows up at this price point. The aluminum front scale keeps the look clean while the steel frame does the structural work.
The comparison to make is against the modern gentleman's folder: a Civivi Elementum, a QSP Parrot, a Kizer Feist. All of those cost $45 to $70, all of them have better actions, and all of them use steels that will out-cut D2 in daily use. What the Affinity offers at $15 is a knife you can hand to someone who needs a blade once a month and never think about again.
Verdict: buy it at $15 if you want a slim, sharp-looking folder for a jacket pocket, a glovebox or a gift, and you accept that the action will feel like a $48 knife rather than a $150 one. Skip it at full price, because at $48 there is no argument for it against the production competition.
Disclosure: EDC News may earn a commission on links in this article. Nothing here changes the price you pay.