A caveat: This will mark the first in a series of both new and long term blade reviews. I've been an avid outdoorsman most my life, and never venture outdoors without some sort of bladed tool. Over the years, I've accumulated many knives and have put them through their paces in a variety of ways. For the long term reviews such as this, there will be mostly words used to describe their efficacy as they often saw action before the digital age. For the new blade reviews, I'll try to augment with more action photos and video.
This impressive blade has seen more miles than any other I have, so I thought it best to start with it. So, where to begin? I purchased this Gerber BMF (Basic Multi Function) knife in the early 1990s (can't recall the exact year, but it was well before I could [legally] drive a car :) -- so either middle school or early high school). The knife is serial # 032242.
When I purchased this knife, it was the era for large, bowie-style survival knives, thanks in large to their popularization by the Rambo films and others of the blockbuster action ilk. I was at a gun show with one of my best friends and his father. My buddy and I were both in the market for some monster blades. I had recently been carrying a Ka-Bar USMC knife, but suffice it to say I never used it again once I left that gun show. As we meandered through endless tables of firearms, surplus gear and knick knacks our eyes darted around looking for knife dealers. Eventually, we spied a dealer with a significant offering and began to peruse his merchandise. Almost immediately I saw the BMF and asked to handle it. I was shocked by the heft of the BMF....the length and width of the steel resulted in what is to this day, the most solid feeling knife I've ever handled. After being mesmerized for a few moments, I turned to my buddy expecting to find him waiting to get a hand on it too, but instead he had the same look on his face thanks to the Buck 184 (Buckmaster) he had picked up. Needless to say, we were both sold and I'm sure the dealer was pleased as we dropped ~$100 each without hesitation. In those days, that was a lot of money for a kid (maybe it still is), but when I see used versions of my knife selling on eBay for as much as $500 I'm reminded that not only is it a sturdy, trustworthy sidekick for any outdoor adventure, it was also a good investment. But what is unfortunate about that is that the person that spends $500 on used version of this knife is likely a collector and not going to really experience it through use. It was designed to be used and abused and, believe me, it can take it (more on that below).
There were two production runs of this knife, the early knives (mid 80s) were slightly shorter in length. I was (in my opinion) lucky enough to purchase the larger version they started producing in the late 80s / early 90s, and what was Gerber's largest knife at 14.5" overall, 1/4" thick, with a 9" modified clip point 440-A stainless steel. The black Cordura sheath comes complete with a belt loop and leg strap assembly. It has military belt metal hooks and has a diamond sharpener attached to the back side. It has a pouch for extra storage and came with a (now long lost) Silva compass (for more specs and background, see the boilerplate stuff below).
So, now to the abuse :) As mentioned above, I only have current pictures of the BMF, no real good documentation of its years of service, but I'll speak to it as best I can. The typical outdoor excursion for my friends and I in our teen and college years was in Appalachia....primarily southeastern Ohio, peppered with excursions to the New River area of West Virginia, The Smoky Mountains and anything else that qualified as backcountry in the mid-west.
We spent our time camping, backpacking, mountain biking and honing survival skills. It was in the latter where the BMF saw most of the work. It is no match for saplings and small trees, and as I didn't purchase the saw back model, I've used it to hack down considerably larger trees. The sheer weight of the knife and length of edge allow it act very much like an axe. The largest tree I can recall felling with the BMF was at full 6" in diameter if not more.
In addition to felling trees, my friends and I seemed to think that any knife is a throwing knife (again, thanks to the 80's action films). While some might think it crazy, we took pride in chucking our knives at just about anything that moved (note: if you can actually hit a running squirrel at range with any throwing knife, let alone a Gerber BMF, my hat's off to you :)). More often than not, my BMF would hit broadside, on the hilt, the butt....you name it. Anywhere but the tip. The BMF is so solid that all this bouncing off of trees and rocks, landing in mud, creeks, etc. never damaged it. In fact, the non-reflective finish has done an admirable job in even resisting excessive scratching and marring through all this abuse.
From a design standpoint, the lashing points on the hilt and butt, as well as the buttcap itself, have come in handy over the years. On more than one occasion I've fashioned a spear out of the BMF using a hand cut pole and 550 paracord. I've used the spear setup for both target throwing and hunting fish, albeit with mediocre success which has a lot less to do with the knife and a lot more to do with the hunter. As for the buttcap, it's solid steel and, while I believe is separate from the blade tang is very solidly attached to the handle. I've used it to pound wooden and metal stakes, nails, and other miscellany.
As mentioned above, the BMF originally shipped with a Silva compass, but I misplaced it many years ago as I rarely carried it, opting instead to use the pouch to hold my original Leatherman multitool. The original Leatherman fits perfectly into the pouch, but most modern multitools are too big (case in point the SOG PowerLock black oxide tool I typically carry now is a monster compared to the slim original Leatherman).
One of the things I'm most impressed with in terms of its ability hold up over years of abuse is the DuPont Hypalon handle. I had never heard of that material, and frankly, haven't really heard about it since or in any other context than the BMF handle. It's at once soft and grippy, a rare combination. With all the hacking I've done, the handle never left a blister and absorbs the jarring stress to the hand that typically comes from repeated striking. It also resists tears (not a one) and is fairly water and dirt resistant, easily wiping off when it has become dirty.
With a Rockwell hardness of c-54-55, the high carbon stainless steel holds its edge well. In fact, for several years I only needed to do minor honing on the edge (using the stone ingeniously embedded on the back of the sheath) to keep it functioning well. A few years back, I had a professional sharpen it to restore the razor's edge that I simply cannot achieve using my bench mounted Lansky system.
For storage, I keep the BMF --- and all my fixed blade knives for that matter --- oiled using good old Rem Oil and store it out of the sheath. You can see it pictured along with [from bottom to top] a SOG SEAL Team Elite, a Buck Strider 890TX and a Gerber LMF II ASEK in a foam lined hard-case. And if you're wondering what's hanging off of the various knives, I've woven paracord fobs for most of my knives using pace counting skull beads.****
Brad Parrish began his career working in the Gerber plant in 1974. During the 1980's Brad began making prototype models and progressed to design. His designs include the BMF, LMF, Magnum LST, Magnum Jr., Pro-guide series, The Gator and Gator Mate series, E-Z Out Series, Spectre, Yari and the AR. Brad's work has resulted in multiple design patents.
Basic Multi-Function Survival Knife System™
Gerber's BMF is the latest generation of survival knives. From its conception, the BMF was carefully researched and engineered to be the best survival knife available today.
This tough, heavy duty survival system is designed to withstand heavy use under the most extreme conditions. The 8-inch blade is ground from tough 1/4 inch thick high carbon surgical stainless steel, with Rockwell hardness of c54-55. We have purposely lowered the hardness several points to increase toughness. The blade and stainless steel guards and but cap are treated with a non-reflective finish. The butt cap is specifically designed to endure heavy pounding, and is firmly attached to the full length blade tang. The most unique feature of the BMF is its revolutionary handle of highly compressed DuPont Hypalon. Hypalon's semi-soft composition cushions the hand during heavy use, and provides a comfortable positive grip. Each BMF is hand-adjusted so that the point of balance is approximately at the front guard, which makes it comfortable to use, even during extended periods of heavy usage.
As much engineering and designed time went into the BMF sheath as the knife itself. Blackie Collins really "did himself proud" on this one. This sheath is made from black, heavy-duty DuPont Cordura and reinforced to provide protection for both the blade and user. Loaded with features, the sheath is specifically designed as a superior alternative to the hollow handle for carrying life sustaining and support accessories. It is compact and without protrusions to snag on brush or other objects in the field. Engineered to be silent, there are no hard surfaces other than rivets. A pocket at the top the sheath holds a quality, liquid-filled, jeweled compass. Permanently attached to the back of the sheath is a fine grain diamond sharpening hone, which is protected by a nylon cover when not in use. A unique accessory strap on the front of the sheath allows a folding knife sheath, survival, or other equipment to be attached. ALICE clips allow the BMF to be attached to standard issue military battle dress and harnesses. The ALICE clips are removable so that the BMF can be worn on a conventional belt. The BMF can be tied down to the leg or lashed to other equipment with nylon cord supplied with each sheath. Dated 6/86.
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