A few years back, this post might have covered a very different small Gerber knife like the Pocket Square or the Tri-Tip Cleaver.

This time around, there’s another little model on the market that has been popular enough for long enough to warrant some dedicated attention: the Gerber Kettlebell.

But is it the best small Gerber knife? Let’s find out.

Size, Blade Profile, and Ergonomics

The first thing that will strike you about the Gerber Kettlebell is the size. This thing is small and there’s no way around that.

It has only a 2.5” blade with a gracefully swept cutting edge and a stark drop point. It’s pretty thick blade stock, too, so you can (though you shouldn’t) pry and twist with this knife.

For chisel cuts, push cuts, and draw cuts, as well as long, sweeping cuts, you could do a lot worse than what this knife offers.

The second thing that will strike you is the heft. It weighs nearly 4 full ounces and carries like a lead weight, for better or for worse. Part of the weight comes from the thick blade stock, the rest from the heavy liner and frame.

And while that extra weight might not be beneficial in the eyes of the ultralight fanatics, it pays back whenever you need to really put the Kettlebell to the grindstone.

This is a tough folding knife with hard-wear materials and components that can take probably whatever you can dish out.

It may be small, but you can beat it up and it’ll probably come up asking for more. There are few things that it’s not well suited to, and will slay most domestic chores and campcraft callings.

Ergonomics are top-tier. Even though the knife is noticeable small, even tiny, it fills the hand and feels like it provides a very sure, comfortable grip that all except those with the biggest hands will be able to get all four fingers around.

The other great thing is that, with the knife open, the curvature at the base of the blade where it meets the handle forms a generous choil that improves and extends the grip while adding greater control.

Another cool thing about this knife is the fact that the back of the blade features a generous thumb scoop that also improves control in the saber grip.

Deployment and Lock Type

Deployment of the Gerber Kettlebell is via a set of dual thumb studs, which make the knife both right and left-amenable.

It’s not as flashy as other knives with thumb holes or flipper tabs, but it is still ambidextrous and it still gets the job done.

One thing to note: this model has a propensity to come from the factory with a pivot screw that’s just way too tight.

This makes it fairly (to very) hard to open the blade effectively. Fortunately, loosening the pivot screw more often than not will solve the problem.

It’s a heavy frame lock; a very heavy framelock, in fact, so much so that it feels almost like a small, stout fixed blade in the hand.

The fact that it’s a framelock also gives it all of the advantages of a liner lock with fewer of the disadvantages, as a framelock design is inherently stronger.

You’d have a tough time getting this lock to yield, so if you’re looking for a hard-use (but small) knife, this thing has your name on it.

For carry, it comes with a pocket clip on the framelock side of the blade. It’s not reversible, so that’s a small ding, but it also comes with a lanyard hole through the handle, which is nice.

Blade Steel

Blade steel on this small Gerber knife is nothing to scream about, but for the application, it’s as good as they come. It’s 7Cr17MoV, which is, by most metrics, a budget steel, but there are a few other things to keep in mind.

Let’s talk about edge retention. Due to its (relatively) low carbon concentration, this steel is fairly soft and won’t really hold an edge forever.

But that is as much of a blessing as a curse, as the steel remains easy enough to resharpen even when it gets really dull.

Also, this alloy is excellent with respect to corrosion resistance. You would have to try to get it to rust.

Moreover, since it is so soft, it is unlikely to chip. Your edge will wear down relatively quickly, that is true, but touching it up will be no problem, not to mention the fact that you won’t be working out any chips.

And, if that weren’t enough, the use of a budget steel has enabled Gerber to keep the price tag within reasonable limits. We sell the Kettlebell here (at this time) for under $20.

Scale Materials and Ergs

Last, we need to say a few words on the scale material, which is anodized aluminum, and which Gerber has produced in a few color variations, including green and black.

Anodized aluminum is lightweight and effectively corrosion-proof - both of which are salient benefits.

The other thing about the scales is that Gerber has produced some sort of knurled texture that, while it doesn’t bite the grip, produces really good traction.

It’s hard to imagine this small Gerber knife would be slippery even if it were wet or greasy, which gives it another advantage in terms of ergonomics.

Paired with the choil feature mentioned above, this knife handles very securely in the grip and is comfortable to handle and use in a variety of grips.

Closing Thoughts on This Small Gerber Knife

Want to learn more about this small Gerber knife’s specifications and features before you get one? Check out our Gerber Kettlebell via the previous link.

Don’t sweat it too much, though. At the price we sell these knives at, you could buy a whole case full without breaking the bank. Get yourself one today - we don’t charge shipping on orders in the United States.

Or, treat yourself to a different small Gerber knife. We carry lots of popular models including but not limited to the Assert, Gator, Confidant (pictured above), Sumo, Fastball, and Scout.