Sal and Gail Worked For Gerber Knives?

[Pokey]

I was in a store yesterday looking at different brands of knives. I was listening to the salesman talk about the different knife companies as I looked them over. He evidently wasn't impressed with Gerber's fit and finish on some of their folders, but he did mention one of their large fixed blades as his favorite.

He stated that there were quite a number of former employees that left Gerber over the years to start their own companies, including Spyderco-I guess to make better knives.

I never knew that Sal and Gail worked at Gerber.

[sal]

Hi Pokey,

Thee were a number of Gerber's employees that left Gerber and started their own companies, but Gail and I never worked for Gerber.

sal

[Larry_Mott]

Hi Pokey,

Thee were a number of Gerber's employees that left Gerber and started their own companies, but Gail and I never worked for Gerber.

sal

Technically Gerber (Sakai) worked for/with you unless i'm mistaken :)

[Pokey]

Hi Pokey,

Thee were a number of Gerber's employees that left Gerber and started their own companies, but Gail and I never worked for Gerber.

sal

Hi Sal,

Yes, I knew you and Gail hadn't worked for Gerber. The salesman's tone was more like the employees that had left Gerber weren't happy there and had better ideas on how to make it in the knife business. Not wanting to pick a nit about how Spyderco started up I just said, oh, ok, and kept looking at the knives.

I've read your post here on the Forum giving credit to Peter Gerber for the first pocket knife with a glass filled Nylon handle invented back in the '80's, (you always give credit to knife makers for their inventions,) so not only did I know that you and Gail hadn't worked there, but that you have no animosity towards Gerber.

[8th_Note]

I believe Al Mar got his start at Gerber. He went out on his own then teamed up with Seki makers to create revolutionary and world class knives. Maybe thats who the shop guy was thinking of

[James Y]

Besides Al Mar, Pete Kershaw, the founder of Kershaw Knives, also worked for Gerber.

Jim

[Stuart Ackerman]

Remember...there are only two types of knife manufacturing companies..

Spyderco... And those that wish they were Spyderco...

[SpyderEdgeForever]

Besides Al Mar, Pete Kershaw, the founder of Kershaw Knives, also worked for Gerber.

Jim

Yes! Like sal Pete is a genius designer and maker as was Al Mar. Along with the late Walter Blackie Collins and Lynn Thompson these men and their partners created the modern Post WW2 Knife industry.