You usually expect knives to come with elegant, long blades that let you slice across a linear edge or serrations – the Gerber Key Note shatters convention with a Tanto blade that’s wider than it’s long. Measuring a mere 1-inch in length, the Key Note’s blade might make you feel short-changed at first, but once you get your hands on it, you realize that size honestly doesn’t matter. The blade’s double-edge design helps you do everything you normally would, while giving you an additional advantage of applying forward or downward pressure while cutting. At the end of the day, a 1-inch blade means the Key Note is just hyper-compact, making it small enough to easily fit on a keychain for carrying around wherever you go.
Designer: Gerber
A unique feature of the blade’s design is its two-part edge. The lower edge is short, but lets you slice with great confidence, while the upper edge is almost perpendicular to the knife’s linear direction. This lets you apply pressure by leaning in while cutting. Whether it’s pressing forward, or holding the knife vertically and pressing downward, this edge gives you the advantage of letting you combine sharp edges with brute force.
Compact and affordable (at just $27) doesn’t necessarily mean cheaply built – the Key Note comes with an aluminum handle, a 5Cr steel blade, finger-flick opening as well as nail opening, and a liner-lock that clicks in place to lock the blade in its open position. After all, you don’t want the blade shutting on you while you use the knife.
The entire knife measures 3.8 inches when open, closing down to under 3 inches when shut. Weighing a mere 90 grams (3.2 ounces) makes the Key Note rather spry and easy to maneuver, and once you’re done, either hook it back to your belt loop using the keychain ring, or better still, slide it into your pocket thanks to the integrated pocket clip.
The Gerber Key Note comes in two colors – a black handle with metal blade, and an anodized bronze-colored handle with a black-coated blade. The latter clearly appeals more to the eye, while the former is perfect for people who love sticking to tradition. The knife’s compact design and unique blade make it perfect for indoor activities like cutting wires, opening boxes, and slicing envelopes. However, the Key Note is just as efficient outside the house, letting you carve/scrape wood or even scrape a flint while starting a fire. It’s small enough to disappear into your pocket when not in use, but comes exceptionally handy just when you need it.
