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Head to head

Gerber Fastball vs Gerber Vital Pocket Folder

Gerber Fastball runs a 3wharncliffe blade in CPM-S30V; Gerber Vital Pocket Folder runs 2.8″ of scalpel in Surgical Stainless. The Gerber Vital Pocket Folder is the lighter of the two by 1.40 oz.

01234567 in
  • Gerber Fastball · Wharncliffe
    3″ blade · 0.11″ spine · 2.7 oz · ~0.73″ tall (derived)
  • Gerber Vital Pocket Folder · Scalpel
    2.8″ blade · 1.3 oz · ~0.5″ tall (derived)
Spine thickness, same scale
0.11
Length and spine thickness drawn to true scale from published specs. Profile is the shape family's outline, not a scan of this model.
SpecGerberGerber FastballGerberGerber Vital Pocket Folder
Blade length3″2.8″
Spine thickness0.11″
Overall length7.1″6.9″
Closed length4.1″
Weight2.7 oz1.3 oz
Blade shapeWharncliffeScalpel
SteelCPM-S30VSurgical Stainless
GrindFlat
LockLinerLiner
Handle materialAluminumGlass-Filled Nylon
Country of originUSA
Price bandMidBudget

Tinted rows are where these two differ.

The steel difference

CPM-S30V

The long-time American benchmark. Holds an edge far longer than 420HC and still sharpens on ordinary stones. Chippy if you pry with it.

Surgical Stainless

The scalpel-blade stock in Havalon, Gerber Vital and Tyto blades. Ground thin enough to be startlingly sharp and brittle enough to snap if twisted.