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Head to head

Gerber Fastball vs Gerber Vital Pocket Folder

Gerber Fastball runs a 3″ wharncliffe blade in CPM-S30V; Gerber Vital Pocket Folder runs 2.9″ 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 · ~0.9″ tall
  • Gerber Vital Pocket Folder · Scalpel
    2.9″ blade · 1.3 oz · ~0.79″ tall
Spine thickness, same scale
0.11″
Length and spine thickness drawn to true scale from published specs. Outline traced from the maker's side-profile photo.
SpecGerberGerber FastballCheck priceGerberGerber Vital Pocket Folder
Blade length3″2.9″
Spine thickness0.11″—
Overall length7.1″6.9″
Closed length4.1″—
Weight2.7 oz1.3 oz
Blade shapeWharncliffeScalpel
SteelCPM-S30VSurgical Stainless
GrindFlat—
LockLinerBack Lock
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.