Gerber Center Drive Club

[AimlessWanderer]

I've used my CD a lot lately to give it a really good working over to see how it handles it. After a shaky start with QC issues on the pliers, I am very happy with how robust it is.

I use the pry bar/nail puller for the first time on Saturday and really made it work hard. So hard that I braced myself for it to break but it didn't. Now I know it can take that sort of use, I can use it with confidence. Gerber carbide cutters still suck though, they chip way to easily.

The pry tool can actually do proper pry tool work? Now there's a surprise Kev.  I saw your thread on wanting a Gerber Phillips, and the first thing I thought was "he's killed his pry tool"

Good to know I was unlucky and its not a problem with all pry tools.

Yours was more what I expected actually, Beat

[Kev D]

I've used my CD a lot lately to give it a really good working over to see how it handles it. After a shaky start with QC issues on the pliers, I am very happy with how robust it is.

I use the pry bar/nail puller for the first time on Saturday and really made it work hard. So hard that I braced myself for it to break but it didn't. Now I know it can take that sort of use, I can use it with confidence. Gerber carbide cutters still suck though, they chip way to easily.

The pry tool can actually do proper pry tool work? Now there's a surprise Kev.  I saw your thread on wanting a Gerber Phillips, and the first thing I thought was "he's killed his pry tool"

Yep it can actually do proper pry tool work. The philips is for the multiplier I just got, it's a bit chewed up so want to replace it. The CD has a few use scratches and a chipped cutter in the pliers but is otherwise all great so far.

[Kev D]

I've used my CD a lot lately to give it a really good working over to see how it handles it. After a shaky start with QC issues on the pliers, I am very happy with how robust it is.

I use the pry bar/nail puller for the first time on Saturday and really made it work hard. So hard that I braced myself for it to break but it didn't. Now I know it can take that sort of use, I can use it with confidence. Gerber carbide cutters still suck though, they chip way to easily.

The pry tool can actually do proper pry tool work? Now there's a surprise Kev.  I saw your thread on wanting a Gerber Phillips, and the first thing I thought was "he's killed his pry tool"

Good to know I was unlucky and its not a problem with all pry tools.

Have you broken yours?

[AimlessWanderer]

I've used my CD a lot lately to give it a really good working over to see how it handles it. After a shaky start with QC issues on the pliers, I am very happy with how robust it is.

I use the pry bar/nail puller for the first time on Saturday and really made it work hard. So hard that I braced myself for it to break but it didn't. Now I know it can take that sort of use, I can use it with confidence. Gerber carbide cutters still suck though, they chip way to easily.

The pry tool can actually do proper pry tool work? Now there's a surprise Kev.  I saw your thread on wanting a Gerber Phillips, and the first thing I thought was "he's killed his pry tool"

Good to know I was unlucky and its not a problem with all pry tools.

Have you broken yours?

He chipped it trying to pry a brass upholstery nail (or something like that)

[Don Pablo]

I've used my CD a lot lately to give it a really good working over to see how it handles it. After a shaky start with QC issues on the pliers, I am very happy with how robust it is.

I use the pry bar/nail puller for the first time on Saturday and really made it work hard. So hard that I braced myself for it to break but it didn't. Now I know it can take that sort of use, I can use it with confidence. Gerber carbide cutters still suck though, they chip way to easily.

The pry tool can actually do proper pry tool work? Now there's a surprise Kev.  I saw your thread on wanting a Gerber Phillips, and the first thing I thought was "he's killed his pry tool"

Good to know I was unlucky and its not a problem with all pry tools.

Have you broken yours?

He chipped it trying to pry a brass upholstery nail (or something like that)

Yup. A brass nail. 

[Etherealicer]

I've used my CD a lot lately to give it a really good working over to see how it handles it. After a shaky start with QC issues on the pliers, I am very happy with how robust it is.

I use the pry bar/nail puller for the first time on Saturday and really made it work hard. So hard that I braced myself for it to break but it didn't. Now I know it can take that sort of use, I can use it with confidence. Gerber carbide cutters still suck though, they chip way to easily.

The pry tool can actually do proper pry tool work? Now there's a surprise Kev.  I saw your thread on wanting a Gerber Phillips, and the first thing I thought was "he's killed his pry tool"

Good to know I was unlucky and its not a problem with all pry tools.

Have you broken yours?

He chipped it trying to pry a brass upholstery nail (or something like that)

Yup. A brass nail. 

Not to mention that I don't like using a plastic part as pivot for prying...

Here is my thread for reference, shame that I broke that wooden spatula...

[Kev D]

I had a lot more meat of mine under what I prying. I'll test to see if the end of mine is that brittle

[Etherealicer]

I had a lot more meat of mine under what I prying. I'll test to see if the end of mine is that brittle

Hope yours doesn't break.

[WiseDuck]

So I received a Gerber Center Drive today and... I had to immediately call up the place I got it from to ask for a replacement. I'm sending this back tomorrow. They're shipping me a new one right away. Outnorth's customer service is outstanding!

So what was the problem? First off, the pliers were ever so slightly misaligned. The tips were a little off. Second, the bit holder had a bit of flash left on it. You can see a clear cut line near the tip of the bit holder where they had not  cut off the excess material from the production.  We're  talking like 0.5cm of material left on past this point.

And third, worst of all... The bit holder had a substantial crack in it lengthwise, about 0.6cm long from the tip of the bit holder.  You could even see light through this crack. So it's not a question of IF it'll fail, but WHEN the entire bit holder will crack in half. Gerber QC fail. I'll post a picture later today. Here's hoping I get a good one the second time. My MP600 bluntnose has been flawless from the first day and is a beast.

[Kev D]

Sorry to hear of your woes, hopefully it gets sorted quickly for you.

I had the same problem with my pliers https://forum.multitool.org/index.php/topic,71930.msg1480239.html#msg1480239

[WiseDuck]

Actually, when I look at the pliers again, they appear to be acceptable. They're NOWHERE near as bad as yours. This, however, is unacceptable and would've led to a premature failure of the bit holder. And with a bit inside, I can visibly widen the crack ever so slightly by pushing the bit sideways. Also, what's up with all that material past the cut line? It does not look like this in the official pictures.

[WiseDuck]

Another.

[Kev D]

I've got 2 CD's and both of them are cut like that, so I think that's normal.
The crack definitely isn't though. That needs exchanging for a new one.

[gregpost]

This thread does not inspire confidence in the product.

[Kev D]

This thread does not inspire confidence in the product.

This isn't the first new tool out there that has been like this, and I'm sure it won't be the last. Every manufacturer has and will do it at some point. Although it's more than a little annoying to us the consumers, how they deal with their lack of QA tells a lot about the company.  I sent mine back to Gerber with the plier issue and it was replaced. SO they have had crap QC at the moment but have a great warranty department (even though they can't spell United Kingdom correctly on their warranty page).

[Kev D]

Another.

Yep mines the same. The battered looking part of the sloped bit has been caused by me using and abusing it at work.

2017-11-16_08-01-23 by Kevin Davey, on Flickr

[WiseDuck]

Yeah, Gerber likes to say that any product in the US is "proudly made" there on the package. If you're so proud of the product, then at least try to make sure no bad products get through QC. Tell the quality control people to slow down a little so they can spot these obvious flaws. That crack was even visible through the blister packaging, but I had to open it to make sure. In hindsight, I should've just refused the package and returned the product right away. Thankfully, I only had to wait a day for a replacement. I'll report back later today after I've received the replacement Center Drive.

Overall, the CD has received glowing reviews across the web. Especially on Youtube where I would say that about 90% of the big review channels love it. But time will tell how well it'll hold up. My initial impression is that it might have two weak spots; the screw and large discs that hold the knife and bit holder in place. How well can these resist a twisting motion? I don't know. I've seen pics of sheared off screws. On my MP600, the center axle that all tools sit on go through the frame of the tool, so they are all supported on both sides, then the screws go into this axle. So any twisting forces will go through the frame of the knife and not the screw on the side. Will the bit holder itself hold up over time? It's a cast piece and the walls that surround the bit itself seem to be somewhat thin, with two large holes on either side of the bit for some reason. (Is this to make the installation of the magnet easier? Can't they just put a bead of glue down there from the top and then shove the magnet down there?)

I'm not saying this is a very common thing, but I think that it could be a weak spot. Anyone else agree?

Don't get me wrong, I do like Gerber and own a good chunk of their products, but I will happily criticize any company out there, whose products I own. Even Victorinox, even they can have spotty QC, though it's far less common. My "Walker" models saw actually got stuck on the frame whenever I tried to close it. I had to bend the saw the other way to get it to close reliably without the teeth digging into the frame. So the soft aluminium frame actually got pretty dinged up in one spot after that.

[Barry Rowland]

I hit it lucky with my Center Drive, and I"ve had a Gator for years, but my son picked up a Gator machete and it was really smurfed up steel wise.  He also wound up returning his original CD and having another sent to him, this time with better luck.  I love their tools, but QC appears to be a HUGE issue and the metallurgy issues strike me as strange for a company that's been in the business for as long as they have.  That being said, I love my CD!  I'm in the Challenge and have really grown to appreciate this beast.  I will say one thing: Gerber warranty service is top notch.

[Barry Rowland]

A pic from the CD challenge.  Really liking this tool! 

[WiseDuck]

I'm happy to report that my second CD is pretty much perfect! Perfectly aligned pliers, no cracks in the bit holder, the knife is better finished and so on. Yay! Pictures will be posted later today after work.

[Kev D]

I'm happy to report that my second CD is pretty much perfect! Perfectly aligned pliers, no cracks in the bit holder, the knife is better finished and so on. Yay! Pictures will be posted later today after work.

Nice one 

Glad you got it sorted out quickly

[Barry Rowland]

Outstanding!!!

[WiseDuck]

Just two small pics. Everything is a bit stiff of course, but it'll loosen up in time, just like my MP600 did. I will apply a bit of oil to all the joints anyway, to speed up the process a bit.

[Barry Rowland]

That's more like it Wise Duck!  You'll love it!

[Mavericky11]

I just bought one on Amazon for $51! Btw it's also on sale right now for  $59.

Sent from my SM-G935P using Tapatalk

[Barry Rowland]

   That's a phenomenal price!!

[Kev D]

After carrying it daily for the last 30 days for the challenge I automatically picked mine up this morning

[Barry Rowland]

Me too!!

[Kev D]

Glad it's not just me

[ThePeacent]

Glad it's not just me

good indicator that it is a good tool