You could all post the pics for the rest of us to see.
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You could all post the pics for the rest of us to see.
Attachment 8676Attachment 8677 Sorry It took so long to get to you Nighteyes. I was gone over the holidays.
One other thing to note about this Gerver BMF is it has an 8 inch instead of the 9 inch.
nighteyes,
i would like to question your rarest variant bmf knife. yes the middle sawback in picture is the rarest of the sawbacks, but my records (going off memory) spans 2k serial numbers. i also have had 5 non sawback bmf variants which includes the cs (cutlery shoppe). please do not correct my grammar, i missed that day in school. i believe the rarest bmf would be the 8 inch sawback without teeth. unfortunately i can not access my records on my flash drive do to now owning mac's. i will have to see if i could down load a program or try at work. i have many pictures and data base with serial numbers and condition as most of my records are from ebay. Attachment 8713Attachment 8714Attachment 8715Attachment 8716
some pictures of the knives i have minus the cutlery shoppe mark (sold)
nighteyes, it is nice to know im not the only bmf, lmf sicko out there ;)
okay,
backing my memory up with pictures. i have about 350 pictures with serial numbers (bmf and lfm). i used serial numbers for the .jpg identification. here are the 8 inch sawback with rounded edge by the tang. serials span over 2k.
Attachment 8717Attachment 8718 i have many others of this variant in between and my flow chart has more than what i have in pictures. (when i get it open)
wow,
i have seven non sawback variants on record, first will be 3 variations of the 8 inch.
Attachment 8719Attachment 8720Attachment 8721
2 variations of the 9 inch.
Attachment 8722Attachment 8723
2 variations of the first produced 9 inch, cutlery shoppe originally advertised as the predator as seen in the above add from a magazine.
Attachment 8726Attachment 8727
my brother bought his first bmf in 87-88. he sold it to me about 1-2 years later because he needed the money. the running joke was he had to sell his survival knife to survive. i have to guess it was 2002-03 when he told me how much they were selling for on the bay. i listed it and he saw it. well, he seemed bummed about it and i removed it. on the positive, i started collection gerber knives at that point. i could never find and data on the bmf and lmf's like you could on other military style gerbers. so, i started at a time i had more time than money. now i have neither (kids) gotta love em though. so daniel, finding your post lights an old flame. until tonight. i thought i was the only one who thought of doing this.
thanks, and i will return.
by the way, i gave that knife back to my brother for christmas about 5 years ago and he has still has it today. complete and original.
i read in a magazine that the bottom non-sawback knife was made per request and would be or could be collectable at the time of production. i also read that only a couple hundred were made in that variation. other than proto types and the two others with serial numbers you have info on, my belief was that this was the least produced production knife.
Attachment 8737
all my info is from memory or these pictures i could access. i will have to find these magazines to properly quote from them.
daniel,
could you give me the lowest and highest serial number of the knife that you have record of the sawback cut blade without teeth.
thanks,
john
Yes, it does. The way the false edge was cut into the blade told me that. And I picked up the S/N from eBay. Thanks.Quote:
Originally Posted by Oklahoma cowboy
6p4hemi,Quote:
Originally Posted by 6p4hemi
My data (which includes, btw, several pre-production prototypes) strongly suggests differently. Would love to see/examine your data once you regain access to it.
Have now also identified what may be the rarest sheath -- one with the Silver-on-Black logo and ALICE clips. Out of 450 or so examples, have only come across four of 'em. Preliminary data suggests they are "scattered" across the more-or-less simultaneous logo transition (Gold-on-Black to Silver-on-Black), and clip transition (from two ALICE clips to one Bianchi clip).
-- Nighteyes
John,Quote:
Originally Posted by 6p4hemi
Will be happy to comply, once I understand the specifics of your question. "Sawback cut blade without teeth" seems, to me at least, to be a contradiction in terms.
-- N.E.
Folks,
The Sandy Hook Elementary tragedy really got to me, in a way that nothing else has done before. As a result I have been extremely upset/angry, to the point that I have said some things on this Forum that perhaps I should not have said. The technical term is "displaced emotion" -- there being no more suitable target, I dumped them here. Please understand that my problem hasn't anything to do with any of you.
I'm voluntarily withdrawing from these boards - at least for a while.
-- Nighteyes
Hi Nighteyes
Even I live on the other side of the big pond (Denmark), this forum trigged me to join in.
I´ve been collecting knifes and bayonets the last 35 years. Gerber and Anton Wingen Bowies are my favorites.
My BMF has the non sagged blade with serial # 046671, Compass marked: Silva Type 12 Sweden, Diamond stone on the back, sheet with yellow writing. Knife was bought 1993/94 in Norway, to be used as a hunting/outdoor knife.
My LMF has the same type of blade Serial # 044920, sheet with yellow writing. Bought in Denmark 1994/95. If you need more info, just let me know.
Unfortunatly my pictures seems to large (MBit) to fill in here, but if you are interested and have a e-mail address, I can send some.
Have a good one.
Cheers
Mad Max
Daniel, I own 9 BMFs, one of each model, plus a couple of duplicates. However,there was in fact, a SEVENTH, BMF. I own one. It was marketed as the "Predator". It has the 9 inch blade, no saw teeth, and, NO top blade guard, instead, has 1.5 inches of gimping. The serial number on mine is stamped, CS0216. I bought it in the mid-80s from The Cutlery Shoppe, in Boise, Idaho. I heard that the "CS" stood for Cutlery Shoppe, but I have never confirmed that. I hope this bit of info helps, and not add to any confusion. The BMF is a great knife, and a beautiful design. It's too bad Gerber stopped production. Yours truly, Eric.
sometime in the early 80's I bought a BMF from a neighbor who worked in the gerber factory. I told him what I wanted and the next day he brought me a BMF without sawteeth w/sheath. $80.oo (wish I had bought 10 of them now). it has serial # 010819 it has a silver Gerber logo on the sheath. A silva starter compass (sweden) and brown stitching on the top of the sheath. This knife has been used for carving up many elk and deer. I find it a valuable tool in the field and will not part with it. The blade is 7 3/4" from hilt to tip and has developed a light mottle from minor rust (never store in the sheath) I now oil it well with sticky chain lube and wrap it in a heavy MRE bag for storage. hope this helps bugeater
I have an LMF, if anyone is interested...
If you mean you'd like to sell it that's not allowed on the forum until you have a minimum number of posts.
Daniel Nighteyes and Eric the Red,
I own a BMF knife serial number CS0141 and it is as Eric has described. No saw back but about 1.5 inches of gimping, probably for thumb grip while cutting. It has a sheath with no Gerber logo on the front and a stamped Gerber logo on the back.
The overall length is 14 9/16 inches with an 8 7/8 inch blade. I bought it in Taos, NM in the mid to late 1980s.
It is in excellent condition.
AYBABTU
Hi Guys, a newbie here from the UK. I saw this thread and had to register and reply. I have an early BMF Predator, purchased brand new here in the UK in the mid 1980s. The knife has had very little use and is of the same type described by 'Eric the Red' above. Mine has the serial number CS0188. It didn't come with a compass and has no logo on the front of the sheath. It still has the diamond sharpening stone attached to the rear of the sheath. The serial number is very close to Erics too. I hope this information is of interest. Please PM me if you'd like me to send some pictures. All the best.
Greetings. I had one of these, stolen in a burglary.
This information covers a lot of the basics:
cutlerscoveDOTcom/survival-knives/gerber-bmf3.htm
Quote:
Gerber BMF Basic Multi-Function Survival Knife System that is near mint, not sharpened, and is an early model with a shorter blade and different grind than the models that came out during the last years of production. This one is serial number 015320 which means it came out in the first year of production, which was 1986. It was probably made at the end of the first year. It has the chisel tooth saw on the blade spine. It is a beauty and very heavy duty!
Recent addition Gerber BMF
First year of production: Compare this model specs of 13" overall with a 8" modified clip point stainless blade with the specs of the last production model.
Last production model: It was Gerber's largest knife at 14.5 inches overall, 5/32 inch thick, with a 8-3/4 inch modified clip point 440-A stainless at the end of production around 1998. See comparison photos below.
The black Cordura sheath comes complete with a belt loop and leg strap assembly. It has military belt metal hooks (Alice clips) and has a diamond sharpener attached to the back side. It has a pouch for extra storage and comes with a Silva compass made in Sweden. The Alice clips are not removable. This knife was very popular during Desert Storm.
The following is from the Gerber web site:
Brad Parrish began his career working in the Gerber plant in 1974. During the 1980's Brad began making prototype models and progressed to design. His designs include the BMF, LMF, Magnum LST, Magnum Jr., Pro-guide series, The Gator and Gator Mate series, E-Z Out Series, Spectre, Yari and the AR. Brad's work has resulted in multiple design patents. The 1994 Gerber catalog has a color photo of Brad on page 3.
The following is from the information sheet that came with the early knives: Basic Multi-Function Survival Knife System™
Gerber's BMF is the latest generation of survival knives. From its conception, the BMF was carefully researched and engineered to be the best survival knife available today.
This tough, heavy duty survival system is designed to withstand heavy use under the most extreme conditions. The 8-inch blade is ground from tough 1/4 inch thick high carbon surgical stainless steel, with Rockwell hardness of c54-55. We have purposely lowered the hardness several points to increase toughness. The chisel tooth saw is the result of countless experiments until we knew it was "just right". It is designed for aggressive cutting of wood and other materials. The blade and stainless steel guards and but cap are treated with a non-reflective finish. The butt cap is specifically designed to endure heavy pounding, and is firmly attached to the full length blade tang. The most unique feature of the BMF is its revolutionary handle of highly compressed DuPont Hypalon. Hypalon's semi-soft composition cushions the hand during heavy use, and provides a comfortable positive grip. Each BMF is hand-adjusted so that the point of balance is approximately at the front guard, which makes it comfortable to use, even during extended periods of heavy usage.
As much engineering and designed time went into the BMF sheath as the knife itself. Blackie Collins really "did himself proud" on this one. This sheath is made from black, heavy-duty DuPont Cordura and reinforced to provide protection for both the blade and user. Loaded with features, the sheath is specifically designed as a superior alternative to the hollow handle for carrying life sustaining and support accessories. It is compact and without protrusions to snag on brush or other objects in the field. Engineered to be silent, there are no hard surfaces other than rivets. A pocket at the top the sheath holds a quality, liquid-filled, jeweled compass. Permanently attached to the back of the sheath is a fine grain diamond sharpening hone, which is protected by a nylon cover when not in use. A unique accessory strap on the front of the sheath allows a folding knife sheath, survival, or other equipment to be attached. ALICE clips allow the BMF to be attached to standard issue military battle dress and harnesses. The ALICE clips are removable so that the BMF can be worn on a conventional belt. The BMF can be tied down to the leg or lashed to other equipment with nylon cord supplied with each sheath. Dated 6/86.
The BMF was introduced in January 1986 and
discontinued around the end of 1998.
I don't know that the dates are correct. The alloy is. I got one of the Cutlery Shoppe licensed pieces:
michaelzwilliamsonDOTcom/images/gerber_bmf.jpg
Which is an inch longer, has no back quillon, and was $159 in 1987 when I was on active duty.
Mine was SN #250 or so from that production run, which was, IIRC, 1000 blades.
Hello, I bought a Gerber BMF when on leave in the army (British army stationed in Belize)' I bought it somewhere in a mall in Miami, and used it often in the jungle when on patrol etc. The serial number is 021188, the compass is a Silva "starter" graduated in degrees (not mils like I'm used to). Unfortunately the sheath fell to bits after a few years. When I am able, I will try and get some photos on here for you.
Thanks to the internet, I found a replacement. Ironically from the person whose photo I used as a sample. Seems he had two.
Hi Daniel,
Just got my first BMF today and am about to purchase a second. Your pics of the 6 types of BMF's is no longer visible so I can't see which one you were referring to as being the most scarce. Please let me know as I became an instant fan of this blade when I received my first one!
MKCMUSTANG
Had another question....How rare are the OD green LMF's? I've seen an LMF 1 with an OD green handle and sheath for sale recently. It's identical to the black version and has no saw teeth.
Daniel hasn't logged on in almost a year.
And a pity that is too, as I am a BMF fan with an unused one in fresh out of the box condition, and currently negotiating purchasing a second. I was hoping this thread might be the ultimate BMF reference.Quote:
Originally Posted by Rick
Here are the only photos I have right now of my BMF amongst a few other blades:
Buck Woodsman, Wilkinson Sword Hunter, Gerber BMF, SOG Northwest Hunter, Wilkinson Sword Utility
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...1-P1030456.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...2-P1030467.jpg
Mine badly wants to rust. I bead blasted it clean, and keep it oiled and out of the sheath
So I have read. It seems many of these want to rust. I have kept mine in its sheath since day one. Every now and then it gets a wipe with a silicone cloth and not even the merest hint of trying to rust.Quote:
Originally Posted by MichaelZWilliamson
My girl friend has a BMF that is from Cutterly Shoppe, the 9" blade version with the gimping, believe that's what it was called here, on it. Serial N0, CS0428. The sheath also does not have the Gerber logo on the front and has no compass with it.
Interesting and informative thread.
Hello, just read your post, I own a BMF from 1990's in excellent condition. #034741. I bought it somewhere in the Boston area.
Well boys....Welcome......But the OP hasn't been around for over a year.
There is an Intro section if y'all want to jump in....still seems to be some interest in this thread over the years....
http://www.wilderness-survival.net/f...-Introductions
Nope..I only have a small mini Gerber folding knife which I have misplaced somewhere . It costs about US$10 and the Bear Grylls Gerber paracord knife which was made in China which came with a 3' feet length paracord although it stated 45"...That's about all the Gerber knife I can take,.Stop with Gerber immediately after that.
I have a BMF I got it new in the late 80's or early 90's and have used it all these years and it's still a great knife. Serial number is 026304 and the compass is a Silva type 12 Sweden. Hope this helps you outAttachment 10405Attachment 10406Attachment 10407Attachment 10408Attachment 10409
Quote:
Originally Posted by hunter63
I'm gonna repeat the intro invitation..........Quote:
Originally Posted by defense1
Nighteyes, This is Larry427 in CO. I still have 6-7 of the original Gerber LMF's and I will get pic and info for you. Larry
Doesn't anyone read posts? Daniel hasn't been around for over a year.
Rick, Daniel has replied to every post in this thread...
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y13...ps8e40505b.jpg
The last time he logged on was August 22, 2014. Before that it was in 2013. If folks post something to him expecting a reply then they will have a long wait.