Since our establishment in 1939, we have built a strong and lasting connection with our customers. Over the past 85 years, we have received numerous letters of appreciation, stories, and requests from our customers. Some of our knives, such as the Shorty, our first hunting blade, were created because of requests from one of our customers.
For many Gerber fans, our knives have been with them through the best and worst moments of their lives. We’ve been their first hunting and fishing knives and have been an important part of their gear when they enlisted. We are proud of the products we make and the role they have played in people’s lives.
As part of our 85th Anniversary, we will be sharing some of the legendary letters and stories that have been sent to us. We have received stories from US Presidents, adventurers, and active-duty soldiers, among others. Have a legendary Gerber story? We encourage you to share yours on Instagram or Facebook and tag us in your posts or share through direct messages.
To protect our customer’s privacy, we have removed any names or personal information from the letters and quotes.
DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER
One of our most famous and prized possessions around the office is the letter we received from the White House in 1955.
While on a trip to Denver, Colorado, President Eisenhower suffered from a massive heart attack and was hospitalized; it was a major news event that took over the papers. And while the president recovered, many people sent in best wishes and gifts, including Joe Gerber.
Gerber gifted President Eisenhower a set of legendary kitchen knives to wish the president well in his recovery. A month later, this letter arrived in Portland.
“Dear Mr. Gerber:
The set of Legendary Blades was delivered to the hospital over the weekend. I assure you that Mrs. Eisenhower and I are both quite overwhelmed by your generosity and completely delighted with the knives. We are having them sent to Gettysburg.
Best Wishes, Dwight D. Eisenhower.”
While relatively unknown in US History, it’s an amazing story to have our company be a part of. The letter is still framed and hangs up in the Gerber offices to this day.
LETTERS FROM OUR SERVICE MEN AND WOMEN
Gerber has a long and storied history with the US military. We’ve provided standard-issue knives and multi-tools for decades now. If you or a loved one served in the Army, you most likely had a Gerber issued to you.
Over the years, we’ve received stacks of letters from people who have served or are currently serving in the military. It’s impossible to share them all, but we’ve pulled together some notable ones.
Some tell a whole story with just a few words.
“To whom it may concern, this knife saved my life on October 27th, 2011, at FOB Shoja, Afghanistan. Thanks, Gerber. ”
Many tell of amazing moments like this.
“I am a flight medic in Afghanistan … and I used my Gerber to pull pilots out of a helicopter wreck. I’m not kidding; I literally used my Gerber tool to cut all the wiring and aluminum off one of the trapped pilots. Right when we got the last pilot out was when rescue gear arrived, but we didn’t need it because my Gerber did all the work.”
Others tell the story of the day-to-day work they did with their Gerber in hand.
“I wanted to let you know how grateful I am for your products. I am out in the middle of nowhere, under the darkness of night, I use your products on a daily basis. My job pushes these tools, and yet they always pull through. I never leave the base without a Gerber.”
As a company, we’re proud to have been a crucial part of many servicemen and women serving our country. The history of Gerber and our appreciation for the US Military is a story worth telling. One we’ll tell someday soon as a part of our 85th Anniversary.
STORIES FROM THE WILD.
Our customers have never been shy about sharing their love of Gerber. Our knives and tools have been on quite a few adventures over the years, and we’re always happy to hear these amazing stories.
From long-time customers
“To whom it may concern,
I love my Gerber knives. I am 75 years old, and I’ve had my Gerbers since I was a kid back in Colorado. My dad helped me pick them out, so they are very important to me. I have the Mini Magnum, the Shorty, the Flayer, and the Muskie.” “That knife filleted a lot of fish, and my others have skinned a lot of deer and elk.”
To tales of reliability
“Fifty years ago, I bought a Gerber Sportsman; at least, I think that’s what it was named. It was the most expensive knife I had ever purchased, and measured against my pay rate at the time, it might still be. I had worked on a farm for $15 per day that year prior to going to college. I had to put it on layaway. I have cut everything imaginable with it, from wire to drywall, and I have even used it to cut out slivers when I got them.
Someday, I’ll get a new knife and retire this one, and I really like the looks of your Fastball. But for now, I’d like to get my old knife fixed if possible. After 50 years, it fits my hand and my jeans.”
And this wild account from the depths of the sea.
“For over 30 years, I have been carrying one of your knife styles; about 18 years ago, I bought a dozen of them as it seems every few years I would misplace one. I am unsure of the model number; however, I have attached photos of the one that is a treasured keepsake due to it being lost overboard in the Irish Sea about 10 years ago while working on a National Geographic TV movie on the Lusitania that was sunk in 1915 by a submarine during WW-1. A diver who was working on the project noticed the shiny sterling silver clip I had installed on the knife and, picked it up off the wreck in 300 feet of water and brought it back to the ship. About the luckiest find ever.”
TELL US YOUR TALE
These stories are just a few of the countless stories we’ve heard over the years–and we hope to hear more. Please help celebrate our 85th Anniversary and tell us your Gerber story. Share yours on Instagram or Facebook and tag us in your posts, or share through direct message.
