# Gerber Brush Thinner



## stillman (Jul 17, 2009)

When I was a teenager I worked for a land surveyor. Working for him I cut many miles of trails through the woods with both a machete and a bush axe.

I always preferred the bush axe (bush hook) over the machete because of the hook is like a multiplier when you're cutting vines and such. They roll off the end of the machete but that hook holds onto them until they are cut. The bush axe also has much more leverage but that leverage brings up the weakness of the axe, the handle is long and heavy.

The machete has it's strong points, too. It cuts fairly well, isn't as dangerous since it's only sharp on one side, and you can put it in a sheath. It's also smaller, lighter, and easier to control when you swing it.


The Gerber Brush Thinner is the best of both tools. It is a hook, it's light (only 14.3 oz) and it comes with a sheath. (There is also a Fiskars branded model that costs a little less but has no sheath.) The padded sheath has a hard plastic insert, closes with a zipper, and has a velcro retention strap inside.

It's basically half blade and half handle. The plastic, axe-style, handle is hollow and light but feels sturdy enough to last. Gerber also makes this with a "Gator" handle but I thought the rubber wouldn't hold up so I ordered the regular. I've never seen the Gator model first hand so this is just a supposition on my part.

The blade is very sturdy, thick for a machete, and teflon coated. It came fairly sharp. Unlike a bush axe, only the inside of the blade is sharpened. This takes away a cutting edge that is useful for cutting down trees but gives you two important things in return. One, it is far less dangerous. I'll be using this around my family, not a bunch of guys on a surveyor's crew. Two, you can use a baton with it to split firewood. (If you don't know about batoning through firewood, search it on youtube. You'll find more video of guys splitting firewood than you could stand to watch.)

It won't split the 8" hickory logs on your home firewood pile but it will split pretty much anything you can cut to length with it. I tested it with some 3" wood I cut with it today. My 7 year old daughter came outside while I was working and I asked if she wanted to split a few. I held the handle and put some downward pressure on it while she hit the back of the blade with with a 2' length of 2" round firewood and split several logs.

My primary use will be for backpack camping and it seems like the perfect tool to replace a hatchet and gain some other utility.


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## Cornelia_Hiker (Jul 17, 2009)

Wow that looks good. Will have to get me one....I can use that!

Here's a pic from Cabela's

http://www.cabelas.com/link-12/product/0039823517381a.shtml


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## squirreldoghunter (Jul 17, 2009)

I've always used the Tramontina machetes (with the wood handle and thick blade) and thought I had the best thing going. Then a friend let me use his Gerber last week to clear some trails and I couldn't believe the difference. Much easier to cut with. I need to go buy one. Thanks for the link.


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## Auchumpkee Creek Assassin (Jul 19, 2009)

i have the COLD STEEL model  with the short black handle, it is a brush cutting machine ( looks like a brush axe with a short handle)


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## 00Beau (Jul 19, 2009)

Bought one last year, it is great and easier to pack than a machette.


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## Cornelia_Hiker (Jul 19, 2009)

I scored a used one on ebay yesterday for $1.94    Pays to keep yer eyes open for a deal.


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## Cornelia_Hiker (Jul 24, 2009)

Holy crap....so I get my used $1.94 mayhem stick in today. It did have a couple of nicks in the blade as advertised but otherwise was excellent and already sharp. I touched up the nicks a little bit with a file and put a finishing touch on the rest with my whiz-bang sharpener. Man this thing has an awesome feel and so sharp it sliced right through a piece of paper with ease.

Took it out back and did some whacking. Shaved the ivy growing up a tree like a hot knife through butter. Super balance and feel. Neat zippered carry pouch goes on belt.

Very high recommendation on this all purpose bush whacker. Will never carry a full length machete again.

This thing is the BOMB 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





Thanks Stillman !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## Slug-Gunner (Aug 4, 2009)

*Cure for "Slick Handle" Condition....*

Well, I purchased a Gerber "Brush Thinner" from Cabela's for around $44, but later saw it on Amazon.com for around $38. (click here)

I had read the 'reviews' on Amazon.com and many have complained about the "Slick Handle" condition which can make the 'Brush Thinner' slip from your grip if you get 'hot & sweaty' hands while working (if not wearing gloves of some sort). I recommend anyone considering the Gerber "Brush Thinner" to read all of the reviews at both Cabela's and Amazon.com web sites.

I read of several who had wrapped their handle with rope/para-cord or leather lace material to help improve their grip. I went to the WalMart sporting goods section and looked around for something like 'wrap' for tennis racket handles and found a roll of Franklin's "Bat Tape" (black - 1" x 10 yds) for about $2. I made THREE wraps up and down the handle, overlapping each individual wrap a little less than 1/2 the previous wrap. This created a small 'depression' area on successive wraps, which improves the 'grip' when finished. THREE COMPLETE up-and-down wraps gives a 'textured feel' to the finished wrapping and has a slightly 'cushioned feel' to it. I used a couple drops of 'Super Glue' to secure the 'tag end' of the last wrap so it wouldn't lift up later. 

Another 'improvement' I made was to take a short length or rope/para-cord and put each end through the hole on each side of the handle end, from the outside to inside, and tied the ends together inside the handle area. The loop formed on the outside should be just long enough to fit snugly over your wrist. This then gives EXTRA INSURANCE if your hand should slip from the grip (if not wrapped/taped). It also allows you to let the "brush thinner" to hang from your wrist if you should need to use both hands temporarily.... without the need to put the "brush thinner" down.

I recommend this 'Bat Tape' wrap for the Gerber "Brush Thinner" to all who own one.

Hope this helps users.


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## Cornelia_Hiker (Aug 4, 2009)

Thanks for the tip....I'll try that with mine


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## FX Jenkins (Aug 4, 2009)

Slug-Gunner said:


> Well, I purchased a Gerber "Brush Thinner" from Cabela's for around $44, but later saw it on Amazon.com for around $38. (click here)
> 
> I had read the 'reviews' on Amazon.com and many have complained about the "Slick Handle" condition which can make the 'Brush Thinner' slip from your grip if you get 'hot & sweaty' hands while working (if not wearing gloves of some sort). I recommend anyone considering the Gerber "Brush Thinner" to read all of the reviews at both Cabela's and Amazon.com web sites.
> 
> ...



good report..I may try that with my Gerber camp axe...


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