Gerber Silver Trident

The Silver Trident is a 10.75-inch blackened stainless knife that tips the scales at just over 11 ounces. This is not a "hang it from your daily wear duty belt beat cop" kind of knife.

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Gerber Legendary Blades has joined forces with well-known custom knife maker William Harsey Jr. and highly decorated Navy SEAL James "Patches" Watson to create the Silver Trident, a fixed-blade knife named for a badge worn by fully qualified SEALS.

The Silver Trident is a 10.75-inch blackened stainless knife that tips the scales at just over 11 ounces. This is not a hang it from your daily wear duty belt beat cop kind of knife. But if you are an SRT operator, a SAR diver, or other type of special duty cop, then this knife may fit in with your gear.

For a knife to survive heavy use, it must be built tough. And the Silver Trident is. It has a full tang, and the blade and the handle are one solid piece of steel. Many knives use a two-part handle and blade, and this is the point that knives will break or shear when used to pry or when heavy torque is applied during cutting or stabbing.  Either way you have a useless tool or an injured operator. Remember, Murphy's Laws of Combat always apply.

Since this is a combat knife, it has a firm and comfortable grip. The Silver Trident's grip is crafted from Hytrel, a versatile polymer that can be formulated for different levels of hardness, flexibility, and chemical resistance. Two different versions of Hytrel are used to create the Silver Trident's grip. The inner layer is a hard, durable material, that forms the hand guard of the knife. The outer portion of the grip is composed of a softer formula Hytrel and textured for a solid grip that cushions the hand from vibrations.

Since this is a heavy-use tool, the Silver Trident has a solid steel pommel that can be used to effectively break a window; be it a vehicle, home window, or other glass aperture. This is a great feature for SAR applications, especially if you are dealing with a submerged vehicle.

The Silver Trident's blade is double-edged stainless steel with a chisel point. It's an effective combat weapon.

But features on the blade are also suited to police operations. It is available with single -side standard serrations, which work well on harness and seatbelt webbing. It is also available with chisel point serrations on the opposite edge of the standard serrations.  This style of serrations will cut wood and small strand stainless wire that a rescue diver might encounter when doing SAR. For SWAT operators, the blade is blackened to prevent glare that can give away an officer's position.

Because it is a fixed-blade knife, the Silver Trident requires a sheath. I like Blackhawk Industries' Airborne Deluxe Sheath. It has a kydex insert with an additional catch for security should the snap closure be left open, and it allows the operator a variety of options for securing the knife to web gear, a dive belt, a raid vest, etc.. The Airborne Deluxe Sheath also has a snap front pocket that will handle a small flashlight, a Gerber Multiplier, sharpening stone, or other small gear.

The Silver Trident knife has all the features that a SWAT, SAR officer, or other special operator will need.

Gerber Legendary Blades
Silver Trident

Blade Length: 6.125 inches
Overall Length: 11.125 inches
Weight: 11 ounces
Blade Material: 154 CM stainless steel at 57-9RC
Handle Material: Hytrel
Price: $340
www.gerberblades.com

Scott Smith is a former military policeman and U.S. Army Ranger.

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Scott Smith Bio Headshot
Retired Army MP
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