Gerber Legendary Blades Recalls Combo Axe Due to Laceration Hazard

News provided by

U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission

Mar 23, 2011, 10:30 ET

WASHINGTON, March 23, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed. It is illegal to resell or attempt to resell a recalled consumer product.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20030904/USCSCLOGO)

Name of product: Gerber® Gator® Combo Axe.

Units: About 103,000.

Importer: Gerber Legendary Blades, of Portland, Ore., a division of Fiskars Brands Inc., of Madison, Wis.

Hazard: The knife in the axe handle can come out when the axe is used for chopping or hammering, posing a laceration hazard to the user.

Incidents/Injuries: Gerber has received five reports of laceration injuries. All required stitches.

Description: This recall involves the Gerber Gator Combo Axe, which has a 7-inch knife in the hollow axe handle. The axe is approximately 8.75 inches long with an axe head that is 4.75 inches x 2.7 inches. The axe handle is marked with the "Gerber" trademark. The Gerber Combo Axe II, which holds a saw in a longer axe handle, is not included in this recall.

Sold at: Retail stores nationwide, including The Sportsman's Guide, Dick's Sporting Goods and Bass Pro Shops/American Rod & Gun and online since March 2005 for around $28 - $60.

Manufactured in: Taiwan.

Remedy: Consumers should immediately remove the knife from the axe handle and contact Gerber to receive a free handle cap, which will hold the knife in the axe handle during transport and storage, instructions for the use of the handle cap, and a warning label to affix on the axe head.

Consumer Contact: For more information, contact Gerber Legendary Blades toll-free at (877) 314-9130 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. PT, Monday through Friday, or visit the firm's website at www.gerbergear.com.

Photos available at: http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml11/11182.html.

CPSC is still interested in receiving incident or injury reports that are either directly related to this product recall or involve a different hazard with the same product. Please tell us about it by visiting https://www.cpsc.gov/cgibin/incident.aspx.