[1][2] This design feature led to a significant number of knives being returned by users for having a "bent blade", so Gerber discontinued that element on subsequent production runs. Praesidus brings homage to the military watch tradition. Gerber began adding sawtooth serrations near the hilt and marketing the Gerber MK II as a survival knife rather than a fighting knife, and the PX resumed sales. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. The Mark II was successful due largely to its well-designed blade and lightweight. It comes with a limited lifetime warranty in North America and a 25- year limited warranty outside of North America. With robust designs and vintage classic style, discover the heritage of military timepieces today! The general rule of thumb was that a six- to seven-inch blade was optimum. The Gerber Mark II Is One Of The Most Famous Combat Knives Ever Issued To The American Military. It comes with a limited lifetime warranty. The Gerber MK-II is said to have been designed around a drawing sent to the company by Army Captain C.A. Designed for maximum versatility, the sheath features a multi-mount system with belt loops, nylon webbing leg strap with side-release buckle and is MOLLE/PALS compatible. Al Mar, who was working for Gerber at the time, added two inches of scalloped saw-tooth double serrations toward the hilt. March 28, 2021 in EDGED WEAPONS. Also have the MK I as an excellent boot knife. Particularly, the Mark II became a favorite with the MACV SOG teams that were the premier special operations unit in Vietnam. Member; 174 Location: Eugene OR. Date or production tables relate Gerber Mark II serial numbers to the years they were manufactured. The all-metal grip is made of aluminum. The Gerber Mark II is a fighting knife manufactured by Gerber Legendary Blades from 1967 to 2000, with an additional limited run of 1500 in 2002, and full production resuming as of July 2008. . Oldpocketknives.com is an online resource for collectors of vintage pocket knives. View on . Great condition. Commercial knife makers like 420HC. And its just as effective today at taking care of business as it was on the day it was introduced. The Gerber Mark II is a fighting knife manufactured by Gerber Legendary Blades from 1966 to 2000, with an additional limited run of 1500 in 2002,[1] and full production resuming as of July 2008. THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING VETERAN JOURNALISM - JOIN SOFREP+ THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING VETERAN JOURNALISM - JOIN SOFREP+ , The all-metal grip is made of aluminum. eBay. In the numerous hot little wars, American and European fighting men rented themselves out to numerous governments. If you examine the photo closely, you can see the sharpening steel on the knife sheath face. Hit Man: A Technical Manual for Independent Contractors, List of individual weapons of the U.S. Armed Forces, Details on the Mark, Command, and Guardian series of Gerber knives, Images of the Gerber Mark II 20th Anniversary Edition prototype, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Gerber_Mark_II&oldid=1152588055, The Mark II gained additional fame when it was used by, The black coated blade model of the Mark II was used during the mess hall knife play scene in the science fiction film, This page was last edited on 1 May 2023, at 03:59. Other handle features are an angled-forward double guard and a tapered pommel with lanyard hole. The other side says "F*** Communism" so I look forward to your comments. It could penetrate the torso of a bad guy and be long enough to reach something vital from any angle. It is unknown whether the Mark II was possibly lost in the field and later found by enemy solders, or if the U.S. SF soldier was killed by some of the same NVA who died in the October 1968 Central Highlands ambush. Keep Reading. The sheath has been modified by cutting off the sheath back above the throat and adding webbing to the sheath back forming a belt loop. This 40 year-old jewel features a black oxide coated 420 HC double serrated blade and die cast aluminum handle. Vietnam era vintage Jacques Garcia survival combat knife . The Gerber MK II has constantly been featured in movies and series. Well, they are at least the most fascinating knives one can get their hands on. The Gerber MK-II is said to have been designed around a drawing sent to the company by Army Captain C.A. It is incredibly durable and very well made. It seemed like at least half of those pigeon holes had a long, narrow box in them shipped from a knife company in Portland, Oregon, called Gerber Legendary Blades. Of course, each contained what was a unique concept for the time: a purpose built, commercial fighting knife, the Gerber MK-II Combat. However there are several serial range differences that I could not resolve. Nine major and several minor tables/lists exist. Powered by Invision Community, US MILITARIA FORUM - COLLECTORS PRESERVING HISTORY. Its fully jumpable. Note the Gerber Mark II worn in an inverted carry, fastened to web gear on his left side. GERBER MARK II SITE AUTHORS I served in the U.S. Navy from 1959-1963 but saw no service in Vietnam. The Mark I had a 4.75 inch (12cm) blade and was marketed as a boot knife.[6]. Note the Gerber Mark II worn on a belt on the right hip. RecPak is a meal replacement for the outdoors that saves you weight, space and time in the most challenging environments, just add water. The Mark II is a true classic that belongs in every knife collection. Id like your opinion on something. Production Number Explanation Mark II serial numbers were all numeric from 1966 through 1981 and a simple subtraction plus 1 gives the total knives made in a year. The handle on the 2008 version is a one-piece solid A380 aluminum alloy casting that includes the guard, grip and pommel in a single piece. The Gerber Mark II was the iconic combat knife of the Vietnam War, much as the Fairbairn-Sykes (F-S) Fighting Knife (British Commando Knife), was the iconic combat knife of World War II. These include changes in blade steel, blade profile, blade serration, handle material and color. / 226.796 g Blade Steel: 420HC Stainless Steel Blade Length: 6.5 in. The Mark II has a 6.5-inch blade. This isnt the best steel, and I wouldnt take it to war. Commercial knife makers like 420HC. by Wayne Goddard In 2019 Vortex Optics released the Razor HD 4000 rangefinder with 4,000-yard reach (below). 4d 2h left (Sun, 05:10 PM) or Best Offer +$8.00 shipping Sponsored Gerber Mk2 Mark 2 MkII Mark II Stiletto Neck Knife RETENTION Sheath Only Brand New $40.00 lloy_howa (1,088) 98.5% Buy It Now +$5.55 shipping Sponsored Fortunately for collectors, all Mark II knives, except the yellow-handled dive knives, are individually serial numbered, which makes dating easy. The blade is now made from a 420HC high carbon stainless steel. It is curious to note that the Mark 1 Gerber was not designed until 1976, that is after the Vietnam War was over and a full ten years after the Mark II was produced. These serial numbers consist of a single leading letter followed by digits from 0000 to 9999 followed by an "S" or "T". It is made in the USA. Here's my Vietnam era Mark II. Like the Desert Eagle, the appearance of the knife makes it a natural star. As Bearmon points out, this isn't even a MKII. The page isn't dated but from the article about the Manila Mayor, I'm pretty sure it was the Dec. 21, 1966 issue. In his book "Six Silent Men - 101st LRP/Rangers - Book 3", Gary A. Linderer mentions the MACV Recondo School at Nha Trang, run by the 5th Special Forces Groups. The Mark II was commonly carried by U.S. troops in the Vietnam War, . First Designed in 1966 Jesse, oldpocketknives.com, Oldpocketknives.com At the Reconodo School, an MK II was given to the honor graduate of every class. Has anyone else come across one from this era with engraving? There have been many variations in the Mark II throughout the years of its production. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Showing 1 - 1 of 1 items 1 of 1 Items: Sort by: Picture is not detailed enough to determine if possibly the wrist tie was used to insure the knife would not be lost. Los Angeles-based cyber physical architect and a critical technologist Gven zel engaged festival-goers with the physical to the virtual with his 60-foot . Planning is thinking about a goal and then organizing the activities to achieve the goal. I am now retired. FREE shipping Add to Favorites . Fighting knives are the best knives. It allows for an ice pick style grip, a fencing grip, or a standard hammer grip. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Vietnam Era Gerber Mk2 MKII survival knife 1967 004741 First Year No Sheath at the best online prices at eBay! For your consideration is this vintage Gerber MK II fighting combat knife in original leather sheath and Gerber steel in original leather sheath. A surprising variety of sheaths have been associated with the Mark II. Nkumburis, [4], Gerber manufactured a scaled down version of the Mark II known as the Mark I. Gerber designed the sheath to be multi-mount so that you could strap it to a belt or to your MOLLE gear. Specifications A serrated edge can clear a cut and can start cuts in materials where it would be difficult to do so with a straight edge. As far as legendary fighting knives go, there are a few that stand the test of time. Also see http://taskforceomegainc.org/s139.html for more information and details about his last mission. As with many popular designs, various companies started producing their own version, hoping to get a part of the military and civilian markets. 2023 Old Pocket Knives - WordPress Theme by Kadence WP, Case XX USA Canoe 1972 8 Dot 62131 Bone Handle Pocket Knife, Case XX Stainless USA 1971 9 Dot Bone 6246R Riggers Knife, Case XX Stainless USA 1965-69 Bone 6279 Equal End Pen Knife, Case XX SS USA 5207 SP SSP 10 Dot 1980 Stag Mini Trapper Knife. As far as fighting knives go, the Mark II is most certainly one of the most proven options out there, and its nice to see Gerber bringing it back so knife nerds can get their hands on one. I. ts a good choice when ease of sharpening and toughness are important. JMR Collectibles, LLC Its made in the USA at Gerbers Portland, Oregon factory. A serrated edge essentially cuts by tearing rather than slicing. In Aliens, its the knife of choice of the Colonial Marines, and the Winter Soldier tries to kill Captain America with one. [2] It was designed by retired United States Army Captain, Clarence A. However there are some discrepancies between them. Made in 1972. The impressive little rangefinder worked What Are Coach Guns? Not all brown ones are Vietnam, but all Vietnam ones are brown, if that makes sense. This dual-edged blade, with its dagger point, will penetrate deep and with ease. The Mark II stands out thanks to its blade design. I have been told he based the wasp waist pattern of the double-edge 7-inch blade on a Roman short-sword (I assume that would be the early Mainz pattern gladius). A serrated edge is also functionally longer cutting surface, so it will hold up longer without needing to be resharpened. Nice to know. A380 is one of the most commonly specified alloys for die casting, as it offers the best combination of casting, mechanical, and thermal properties. *Lighting a path to truth* Former Navy JAG Worldwide U.S. Military Defense. Blade length is 6.5 inches / 16.51 cm, blade thickness is 0.235-inch / 5.969 mm and blade witdth is 0.875-inch / 22.225 mm. While 420HC is not a high-end stainless steel, it does produce a good knife steel with good corrosion resistance and fairly good edge holding ability. Its old school cool. The knife also incorporates an aggressive handguard to keep your hand positioned on the handle in a fight. After a quick Google search, I believe this is a Gerber Mark II knife. As it had the sharpening steel with it I fell in love with its L-6 blade. Box 378 Red Hook, New York 12571 United States. Nice but seeing black grip and blade design is indicator of a later production Gerber with out the serial range chart(s) Also the black scabbards are not of the VN era unless dyed by the owner or painted etc Not trying to highjack this thread, but does anyone know if John Sabol might have any planes for all the information he collected on the Gerber MK 2's and their variants? It even comes with a thigh strap to secure and keep it from jumping around. Bud Holzman, a United States Army captain, designed the weapon, and Gerber produced it from 1966 to 2000. Carried a MKII in a chest rig for quite a few years while in the AF. In either case, the knife was obviously created to be a deadly weapon first and a tool second. The handle on the 2008 version is a one-piece solid A380 aluminum alloy casting that includes the guard, grip and pommel in a single piece. After my enlistment, I worked as a test engineer and software developer for the Aerospace Industry for 34 years. Bud Holzman, who served with the 101, Although Captain Holzman reportedly base the blade profile of the Mark II on the Roman Mainz Gladius in the British Museums collection, the similarities to the F-S Fighting Knife are unmistakable. The handle ergonomics of the Mark II are generally considered superior to those of the F-S Fighting Knife. Note the harsh wording in the advertisement with emphasis on the knife's "deadly" aspects. The Mark II also incorporates a dual serrated edge to add to its utility. Holzman in 1966. The handle on the Mark II is 5.25 inches long and has a flattened oval cross-section and tapered palm-swell design. The handle changed to Armorhide in 1968, which is a brown colored epoxy that is very durable. Note that the sheath has two repairs. As is the case with the F-S, the Mark II is a purpose-built combat dagger with excellent penetration and reach. I have a question for you and Im wondering if youd respond to my private email? Gerber Mk II found in a toolbox. Vietnam? The Ka-Bar, the Bowie knife, the Fairbairn-Sykes, and the often forgotten Gerber Mark II Combat Knife are all famed fighting knives. Prototypes were field tested and evaluated at Fort Lewis, Washington by members of the Armys Fourth Infantry Division. As is the case with the F-S, the Mark II is a purpose-built combat dagger with excellent penetration and reach. 420HC is a martensitic 420 series stainless steel. They specialized in deception and psychological warfare (psyops). | Privacy. Trzaska Table - Gerber_Numbers.jpg - Found at Frank Trzaska's site at, 199? The engraving seems legit. The blade is 6.5 inches long, and contemporary versions of it are made from 420 HC stainless steel. These include changes in blade steel, blade profile, blade serration, handle material and color. To purchase a Mark II today youll have to either go to sites like ebay or retailers such as Knifecenter, Smoky Mountain Knife Works, etc. A fundamental part of intelligent behavior is planning. The knife, serial number 9537, is missing the two leading zeros. The Ka-Bar, the Bowie knife, the. It has a 6-1/2" blade that is 1/8" thick. Phone 734.386.1984. Barrett is the world leader in long-range, large-caliber, precision rifle design and manufacturing. A serrated edge essentially cuts by tearing rather than slicing. During the Vietnam War, the first production run of this knife had a five degree offset between the blade and the grip in order to ride in the sheath more comfortably, and give the user a grip similar to that of a fencing foil. Yeah, the stores where Americas killers shop thought a knife was too untasteful. Recommended Posts. Using the 1988 year as an example: F3523S - H4854S indicates that the serial numbers for 1988 start at F3523S and go up to F9999S then switch to H0000 and end at H4854S. The Mark II was designed by retired US Army Captain Clarence A. I received this product as a courtesy from the manufacturer so I could test it and give my honest feedback. Very few modern combat knives have the wasp waist (other famous American models like the M7, USMC fighting utility knife, and M9 dont have it), and it is the visual signature of the Mark II.