There have been many variations in the Mark II throughout the years of its production. If so, let us know in the comments below. Pictures of the actual knife that Terry carried are shown below. They specialized in deception and psychological warfare (psyops). Its a great and affordable item for any knife collection. For utility purposes, there are better knives. Box 378 Red Hook, New York 12571 United States. According to some sources, this was done to make the knife more politically correct, while others say they were added as a result of suggestions from the field. Serrations were added to the Mark II in the 1970s. Yet, the Gerber Mark II is a fighting weapon first and tool secondary. The Mark II was successful due largely to its well-designed blade and lightweight. 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. It is incredibly durable and very well made. 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. These include changes in blade steel, blade profile, blade serration, handle material and color. Pre owned but in nice condition Gray Armorhide (cat's tongue) handle. Aluminum is an unusual choice for a knifes handle, but it works here. The handle was designed to be an effective yawara. With a plan, you can see how much you have progressed towards your goal and how far on your map to the next destination. The MK-II was designed by retired Army Captain Bud Holzman, not Al Mar. 420HC is a m, The HC stands for high carbon, which means it can be brought to a higher hardness than 420. Ep 25 | GWWM John Valentine Combatives, and Deeds of Arms, Where is combatives today. "Bud" Holzmann, who based the pattern on a Roman Mainz Gladius. 43311 Joy Road Great condition. Prototypes were field tested and evaluated at Fort Lewis, Washington by members of the Armys Fourth Infantry Division. The 2008 version has a die-cast aluminum handle with a textured black powder-coat finish and a 420HC stainless steel double-edge, straight-waist blade with a black oxide coating. THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING VETERAN JOURNALISM - JOIN SOFREP+ Gerber Mark II Fixed Blade Dagger Knife (6.5" Black Serr) 1874 Geber & Randall - The Fairbairn Sykes Fighting Knives 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. It's a long blade but matches the themes of the time for fighting knives. A major disadvantage of most serrated blades is that they are more difficult to sharpen, requiring a special sharpening tool. 2023 The SOFREP Media Group. A fundamental part of intelligent behavior is planning. 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 . It is a good solid knife, was a carry knife for troops in Vietnam. The Gerber Mark II Is One Of The Most Famous Combat Knives Ever Issued To The American Military. Id like your opinion on something. The first production run of the Mark II was wasp-waisted and had a five-degree offset between the blade and the grip. View on . Standing there waiting for the clerk to bag up our mail, I glanced over at this wall. A surprising variety of sheaths have been associated with the Mark II. It also cuts better than a plain edge when dull. Description Vietnam War era GERBER 1969 MARK II Fighting Knife-rare one of a kind field-modified slim profile dagger in original custom-made scabbard Rare circa 1969 fighting dagger by GERBER, USA that has been field-modified to be a slim, practical, and very effective killing tool. 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). After a lot of use, the straps stretched increasing the chance of losing the knife. Great knife and I believe this model was only produced a few years. Lance Gerber, courtesy Coachella. NOTE: See the Vietnam Veterans Memorial site http://www.virtualwall.org/ds/ShriverJM01a.htm for more details about MSG Shriver. However, the latest models are the closest collectors can get to a real MK II. Vietnam Era Gerber Mk2 MKII survival knife 1967 004741 First - eBay March 28, 2021 in EDGED WEAPONS. The Gerber Mark II slid in and out of production over the years, but Gerber has recently re-released the knife in a very affordable package. A picture of Jerry Michael Shriver, Master Sergeant, CCS, MACV-SOG (5TH SF GRP), SPECIAL FORCES U.S. Army. Original U.S. Parker Brothers Copy of the Vietnam War Style Gerber Mk2 The first sheaths were leather. THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING VETERAN JOURNALISM - JOIN SOFREP+ , The all-metal grip is made of aluminum. The Mark II was designed by retired US Army Captain Clarence A. eBay. Support Veteran Journalism . Gerber stated that their records were scarce, but they did know the knife had been included with four others sold to the Post Exchange (PX) at Ft. Benning, Georgia in October of 1967. Barrett products are used by civilians, sport shooters, law enforcement agencies, the United States military, and more than 75 State Department-approved countries around the world. 1,001 to 5,000 = 1967 5,001 to 9,900 = 1968 9,901 to 14,350 = 1969 14,351 to 19,300 = 1970 19,301 to 23,750 = 1971 23,751 to 28,000 = 1972 28,001 to 32,900 = 1973 32,901 to 39,000 = 1974 Anniversary knives are not blade marked. Frost Matrix - "Gerber Mark II Production History Matrix" by Robert Frost originally found at, 200? I appreciate any traffic from these links as I earn commission from eBay and Gerber when an item is purchased, at no extra cost to you. Kasey, Your email address will not be published. As with many popular designs, various companies started producing their own version, hoping to get a part of the military and civilian markets. The Mark II has outstanding balance And is lively in the hand. The engraving seems legit. Below are some pictures of my Gerber Mk-II combat knife. When the alpha letter changes during the year, a double calculation is done.