gerber mk ii vietnam
Cason. It was called the Mark II combat knife and was fist produced in 1966. I am not bound by any written, verbal or implied contract to give this product a good review. Gerber Mark II A Timeless Classic Spotter Up With robust designs and vintage classic style, discover the heritage of military timepieces today! A380 is one of the most commonly specified alloys for die casting, as it offers, the best combination of casting, mechanical, and thermal properties. Gerber Mark II Fixed Blade Dagger Knife (6.5" Black Serr) 1874 This 40 year-old jewel features a black oxide coated 420 HC double serrated blade and die cast aluminum handle. So I looked up the Gerber Command 1 but it seems a lot smaller than this one. 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. It can be sharpened tom a very fine cutting edge and has excellent corrosion resistance. The Gerber Mark II Vietnam Tribute Navy features a 420 HC steel black oxide coated partially serrated spear point blade with a diecast aluminum handle and a ballistic nylon sheath. The modern knives run for around 70 bucks but are made from 420 HC. As Bearmon points out, this isnt even a MKII. GERBER MARK II IN VIETNAM - militarycarryknives.com (qq) Blades etched in 2 lines on the Gerber logo side: Mark II / 35th Anniversary 1966 - 2001 . If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. Fortunately for collectors, all Mark II knives, except the yellow-handled dive knives, are individually serial numbered, which makes dating easy. US MILITARIA FORUM - COLLECTORS PRESERVING HISTORY Like the F-S, the Mark II has a slender, double-edge spear-point / dagger blade for maximum piecing capability and a distinctive foil-like handle to enable many handling / gripping options. Yeah, the stores where Americas killers shop thought a knife was too untasteful. The Mark II also has a double-edged spear point blade but with one massive exception: the wasp waist. I got a Gerber Mark II knife. When Gerber reintroduced the Mark II in 2008, the serrations were changed from the scalloped saw teeth to flat chisel-shaped teeth ground on the same plain as the blade edge. A serrated edge essentially cuts by tearing rather than slicing. Like many old-time post offices, the company mailroom featured a wall of pigeon hole slots that individual letters and packages could be slid into. A Vietnam era knife. During the school's illustrious history, a large number of 101 st Airborne Division Lurp/Rangers won that coveted award, a testament to the quality of men who served in the division's Long Range Patrol units". The ads were soon toned down. However there are some discrepancies between them. dedicated to the commandos who carried the MK II with pictures of surviving examples. The handle ergonomics of the Mark II are generally considered superior to those of the F-S Fighting Knife. A major disadvantage of most serrated blades is that they are more difficult to sharpen, requiring a special sharpening tool. A former Army Captain designed the Gerber Mark II. The Mark II was designed by retired US Army Captain Clarence A. The handle on the Mark II is 5.25 inches long and has a flattened oval cross-section and tapered palm-swell design. It popped up in the hands of everyones favorite fraud raven Seagal in the film Under Siege, as well as in the Road Warrior, in which Mad Max tucks one into his boot. If you are looking for an all original Vietnam one, you don't have to look at any in a black sheath. The Mark II is a true classic that belongs in every knife collection. Keep Reading. The Mark II was successful due largely to its well-designed blade and lightweight. I received this product as a courtesy from the manufacturer so I could test it and give my honest feedback. The Mark II went into commercial production in late 1966. It has a 6-1/2" blade that is 1/8" thick. Gerber MK-II: Just as the Fairbairn Sykes is the Iconic knife of WW-II, the Gerber MK-II filled that role for the American soldier in Vietnam. The Gerber Mark II has a suggested retail price of $115,00. Ep 25 | GWWM John Valentine Combatives, and Deeds of Arms, Where is combatives today. Unfortunately it's not a vietnam era knife but could have been used post-vietnam by a Soldier/Green Beret? Black ballistic nylon sheaths were introduced around 1985. 1981 Hutchens Table - Mr. Doug Hutchens held several managerial positions at Gerber and was the Survival Knife Historian. 43311 Joy Road In the 1940s, Gerber began making steak knives and eventually prized hunting knives in Portland, Oregon. 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. Return of the Classic Gerber Mark II Dagger - Army Rumour Service I had one other, made in 1979, that I carried on Desert Storm, and my son carried on OEF and OIF. / 32.385 cm Weight: 8 oz. Summary: This is an outstanding piece of Vietnam History from the estate of a true warrior that honorably served for over 33 years. While this carry position afforded quick access to the knife, part of the Mark IIs ricasso can be seen indicating the knife was barely being held in place by the sheaths retaining strap. In the 1970s, the military's base/post exchanges discontinued selling these knives, reasoning that they were "not in good taste" or "too brutal". 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. First Designed in 1966 A major disadvantage of most serrated blades is that they are more difficult to sharpen, requiring a special sharpening tool. GERBER MARK II IN VIETNAM Photo: Medal of Honor winner, Jim Fleming A picture of Jerry Michael Shriver, Master Sergeant, CCS, MACV-SOG (5TH SF GRP), SPECIAL FORCES U.S. Army. "It was the tradition that the honor graduate of each class at MACV Recondo School be awarded a Gerber commando dagger by the school's staff. The general rule of thumb was that a six- to seven-inch blade was. Lance Gerber, courtesy Coachella. 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. Donda Bernet). | Privacy. And its just as effective today at taking care of business as it was on the day it was introduced. The Ka-Bar, the Bowie knife, the Fairbairn-Sykes, and the often forgotten Gerber Mark II Combat Knife are all famed fighting knives. Note the Gerber Mark II worn on a belt on the right hip. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Somewhere there is a Gerber site that lists serial numbers and dates of production. Terry was originally a Marine who became a SEAL team member and was a medic, HM1. Check out Bob Loveless and A.G. Russell knives. 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. Black ballistic nylon sheaths were introduced around 1985. Particularly, the Mark II became a favorite with the MACV SOG teams that were the premier special operations unit in Vietnam. Also if this knife is real, an approximate value would be greatly appreciated. Of course, each contained what was a unique concept for the time: a purpose built, commercial fighting knife, the Gerber MK-II Combat. Hello, On display is my 1968 model CT2 Gerber MKII combat dagger. A surprising variety of sheaths have been associated with the Mark II. It utilizes an active retention strap but is quick and easy to draw. The page isn't dated but from the article about the Manila Mayor, I'm pretty sure it was the Dec. 21, 1966 issue. Other handle features are an angled-forward double guard and a tapered pommel with lanyard hole. Gerber Mk II found in a toolbox. The blade has a zero-degree cant. Straight blade Mark II - Serial Number 007338 - This knife was carried by RMCS G.R. The Mark II stands out thanks to its blade design. Followers 1. 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 Mark II has outstanding balance And is lively in the hand. The Gerber Mark II - Vietnam Era Fighting Knife by Travis Pike Jan 18, 2021 As far as legendary fighting knives go, there are a few that stand the test of time. Standing there waiting for the clerk to bag up our mail, I glanced over at this wall. and No, its NOT for sale. The design is iconic, and they are still offered today. Gerber MkII | BladeForums.com Note the Gerber Mark II hanging on his belt. Yep .. you beat me to it re: not a MK-II. http://www.virtualwall.org/ds/ShriverJM01a.htm. The 2008 version ballistic nylon sheath has an injection-molded hard polymer liner and two nylon straps with snap closures for primary and secondary retention to secure the handle. by Wayne Goddard Original Item: Only One Available. Read Next: Pikes Manly Gift Picks: Knife Edition 2020. A picture of Terry Bryant, VICTOR PLATOON, U.S. Navy ST1 (SEAL TEAM 1) taken in 1971 in Vietnam. Recommended Posts. The grip was tough but didnt offer much in the way of texture. (tt) Blades etched in 3 lines on the Gerber logo side: GERBER / 70th. Still have it. The knife, serial number 9537, is missing the two leading zeros. The knife is 12-3/4" overall and weighs 8 ounces. People say the PC nonsense is new, but the PX stopped carrying the MK II in the 1970s because they felt that the knife was too brutal and that fighting knives were of poor taste. Other makers offer knives similar to the Mark II, but if you want the real deal youll have to dig a little bit to purchase one yourself. Vintage HTF Valor Miami USA 415 Ichiro Hattori Seki Japan Double Edge Serrated Tip Dagger Gerber Command 1 Clone Boot Knife & Sheath 5 out of 5 stars (1.5k) Sale Price $96.85 $ 96.85 $ 129.13 Original Price $129.13 . It could penetrate the torso of a bad guy and be long enough to reach something vital from any angle. You do not find many in country Gerber Mark II knives, let along one with such rich and well documented history of the soldier. The 1970-1974 yellow-handled dive knives have no serial numbers. This dual-edged blade, with its dagger point, will penetrate deep and with ease. Full production resumed in 2008 and continues to this day. [2] It was designed by retired United States Army Captain, Clarence A. The first sheaths were leather. Nkumburis, My goal is to provide helpful information about old pocket knives relating to their identification and history. The long serrated edge makes it super easy to cut through thicker and denser materials. Yet, the Gerber Mark II is a fighting weapon first and tool secondary. When it comes to military knives, few are as universally beloved as the Gerber Mark II. And he designed it not just to be a tool but a weapon. 1982 American Historical Foundation Table - Probably done by Robert Buerlein, 1984 Pete Gerber Desk List - List found in Pete Gerber Sr.'s desk, 1986 Unknown Origin Table - Table of unknown origin, 1997 Levine List - Published in Bernard Levine's Guide to Knives and Their Values IV. The handle was designed to be an effective yawara. GERBER MARK II SITE AUTHORS I served in the U.S. Navy from 1959-1963 but saw no service in Vietnam. View on eBay. I have been told he based the "wasp waist" pattern of the double-edge 7-inch blade on . View on eBay. Trzaska Table - Gerber_Numbers.jpg - Found at Frank Trzaska's site at, 199? But oddly enough, the MK I came after the MK II. I received my first Gerber Mk II, sn# 13000 in the fall of 1969 during my last full tour in Vietnam. The other side says "F*** Communism" so I look forward to your comments. This allows them to be sharpened at the same time as the blade and makes sharpening a breeze. Vietnam War era GERBER 1969 MARK II Fighting Knife - Argocoins.com Gerber Mark II for sale - Blade HQ Its made in the USA at Gerbers Portland, Oregon factory. It also comes with a ballistic nylon sheath. The Gerber Mark II has a suggested retail price of $115,00. It can be sharpened tom a very fine cutting edge and has excellent corrosion resistance. USAF Vietnam commemorative SOG style knife Murphy Combat Richmond VA . The Gerber Mark II Is One Of The Most Famous Combat Knives Ever Issued To The American Military. You need to be a member in order to leave a comment. Also see http://taskforceomegainc.org/s139.html for more information and details about his last mission. One year in one direction or another makes a BIG difference in price. Like the Desert Eagle, the appearance of the knife makes it a natural star. Not all brown ones are Vietnam, but all Vietnam ones are brown, if that makes sense. These serial numbers consist of a single leading letter followed by digits from 0000 to 9999 followed by an "S" or "T". I. ts a good choice when ease of sharpening and toughness are important. The Gerber Mark II: A Historic Fighting Knife - BLADE Magazine Also have the MK I as an excellent boot knife. These serial numbers consist of a single leading letter followed by digits from 0000 to 9999 followed by an "S" or "T". Vietnam Era Gerber Mark II? - EDGED WEAPONS - U.S. Militaria Forum Its fully jumpable. Share #1 Posted April 5, 2012. There have been many variations in the Mark II throughout the years of its production. It allows for an ice pick style grip, a fencing grip, or a standard hammer grip. The blade is now made from a 420HC high carbon stainless steel. / 16.51 cm Blade Style: Double-Edge Dagger, Double-Serrated Blade Finish: Black Oxide Handle Material: Die-Cast A380 Aluminum Handle-Finish: Black Powder Coat Sheath Material: Black Ballistic Nylon w/ Hard Polymer Liner MOLLE/PALS Compatible: Yes Jumpable: Yes Country of Origin: USA Warranty: Limited Lifetime Warranty (North America); 25-year Limited Warranty Outside North America. When it comes to military knives, few are as universally beloved as the Gerber Mark II. In 1982 an alpha-numeric system was adopted. Item #BHQ-4289 MSRP: $132.95 Our Price: $89.95 (3) Tactical Life Gun Magazine: Gun news, gun reviews and gun magazines for gun enthusiasts, military and law enforcement, You use of this website constitutes and manifests your acceptance of our, WATCH NOW: TACTICAL-LIFEs RELOADING ZONE, ENTER TO WIN: Free Gun Friday > Springfield Armory Hellion 5.56 Rifle * Trijicon RMR Red Dot * Black Hills Ammo *, Going Deep Inside the Brutal Colossal Colosseum of Rome, TriStar LR94: Lever-Action Shotguns in .410 for Field, Home Defense, Girsan Witness2311: $1K 2011-Style Competition & Defender Pistol, Vortex Adds GeoBallistics Solver to Razor HD 4000 Rangefinder, SIG Cross STX: New Model Brings Serious Precision Swag, Vudoo Priest: Double-Stack 1911 Built to Run Hard & Fast, Police Sidearms: The Handguns of Americas 10 Largest Departments, History of the American Classic Winchester Model 1866 Carbine, Best Coach Guns: the Stow-N-Go Defenders You Want Riding Shotgun [2023], Paint Perfect: Force-On-Force Training with Umarex Glock 17, Top Dog 9s: We Tested 8 of the Best 9mm Self-Defense Rounds, VIDEO: Shooting SilencerCo Switchback 22 Suppressors, Maxxed Six ARC: Shooting the 6mm ATI Omni Hybrid Maxx, Burris Signature LRF 2000 Rangefinder is Small But Mighty, Budget Plinking: The Colt Frontier Scout Single Action Revolver, Fed Up With Fakes: Feds Take on Chinese-Made Silencer Knockoffs, Bulletproof? 1970 Gerber Mark II Knife - #015957 - High Adventure Outfitters Production continued until 2000, with an additional limited production run of 1,500 knives in 2002. Its one of the best selling knives of all time and continues to see action around the globe. It was called the Mark II combat knife and was fist produced in 1966. The impressive little rangefinder worked What Are Coach Guns? The HC stands for high carbon, which means it can be brought to a higher hardness than 420. There have been many variations in the Mark II throughout the years of its production. I was doing more hunting this weekend and came across this knife. 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. As is the case with the F-S, the Mark II is a purpose-built combat dagger with excellent penetration and reach. Phone 734.386.1984. The general rule of thumb was that a six- to seven-inch blade was optimum. My experience has taught me that there's nothing like digging in and getting started. Aluminum is an unusual choice for a knifes handle, but it works here. Gerber Mark II with after market coating on the blade. In 2019 Vortex Optics released the Razor HD 4000 rangefinder with 4,000-yard reach (below). FREE shipping Add to Favorites . Canted blade Mark II - Serial Number 003934 - This knife was taken from a dead NVA soldier by SGT Charlie Sharps, an infantry platoon sergeant with the 173rd Airborne. Kasey, Your email address will not be published. Pre owned but in nice condition Gray Armorhide (cat's tongue) handle. It comes with a limited lifetime warranty in North America and a 25- year limited warranty outside of North America. Sign up for a new account in our community. After the war, wondering about the history of the knife, Charlie wrote to Gerber (this was years before the internet) and sent a picture of the knife and its serial number hoping Gerber could tell him who had originally purchased it and when. It was nearly 14 years later in 1981 that a table was compiled by Mr. Doug Hutchens, Survival Knife Historian at Gerber. The offset design was done so that the knife could be kept closer to the body when sheathed and to compensate for the natural bend of the wrist when the knife was held in the fencing foil grip. The canted blade led to a number of knives being returned to Gerber for having bent blades. Gerber discontinued the cant in subsequent production runs. Planning is thinking about a goal and then organizing the activities to achieve the goal. 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? "Beach Jumper" was the cover name of U.S. Navy special warfare units. On the Mark II, this narrower section comes toward the guard, and the edge on both sides has small serrations. They trusted the knife, and thats critical when its the last line of defense one might have. The Gerber MK-II is said to have been designed around a drawing sent to the company by Army Captain C.A. Gerber designed the sheath to be multi-mount so that you could strap it to a belt or to your MOLLE gear. 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. 420HC is a martensitic 420 series stainless steel. Also no records exist for "S/Ns A3012S-A4010S (Ref. Gerber has remade the knife and releases batches at a time. A lot happened in that time, and along the way, the MK II became a well reputed Cold Warrior. I don't believe it is a Vietnam era knife, the serial number doesn't look right. The Mark II has a 6.5-inch blade. The Mainz Gladius was a short dagger that was given to senior officers in the Roman Army and was considered a prestigious status symbol. This includes thick ropes, roots, and heavy canvas materials. Others have called the MK-II an improved version of the WW-II Fairbairn-Sykes commando knife. Gerber Mark II | Military Wiki | Fandom I have a question for you and Im wondering if youd respond to my private email? Gerber Mark II knife review - YouTube Vietnam era vintage Jacques Garcia survival combat knife . View on eBay. Member; 174 Location: Eugene OR. [4], Gerber manufactured a scaled down version of the Mark II known as the Mark I. The Gerber Mark II: A Historic Fighting Knife, Best Ka-Bar: Modern Options Of The Historic Knife, Knifemaking 101 Read This Before You Make a Knife, 8 Things You May Not Know About Forged in Fire. Aluminum is an unusual choice for a knifes handle, but it works here. Vietnam? A page out of the Vietnam SAIGON POST Newspaper in the early years of the war. The Tables/Lists Used to Formulate My Date Table: 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. Support Veteran Journalism . The wasp-waisted blade has a narrower section of steel, akin to how a wasps body narrows at its waist. Box 378 Red Hook, New York 12571 United States. Specifications The Parker "BIG SMOKEY . [2] It was designed by retired United States Army Captain, Clarence A. Fortunately for collectors, all Mark II knives, except the yellow-handled dive knives, are individually serial numbered, which makes dating easy. It has black diecast aluminum handles and it includes a black nylon sheath with a belt loop. Your hand wont slip or slide into the blade as you stick and stab to kill a Commie for mommy. / 226.796 g Blade Steel: 420HC Stainless Steel Blade Length: 6.5 in. 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 design was based on a sketch sent in by Army Captain C. A. Gerber Mark Ii Knife - Etsy The Mark II was designed by retired US Army Captain Clarence A. 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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. THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING VETERAN JOURNALISM - JOIN SOFREP+ Holzman in 1966. The Mark II uses a dagger type design making it less of a slasher and more of a stabber. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Named 1st CAL 1970 Vietnam War Gerber Mark II Mk 2 Fighting Knife Watch Grouping at the best online prices at eBay! After a quick Google search, I believe this is a Gerber Mark II knife. The handle is made from die-cast aluminum which helps keep the weight to just eight ounces. [1] [2] The NVA soldier was killed in an ambush in Vietnam's Central Highlands, somewhere west of Buon Ma Thout, in October of 1968 . In Vietnam and Cambodia it never left my side and I loved that knife. By Mr. Scratch, April 5, 2012 in EDGED WEAPONS. 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 . 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. These include changes in blade steel, blade profile, blade serration, handle material and color. The knife was never an issued one per se but became a favorite in Vietnam. My Gerber Mk-II combat knife - U.S. Militaria Forum Note the Gerber Mark II worn in an inverted carry, fastened to web gear on his left side. All Rights Reserved. It received its baptism of blood one terrible dark monsoon night. 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. In Aliens, its the knife of choice of the Colonial Marines, and the Winter Soldier tries to kill Captain America with one. It has a 6.5" double serrated spear point blade that is .18" thick. The first production run of the Mark II was wasp-waisted and had a five-degree offset between the blade and the grip. As is the case with the F-S, the Mark II is a purpose-built combat dagger with excellent penetration and reach. Loved your article on the Mark IIyou didnt repeat the same things that everyone else reprints. Nice to know. The Ka-Bar, the Bowie knife, the. NO RESERVE-GERBER"71 MARK II VIETNAM FIGHTING KNIFE 5 DEG CANTED GREY ARMORHIDE .