Sidearms & Scatterguns Gerber Mark II , really?

[XTR]

I somehow ended up with a Gerber MKII back in the 80s. Have no idea how or when I picked it up.

There were a number of things about it I never really liked, then one day one of the aluminum hilt guards got broken. Somewhere along the way the handle got removed and I discovered just how short the tang really was, which was really depressing. It doesn't go far into the handle and it's not pinned.

This was one with the serrations on both sides. At some point I decided that the serrations on both sides was pretty useless and I reground one of the edges to get rid of them. The "get to it someday" plans have always been to actually put a new handle on it and make it into a full tang boot knife.

The blade, broken handle, and the original black sheath with the clip for a web belt and tiedowns is still in my safe.

The point of all this is that for some reason I typed "Gerber Mark II" into an ebay search today. HOLY S#!+. I can't imagine paying what people are asking for those knives. If I was actually in the market for a dagger I'd put the money into a Randall #2 or something else. After seeing how the MKII is put together I certainly wouldn't pay more than $50 for one, much less the hundreds that I see getting asked.

 

[FN in MT]

"Style over Substance" .

It LOOKS like it's a real fighting knife. Quality is inconsequential.

 

[bogeybrown]

You're forgetting that Steven Segal used it in "Under Siege" so that shit is SEAL proven!!!!!

 

[XTR]

Now that I'm thinking about it I know I had it when I got out of the Navy in '87, but for the life of me I can't remember when or where I picked it up. Maybe it was in PI on my last Westpac just before I got out.

 

[Quarter Horse]

I'm not sure exactly what your point is. If you're referring to MKIIs that are from the Vietnam era, the prices are high because one in high condition is rare but probably never made the trip across the pond, the knives that are expensive because they saw use in VN are collectible because of the association with that conflict. Your knife was certainly neither.

If you are implying that, because of design, materials or manufacture, they are lousy knives you are incorrect. They are not a utility/combat knife. They are pure killing knife and were designed as an improvement of the Sykes Farbairn. The original steel was forged L-6 tool steel. L-6 is an excellent blade steel but the knock on it is that it is difficult and time consuming to work, thus it is costly to manufacture into any implement. The blade steel went from forged L-6 to stock removal L-6 to 440 series stainless and declined with each change. That is not to say that a MKII from your era was junk. Your's was still an excellent knife and a great dollar value.

My MkII is in the 7xxx range. I had it sent to me in '69 to replace a Buck General I had broken. It is forged L-6, has the Cats Tongue grip coating and no serrations. The grip wore smooth in just a few months and i wrapped the grip with a boot lace. The sheath was stapled rather than riveted on the early knives and the retaining strap did not fit tightly over the hilt and between the two the sheath did not secure the knife well. Other than those two items it was hard to fault the knife. I had learned my lesson with Buck General and had a 110 for a utility knife.

I'll try and post a picture later .

 

[Steve1]

I was wondering what an older MkII knife is worth. Back in 1970 I bought what looks like one, at a PX at Ft. Bragg. I was talking with a S.F. soldier recently. He wanted to buy it. I have no idea what it is worth. It has sat in my closet for over forty years. It is in perfect condition. It has a stainless looking blade, non-serrated, leather sheath with leg tie down, and cat's tongue handle.

 

[Quarter Horse]

If bought in '70, your MkII has the most important features from a using standpoint. The blade is forged L-6 tool steel with the narrow wasp profile. The SF guy could have wanted it for use or because the MkII has a rich history with SF from the Vietnam era. They were a presentation knife for both Sigma and the Recondo school in Nha Trang as well as tied to some legendary SF figures like Msgt. Jerry "Mad Dog" Shriver. If you search for "Gerber MKII serial numbers" you'll find a chart that gives you not only production dates but also a chart of the production changes. A similar search of "Vietnam era Gerber MKII " will give you ones for sale. Good luck.

 

[Steve1]

If I remember right, a Gerber MKII sold for about thirty bucks back in 1970. When I graduated from SF training many of us figured we needed a killer knife, so we went down to the PX and bought one. None of us had had any training in knife fighting. They didn't teach that in any of our training, up til that point.

One of my friends was messing around with his Gerber in the barracks on Smoke Bomb Hill. What a goof ball! He was pretending to stab himself, as if he was committing "Harry-Carry". He slipped up, and did just that. They had to take him to the hospital to get stiched up. This guy was a good commo man, but he was kind of on the crazy side. He later shot himself in the head with a shotgun and died. That was another story.

One of my friends was a Special Forces Captain. One day I rigger checked him, before a jump. I found his safety fork out of his quick release mechanism, and it was turned to release. He could have fallen out of his harness on opening shock. He said he didn't know whether to kiss me on one cheek or both, for finding his mistake.

At any rate, that captain started going to college. He ended up in a speech class. They were supposed to give a speech and demonstration on something they knew well. He decided to give his speech on silent kill techniques with a knife. So, he and his friend showed up to class one day, wearing their berets and fatigues. I always wondered where he got his knife training. Maybe it was out of a Cracker Jack box.....I never got any, but maybe officers did. They went through a different qualifying course. But anyway during his speech, he stealthily approached his friend from the rear, with his Gerber in hand. Then he grabbed him, and started stabbing his friend over and over again. The friend had a board underneath his fatigue shirt to stop each knife thrust.

I don't know what kind of a grade he got on his speech and demo. The teacher made some comment about how it wasn't really appropriate for this class, and was way too graphic. One girl in the class got sick and started to throw up.

I think I may have gotten side tracked here, (just a little). I don't think this was supposed to be a part of Special Forces rich history with killer knives, but it really happened.....

 

[Blazin]

Yup, bought one new from the Benning PX in 1991 after Basic, and sold it on eBay about a year ago for about $150. Reinvested the money in a Fallkniven.