If you’re a serious collector of fixed blade knives, certainly you’ve heard of the Gerber Mark II. First produced in 1966, the MK II was designed by retired Army Captain Bud Holzman, who used the pattern of Gladiator swords for his inspiration. And there could be no greater inspiration for a truly deadly tactical knife like this one.
The 6-7/8″ double-edged, spear point, wasp-waisted blade is currently being made from 420HC stainless steel with a black oxide coating. Each edge has partial sawtooth serrations close to the hilt, a long ago innovation from the original design which was intended to expand the marketing realm of the Mark II into the survival knife category. The die-cast aluminum handle is also coated with black oxide, making for a good match with the blade and black ballistic nylon sheath, and an overall attractive look.
Aside from its historical significance – being a commonly carried tactical blade in the Vietnam War – and its valuable addition to any collection – each is engraved with a serial number – the Mark II is one of the best selling knives of all time. From 1966 to 2000, Gerber Legendary Blades was shipping the Mark II all around the world, and couldn’t make them fast enough in many years. There was another very limited run in 2002, and as of July 2008 the Mark II is back to full production. Get yours while you can. Who knows how long this run will last.
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