Gerber Mark II

Gerber Mark II
Gerber Mark II
	Gerber Mark II with after market coating on the blade.
Type	Dagger
Place of origin	United States
Service history
In service	1966
Production history
Designed	1966
Manufacturer	Gerber Legendary Blades
Produced	1967–2000; 2008–2022

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.^[2] It was designed by retired United States Army Captain, Clarence A. “Bud” Holzmann, who based the pattern on a Roman Mainz Gladius.^[1]^[2]

Description[edit]

At 12.75 inches (32.39 cm) long it has a 6.5 inch (16.5 cm) 420 HC stainless steel double edged spear point wasp-waisted blade, weighs 8 ounces, and has a die cast aluminum handle.^[3] It has a distinctive look similar to that of the Fairbairn–Sykes fighting knife developed during World War II for the British Commandos.^[4] The Mark II was commonly carried by troops for the United States in the Vietnam War, and was second only to the Ka-Bar knife in fame.^[4]

The MK II was the suggested blade in Paladin Press's controversial how to book, Hit Man: A Technical Manual for Independent Contractors.^[5]

Use[edit]

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.^[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.

In the 1970s, the military's base/post exchanges discontinued selling these knives, reasoning that they were "not in good taste" or "too brutal".^[4] Al Mar, then working for Gerber as a knife designer, added the sawtooth serrations toward the hilt, marketing the knife as a "survival aid", making it more appealing to the PX System, which resumed selling the Mark II as a survival knife, rather than a fighting knife.^[4]

Gerber manufactured a scaled down version of the Mark II known as the Mark I. The Mark I had a 4.75 inch (12 cm) blade and was marketed as a boot knife.^[6]

In popular culture[edit]

The Mark II gained additional fame when it was used by Mel Gibson in his role of Max Rockatansky in the film of 1981, The Road Warrior.
The black coated blade model of the Mark II was used during the mess hall knife game scene in the science fiction film Aliens.
The film Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014) features the Winter Soldier using a Mark II in a fight with Captain America.
During a scene in Man of Steel (2013), Colonel Nathan Hardy (portrayed by actor Christopher Meloni) uses a Mark II in an attempt to fight the Kryptonian lieutenant Faora Hu-Ul, before Superman intervenes.
Casey Ryback (Steven Seagal) uses a Mark II throughout the film Under Siege (1992) most notably during the finale against William Strannix (Tommy Lee Jones)

References[edit]

^ ^a ^b ^c Pacella, Gerard (2002). 100 Legendary Knives. Iola, Wis.: Krause Publications. p. 145. ISBN 0-87349-417-2.
^ ^a ^b ^c Dick, Steven (November 2008). "Vietnam Legend Returns". Tactical Knives Magazine: 30.
^ The Mark II page at the Gerber website: www.gerbergear.com Archived 2020-11-01 at the Wayback Machine
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Walker, Greg (1993). Battle Blades: A Professional's Guide to Combat/Fighting Knives. Boulder, Colo.: Paladin Press. p. 30. ISBN 0-87364-732-7.
^ Feral, Rex (1983). Hit Man: A Technical Manual for Independent Contractors. Boulder, Colo.: Paladin Press. ISBN 0-87364-276-7.
^ Loveless, Bob; Richard W. Barney (1995). How to Make Knives. Iola, WI: Krause Publications. p. 71. ISBN 978-0-87341-389-3.

External links[edit]

Official Gerber Website
Details on the Mark, Command, and Guardian series of Gerber knives
Gerber Mark II Production Matrix
Detailed information on the Mark II including production variations, packaging, advertisements, and accessories
Images of the Gerber Mark II 20th Anniversary Edition prototype

[PG-1] Pacella, Gerard (2002). 100 Legendary Knives. Iola, Wis.: Krause Publications. p. 145. ISBN 0-87349-417-2.

[SD-2] Dick, Steven (November 2008). "Vietnam Legend Returns". Tactical Knives Magazine: 30.

[3] The Mark II page at the Gerber website: www.gerbergear.com Archived 2020-11-01 at the Wayback Machine

[walker-4] Walker, Greg (1993). Battle Blades: A Professional's Guide to Combat/Fighting Knives. Boulder, Colo.: Paladin Press. p. 30. ISBN 0-87364-732-7.

[5] Feral, Rex (1983). Hit Man: A Technical Manual for Independent Contractors. Boulder, Colo.: Paladin Press. ISBN 0-87364-276-7.

[ebs-6] Loveless, Bob; Richard W. Barney (1995). How to Make Knives. Iola, WI: Krause Publications. p. 71. ISBN 978-0-87341-389-3.

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Manufacturers	Aitor Knife Company Al Mar Knives American Tomahawk Company Aritsugu Benchmade Böker Buck Knives Camillus Cutlery Company Cattaraugus Cutlery Company Chris Reeve Knives Chroma Cnife Clauss Cutlery Company Cold Steel Columbia River Knife & Tool Cuisinart Cutco Dalian Hanwei Metal Dexter-Russell Ek Commando Knife Co. EKA Emerson Knives F. Dick Fällkniven FAMAE Fiskars Gerber Legendary Blades Füritechnics Glock Ges.m.b.H. Imperial Schrade Ka-Bar Kershaw Knives KitchenAid Korin Japanese Trading Company Kyocera Leatherman Mad Dog Knives Marble Arms Medford Knife and Tool Microtech Knives Morseth Muela Murphy Knives Olfa Ontario Knife Company Opinel Randall Made Knives Rösle Sabatier Shun Cutlery Slice, Inc. SOG Specialty Knives Spyderco STI Knives Strider Knives Thiers Issard TOPS Knives Tramontina Victorinox W. R. Case & Sons Cutlery Co. Carl Walther GmbH Wenger Western Knife Company Wilkinson Sword Wüsthof Yoshida Metal Industry Global Zero Tolerance Knives Zwilling J. A. Henckels
Knifemakers	Rex Applegate James Black Blackie Collins John Nelson Cooper Ernest Emerson Jerry Fisk Bill Harsey Jr. Phill Hartsfield Gil Hibben Jimmy Lile Bob Loveless William F. Moran Ken Onion Ralph Osterhout Bo Randall Chris Reeve A. G. Russell Jody Samson William Scagel Mike Snody Robert Terzuola Michael Walker Buster Warenski Daniel Winkler
Associations	American Bladesmith Society Cutlery and Allied Trades Research Association Knifemakers' Guild
Category:Knives / Daggers