The CT1 knives are the earliest production knives. They have the narrow wasp-waisted blades with no serrations. These knives were marketed as "Combat Knives". Basically a dagger designed for sticking, but equally capable of cutting and slashing. The blades of these knives are "canted" about 5 degrees. These blades are also referred to as "bent" or "angled" blades. The cant or bend is normally toward the serial number side of the blade. (See Blade Cant for more info.)

The "Cat's Tongue" handles on these knives usually have a dark gray appearance in contrast with the brighter handles of the Anniversary and Cutlery Shoppe knives. The CT1 knives are found on 1967 knives from S/N 001001 to S/N 003747. However, they also can be found outside this range, due to special orders, up to about S/N 004188.

NOTE: The very early serial numbers were stamped facing the blade (read with blade pointing down). I have records of three blades 001001, 001030 and 001049 stamped in this manner. Sometime after S/N 001049 the serial number stamping was inverted (read with blade pointing up) and remained this way until the end of production.

The CT2 knives are basically the CT1 knife, but without any blade cant. They have the narrow wasp-waisted blades with no serrations. These knives were marketed as "Combat Knives". Basically a dagger designed for sticking, but equally capable of cutting and slashing. The blade "cant" of the earlier knives was eliminated due to many owners who assumed they were defective and returned them to the Gerber factory.

The "Cat's Tongue" handles on these knives usually have a dark gray appearance in contrast with the brighter handles of the Anniversary and Cutlery Shoppe knives. The CT2 knives are found on 1967-1968 knives in the approximate serial range of 003551 - 009301.

Photo: Anonymous

The CT2S knives are probably the most sought after Mark II knives due to their association with the Green Berets of the Vietnam War. Approximately 50 of these knives were supposedly special ordered and they are referred to as "SIGMA" knives.

SFOD B-56 Project Sigma was formed in August 1966 and located at camp Ho Ngoc Tao near Tu Duc, along highway 1 between Saigon and Long Binh. Sigma teams abducted Viet Cong, placed electronic surveillance devices, setup anti-personnel ordinance ambushes and inserted varied electronic devices in order to impede and harass the enemy along infiltration routes into South Vietnam. In November 1967 operational control of Sigma was given directly to MACV, and placed under the control of the II Field Force. Sigma was relocated to Ban Me Thuot in 1969 and left Vietnam in mid 1971.

The Sigma knives are basically the CT2 knife, but are acid etched. They have the narrow wasp-waisted blades with no serrations. They are Special Forces Presentation blades marked in two lines ' "SIGMA" - GREEN BERETS / VIETNAM - 1968' on the logo side of the blade. The lettering was done with the normal factory acid etching used at that time.

The "Cat's Tongue" handles on these knives usually have a dark gray appearance in contrast with the brighter handles of the Anniversary and Cutlery Shoppe knives.

The CT2S knives are found on 1968 knives supposedly in the serial range of 008001 - 008050. However I have heard of several knives in this serial range that were not Sigma knives. For example serial number 008046 sold on ebay in June 2008, had a cant and no evidence of the Sigma etching. This casts some doubt in my mind about the accuracy of the 008001 - 008050 S/N range.

NOTE: The example shown has it's serial number ground off. The reason for the serial number removal is unknown. Although I have no doubt this example is authentic, I would be very wary of being offered a knife of this rarity, without a serial number, that did not have a foolproof provenance.

These knives are reproductions of the original canted blade knives and were made to celebrate the 20th. Anniversary (1986) of the Gerber Mark II's introduction in 1966. The knives are found with a brown leather sheath on a red velveteen (imitation velvet) lined insert in a black cardboard box with a label that reads "Mark II™ / 20th. Anniversary 1966 - 1986 / Serial # xxNNNN / Item No. 5740". Included are a Certificate of Authenticity, A history card and care instructions.

The knife is a faithful reproduction of the original, the blade being canted and made of the original L6 tool steel and the handle having the "Cat's Tongue" finish. However there are two major differences: 1) The 4 digit serial number has a XX prefix, while the originals have an all numeric six digit number with leading zeros. 2) The Gerber logo on the Anniversary knives is of the Slant 2 type, while the originals are of the Slant 1 type. (See Blade Logos for more info).

There is black script lettering electro-etched on the blade on the logo side that reads "Mark II™ / 20th. Anniversary 1966 - 1986". The blade is also coated with a protective lacquer coating. The coating can be removed with lacquer thinner if desired, but should be replaced with a light coat of oil to prevent rusting.

The "Cat's Tongue" handles on these knives have a brighter appearance in contrast with the usually darker gray handles of the original knives. The CT3 knives are found on 1986 knives in the in the serial range of XX0001 - XX5000. The XX prefix on the serial number is the Roman Numerals for twenty and was used to indicate that the knife was the Anniversary issue and not an original earlier knife.

Some of the 20th. Anniversary Knives were not marked with the 20th. Anniversary black electro-etch. At some later date, they were repackaged and I believe sold through the Cutlery Shoppe.

The knife is the same faithful reproduction of the original, the blade being canted and made of the original L6 tool steel and the handle having the "Cat's Tongue" finish. However, there is no lettering electro-etched on the blade. Also no protective lacquer coating. The knife was sold with a C3 type Cordura™ sheath in the late, blue and black box with a label that reads "Mark II™ / WASP / #GB5705".

The "Cat's Tongue" handles on these knives have a brighter appearance in contrast with the usually darker gray handles of the original knives. The CT3N knives are found on 1986 knives scattered throughout the serial range of XX3701 - XX4825. Again, the XX prefix on the serial number is the Roman Numerals for twenty and was used to indicate that the knife was the Anniversary issue and not an original earlier knife.

These knives were made exclusively for the Cutlery Shoppe. They are very similar to the early non-canted blade CT2 knives, but with the following differences: (1) The knives are made from 440A stainless steel rather than the original L6 tool steel. (2) The knives have a four digit serial number with a CS prefix

These knives were sold with a C3 type Cordura™ sheath in the late, blue and black box with a label that reads "Mark II™ / WASP / #GB5705". Note that this is the same box label used for the CT3N unmarked 20th. Anniversary knives that were sold by Cutlery Shoppe.

The "Cat's Tongue" handles on these knives have a brighter appearance in contrast with the usually darker gray handles of the original knives. The CT4 knives are found on 1989-1996 knives scattered in batches throughout the serial range of CS0003 - CS1755. The CS prefix on the serial number stands for "Cutlery Shoppe" and was used to indicate that the knife was not an original earlier knife.

These knives were made exclusively for the Cutlery Shoppe. They have the straight profile blade (no wasp shape) and have two inches of 8-teeth-per-inch serrations in the center of both blade cutting edges. The blades are made from 440A stainless steel. In addition the blades have a 5-degree cant. The cant or bend is toward the serial number side of the blade.

There is black lettering, electro-etched on the blade on the logo side that reads "Mark II™" on later knives. Earlier knives do not have the "Mark II™" etch for some reason, even though Gerber had been marking the serrated blades for 3 1/2 years prior to the introduction of this knife.

These knives can be found with C3S type Cordura™ sheaths (early knives), FT2 leather sheaths or C3 type Cordura™ sheaths (later knives) in either the Orange Slide or Blue and Black boxes. It was sold under the model #GB5710.

The "Cat's Tongue" handles on these knives have a brighter appearance in contrast with the usually darker gray handles of the original knives. The CT5 knives are found on 1989-1996 knives scattered in batches throughout the serial range of CS0006 - CS1859. The CS prefix on the serial number stands for "Cutlery Shoppe" and was used to indicate that the knife was not an original earlier knife. Note that this is the only Cutlery Shoppe model that is canted as well as having serrations.

These knives were made exclusively for the Cutlery Shoppe. They have the wide wasp profile blade with no serrations. The blades are made from 440A stainless steel. There is no electro-etched lettering on the blade and there is no blade cant.

The knife was sold with a C3 or C4 type Cordura™ sheath in both the orange slide box and the late, Blue/Black box with a label that reads "Mark II™ / WASP / #GB5705". Note that this is the same box label used for the CT3N unmarked 20th. Anniversary knives that I believe were sold by Cutlery Shoppe.

The "Cat's Tongue" handles on these knives have a brighter appearance in contrast with the usually darker gray handles of the original knives. The CT6 knives are found on 1992-1996 knives scattered in batches throughout the serial range of CS0461 - CS1859. The CS prefix on the serial number stands for "Cutlery Shoppe" and was used to indicate that the knife was not an original earlier knife.

These knives are a limited edition reproduction of the original 1967-1968 non-canted blade knives and were made to celebrate the 35th. Anniversary (2001) of the Gerber Mark II's introduction in 1966. Gerber only made 1250 of these knives. One thousand were for sale domestically and 250 were supposedly sent overseas. The knives are found in a red velveteen (imitation velvet) lined insert in a black cardboard box with dark brown leather sheath and Certificate of Authenticity. It was sold as Model 5710.

The knife is a reproduction of the original. It has the "Cat's Tongue" handle but the blade is not canted and is made of 154CM stainless steel rather than the original L6 tool steel. There is black script lettering electro-etched on the blade on the logo side that reads "Mark II™ / 35th. Anniversary 1966 - 2001".

The "Cat's Tongue" handles on these knives have a brighter appearance in contrast with the usually darker gray handles of the original knives. The CT7 knives are found on 2001 knives in the in the serial range of 010001 - 011250. The 01 prefix on the serial number stands for the year 2001. Although this serial number range on early knives is beyond the end of Cat's Tongue knives, there is a chance that with the removal of the electro-etched script, an attempt could be made to pass these knives off as originals.

NOTE: There are a dozen of these knives that have approximately 1-1/2 inches of multi-depth serrations cut in the narrow wasp portion of both edges of the blade. These were sold on eBay with the following text:

"Japanese customs will not permit entry to any double-edged blade that is over 6 (six) inches in length, UNLESS (and this is very important) the blade is serrated on each side. Therefore, this Gerber Mark II did not qualify for entry as it was not serrated."

"A dear friend of mine, who is an importer in Japan, decided to buy a dozen of these boxed items and have them serrated to enable entry into his country. The serrations were done by one of our country's leading knife makers. Japanese customs found them unacceptable. I have been recruited to auction these knives on eBay."

These knives are a limited edition made exclusively for A. G. Russell Knives. They have the wide wasp profile blade with no serrations. The blades are made from 145CM stainless steel. There is no electro-etched lettering on the blade and there is no blade cant. Gerber only made 100 of these knives.

The "Cat's Tongue" handles on these knives have a brighter appearance in contrast with the usually darker gray handles of the original knives. The CT8 knives are found on 2002 knives with the serial range of Z00001 - Z00100. The significance of the Z prefix on the serial number is unknown.

The knives are mostly found in a green velveteen (imitation velvet) lined insert in a black cardboard box with dark brown leather sheath and Certificate of Authenticity. The tag on the box bottom reads "KNIFE, MARK II, AG RUSSELL Item: 22-07006". Note that the COA reads much like the COA of the 2002 Limited Edition knives with the letter A prefix serial numbers and black handles (See Black Armorhide Type 8 for more info).

These knives are reproductions of the original canted blade knives and were made to celebrate the 70th. Anniversary (1939-2009) of the Gerber Legendary Blades Company. The knives are found with a black leather sheath on a gray velveteen (imitation velvet) insert in a wood display case with a glass cover. Included is a Certificate of Authenticity

The knife is a faithful reproduction of the original, the blade being canted but made of the S30V steel rather than the original L6 tool steel. The handle has the "Cat's Tongue" finish. The major observable difference is that both the Gerber logo and serial number info are electro-etched rather than stamped. The knives are marked with the Slant 3 logo and "S30V USA" on one ricasso and have the marking "08CHO" over a 4 digit serial number in the form of XXXX OF 1500 on the reverse ricasso.

There is brown script lettering electro-etched on the blade on the logo side that reads "GERBER" / "70th. Anniversary Commemorative" / "Mark II™".

The "Cat's Tongue" handles on these knives have a brighter appearance in contrast with the usually darker gray handles of the original knives. The CT9 knives are found on 2009 knives in the in the serial range of 0001 OF 1500 to 1500 OF 1500.

The wood case comes in a plain cardboard box with the Gerber Item No. 22-01972.

The GH1 knives are very rare and I have knowledge of only three 1967 knives, S/N 002600, 002700 and 004000. I know that S/N 002000 has a standard Cat's Tongue handle, so the Gold Handles probably started no earlier than S/N 002100.

The GA1 knives are the earliest gray handled knives. They have the narrow wasp-waisted blades with no serrations. The earlier knives were marketed as "Combat Knives" and the later as "Survival Knives". Somewhere between serial no. 024323 and 025186, the Gerber Sword in Stone Logo on the GA1 knives underwent a change. (See Blade Logos for more info.) The GA1 knives are found on late 1968 to early 1972 knives in the approximate serial range of 008709 - 023995.

Photos: Mike Golden

The IGS knives were a special order of approximately 12 knives made for the now defunct Inglewood Gun Shop of Inglewood, California. The knives were ordered with 10-degree canted blades. However the example shown seems to be closer to 18 degrees. They have the letters "I.G.S." above a 5 digit serial number, both being acid etched. I believe they were all issued with a RT5 type sheath. The GA1I knives were probably ordered in 1969. They have the special serial range of I.G.S./00001 - I.G.S./00012

The GA2 knives were the result of a new marketing strategy for the Gerber Mark II knife. Vietnam War protests in 1970 caused Gerber to rethink its promotion of the Mark II as strictly a "Combat Knife" and instead market the Mark II as a "Survival Knife". In order to make the knife more acceptable, 2 inches of serrations were added on both sides of the central portion of the blade. The serrations are considered "fine", as opposed to later "coarse" serrations, and have 14 teeth per inch. Typically there are 24-25 teeth on this model. However some knives in the 020210-021291 serial range have 26-27 teeth. The late Al Mar was the inspiration for this change. (See Serrations for more info.).

The GA2 knives are found on early 1971 to early 1973 knives in the approximate serial range of 0193?? - 028087.

The GA3 knives have the "wide wasp-waist" blade profile. The change from the previous "narrow wasp-waist" resulted in a stronger, more robust knife.

The GA3 knives are found on early 1973 to mid 1976 knives in the serial range of 028401 - 051552. They seem to have been produced somewhat after the serrated GA4 type.

NOTE: The GA3 knives are relatively rare, as I've only noted 10 examples out of the 710 gray handles in my records.

The GA4 knives have the "wide wasp-waist" blade profile as well as the "fine" serrations of 14 teeth per inch. Typically there are 24-25 teeth on this model.

The GA4 knives are found on mid 1972 to mid 1976 knives in the approximate serial range of 025186 - 049650.

The GA5 knives have the "wide wasp-waist" blade profile but have a slightly coarser "fine" serration of 12 teeth per inch. Possibly Gerber added a second serration cutting machine, and a slightly more aggressive 12 TPI serration was chosen. Note that GA5 knife production was started approximately 2 years later than the GA4 knives, but that their ending serial numbers are very close. This seems to indicate that both the GA4 and GA5 versions of the knife were being produced at the same time during the period from early 1974 to mid 1976.

The GA5 knives are found on early 1974 to mid 1976 knives in the approximate serial range of 034113 - 050796.

The GA6 knives have the "wide wasp-waist" blade profile. Possibly the "fine" serrations were not aggressive enough in their cutting ability or dulled quickly, so a "coarse" serration of 8 teeth per inch was chosen. These 8 TPI serrations would become the standard for all future Mark II serrated knives.

The GA6 knives are found on mid 1976 to late 1977 knives in the approximate serial range of 049939 - 062270.

The BA1 knives have the "wide wasp-waist" blade profile and do not have serrations. These blades were made to satisfy requests for non-serrated knives. There is a lot of variation in the profile of these knives with some knives having a very noticeable wasp shape and others much less.

The BA1 knives are found on very late 1977 to late 1981 knives in the approximate serial range of 063085 - 109347. They seem to have been produced somewhat after the serrated BA2 type.

The BA1 knives were produced in both L6 and 440C as production was switched from L6 to a blanked, 440C Stainless Steel, straight profile blade on 1 Dec. 1979. I don't know at what serial number the 440C blades start to appear. I don't believe there is a definitive non-destructive test to determine if the blade material is L6 or 440C. The only method I was able to find suggests putting a drop of water on the blade and leaving it overnight. If there is a rust spot, the blade is L6. If no rust, 440C. This method could leave a permanent stain and I don't believe the knowledge is worth marring the blade finish.

NOTE: The BA1 knives are relatively rare as I've only noted 21 examples out of the 1380 black handles in my records.

The BA2 knives have the "wide wasp-waist" blade profile and the 8 teeth per inch serrations. These 8 TPI serrations, started with the gray handles are the standard for all future Mark II serrated knives.

Again, there is a lot of variation in these knives with regards to the blade profile with the early knives of this type having a very noticeable wasp shape and others almost none. Later knives have the straight blade profile.

The BA2 knives are found on mid 1977 to late 1981 knives in the approximate serial range of 060869 - 111914.

The BA2 knives were produced in both L6 and 440C as production was switched from L6 to a blanked, 440C Stainless Steel, straight profile blade on 1 Dec. 1979. I don't know at what serial number the 440C blades start to appear. I don't believe there is a definitive non-destructive test to determine if the blade material is L6 or 440C. The only method I was able to find suggests putting a small drop of water on the blade and leaving it overnight. If there is a rust spot, the blade is L6. If no rust, 440C. This method could leave a permanent stain and I don't believe the knowledge is worth marring the blade finish.

In 1982, several changes in the production of the Gerber Mark II were made. (1) A different serial numbering system was adopted. Instead of the previous 6 digit numeric serial number, an alphanumeric numbering system was used. The new serial consisted of an alpha character followed by a 4-digit number and ending with the letter "S" for stainless. The new serial numbering system started with serial A1001S. (2) The Gerber "Sword in Stone" logo was changed to the Vertical 1 type. The new logo has the sword positioned vertically, rather than at a slant. (See Blade Logos for more info).

Gerber was a very accommodating company during this early period and special order requests for knives with L6 tool steel blades were honored. These knives were denoted by stamping with a trailing "T" for tool steel rather than the "S" for stainless. These knives are rare and I've seen only two of this model, S/N's B2221T and B2251T.

The BA3 knives are found on early 1982 to mid 1994 knives in the approximate serial range of A1818S - L2620S. This serial number range overlaps the BA6 type knives with the "Mark II™" blade etch. I suspect the non-serrated knives with serial numbers above the start of the BA6 knives bypassed the "Mark II™" blade electro-etching process. I have several knives in my collection, I4169S and I4190S, with original brush finish, that show no evidence of the "Mark II™" blade etch.

NOTE: The BA3 knives are relatively rare as I've only noted 14 examples out of the 1380 black handles in my records.

In 1982, several changes in the production of the Gerber Mark II were made. (1) A different serial numbering system was adopted. Instead of the previous 6 digit numeric serial number, an alphanumeric numbering system was used. The new serial consisted of an alpha character followed by a 4-digit number and ending with the letter "S" for stainless. The new serial numbering system started with serial A1001S. (2) The Gerber "Sword in Stone" logo was changed to the Vertical 1 type. The new logo has the sword positioned vertically, rather than at a slant. (See Blade Logos for more info).

The BA4 knives are found on early 1982 to late 1985 knives in the approximate serial range of A1442S - D4272S.

Sometime after the adoption of stainless steel blades, Gerber began offering, to the general public, the Mark II with a black coating on the blade. The coating was probably the result of requests for a blade that would not reflect light. There were also rumors that prior availability of the coating was restricted to law enforcement personnel. I can find no record of this restriction, but it could have just been a Gerber policy.

The BA5 knife is similar to the BA4 with a black handle and straight 8 TPI partially serrated blade but the blade is coated with a baked on smooth, non-reflective black coating similar to Gun-Kote.

Gerber was a very accommodating company during this period and special order requests for knives with L6 tool steel blades were honored. These knives were denoted by stamping with a trailing "T" for tool steel rather than the "S" for stainless. These knives are rare and I've seen only one of this model with a T-suffix serial number, S/N A1504T. Interestingly enough, I also have a record of S/N A1504S, indicating that L6 steel special orders were made in addition to the normal production.

The BA5 knives are found on mid 1982 to late 1998 knives in the approximate serial range of A1504S - N4121S

The BA6 knives are identical to the BA4 knives but have "Mark II™" electro-etched on the blade logo side, on the upper flat of the blade when the knife point is on the left. Most are centered in the serration area, however on some early BA6 knives the electro-etch is found lower towards the handle. I don't know why the marking was added but may have been the result of a spate of Mark II copies that hit the knife market.

The BA6 knives are found on early 1982 to late 1998 knives in the approximate serial range of D2349S - N4082S

The BA7 knives are similar to the CT6 Cutlery Shoppe knives, but have the black Armorhide handle instead of the CT6's Cat's Tongue handle. I don't know why these knives have black handles while all other 1995 - 1996 Cutlery Shoppe knives have Cat's Tongue handles. Possibly they ran short of the Cat's Tongue handles or they could have been ordered that way.

The BA7 knives are found on early 1996 Cutlery Shoppe knives in the approximate serial range of CS1579 - CS1610.

The BA8 knives are a limited edition knife. Designated as "2002 Limited Edition", there were 1500 of these knives made in 2002. The COA reads in part "The 2002 version combines features found on the Mark II throughout its illustrious history, including a sprayed on "cat's tongue" stainless steel grip powder-coated cardinal black...". It seems to imply that Gerber took what I feel is the more desirable Cat's Tongue handle and powder coated it? Seems a shame.

The knives are found in a teal colored (some red colored) velveteen (imitation velvet) lined insert in a black cardboard box with brown leather sheath and Certificate of Authenticity. The tag on the box reads MARK II "LIMITED EDITION" w/ Sheath Item No. 06993.

The BA8 knives are found on 2002 Limited Edition knives in the serial range of A00001 - A01500.

Ten years after Gerber discontinued the manufacture of the Mark II, Gerber re-introduced the knife in June of 2008. The BA9 knives have the same powder coated aluminum handle but the blade design is slightly different. The knife has a 6-5/8-inch long and 7/8-inch wide black blade. Overall legth is 11-3/4-inches. Note that the blade width is 7/8-inch rather than the previous 1-inch. The blade is black oxide coated and has two inches of serrations but the teeth have a chisel tooth form rather than the previous pointed tip tooth form.

The knives are marked with the Slant 3 logo and "USA 420HC" on one ricasso and have the marking "08AGN" over a 5 digit serial number on the reverse ricasso.

The knives have two Gerber product numbers. Model No. 22-01874 comes boxed and 22-41874 is the blister pack version.

The BA9 knives are found on 2008-2009 knives in I believe the serial range of 01001 - ?????. The highest serial number I have noted thus far is 03203.

The YA1 knives are very similar to the GA2 knives, with narrow wasp blades and with 14 TPI serrations. However, they have a bright yellow handle and black electro-etched inch marks and numerals on the logo side of the blade. Some of these dive knives have electro-etched logos.

I believe the YA1 knives were first sold in 1971. None of the knives have a serial number. It is unknown how many of the YA1 type dive knives were made.

The YA2 knives are very similar to the GA4 knives, with wide wasp blades and with 14 TPI serrations. However, they have a bright yellow handle and black electro-etched inch markings on the logo side of the blade. None of the knives have a serial number.

I believe the YA2 knives were first sold in 1972. None of the knives have a serial number. It is unknown how many of the YA2 type dive knives were made.

The YA3 knife has a narrow wasp blade and has 14 TPI serrations on the forward 5 inches of only one blade edge. They have bright yellow handles and black electro-etched inch markings on the logo side of the blade. None of the knives have a serial number.

The knife pictured has the serrations cut on the left blade edge. However the knife can also be found with the serrated side on the right blade edge. They have the Slant 2 logo and the knives can be found with both stamped and etched logos. I don't know the years these knives were produced. It is unknown how many of the YA3 type dive knives were made but they are somewhat rarer than the YA1 knives.

NOTE: An identical knife, except for having an orange handle, is the OA5 made for CB Sports.

I previously believed the WS1 and WS2 knives were prototypes. I have since learned that these knives were made for the White Stag Mfg. Co. of Portland, OR. In 1980, the White Stag Company merged with Selpac and they became Ocean Dynamics International. (Ref: http://vintagedivertreasures.com/VDTdecalPage3.htm).

Several individuals stated that "Some of these knives were issued to UDT/SEALs in Vietnam and the SEALs were asked for their evaluations. The SEALs sent back their comments, but were allowed to keep the knives". However, my attempts to verify the named SEALs were failures as the named individuals were not on any of the BUD/S or UDTRA rosters. I have to assume this is just another imaginative story.

There are two versions of this short bladed dive knife which seem identical in appearance until examined closely. The WS1 is the first version and has a short 6-inch L6 tool steel blade and has the narrow wasp profile with no serrations. They have the standard dive knife bright yellow handle.

The logo side of the blade is simply stamped "GERBER" in 1/8 inch high letters. This name stamp is different from the one used on production knives of the same period. They do not have the "Sword in Stone" logo or the Gerber address. The reverse side is blank. None of the knives have a serial number. There were no sheaths associated with these knives.

Mike Silvey states that very few of the WS1 dive knives were made.

I previously believed the WS1 and WS2 knives were prototypes. I have since learned that these knives were made for the White Stag Mfg. Co. of Portland, OR. In 1980, the White Stag Company merged with Selpac and they became Ocean Dynamics International. (Ref: http://vintagedivertreasures.com/VDTdecalPage3.htm).

There are two versions of this dive knife which seem identical in appearance until examined closely. The WS2 is the second version and has a short 6-inch 440C stainless steel blade and has the narrow wasp profile with no serrations. They have the standard dive knife bright yellow handle.

The logo side of the blade is simply stamped "GERBER" in 1/8 inch high letters. This name stamp is different from the one used on production knives of the same period. They do not have the "Sword in Stone" logo or the Gerber address. The reverse side is acid etched "STAINLESS" in small 3/64-inch high letters. None of the knives have a serial number. There were no sheaths associated with these knives.

Mike Silvey states that very few of the WS2 type dive knives were made.

The OA1 knives are very similar to the GA2 knives, with narrow wasp blades and with 14 TPI serrations. They are standard production knives with serial numbers, the only difference being the bright orange colored handle.

Due to the rarity of these knives, I haven't seen many examples. My only record of OA1 knives are 1971 knives in the serial range of 020825 - 021131. Unknown as to whether this serial range comprises one or more orange handle batches. It is unknown how many of the OA1 type knives were made.

The OA2 knives are very similar to the GA1 knives, with narrow wasp blades and no serrations. They are standard production knives with serial numbers, the only difference being the bright orange colored handle.

Due to the rarity of these knives, I haven't seen many examples. My only record of OA2 knives are mostly 1972 knives in the serial range of 024882 - 028158. This serial range must be comprised of several batches. It is unknown how many of the OA2 type knives were made. NOTE: The serial number ranges seem to indicate that the non-serrated OA2 was produced later than the serrated OA1.

The OA3 knives are special order knives made for Eddie Bauer, the outdoor clothing and gear company. They are similar to the GA3 knives, with narrow wasp blades and no serrations. They have the bright orange colored handle. They are not stamped with the Gerber logo and do not have serial numbers. The blade is acid-etched with the Eddie Bauer script logo.

The OA3 knives were offered with two types of round tip sheaths, the first with and the second without a sharpening steel. The sheaths are similar to the RT5 and RT5S sheaths but are stamped with the Eddie Bauer script logo facing right, where normally the Gerber 3-line name/address stamp would appear. The sharpening steel has no Gerber name stamp but instead is acid-etched with the Eddie Bauer script logo, placed lengthwise on the flat below the thong hole. The sharpening steel chisel tip is the square corner type.

The knives are shown in the 50th Anniversary Eddie Bauer catalog, 1970-1971 on page 101. It is unknown how many were made but probably on the order of 100-200.

The OA4 knives are very similar to the GA3 knives, with wide wasp blades and no serrations. They are standard production knives with serial numbers, the only difference being the bright orange colored handle.

Due to the rarity of these knives, I haven't seen many examples. My only record of OA4 knives are 1974 knives in the serial range of 034907 - 035412. This serial range is possibly comprised of several batches. It is unknown how many of the OA4 type knives were made.

The OA5 knives were made as a dive knife. The knife has a narrow wasp blade and has 14 TPI serrations on the forward 5 inches of only one blade edge. They have orange handles and black electro-etched inch markings on the logo side of the blade. These knives were issued with a heavy, tallow impregnated leather sheath able to withstand salt water immersion and included two leg straps. The one example I've seen has an etched logo.

I don't know if these knives have a serial number but I suspect they are similar to the yellow handled dive knives and do not. It is unknown how many of the OA5 type knives were made. The only information I have states that twenty-five of these dive knives were made for the CB Sports. I suspect more were made but have no information as to how many or for whom they were made.

The VT1 knives have the "wide wasp-waist" blade profile and do not have serrations. The blade has a mirror polish with an engraved combat scene.

The display side of the blade has an engraved combat scene of an air mobile assault with Huey "Slicks" and riflemen securing an LZ. Banners above and below read "IN HONOR OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY" and "VIETNAM 1961-1973". The standard etch on the display side ricasso is the insignia of the U.S. Army - Vietnam. (Other unit insignias could be special ordered). The reverse side of the blade has the standard Gerber name, address and Vertical 1 "Sword in Stone" logo.

The handle is painted in Woodland Leaf Pattern Vietnam era camouflage. Recessed into the display side of the handle is a gold-plated fired enamel cloisonné of the U.S. Army seal.

The VT1 knives are found on 1982 knives in mahogany wood boxes with a serial numbered Certificate of Authenticity in the serial range of 0001 - 2500.

NOTE: The example shown has an optional ricasso etch of the insignia of the 101st Airborne Screaming Eagles.

The VT2 knives have the "wide wasp-waist" blade profile and do not have serrations. The blade has a mirror polish with an engraved combat scene.

The display side of the blade has an engraved combat scene of U.S Marines armed with M-16's, M-60 machine gun, M-79 grenade launcher and hand grenades closing in on a fortified enemy position while a Marine CH-53 Sea Stallion helicopters drop off supplies in the rear. Banners above and below read "IN HONOR OF THE UNITED STATES MARINES" and "VIETNAM 1961-1973". The standard etch on the display side ricasso is the insignia of the Third Marine Amphibious Force, the overall Marine Corps command in Vietnam. (Other unit insignias could be special ordered). The reverse side of the blade has the standard Gerber name, address and vertical "Sword in Stone" logo.

The handle is painted in Oakleaf Pattern helmet cover camouflage. Recessed into the display side of the handle is a gold-plated fired enamel cloisonné of the U.S. Marine Corps seal.

The VT2 knives are found on 1982 knives in mahogany wood boxes with a serial numbered Certificate of Authenticity in the serial range of 0001 - 2500.

NOTE: The example shown has the standard ricasso etch of the insignia of the Third Marine Amphibious Force.

The VT3 knives have the "wide wasp-waist" blade profile and do not have serrations. The blade has a mirror polish with an engraved combat scene.

The display side of the blade has an engraved combat scene of a coordinated air-sea attack with a U.S. Navy River Patrol Boat, a Monitor firing flame throwers, A-7A Corsair II attack bombers in the air and the profile an aircraft carrier in the background. Banners above and below read "IN HONOR OF THE UNITED STATES NAVY" and "VIETNAM 1961-1973". The standard etch on the display side ricasso is the insignia of the U.S. Seventh Fleet representative of all U.S. Navy forces in Southeast Asia. (Other unit insignias could be special ordered). The reverse side of the blade has the standard Gerber name, address and vertical "Sword in Stone" logo.

The handle is painted in the solid colors of green and gray with the main portion green and the guard and pommel gray. A gold rope, wrapping around the handle at each end, separates the colors. Recessed into the display side of the handle is a gold-plated fired enamel cloisonné of the U.S. Navy seal.

The VT3 knives are found on 1982 knives in mahogany wood boxes with a serial numbered Certificate of Authenticity in the serial range of 0001 - 2500.

NOTE: The example shown has an optional ricasso etch of the insignia of the U.S. Navy SEALs.

Photo: Anonymous

The VT4 knives have the "wide wasp-waist" blade profile and do not have serrations. The blade has a mirror polish with an engraved combat scene.

The display side of the blade has an engraved combat scene of an air support mission with F-4 Phantom jets engaging in a low level attack with bombs. Above and in the background are B-52 aircraft carpet bombing a suspected enemy position. Banners above and below read "IN HONOR OF THE UNITED STATES AIR FORCE" and "VIETNAM 1961-1973". The standard etch on the display side ricasso is the insignia of the Pacific Air Forces, symbolic of all U.S. Air Force units in Southeast Asia. (Other unit insignias could be special ordered). The reverse side of the blade has the standard Gerber name, address and vertical "Sword in Stone" logo.

The handle is painted in the U.S Air Force Vietnam era greens and tan camouflage used on SAC, TAC and MAC aircraft. Recessed into the display side of the handle is a gold-plated fired enamel cloisonné of the U.S. Air Force seal.

The VT4 knives are found on 1982 knives in mahogany wood boxes with a serial numbered Certificate of Authenticity in the serial range of 0001 - 2500.

The VIETNAM TRIBUTE COLLECTION boxed set is made up of one knife from each of the four armed services, VT1,VT2, VT3 and VT4, in their individual wooden boxes. All four knives have the same serial number. The knives are all cased in an additional "Mahogany Master Cabinet" into which the four individual wooden cases could be stored.

The P1 knives have the wide wasp waist blade profile with a mirror polish and no serrations. They have a three part handle consisting of a solid brass guard, a central wooden handle and a solid brass pommel with thong hole. There are three narrow spacers at each end of the handle between brass and wood. The spacer colors are red-white-red.

There was a minor change in some of the later serial numbered knives where the normally bare polished brass guard and pommel have a brush finish and are coated with a clear, protective finish.

Although Zebrawood was the advertised handle wood, some observed knives suggest that other exotic hardwoods were used as well.

The knives are found in both the White and Orange-Flip type boxes with either the light-tan P1 type or dark-brown P2 type sheath. The Model Number is 5711.

The P1 knives are found on 1977 to 198? knives in the observed serial range of 0179 - 4683.

WARNING: Use extreme care if attempting to clean the brass guard and pommel. Keep all polish off of the wood. The dull patina that forms on the brass is "verdigris" (copper acetate) and will stain the pores of the wood handle a green color.

The P2 knives have the "wide wasp-waist" blade profile and no serrations. They have a three part handle consisting of a solid brass guard, a central Sambar Stag handle and a solid brass pommel with thong hole. There are three narrow spacers at each end of the handle between brass and wood. The spacer colors are red-white-red.

The knives are found in both the White and Orange-Flip type boxes with either the light-tan P1 type or dark-brown P2 type sheath. The Model Number is 5720.

The P2 knives are found on 197? to 198? knives in the observed serial range of 000288 - 001172. There was also a small batch of P2 knives made with alphanumeric serial numbered blades. Knives A8315S and A8888S were noted.

WARNING: Use extreme care if attempting to clean the brass guard and pommel. Keep all polish off of the stag. The dull patina that forms on the brass is "verdigris" (copper acetate) and will stain the porous stag handle a green color.

The P1S is a matched set of two Gerber knives, a Mark II and a Mark I, both with the same serial number. The Mark II is identical to the P1 Mark II with Zebrawood handle. The Mark I has a brass guard and Zebrawood handle, but does not have a brass pommel. Instead the Mark I has a brass lined wrist thong hole in the wooden handle. Each of the two knives were issued in separate white boxes. Both knives have the light-tan colored sheath.

I have only observed two of the P1S sets, serial number 0046 and 000691. It is unknown how many matching sets were sold.

NOTE: These sets may be an early issue of the President's Collection Knives (described in the next section) before their issue in the wood box.

WARNING: Use extreme care if attempting to clean the brass guard and pommel. Keep all polish off of the wood. The dull patina that forms on the brass is "verdigris" (copper acetate) and will stain the pores of the wood handle a green color.

The PC1 Mark II knives have the wide wasp waist blade profile with a mirror polish and no serrations. They have a three part handle consisting of a solid brass guard, a central Zebrawood handle and a solid brass pommel with thong hole. There are three narrow spacers at each end of the handle between brass and wood. The spacer colors are red-white-red.

The shorter bladed PC1 Mark I knives have the standard tapered 5-inch blade with a mirror polish and no serrations. They have a two part handle consisting of a solid brass guard and a Zebrawood handle with a brass lined thong hole. There are three narrow spacers between the guard and handle. The spacer colors are red-white-red.

The COA issued with the knives are numbered and signed by Pete Gerber. They read:

These are very special Gerber Mark I and Mark II knives. They are hand made by our most experienced craftsmen using the finest materials available. We are proud of them and hope you are too.

The steel is 440C Stainless, the very best! It is hardened to 57-59C on the Rockwell scale. The handles are Zebrawood from West Africa. All brass parts are precision investment castings.

I have a copy of a June 1980 price list that offers the President's Collection with wood handles for $212.50.

The PC1 knives are found on 197? to 198? knives in the observed serial range of 0035 - 0775. It is unknown how many were made.

WARNING: Use extreme care if attempting to clean the brass guard and pommel. Keep all polish off of the wood. The dull patina that forms on the brass is "verdigris" (copper acetate) and will stain the pores of the wood handles a green color.

The PC1E Mark II knives have the wide wasp waist blade profile with a mirror polish and no serrations. They have a three part handle consisting of a solid brass guard, a central Zebrawood handle and a solid brass pommel with thong hole. There are three narrow spacers at each end of the handle between brass and wood. The spacer colors are red-white-red.

The shorter bladed PC1E Mark I knives have the standard tapered 5-inch blade with a mirror polish and no serrations. They have a two part handle consisting of a solid brass guard and a Zebrawood handle with a brass lined thong hole. There are three narrow spacers between the guard and handle. The spacer colors are red-white-red.

The COA issued with the knives are numbered and signed by Pete Gerber. They read:

These are very special Gerber Mark I and Mark II knives. They are hand made by our most experienced craftsmen using the finest materials available. We are proud of them and hope you are too.

The steel is 440C stainless, the very best! It is hardened to 57-59C on the Rockwell scale. The handles are Zebrawood from West Africa. All brass parts are precision investment castings. Each knife is engraved by a master engraver.

I have a copy of a June 1980 price list that offers the Engraved President's Collection with wood handles for $300.

The PC1E knives are found on 197? to 198? knives in the observed serial range of 0085 - 0528. It is unknown how many were made but probably far fewer that the non-engraved PC1 sets.

WARNING: Use extreme care if attempting to clean the brass guard and pommel. Keep all polish off of the wood. The dull patina that forms on the brass is "verdigris" (copper acetate) and will stain the pores of the wood handles a green color.

The PC2 Mark II knives have the wide wasp waist blade profile with a mirror polish and no serrations. The shorter bladed PC2 Mark I knives have the standard tapered 5-inch blade with a mirror polish and no serrations. Both knives have a three part handle consisting of a solid brass guard, a central Sambar Stag handle and a solid brass pommel with thong hole. There are three narrow spacers at each end of the handles between brass and stag. The spacer colors are red-white-red.

The COA issued with the knives are numbered and signed by Pete Gerber. They read:

These are very special Gerber Mark I and Mark II knives. They are hand made by our most experienced craftsmen using the finest materials available. We are proud of them and hope you are too.

The steel is 440C stainless, the very best! It is hardened to 57-59C on the Rockwell scale. The handles are select Sambar Stag from India. All brass parts are precision investment castings.

I have a copy of a June 1980 price list that offers the President's Collection with stag handles for $250.

The PC2 knives are found on 197? to 198? knives in the observed serial range of 0062 - 0277. It is unknown how many were made.

WARNING: Use extreme care if attempting to clean the brass guard and pommel. Keep all polish off of the stag. The dull patina that forms on the brass is "verdigris" (copper acetate) and will stain the porous stag handle a green color.

The PC2E Mark II knives have the wide wasp waist blade profile with a mirror polish and no serrations. The shorter bladed PC2E Mark I knives have the standard tapered 5-inch blade with a mirror polish and no serrations. Both knives have a three part handle consisting of a solid brass guard, a central Sambar Stag handle and a solid brass pommel with thong hole. There are three narrow spacers at each end of the handles between brass and stag. The spacer colors are red-white-red.

The brass guards and pommels of both knives are beautifully engraved.

The COA issued with the knives are numbered and signed by Pete Gerber. They read:

These are very special Gerber Mark I and Mark II knives. They are hand made by our most experienced craftsmen using the finest materials available. We are proud of them and hope you are too.

The steel is 440C stainless, the very best! It is hardened to 57-59C on the Rockwell scale. The handles are select Sambar Stag from India. All brass parts are precision investment castings. Each knife is engraved by a master engraver.

I have a copy of a June 1980 price list that offers the Engraved President's Collection with stag handles for $325.

The PC2E knives are found on 197? to 198? knives in the observed serial range of 0044 - 0993. It is unknown how many were made.

WARNING: Use extreme care if attempting to clean the brass guard and pommel. Keep all polish off of the stag. The dull patina that forms on the brass is "verdigris" (copper acetate) and will stain the porous stag handle a green color.

The I1 Mark II knives have the straight blade profile with a mirror polish and can be found with but mostly without serrations. They have a handle consisting of a solid brass guard, a short 1-1/4 inch polished wood section and a 5-inch long intricately carved ivory eagle head. There is a shallow, scalloped brass cap between the wood and ivory. There is no thong hole.

The number of these knives is unknown. Some of these knives came with a walnut display stand consisting of a flat base with round posts of different heights at each end. The knife is cradled on the posts with the ivory eagle head displayed at a slight angle and higher than the blade.

NOTE: The example shown is made from a 1986 dated blade. The serrations are unusual and the knife may have be assembled using a standard blade that was given a high polish.

The I2 Mark II knives have the straight blade profile with a mirror polish and can be found with but mostly without serrations. They have a handle consisting of a solid brass guard and a 5-inch long, one-piece, smooth ivory handle with an intricately carved bear head on the pommel end. There is no wood on the handle. There is no thong hole.

The number of these knives is unknown but is less than the more popular I1 eagle head.

The I3 Mark II knives have the straight blade profile with a mirror polish and can be found with and without serrations. They have a handle consisting of a solid brass guard and a 5-inch long, one-piece, smooth ivory handle with an intricately carved lion head on the pommel end. There is no wood on the handle. There is no thong hole.

The number of these knives is unknown but is less than the more popular I1 eagle head.

The I4 Mark II knives have the straight blade profile with a mirror polish and can be found with and without serrations. They have a handle consisting of a solid brass guard and a 5-inch long, one-piece, smooth ivory handle with an intricately carved griffon head on the pommel end. The griffon (also spelled gryphon, griffin or gryphin) is a legendary creature with the body of a lion and the head of an eagle with the addition of prominent ears. There is no wood on the handle. There is no thong hole.

The number of these knives is unknown but is less than the more popular I1 eagle head.

There are 25 sets of the IS knives. These are the sets were that were gifted to Gerber Executives prior to the Fiskars take-over.

The IS Mark II knives have the straight blade profile with a mirror polish and no serrations. They have a handle consisting of a solid brass guard, a short 1-1/4 inch polished wood section and a 5-inch long intricately carved ivory eagle head. There is a shallow, scalloped brass cap between the wood and ivory. There is no thong hole. The shorter bladed IS Mark I knives have the standard tapered 5-inch blade with a mirror polish and no serrations. They have the same type handles but are somewhat smaller being about 80% of the size of the Mark II handle.

The serial number sides of the blades are blank. Instead, both knives have a four digit serial number (0001 - 0025) engraved on the side of the brass guard. Each set came with two boxes, an individual, hinged lid, walnut display box with red-velvet lining.

Photo: Anonymous

Little is known about the details and number of original Mark II prototype knives made. According to articles by Robert A. Buerlein in BLADE MAGAZINE, Oct. 1982 and GUN WORLD, May 1983, the original design, proposed by Bud Holzmann, dated 15 March 1966, showed a guard, grip and pommel very similar to a Fairbairn-Sykes but with a wide double edged blade. The blade had a bulbous tip and a square spine down the center on both sides for strength. Its unique feature was the canted blade. The design was submitted to an industrial design firm which made a number of changes. In July 1966 a prototype was made and sent to Fort Lewis for evaluation. The assessment resulted in several additional suggestions and were incorporated into the design. In August 1966 a second prototype was sent to Fort Lewis. This version was given a favorable rating.

So it seems there are at least two original prototype versions that exist. Another reference states that eight Mark II prototype knives were made and have serial numbers of 000001 to 000008.

Another advanced collector states that all the prototypes and salesman sample knives were stamped with a 000000 (six zeros) serial number. The whereabouts of almost all of these knives is unknown.

Although the example shown looks like it has a gray Armorhide handle, it is just the lighting. It has a Cat's Tongue handle with an unusually bright finish. Possibly the stainless steel spray on these knives was thicker than was done on production knives.

These knives represent the first application of a patented Titanium Nitride hard coating to a knife blade. The coating is a rare earth doped titanium nitride of 3 micron thickness. It has a hardness of over 95 on the Rockwell C scale and a melting point of 5468 degrees Fahrenheit. (Steel melts at around 2500 degrees F). The coating has a gold color and is commonly observed today on high wear tools such as drill bits.

In 1982, Mr. Alvin Snapper, the developer and patent holder of the process, was supplied by the Gerber company with 6 Mark II blades for application of the prototype coating. The blades were coated by him and then carried back to the Gerber factory where they were assembled. Three of the assembled knives were retained by Gerber for testing purposes and 3 were returned to Mr. Snapper for his collection. For unknown reasons, Gerber decided not to use the process and no further Mark II knives were ever coated by Mr. Snapper.

The six XKTIN knives are found only on 1981 - 1982 knives. Two of the serial numbers are 110070 and A1560S. The whereabouts of the 4 remaining knives are unknown.

This knife, with an early Mark II blade, has a Mark I handle. It also has a long boot knife type sheath. The blade is an early, narrow wasp blade with Slant 1 logo and with serial number 023674. The blade may have been a reject because of an area near the middle of the blade on each side where the grind went a little deep causing a slight dip in the surface contour. This knife may be unique.

The sheath is professionally crafted. It is similar to the sheath used for Mark I boot knives, but has no Gerber markings. I have seen two other sheaths like it and they were paired with Parker Brothers Mark II copies. However, it is not the sheath usually seen with the Parker Brothers knife and may be an earlier version.

NOTE: In Nov. 2007 on eBay a Mark II, S/N K4648S with a Mark I handle was auctioned.

This knife with an early Mark II blade and black handle has a 5-degree cant. The knife has a 1982 blade with a Vertical 1 logo and with serial number A6501S. The blade is nearly flawless with factory polished edges. It was found mated with a RT7, 20th. Anniversary sheath but the blade is definitely not a 20th. Anniversary blade.

Two examples are shown of knives without serial numbers. The lack of a serial number usually means the knife is a "Lunchbox Special". The first example has a straight profile blade and the second a wide wasp profile. For these two examples, the Vertical 1 logo stamping dates the blades to the 1982-1990 period. These knives are by no means unique and I'm sure that others exist.

This knife with a late Mark II blade has a Cat's Tongue handle. The knife has a 1986 blade with a Vertical 1 logo and with serial number E0077S. The handle seems to be one of the 20th. Anniversary handles but the blade has no cant. The sheath found with this knife is a FT2 which is correct for this serial number. Special order? Rehandle?

NOTE: In mid January 2008, an identical type knife with serial E5601S sold on ebay. It came with a Cordura C3S type sheath. More of these knives may exist.

This knife has no serial number and no Gerber logo. Is this one of the fabled "STERILE" knives supposedly issued to U.S. Special Forces in Vietnam? ABSOLUTELY NOT! There are no such knives!

Although it is fairly rare to find a blade without the Gerber Logo, this knife is only a "Lunch Box Special". The blade is probably an unmarked, Cutlery Shoppe, narrow wasp blade but has a very large cant of about 8-10 degrees. The handle seems to be a 20th. Anniversary type. No sheath came with the knife.

There are 1500 of the "2002 Limited Edition" knives in the serial number range of A00001 to A01500.

There are 100 of the Limited Edition A. G. Russell knives in the serial number range of Z00001 to Z00100.

The current production of the Mark II, re-introduced in 2008, in the serial number range of 00001 to ?????.

There are 1500 of the "70th. Anniversary" knives in the serial number range of 00001 to 01500.

Acid etching forms a deep etch and the etched area has an uneven pitted surface with a bright appearance. By contrast, electro-etching is very shallow, the etched area has very flat surface and is dark gray or black in appearance.

Examples of several of the etched logos are shown below.