Gerber Mark II Knife [22-01874]

I had been wanting one of these knives for several years, not for any real purpose, just to have one, and finally decided to go ahead and spend the cash to get it. It's great! The blade seems fixed in the handle very well and the whole thing has a nice ring too it when tapped lightly on a solid surface. The blade comes not quite as sharp as I wanted it, but the end is extremely pointy. A quick run through on a 900 grit finishing stone and I had it razor sharp. The sheath has a nice plastic insert in it to protect the fabric from the blade, and there are several buttons and straps on it to diversify the carrying positions of it. I plan to use this knive for just carrying it on my property out in the woods. I'm sure it would be great for any survival needs. The only negative I can say is I wish the handle had a little more grip to it, its kinda smooth for the style of blade it is. Perhaps some bead blasting would rough it up a little, but it would remove the black finish so maybe not. All in all, it's a great knive, well worth the money, I see it lasting years.

This Gerber MkII is still a Beautiful dagger. First made back in the late '60's, for combat. It is not a survival knife nor is it heavy duty enough for chopping.The original sheath was leather, the current sheath is rip stop nylon with a krydex liner for the Blade itself. This new sheath is the problem with the overall package. 1st the Krydex holds the blade so tight the Blade can't be removed one handed. I fixed this by Filing the inside, and top of the Krydex until the blade comes out easier but still held in place.2nd is the Straps and snaps that holds the knife into the sheath. The snaps are at the very end of their straps, leaving no pull tab at the end. One must use fingertips to unsnap these straps. The upper strap cannot be resnaped on the handle one handed. My fix will be remove the upper strap, and install a new strap with velcro.In defense of Gerber, the old leather sheath would rot and fall apart in the jungles of south east Asia. This new sheath should last for decades of use.

Schrade makes a nearly identical knife (their “needle boot knife”) which is sold for a fraction of the price, however I don’t own theirs yet, so I can’t compare quality. I do mention it though, for those who may be interested in a cheaper (yet very similar) knife. Schrade’s is currently less than $20.That said, this is a high-quality knife, which feels absolutely amazing. I’m no expert, so I’m not going to comment on the quality of the steel, but I do have a collection of around a dozen fixed-blade knives, and speaking purely in terms of design and “feel”, it’s probably my favorite. I think that I’d still prefer a classic Ka-bar Marine-style 1200-series fighting knife for a genuine combat situation, but these commando-style knives modeled after the classic Fairbairn-Sykes design just feel amazing in the hand, and would more easily slip between the ribs and pierce organs, on account of its slim stilleto design, and its relative length. (I realize this is a very morbid way of comparing them, but let’s be honest: this is a fighting knife, built for one singular purpose. Since some reading this may be military and may conceivably buy one for its intended purpose, I’m going to keep it real.If you’re a collector, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed in its quality. If you’re a soldier, you may prefer to go with a somewhat heavier-duty multipurpose survival knife, which can serve other purposes like chopping. That’s personal opinion though, and Major Sykes would undoubtedly disagree.

The coveted MKII has stood the test of time only to be reborn again. This blade is purpose built from the ground up and still made in the USA. It is meant for the collector or Operator. If you need a "field/survival" knife do another search for "field/survival" knives. If you are an Operator in need of an offensive blade for your kit, this is the knife you are looking for. I will re-state that this is not a utility blade. Learn the history of this item and the application before you commit. Excellent buy. Couldn't be happier with the three I bought. I personally like the sheath and find it highly functional. I've had several high quality knives patterned after the MKII and this newest version blows them away. I prefer it to the older Gerber versions too because of the black finish and higher quality steel. If I ever need to defend or offend to protect myself with this knife I am 100% confident it will perform.

I liked the new recessed serrated portion, without the pointed teeth that would snag on things, and could snap off. I loved the balance, and after adding a bit of 550 cord to the handle and extending the snap at the top on the sheath it felt good strapped on my left hip. I like to cross draw, and I was test throwing it in no time. The tip hasn't come off yet, but I am not worried if it does, thats the "thing"; when you throw things at "trees". For the price, it is sturdy, and I am not worried about saving it in a glass case. Don't be afraid to sharpen it, but it isn't for opening canned peaches, but I am sure if you had too.... Another high note, it comes with a "molly" style sheath set up, so lots of options for mounting it to self or gear, even comes with stuff to tie it to your leg and be totally "cool" and Airborne ready....lol.