Dates for Gerber Boot Knife

In 1939 Joseph Gerber (advertising agency owner) had custom knife maker David Murphy make 24 sets of carving knife for some of his select customers. Catalog retailer Abercrombie & Fitch saw them and was so impressed with the quality of the knives they wanted to sell them. Thus was born Gerber Legendary Blades.
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Paladin
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Dates for Gerber Boot Knife

Post by Paladin »

Guys,
I am trying to get a date on the Gerber Boot Knife, photo below. I have searched all the usual sources with no success.
Is there a chart somewhere that lays out dates by serial numbers? This knife has serial number B6816S. Blade length is 4¾ inches. OAL is 8¾ inches.
Thanks for any help,
Ray
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Re: Dates for Gerber Boot Knife

Post by ea42 »

Ray that's a Gerber Mark 1. They came out in 1976 during the Vietnam War and were produced up into the 1990's. I'm a little sketchy on dates and there's not a whole lot of info out there. They started out making them with with L6 tool steel and switched over to stainless (I think 440C) in 1981. The "S" on your blade indicates stainless. I think the first letter indicates the year which would make yours somewhere around 1982 but I'm not positive on that exact year.

I may be wrong on some of these points so anyone who knows please correct me. ::shrug:: ::nod::

Eric
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Re: Dates for Gerber Boot Knife

Post by Paladin »

Thank you Eric! I sure appreciate the help on this.

Ray
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Re: Dates for Gerber Boot Knife

Post by kennedy knives »

Ray type in( Gerber Knives Similar to the Mark II) and you will find what you need to Know ::handshake::
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Re: Dates for Gerber Boot Knife

Post by Gunsil »

Eric, we were totally out of 'Nam in 1975 and mostly out in 1974. No knives made in 1976 are considered 'Nam era knives and those made in 1975 are iffy.
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Re: Dates for Gerber Boot Knife

Post by ea42 »

Gene that's right I'd forgotten about that, OK scratch the 'Nam thing, I don't know where I got that. Maybe I'm thinking of the Mark II.

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Re: Dates for Gerber Boot Knife

Post by Paladin »

kennedy knives wrote: Wed Feb 09, 2022 6:31 pm Ray type in( Gerber Knives Similar to the Mark II) and you will find what you need to Know ::handshake::
And thank you, sir! I copied it all onto a Word Doc so maybe I can find it next time.

Ray
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Re: Dates for Gerber Boot Knife

Post by kennedy knives »

Paladin wrote: Wed Feb 09, 2022 9:28 pm
kennedy knives wrote: Wed Feb 09, 2022 6:31 pm Ray type in( Gerber Knives Similar to the Mark II) and you will find what you need to Know ::handshake::
And thank you, sir! I copied it all onto a Word Doc so maybe I can find it next time.

Ray
I have it saved in my Favorites ::handshake::
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