These were originally designed for the military market. The Mark I was first produced in 1976 and was an immediate hit, especially with collectors, veterans and Army and Marine infantrymen. I was around back then, and nearly every retailer in the vicinity of military installations had looking waiting lists for them. The blade is 5 inches long. It is made of high-carbon tool steel.
I used it a lot for several years during my military career and the wear spot on the back of the grip is from running against my web gear. It has its original tip. Blade is full and razor-sharp. The sheath is original and in used but excellent condition. I've tried to take care of it, aside from hard use on various deployme ts and training.Stitching is complete, clip is not damaged and the snap works perfectly. The 5-digit serial number is 060621, which is pretty early.
Unfortunately, Gerber didn't keep records of Mark I serial numbers and exact dates. SO DON'T WAIT AROUND IF YOU WANT TO BE SURE YOU GET IT AT A GREAT PRICE! This would be an excellent gift for yourself, outdoorsy people, those in the Armed Forces, or knife collectors.
Please see my other auctions for top-quality vintage/ antique items. The item "GERBER Vintage 1970s Mark I MKI Combat Knife Boot Dagger with Sheath VERY FINE" is in sale since Sunday, November 28, 2021. This item is in the category "Collectibles\Knives, Swords & Blades\Collectible Fixed Blade Knives\Vintage Fixed Blade Knives\Factory Manufactured".The seller is "tgib206" and is located in Paducah, Kentucky. This item can be shipped to United States.