Gerber GA2 "Survival Knife" S/N 019525

[John R.]

I was issued this knife on another planet in a Universe far far away in April 1974.I put it to good use opening ration tins,probing for little "surprise" packages in soft ground.Sharpened it(properly) a few times and it has picked up a few stains on the blade along the way too.Oh,it ALSO has a very faint small "R"(Rhodesia) over the S/N as well.

It has 25 teeth and is the'wasp waisted' variety.Scabbard does NOT have a whetsone in a pouch.

I have this knife collector type bugging the living daylights out of me about it and if anything his anxiety over acquiring it(won't happen) has made my radar/BS meter register the guy's hoping to pull a fast one.

Do any of you have any REAL idea as to what the knife is worth.It might be fun to throw the REAL value at him when he comes in with what I just KNOW will be the"low ball of the year" magnanimous offer.

Your assistance WILL be appreciated.JR

[Nick Riviezzo]

I don't know ,but I have a "bent blade" Gerber fighting knife that I got while in Viet Nam in 1966-67[4 digit sn]. It does have the sharpening steel/camp tool,wasp waist blade, no serrations and I darkened it[as a matter of necessity].It has been sharpened properly,and has been used for a number of tasks including the one it was originally designed for[on several occasions]. I wouldn't let it go for any amount that would likely be offered. If you do a little "googling" you'll find some info.Nick

[Gator]

John, your Gerber was made in 1972 which makes it a Viet Nam era knife. The Viet Nam Gerbers in good condition seem to go for $1000+ on eBay, depending on the specific model. A low number "bent blade" w/o serrations, like Nick's knife would be the most desirable and I think would go for around $1500, and maybe more.

However, the "R" for Rhodesia is interesting. I haven't heard of one marked like that before. I'm sure that adds value, how much, I don't know. This (http://gerberknives.frankkalana.com/) guy does appraisals, it may be worth the $5 he charges.

[John R.]

Unit QM had a boxful of the Gerbers.I am CERTAIN that the little "R" was stamped on the blade in Salisbury and NOT Portland. We were pantograph engraving RA plus a Rhodesian Army inventory number on ALL of our South African built R1M1 FN-FALs as we got them in from Pretoria.Mine was RA9918 as an example.

I wasn't asked to return it on my last day in Service so I took it to Johannesburg with me that afternoon.I LATER put it to good use one night walking home with a plastic bag of milk.Slipped it right in to the guard and the"nightfighter" DROPPED his modified butcher knife and staggered off into the darkness of Hillbrow's"sanitary lanes" and hopefully EXPIRED.I just stood there LAUGHING and roaring"KOMM HIERSO JOU BLIKSEM KAFFIR".Funny,he DIDN'T come back for more either.Mind you IF he had it would have been a whole nother ball game too.You see I had my rattly old Ithaca M1911A1 in my hands by then.The bag with the milk made the Gerber quicker initially!

Pity he didn't return;it was a slow night ....JR

[Gator]

Cool story! You could write up a "letter of authenticity" telling how you were issued the knife and that story. Include a Rhodesian patch or badge and have a neat and potentially very lucrative auction. But, I imagine you want to keep the knife. Give the collector who's bugging you about it a price that would recompense you for the knife and your memories....that ought to shut him up. :)

[Nick Riviezzo]

Gator, Thanks for the info on my "bent blade" sn.oo2662, I didn't want to hijack the thread.Mine wasn't issued,I ordered it from Viet Nam.The scabard is the original which shows a lot of use as does the knife.No abuse but not mint.I don't guess I'll ever part with it.It saved my bacon on several occasions,there is something in the steel that Charlie and NVA were allergic to!..thanks again, Nick

[Gator]

I'd never sell that one either, Nick. Glad it helped you make it home!

[John R.]

Gator, Thanks for the info on my "bent blade" sn.oo2662, I didn't want to hijack the thread.Mine wasn't issued,I ordered it from Viet Nam.The scabard is the original which shows a lot of use as does the knife.No abuse but not mint.I don't guess I'll ever part with it.It saved my bacon on several occasions,there is something in the steel that Charlie and NVA were allergic to!..thanks again, Nick

Same here Bro ! I found a few TM and TMN -46's with mine,opened LOTS of cans of South African PILCHARDS in termater sauce(kinda like small herring from Norway) and tins of corned beef(Hi Lance !!) too, usually not more than a day away from the resupply point as nobody in their right mind is gonna hump tins of anything very far.Multitudinous OTHER chores like dressing out various kinds of buck for dinner and guinea fowl as well.Making pungi stakes dipped in the usual etc.

ONLIEST puke I stuck with it was that"nightfighter" in Jo'burg and it went straight up and in like a hot damn right to the guard too ! I PREFER to keep at least an arms length between myself and the tango/or"Floppies" as we called them then('cause they lay there and "flopped" about,see !!) and the 1941 REM-UMC .45 ACP Ball ammo that came in WHITE 42 rd boxes(anyone care to guess why ??) and was marked FOR USE IN MACHINE CARBINES ONLY that I had lovingly HOLLOW POINTED round by round normally KEPT them at arms length if indeed they got that close.Personal hygiene wasn't one of their strong points EITHER you see so WHY let'em get close enough to PONG.

I won't sell it nohow/no way ! Too many memories mostly all good....

Oh yeah,the 42 rd boxes of REM-UMC .45 ball I couldn't figure it out,TSMG mags are Type "C" 100 rd DRUMS.Type "L" 50 rd drums,Type "XX" 20 rd sticks and Type "XXX" 30 rd sticks..so what's with the 42 rd boxes already ?Then one rainy day I was in the Central Pam library at KG VI Bks in Salisbury and what do I espy BUT a WWII Brit Training manual for"The Thompson Machine Carbine".Hmm? I stuck it in the cargo pocket of my denims and since I did it about 10 seconds ahead of the Lance Cpl Librarian hollering"NO SOUVENIRS BACK THERE,SIR" I figured that said admonishment didn't count.. Later that night after all the married guys had abandoned the officer's mess I pulled it out after having a fresh brandy and ginger poured by the mess steward and started reading.Got to the part about LOADING DRUMS and lo and behold we have this STERN ADMONISHMENT NOT TO LOAD more than 42 rds in your 50 rd drum.Odd folks those Brits 'cause I had my FIRST Thompson at age 15 and ALWAYS loaded 50 rds and turned the key EIGHT CLICKS and never ONCE had a problem.Hey,those EXTRA eight rounds of ball might just save your A$$;no?.I am LOOKING at my REAL M1928A1 as I type this but since drums are a no no up here I just have to make do with a blocked to FIVE rds Type XXX stick.

Some things you NEVER part with on this side of the petunias and my Gerber,my Thompson and my REAL M14NM,my Long Branch No4MkI*T Sniper and a few pistols like my takin' care of biz M1911A1 and Inglis 8T 9 mil are a few of them.

Senior management is calling here.Maybe I should go and see what it is she wants..

Cheers gang,

JR

[thorin6]

Just found this thread (usually hang over at other forums), and thought I'd add a comment about Gerbers. Bought my wasp-waist, double-edged, serrated Mark II (I think) in 1979. Carried on my rucksack upside down while jumping at Fort Bragg, and it accompanied me to Desert Shield/Storm. Passed it to my son after I retired, it's now been to Afghanistan and Iraq. Before I passed it on, I replaced the leather sheath with a Cordura tactical sheath (kept the leather sheath and passed that on later). Never thought I'd see these knives become worth much as a collectables (mine obviously not worth as much as the OP"s and Nick's) but they're priceless as far as I'm concerned.