I have been repairing and rehandleing the Gerber Mk II for a number of years now. Each one I take apart, the old ones and the new ones, only have a thin, narrow tang, that is 1 3/4 inches long. I too was greatly surprised and disapointed, in finding this design flaw. If it wasn't for the molded aluim. handle/guard, which does give the handle some stiffness, the handle wouldn't hold up to any type of hard use.
Best Regards,
Jay Maines
Sunrise River Custom Knives