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Rambo Knives usability

25K views 24 replies 18 participants last post by  SeekHer 
#1 ·
:D:I was wondering if anyone has the Rambo knives from the first 3 movies. I have the set that came out in early 2000 with the real leather sheaths and the certificates of authencity with them. What I was wondering if anyone has ever tried using them and if they were stout enough to be used in the field.:D:
 
#3 ·
That the Gil Hibbin set? They were making those knives but I can't remember if they had certificates of authenticity or if they just called them similar to the ones used in the movies...United Cutlery did have a set but they were the, then, official supplier of Rambo knives…

The late Jimmy Lile designed the knives and he was selling a three blade set of them as well...Why not, they were his knives first before they were the production company's...That caused a major “new” knife style to come about, the horking huge ‘survival” knife to be suddenly added to the custom makers sites…

The Hibbin set isn’t bad, the Lile set is excellent and UC are true copies just cheaply made…All the others are cheap rip offs especially when the “authentic” three blade set sold for $1,000 and was reduced to $600…The original Lile knives were selling for around $1,000 each!

I agree with the Hog—nice to look at but I’d never use them in the bush for the majority of movie copies—knives or swords…

The concept of a huge knife being necessary to survive with is complete kaa-kaa and is contrary to the teachings of the USAF SERE program…
 
#5 ·
I would mount them on a wall then keep them to batter with. I use to have the copy of the firts bllod knife and used it for about a month before the handel broke off. They would be a good knife to trade to the sheepe though, from my experience. I reattached the handle and traded it to someone I knew for some storage containers that he had.
 
#7 ·
The first real hollow handle knife that I am aware of was made by Randall Knife Co., It was intended as an aircrew knife for short term survival.

The next ones IIRC where by a gentleman from Southern Afica, I cannot recall his name maybe Chris Reeve, from one piece of steel for blade and handle. I think the new Schrade Knife Co is making a reproduction of one. I think also Lile also came out with his at the same time.

My concern with the cheaper renditions of the Lile ones for Rambo I and II are how the handles are attached to the blade and the handle material. I'd mainly consider them light use or display knives. The Rambo III (Movie Knife)was a Hibben design Lile had squat to do with it to the best of my knowledge. Nice blade IMHO but the handle is too small for my hand.
 
#8 ·
The Rambo III (Movie Knife)was a Hibben design Lile had squat to do with it to the best of my knowledge. Nice blade IMHO but the handle is too small for my hand.
Lile was selling a three blade of his first two "Big" Rambo survival knives and a dagger from Rambo 2...The third blade prototype was made but Stallone rejected it and went with the Hibben and why UC (United Cutlery) got to make the complete set of copies...This is the set Lile was selling:

Jimmy Lile - Rambo 3 knife set

This is the rejected prototype of R3:

Jimmy Lile - Rambo 3 reject

Prior to his death the Rambo First Blood version made by him were selling for just under $1,200 and they're now going for $3,500+

There are a few makers using hollow handles but I only have access to a couple of them,,,Randall and Chris Reeve make a quality hollow handle knife...
I have the Randall Model 18 in 5.5" as I found that size more comfortable then the 7.5" one...
Chris Reeve has the Mark Vl (5.5"), Skinner (4.5"), Project 1 and ll, Shadow lll and lV, Mountaineer l and ll (4"), and the Nkonka all with hollow handles...I also have his Sebenza (3.625") folder but none of those are hollow handled...

As I've never seen an actual Lile First Blood knife I can't comment on the lock up system on the handle but on both the Reeve and Randall that I have were placed them in a tub of water and the contents were dry after 4 hours immersed...The UC one that a friend had leaked but if that was his knife alone or endemic to all of them I don't know but read that others were complaining about the knives as well...
 
#9 ·
I've never seen a "good quality" hollow handled knife... IMHO all hollow handle knives are crap! i've had everyone I've ever used break on me... And really, come on, are you going to be able to store that much valuable gear in he handle?.. Get a good sheath with a second pouch on the outside and you'll have a lil more storage room and a knife that won break!
 
#10 ·
Not sure of the utility of a large knife, such as the rambo, or any other large heavy bladed kinfe for that matter. Other than a curio, they seem to be of limited use.
The only thing I could find to do with the Bowie style knife, was flipping eggs or pancakes, digging cat holes and on occasion taking the place of a hatchet to make kindling.
 
#11 ·
I use to have when was a boy a brazil made hollow handle, with a good width stainless blade, easy to sharpen. I bought a much better Ontario, and gave that to my older son, with leather sheat and all.It´s lost the cap of the handle but wtf. I won´t buy anyother but full tang blades from now one.
 
#14 ·
Unless you are Sylvester Stallone, and can afford the Lyle/Hibben originals, forget it. Buy a Cold Steel SRK or Trailmaster, if you just gotta have something bigger, the ghurkah khukuris in the best quality steel you can afford. Himalayan imports makes a GREAT khuk that wont make you feel like a Saturday nite afterthought. Also a hollow handle backpack will carry more real world usable survival gear. Hell, a tin for Altoids holds more usable gear than any knife handle. Remember Hollywood is movies and movies are fantasy.
 
#17 ·
The crap that United, Bud K or Master distributes are Chi-Comm POS that should be used as wall hangers and that's it and it applies to either the Lile or the Hibben copies and even the copies of the Expendables knives.

For the money they charge, "for an authentic Rambo signed knife" (Who the Hell is Rambo--a fictitious character in some book, from some author's mind that some producer in Hollywood liked and made into a movie...So WHO SIGNED the knife? For that amount you can get any of hundreds of knives that actually has a proper temper, will hold an edge, sharpen easily and won't break or chip when they hit something hard.

Conversation piece, great! Wall hanger, great! Outdoorsman's knife, no way in Hell!

The original Hibben Rambo lll knife is a superb blade and with a $1,750 price tag to match...The Expendables Bowie is $1,850.
 
#16 ·
Why would you trust your life to a knife that is bolted together with a threaded tang? no two piece knife is going to be worth anything, and the tiny about of stuff able to be stored in the handle will fit in a small pocket kit or sheath pouch.

The Rambo knives were a hollyweird gimmick.
 
#19 ·
I appreciate all the responses and I agree with everyone. When I posted this question, I was just getting into knife collecting and a little green. I have since learned a lot from some different forums and people and I am more the wiser. If I need a big blade, then I will bring out the Becker 7 or the Ontario Rd 6. I have also learned that a middle size knife will suffice just as well.
Keith
 
#25 ·
He makes lovely knives and his prices are much cheaper then original Hibben or Lile but they're still $650 to $775 (depending on model) for a stock knife.

Now we're in the realm of custom made knives and for those prices they had better be made stronger...His, I'd have no qualms whatsoever, taking out and bashing around and I don't really favour horking big knives.
 
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