Are "Rambo" type knives practical?

flatface77 said:
Folding knife lock designs have gotten strong enough that with some of them your grip strength will likely fail before the lock gives, so it would probably take a man with vises for hands to break one of those tangs. Got any build pics?
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The only pics I took prior to assembly are of the tang of the blade. For some reason, photobucket is different now, and I can't share it at the moment, but here is the link to the intro I did of my knives. About halfway down the page, there is a pic of the unassembled blade. http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...le-quot-Survival-quot-Knife-What-do-you-think
 
Thanks. I'm trying to mentally picture the connection based on your description & it seems simple & plenty strong enough. I really like what you did with the sheath, too.
 
flatface77 said:
Thanks. I'm trying to mentally picture the connection based on your description & it seems simple & plenty strong enough. I really like what you did with the sheath, too.
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Thanks, flatface. The sheath is one of my favorite parts. Basically, the guard is fitted to the blade, and then that stub tang is pressed/forced into a channel in the handle tube, so that it is tight, and can't rotate. Then a pin is run in one side of the handle, through the tang hole, and out the other side of the handle, and peened on both sides so that it can't move. The epoxy is basically just extra insurance. It is extremely solid.

Sam
 
Sam,

Great explanation of how you build your HH knives, but I already see a flaw in your design. How is the user suppose to disassemble it for cleaning? :p :D

Realizing there were probably many different methods, but how were most of the inexpensive HH knives of the 80s assembled that made them so weak and gave the HH knife this bad reputation?
 
TAH said:
Sam,

Great explanation of how you build your HH knives, but I already see a flaw in your design. How is the user suppose to disassemble it for cleaning? :p :D

Realizing there were probably many different methods, but how were most of the inexpensive HH knives of the 80s assembled that made them so weak and gave the HH knife this bad reputation?
Click to expand...

I am curious about this as well, along with another question. I have read many times that Aitor knives were examples of the rare production hollow handle that were tough and durable. Does anyone know what method Aitor uses (I believe they are still in production) for the handle/blade connection?
 
bowie69 said:
I am curious about this as well, along with another question. I have read many times that Aitor knives were examples of the rare production hollow handle that were tough and durable. Does anyone know what method Aitor uses (I believe they are still in production) for the handle/blade connection?
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The (then) brand new Aitor HH Jungle King knife that I handled years ago was/is crap.

It was a simple cheapo construction and would easily break. POS.

I believe, you were mislead/bought into factory hype.

Avoid like the plague.
 
For a production knife, Buck had a good reputation for staying together. Apparently, this is from an old Cold Steel ad. Even after the knife has been intentionally destroyed, the handle and blade are still firmly attached. A testament to the strength of Buck's hollow handle construction. Great job, Buck!

attachment.php
 
TAH said:
Sam,

Great explanation of how you build your HH knives, but I already see a flaw in your design. How is the user suppose to disassemble it for cleaning? :p :D

Realizing there were probably many different methods, but how were most of the inexpensive HH knives of the 80s assembled that made them so weak and gave the HH knife this bad reputation?
Click to expand...

Threaded rod from the tang through a plastic or cast metal handle with a single washer and nut on the inside tightening the handle onto the stick tang. I had at least 3 of these when I was a kid, cuz I liked the idea of em... But they were all total junk. I like what I hear about your construction Sam... Hard to compare the two methods. Unfortunately the former method is how most people know "Rambo" knives and so it's no wonder they are so biased.
 
Randall has a little different method...the blade is soldered at both sides of the hilt, and then the handle is soldered to the hilt.

"On #18’s, we use 1100 degree silver solder for the 172,000 psi necessary for strength of attaching the hilts and handles." Gary Randall
 
BladeScout said:
The (then) brand new Aitor HH Jungle King knife that I handled years ago was/is crap.

It was a simple cheapo construction and would easily break. POS.

I believe, you were mislead/bought into factory hype.

Avoid like the plague.
Click to expand...

Interesting. I appreciate the comment based on personal experience handling one.

I may go to Harbor Freight today and buy one of their $9.00 survival knives just to deconstruct it....
 
TAH said:
Randall has a little different method...the blade is soldered at both sides of the hilt, and then the handle is soldered to the hilt.

"On #18’s, we use 1100 degree silver solder for the 172,000 psi necessary for strength of attaching the hilts and handles." Gary Randall
Click to expand...

I used to feel that the Randalls wouldn't / couldn't be as strong as some others because there is no threading involved in the contruction. I have read testimonial after testimonial to the strength of the model 18's though and would have confidence in buying one to use.
 
I'm certainly not an expert on it, but the above comments were correct on HH knife construction, to my knowledge. Most of the cheapies basically had the end of the tang threaded like a bolt for a 1/4"-3/8" and once through the guard and into the handle, the just put a nut on it. This is similar to what Buck did, but Buck used a more robust construction, and everything was SS. A lot of the cheapies used plastic handles/components or cast metals for the handle. Yuck.

Some others would cut a slot into the top of the handle and stick the blade in, and then tack weld the corners, if that makes sense. You could see the blade tang through the sides of the slot on the handle. Very poorly done. I think what Aitor did was either plastic or metal handles, I believe they offered both, and press fitted the handle onto the tang, and put a small roll pin through the handle and tang. Then they put in some epoxy to cover the tang on the inside. I, too, had heard that they had some quality versions, but I have never more than handled one, I didn't get to use it. So I don't really have any experience with one in use.

And I believe the Harbor Freight ones have the handle just cast directly onto the blade, surely with some junk metal or aluminum. But at only $8.99, they threaten to put customs out of business for good! :D
 
rustyrazor said:
Threaded rod from the tang through a plastic or cast metal handle with a single washer and nut on the inside tightening the handle onto the stick tang. I had at least 3 of these when I was a kid, cuz I liked the idea of em... But they were all total junk. I like what I hear about your construction Sam... Hard to compare the two methods. Unfortunately the former method is how most people know "Rambo" knives and so it's no wonder they are so biased.
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Thanks, rustyrazor. I made it as tough as I could. But you're right, I think that's all most people know of these type knives, and it will probably forever be an uphill battle to change that.

Sam,

Great explanation of how you build your HH knives, but I already see a flaw in your design. How is the user suppose to disassemble it for cleaning?
Click to expand...

Lol, I am thinking about making a take-down model for the tacticool crowd, Tom. Thanks for the inspiration! :thumbdn: :D

Sam :D
 
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TAH said:
Sam,

Great explanation of how you build your HH knives, but I already see a flaw in your design. How is the user suppose to disassemble it for cleaning? :p :D

Realizing there were probably many different methods, but how were most of the inexpensive HH knives of the 80s assembled that made them so weak and gave the HH knife this bad reputation?
Click to expand...
1st off, the metal that made the handle was incredibly cheap, then it was attached to the the tang with a bolt and and nut run through a channel in the tang and the opening of the handle.

Back when I broke mine the bolt/nut Assembly was the 1st to go, then after repair the tang just tore through the side of the cheap handle making the damage irreparable.

Funnily enough it served Me well for about a decade until I got the silly idea to tie it to stick and throw it..

That's when I started looking for " real" knives and its what led Me to BladeForums.
 
stvpourciau said:
That's when I started looking for " real" knives and its what led Me to BladeForums.
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This leads me to a good question....how many here actually own and/or use a "quality" hollow handle knife, as opposed to just admire them from afar?

I'll start, since I asked. So far, only two: A Buck 184 Buckmaster, and a Cold Steel Survival Edge. I know the CS knife is going to take some heat here, and it is definately not in the same category of rugged as the Buck, but for what it is (a Mora-style knife) I have been very impressed. You just won't be pounding the pommel like a hammer....:)
 
bowie69 said:
This leads me to a good question....how many here actually own and/or use a "quality" hollow handle knife, as opposed to just admire them from afar?
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I used a Timberline SA in the 80s and early 90s. Love that knife, but wanted to get away from the sawteeth and the weight. Later on, I extensively used a CRK Mountaineer II. Again, great knife that I ended up using more for camping because of its weight. That is the one negative drawback I've found with most HH knives, typically, they are too large and heavy for backpacking, which is my main outdoor activity.
 
I would life that cold steel without a guard, or top guard at least, nothing a hacksaw won't fix.

That brings me to a point. Hollow handled knives have been popular and in use among outdoorsmen since long before Rambo.

Every now and then there pops up these old Kabars on the forum with a hollow handle that were popular in the 30's or so.
 
stvpourciau said:
I would life that cold steel without a guard, or top guard at least, nothing a hacksaw won't fix.

That brings me to a point. Hollow handled knives have been popular and in use among outdoorsmen since long before Rambo.

Every now and then there pops up these old Kabars on the forum with a hollow handle that were popular in the 30's or so.
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A few other HH knives

Sakowski


Dallyn


Martin Caiman


Martin Caiman review
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...ler-Hollow-Handled-Survival-Beast-(Photo-Hvy)

None of the above are mine. I did at one point buy a CR Shadow III. From reading the thread its painfylly clear, that in order to call for example the Chris Reeve for impractical, one simply has not had any expericene with the extremely handy and very sturdy CR Shadow III.


(not my pic)
 
For $16.99, you can get a genuine Marbles knife...made in China. Unfortunately, it's the return of the 1980s HH junk. :grumpy:


MR242.jpg
 
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