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Are "Rambo" type knives practical?
- Thread starter ron finkbeiner jr
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I personally don't like Chinese junk reproductions of any type, but cheers to those who do. My handmade Rambo (Lile style) "Mission II" knife and Rambo I by Vaughn Neeley are superbly crafted and fun to own. They are not users and never will be for me, way too expensive for anything but collecting (IMHO). Knife style (likes or dislikes) are personal too. I wouldn't personally criticize other's choices unless invited to do so.
As far as the Rambo movies go, well like most movies, they're entertainment, nothing more. I think way to many people actually look at the plot lines and examine them as if it's some sort of true-to-life story.
As far as the Rambo movies go, well like most movies, they're entertainment, nothing more. I think way to many people actually look at the plot lines and examine them as if it's some sort of true-to-life story.
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I would be more than happy to receive a Lile, Randall, or Timberline as a gift from you.
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If something is fun, then they make a good gift. But I wouldn't give one to a "knife person" unless you heard them talk about getting one for the fun of it.
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Just more "crazy Vietnam vet" tripe hollyweird was once so proud of. Again, just bad fiction. It'll likely play on many stations this weekend (of all weekends), and I cringe knowing that.
Go back and watch the original "first blood" it was a pretty decent flick overall. he was a vietnam vet who just wanted to go visit his friend he hasn't seen in years and was harrassed by the local sherrif for how he looked. yes it had a lot of the typical 80s blow stuff up sensationalism, but it was one of the only movies of its kind (certainly one of the first) to deal with "PTSD" type issues that actually can be a real issue with people who get into these situations and don't know how to deal with what they have locked in their minds. PTSD is a real thing and first blood was ground breaking in the fact that it addressed this long before anyone had any diagnosis on it and it was dealt with in the real world by the "experts" who have to re integrate these soldiers back into being a functioning member of society. It was way more than just a shoot em up action movie... the "Rambo" movies that followed just turned the character into a characature of what the 80s wanted at the time. As for the relevance of the knives... I would dare say that a quality version of a Rambo type survival knife would be more than ample as a survival type blade and more than enough to be deemed practical.
Sam Wilson
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Rustyrazor, I am with you 100% on both the movie, and obviously the knives. I gotta say though, it's most likely going to be a lost cause for the most part. In those two videos that I posted, the potential strength of these knives is clearly demonstrated, as well as the "practical" value of the knife, for chopping, carving, fire starting, or whatever you might need to do in the wilderness. But people love to hate these knives so much, there's just no convincing most of them. I doubt most of them have ever used or even held a quality hollow handle knife.
I know they're not for everybody, but if you don't like them, great, there are a ton of brands and makers out there to choose from. It cracks me up that taking a regular knife, putting a hollow handle and/or a sawback on it, and whammo!, now its impractical, lol. As if the cutting edge of the knife disappeared, or something. It's like somebody around these parts says, Haters gonna hate!
I know they're not for everybody, but if you don't like them, great, there are a ton of brands and makers out there to choose from. It cracks me up that taking a regular knife, putting a hollow handle and/or a sawback on it, and whammo!, now its impractical, lol. As if the cutting edge of the knife disappeared, or something. It's like somebody around these parts says, Haters gonna hate!
I know the story line. Have since it first showed 31 years ago. I was in and serving at the time. We all knew how bad it was. Entertaining? Perhaps, but still bad. I stand by my statement --- bad fiction and just more "crazy Vietnam vet" tripe hollyweird was once so proud of.
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Great post and spot on. :thumbup:
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:thumbup: They also hate it because they can not afford it . It's like owning expensive sports car . People keep on hating how impractical it is but deep down there they want one too !!!
:O Sir.
I realize this is a light-subject thread, but out and out HERESY!??
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I know the story line. Have since it first showed 31 years ago. I was in and serving at the time. We all knew how bad it was. Entertaining? Perhaps, but still bad. I stand by my statement --- bad fiction and just more "crazy Vietnam vet" tripe hollyweird was once so proud of.
Well, let's agree to disagree shall we... On the movie at least. So how about the knives? Tell me ya wouldn't trust jimmy Lile to get ya home
I wouldn't be carrying one. Too big. Too impractical
Sam Wilson
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Thank you. I have always found these knives fascinating. They are basically what got me into making custom knives. I had an idea of what I wanted, and nobody really made it already, so I decided to do it myself. I could debate endlessly whether they are "practical" or not, but I believe my knives, or any other quality maker's hollow handle knives, will get the job done all day long. I know that a 9 1/2" blade is not the "most practical," but I like big knives. I don't see people constantly calling the BK9, or large Busses, or even knives like Balisongs "impractical," just primarily the hollow handled knives. Some of those knives are either larger/heavier than hollow handled knives, or have features like the so-called "butterfly knives," which, especially by today's standards, would hardly be practical. But you don't see people knocking them constantly. And again, I'm glad that there are so many options. If you're a balisong guy, I truly think it's great that you have the option to get the knife you enjoy.
I guess I will just never fully understand the folks that just won't let hollow handled knife lovers enjoy their knives in peace. I won't lose sleep over it, but I sure get a laugh when one of these threads starts, and all the usual replies start popping up about how flimsy they are, and what a bad idea it is, and how taking one into the woods is essentially the same as hiring Dr. Kevorkian as your Primary Care physician.
So, instead, I'm just going to post some pics of hollow handled knives in action. Anybody else that has some, please feel free to do the same. :thumbup:
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Good looking knife, Sam. I like the blade design.
Unfortunately, most folks think a "Rambo Knife" is specifically a hollow handle knife, even though Rambo only used a HH knife in 2 of the 4 films. Technically, the HH survival knife should be called an "Ingraham Knife" based on Captain George Ingraham's idea/design and made by Randall 20 years before First Blood was released.
Not all HH knives have large blades. Here is an example of one with a "practical" 5.5 inch blade and no sawteeth. Needless to say, it's built like a tank. :thumbup:
Chris Reeve also made practical HH knives with his Mountaineer series in blade lengths of 4 and 5.5 inches.
ETA: Then again, these "practical" short blades aren't very "practical" if you need to chop.
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Nope... They are all useless apparently! Sorry Sam, I've watched your Videos and came to the same conclusion that you have as well through my own observations over the years, but alas we were wrong. Absolutely no HH knife will ever be anything more than a pretty wall hanger regardless of materials or manufacture under any circumstances... case closed!
Sam Wilson
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Good looking knife, Sam. I like the blade design.
Unfortunately, most folks think a "Rambo Knife" is specifically a hollow handle knife, even though Rambo only used a HH knife in 2 of the 4 films. Technically, the HH survival knife should be called an "Ingraham Knife" based on Captain George Ingraham's idea/design and made by Randall 20 years before First Blood was released.
Not all HH knives have large blades. Here is an example of one with a "practical" 5.5 inch blade and no sawteeth. Needless to say, it's built like a tank. :thumbup:
Chris Reeve also made practical HH knives with his Mountaineer series in blade lengths of 4 and 5.5 inches.
ETA: Then again, these "practical" short blades aren't very "practical" if you need to chop.
Thanks, TAH, I'm glad you like it. I knew when I designed it that it would not appeal to everybody, due to the blade shape. But I wanted one model to be purely about function. Everything about that blade shape (with the possible exception of the 9 1/2" length, lol) is designed to be tough and serve a purpose. I'm doing other blade types now too, but this one is, in my opinion, a great shape and design for use/survival, whatever you want to call it. I really like clip point bowies, but clip points have a thinner tip that just can't handle the abuse the tip on this knife can. The long swedge, while it may not look conventional, lightens up the front end a little bit, and allows me to taper down to the tip for good penetration, while still retaining plenty of strength.
And I get a lot of flack over putting the plunge line after the choil, but that too served a purpose. That leaves the whole area where your index finger will be in the choil surrounded by thicker steel, that I radiused, instead of your finger sliding forward and hitting the back of the edge. I have a couple of knives like that, and it's not a huge deal, but during extended use, it gets uncomfortable. To me anyway. I find this way to be very comfortable.
Hmmm, I guess you're right, rustyrazor. I better close up shop and give away all my knives since HH knives are junk. I wonder if I'll find any takers for the Chris Reeve Project II, since HH knives are so "impractical," lol.
IMO, the biggest problem with properly built, HH knives is the relatively small selection and they're expensive.
TAH, I agree with you. There isn't a huge selection of HH knife makers, and they are not cheap. I charge around $500 for mine for the big blades, and a little less for the smaller blades. That comes with the whole kit, and I think it's a fair price, but it's not cheap. I got to be honest, they are more difficult to make than just a regular full tang knife, obviously. I have thought about doing a "budget" version, but the only place I could cut down on labor would be finish on the blade, and not including the "survival kit" with the knife. I could then do a simpler sheath, as well. I will give it some thought and see, and I'd like to know what you or anybody else thinks about it.
And by the way, absolutely BEAUTIFUL Randall, man! Unless I am mistaken, there were not too many of those made, with the different model blade on the 18 handle. Very cool, man. You have a sweet collection. I have been working on a smaller blade myself. This is a crappy pic, and I just drew the swedge line on there because I'm not sure if I'm going to put it there or not. I will also reduce the guard size to make it more proportional to the blade. What do you think?
