For me, the handle has nothing to do with it.
Last edited:
-
The BladeForums.com 2024 Traditional Knife is ready to order! See this thread for details: https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/bladeforums-2024-traditional-knife.2003187/
Price is$300$250 ea (shipped within CONUS). If you live outside the US, I will contact you after your order for extra shipping charges.
Order here: https://www.bladeforums.com/help/2024-traditional/ - Order as many as you like, we have plenty.
Are "Rambo" type knives practical?
- Thread starter ron finkbeiner jr
- Start date
For me, the handle has nothing to do with it.
Sam Wilson
Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
- Joined
- Sep 3, 2012
- Messages
- 3,064
Well, to be fair, this is a thread that's dealing with a knife that's characterized by a hollow handle and possibly a sawback. If the handle doesn't matter, then we could put this in the Busse or Becker forum, or any other manf./custom maker that has large blades.
Sam Wilson
Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
- Joined
- Sep 3, 2012
- Messages
- 3,064
And I meant to add, which "Rambo" type knives have you used and found impractical?
It's still an impractical knife (the question in the OP) regardless of whether the handle is hollow or not. That, and their expense, is why so few are actually used in the bush. Even the fictional character, John Rambo, had a like new custom knife --- one of the believable aspects (excepting a drifter having a custom knife) of the film.
When I need a large knife I just stuffed Glock Field knife (hollow handle but for different a reason) and/or a Lao machete in my ruck. At $25 for one and $1 and a pack of cigs for the other, I was never in want of any other large knife. They were actually used hard without even a second thought. Note the Glock sheath is in excellent condition. It rode in a ruck when it rode.
Last edited:
Sam Wilson
Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
- Joined
- Sep 3, 2012
- Messages
- 3,064
I agree with you on the Glock field knife, I have owned and used one for years. I like the knife, and it has never let me down. But come on man, this is a discussion of hollow handled knives. You gotta do better than a Glock field knife as an alternative. We're KNIFE guys! We love giant blades with secret storage compartments. 
And hey, unless I'm mistaken, the Glock field knife has a hollow handle, doesn't it? I will check on mine later.
And hey, unless I'm mistaken, the Glock field knife has a hollow handle, doesn't it? I will check on mine later.
Sam Wilson
Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
- Joined
- Sep 3, 2012
- Messages
- 3,064
It's still an impractical knife (the question in the OP) regardless of whether the handle is hollow or not. That, and their expense, is why so few are actually used in the bush. Even the fictional character, John Rambo, had a like new custom knife --- one of the believable aspects (excepting a drifter having a custom knife) of the film.
When I need a large knife I just stuffed Glock Field knife (hollow handle but for different a reason) and/or a Lao machete in my ruck. At $25 for one and $1 and a pack of cigs for the other, I was never in want of any other large knife. They were actually used hard without even a second thought. Note the Glock sheth is in excellent condition. It rode in a ruck when it rode.
Well, I don't come here to argue, so agree to disagree. What may be impractical in your eyes, works great for someone else. Again, a lot is relative. I will have to check the OP again, but I don't recall off the top of my head expense being part of the equation. I'm glad the Glock works well for you, but it's not quite the same as a quality custom or production HH knife. If you believe they're impractical, by all means, do not buy and use one. Did you mention which "Rambo" type knives you have used, as I'm guessing you based your judgment of "impractical" off of experience with one?
I agree with you on the Glock field knife, I have owned and used one for years. I like the knife, and it has never let me down. But come on man, this is a discussion of hollow handled knives. You gotta do better than a Glock field knife as an alternative. We're KNIFE guys! We love giant blades with secret storage compartments.
Yes, the Glock does have a hollow handle as I mentioned earlier. Not for storage though as the cap would never last.
So to really see evidence of practicality, we should see some pics of hard used or beat to hell Rambo type knives from those who used them hard. All the better if not just used in their back yard or the local woods for fun on weekends, and then even better if they are custom/semi-custom.
Sam Wilson
Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
- Joined
- Sep 3, 2012
- Messages
- 3,064
Sorry, you edited your post while I was typing. As far as hollow handled knives being beat on, I can't speak for anybody else, but this one has taken a lot more than the video shows, and is none the worse for wear. Ask and you shall receive. :thumbup:
[video=youtube_share;amrJY9blnaw]http://youtu.be/amrJY9blnaw[/video]
[video=youtube_share;rmMBkgNpjGE]http://youtu.be/rmMBkgNpjGE[/video]
[video=youtube_share;PUiO_4fAkmg]http://youtu.be/PUiO_4fAkmg[/video]
I've got to be honest, I own and use the Glock field knife. I would be more than a little leery of doing chin-ups on it. It may take it, it may not. I truly don't know. If you want to do a video, I would like to see how it fares. I think it would be a testament to the durability of the Glock.
Aren't those videos showing the toughness of a knife in a shop/garage and the back yard. I'm speaking of evidence of real practical use in the field by owners/users. Pics of the knives alone will tell the story. A knife will show it has actually been carried and used hard for years. There's a reason so few of these Rambo-type knives show that, and that's the entirety of my point.
Sam Wilson
Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
- Joined
- Sep 3, 2012
- Messages
- 3,064
In the interest of full disclosure, the knife in the video is a custom. These pics were taken after those tests, and many, many more that didn't get filmed.
Sam :thumbup:
Sam :thumbup:
Sam Wilson
Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
- Joined
- Sep 3, 2012
- Messages
- 3,064
LOL, ok, now I'm done. Is a chinup less stressful in a garage than in the woods? Is a beating with a 2x4 less damaging than one with a branch? Come on man, you're starting to embarrass yourself. You don't have to do it this way. Just don't buy a "Rambo" type knife. Now it's become apparent that you've passed judgment on them without ever having used or owned one, as I've asked you several times which ones you've used. So now we know the truth, unless you're holding out on us, and you can go pick on another type of knife you haven't actually used. Maybe the OP should have qualified his question by asking only those who have personal, first-hand experience with them to answer.
Again, if I've missed something let me know, and I will clarify or retract.
Sam
Sam Wilson
Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
- Joined
- Sep 3, 2012
- Messages
- 3,064
leghog, in the interest of professionalism, I would just like to clarify a few points, here. First, you believe that "Rambo" type knives are impractical. "Rambo" type knives are frequently described as a larger fixed blade, with a sawback and a hollow handle. Yet, the very knife you hold out as an example of a good field knife, while calling "Rambo" type knives impractical, is the Glock field knife pictured above. Which comes complete with a hollow handle and sawback. Second, if I understand your question correctly, seeing knives tested in a garage or back yard is now no longer good enough, it has to be done in the "field." In your experience, does geographical location have an impact on the knife's performance, or is there another reason it has to be done this way?
I don't want to incite any problems here, but this seems very illogical to me, and I would like to give you the benefit of the doubt, and maybe we can hash this out, and agree to disagree. I look forward to discussing it. Thanks,
Sam :thumbup:
I don't want to incite any problems here, but this seems very illogical to me, and I would like to give you the benefit of the doubt, and maybe we can hash this out, and agree to disagree. I look forward to discussing it. Thanks,
Sam :thumbup:
Proof is in the pudding. If they are so practical, we'd see pics of the knives showing they've been hard used by people actually working and living in the bush. That just ain't the case for most who spend the kind of money to buy custom/semi-custom Rambo styled knives. Nothing wrong with that. Like I said, to each his own.
I never said the Glock was a good field knife. I said it is what I used, and I implied I did so because it was cheap and tough. Still, it's a compromise with limited application, but when only so much will fit in a ruck nearly everything in it is a compromise of sorts.
We're obviously talking past each other. I state the knives are impractical. You disagree. That's fine. We'll just have to agree to disagree.
I never said the Glock was a good field knife. I said it is what I used, and I implied I did so because it was cheap and tough. Still, it's a compromise with limited application, but when only so much will fit in a ruck nearly everything in it is a compromise of sorts.
We're obviously talking past each other. I state the knives are impractical. You disagree. That's fine. We'll just have to agree to disagree.
Sam Wilson
Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
- Joined
- Sep 3, 2012
- Messages
- 3,064
Again, I don't know what price has to do with this particular discussion, or pudding for that matter, but I am with you. It's nothing personal, and let's just agree to disagree. And one last time, which ones have you used/owned to help you form your current opinion? I missed it in my haste. Thank you again, leghog. I appreciate you posting respectfully.
Sam :thumbup:
I haven't used them as they're impractical. Again, I had the Glock field knife in my ruck for the times I needed it. I went into the bush with just a few too many who did carry a big-assed survival knives, but funny thing was you'd find them sans those knives on future trips.
- Joined
- Jul 3, 2001
- Messages
- 6,135
leghog,
In all fairness to you, I suppose it's how a "Rambo" knife is defined - an exact Lile copy (large blade, sawteeth) or a hollow handle knife in general. It sounds like you find large blades impractical and not necessarily HH knives. Again, there is nothing impractical about the Chris Reeve Mountaineer series or for that matter, any hollow handle knife with a smaller blade, as long as it is properly built.
Not mine, but here's a Randall #18 that appears to have lived a hard life. This one is around 40 years old.
The Model 18 has been used extensively in war and civilian use since its introduction in the early 60s. Which IMO, is a testament to its usefulness and practicality. :thumbup:
I was marking spots for an orienteering group in Kinzua once and my map disintegrated and I had no GPS. It is a big forest, so it took a good while to find my way out. Would I have kicked myself for bringing a hollow handled knife? Nope, I would have just appreciated a fixed blade. I don't doubt a quality maker can produce a quality hollow handled knife.
stabman
Gold Member
- Joined
- Sep 17, 2007
- Messages
- 21,322
