How Good are the United Rambo Knives?

FEDKNIFELOVER

FEDKNIFELOVER

Joined
Oct 10, 2004
Messages
867
Ok, I was watching a re-run of Rambo II the other day and I got to thinking. How good are the United Rambo knives and how much better could they be if little fixes could be made to them? Now, I am no idiot, just a fan of the design which got me started with this knife collecting addiction. Many of you over 35 have the complete set from all the movies, though I bet many of you would not admit it. I mean, I keep mine in a drawer next to my Randal Model 18 7 ½", Buck Model 184, Randal Model 14, Emerson Kandahar, Emerson Viper, Emerson Specwar and so on and so forth. I just don’t show anybody the knives. I am not thrilled that they are made of 420 J steel or that the handles tend to fly off when you chop at something. But, what if they could be strengthened. The steel is not that bad (as long as you’re not going up against a sword). They are sharp and can cut. But what is the potential of these sleeper knives? What if you ground off the tacky “Rambo First Blood” writing on the Rambo I blade and tig welded the handle to the blade to make it stronger. Better yet, what if you take off the tacky plywood material from the Hibben Rambo III knife and replaced it with Ebony, Micarta, or even Stag? It’s okay to admit you own em, even to admit you use, but I want to know who has experimented with them.:jerkit:
 
No matter what you do with that Rambo mambo, it will still remain a piece of junk so don't bother wasting your time and energy trying to turn it into an utilitarian tool. It just wasn't meant to be one. For a few more bucks, you can get yourself Becker BK9 or Tops Steel Eagle with sawback. These are darn good knives and if you take care of them, they will last you a lifetime. If you want a good hollow Handle knife, look at Chris Reeve line. Good Luck.
 
Yeah, I have a Reeve Project II. Great knife, but it was not why I started collecting knives, the Rambo's are. The Rambo knife designs back then took off from where the Randall Model 18 (the originator of the hollow handle survival knife craze) started.
 
What green so eloquently reiterated :D :D

If you must have the Rambo style get one of these builders here to make you one from real materials.
 
I had been collecting fighting knives for quite a few years before the first Rambo movie came out. The design looked stupid at first sight. It is hard to beat a basic bowie knife as long as the guard doesn't get too big. You want a high grind for cutting efficiency and at most a sharpened clip point. Everything else is just something to get tangled up in. You don't want saw teeth to snag on things and you want a simple handle and a modest guard. For fighting or survival I love a bowie. Elaborate stuff added to United designs always seemed childish and naive.

The one design that has tempted me is their reproduction of Sting from Lord of the Rings. It is pretty true to the concept, it just needs a better steel for the blade. If you can't get a glow in the dark mithril alloy I'd like one made from 5160.
 
I have a real Sly II Lile and i love it. very solid knife and very handy. but the compass isnt as good as one you could carry and so the knife isnt as strong as a normal full tang blade. its cool to look at but i wouldnt carry one around. plus their kinda heavy.
 
FEDKNIFELOVER said:
Yeah, I have a Reeve Project II. Great knife, but it was not why I started collecting knives, the Rambo's are. The Rambo knife designs back then took off from where the Randall Model 18 (the originator of the hollow handle survival knife craze) started.
Click to expand...

You like the Rambo knife in particular, or just that style of low-end hollow-handle survival knives?

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"The one design that has tempted me is their reproduction of Sting from Lord of the Rings. It is pretty true to the concept, it just needs a better steel for the blade. If you can't get a glow in the dark mithril alloy I'd like one made from 5160."

If you can swing it ($$), I'm sure any of the knifemakers on here would make you a sword handled dagger like that to your specs...

If you are on a modest budget, I believe Atlanta Cutlery was offering something made by Windlass Steelcrafts that was pretty similar actually. It was a 'fantasy sword hilted dagger' or some such & was made of carbon steel...
 
fulloflead said:
You like the Rambo knife in particular, or just that style of low-end hollow-handle survival knives?

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Well, I think design is what I like most about these knives. Today, these knives are too large and too heavy (if you use a good steel like D2). But, back in 1982, when this Lile design came out, it was amazing. You have to admit that alot of people have knocked off Lile's design. If you can get an original Lile knife, (and I did for awhile until I sold it), then you will know what I mean. Heavy but balanced. Would I take it into the forest, no. I would take a Randal 18 and a Leatherman. That's all I would need to survive.
 
Send me your address and about $5 for shipping - I've got one you can have.:)

I'm going to take some pictures tonight of this watch I want to put up for trade. I'll take a pic of that knife at the same time and shoot it over to you and you can see if you want it...

FREE + SHIPPING (the knife, not the watch ;) )

:thumbup:

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The big problem is the tang is just screwed onto the handle so you would need to weld it, or at least try some epoxy. The edge profile is also too obtuse, optimally put a flat/convex grind over the hollow and leave the edge with a suitable thickness/angle. The steel isn't great but people were using worse for a long time so you could make a somewhat decent knife out of it, but there is *MUCH* better available.

-Cliff
 
For some reason, the name UNITED just rings of cheap steel...IMHO. It seems like most of the crap I see at the Gun shows has that name on it.
 
fulloflead said:
Send me your address and about $5 for shipping - I've got one you can have.:)

I'm going to take some pictures tonight of this watch I want to put up for trade. I'll take a pic of that knife at the same time and shoot it over to you and you can see if you want it...

FREE + SHIPPING (the knife, not the watch ;) )

:thumbup:

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Click to expand...

Here it is:



If you want it, it's yours.:thumbup:

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Back to original question... I picked up a cheap made-in-china Knock-off of the Lyle Rambo design. At first glance I saw that the handle-tang conection was the week spot. Welding it would just burn the blade all up. you could try removing the cord from the handle, and drilling a hole for a rivet or bolt. then rewrap the handle, but that might just weaken it further. I would just hang it on the wall, and get a good Kabar.
 
One more thing, if I may ask. Does anybody know the purpose of the sawback spine, other than to get snagged on everything?
 
To cut your way out of downed airplanes. Although I doubt any Airmen would carry a UNITED. A custom knife, or a QUALITY mass production knife, but not crap like UNITED.
 
I have numerous WSK knives. I find the saw ridges work within reason on a knife if the wood is the size of a branch (2" to 3" in diameter). Some ridges bind up, (Tops Tracker), while some are good (Beck WSK). A saw option is better than none at all when you are looking for campfire wood.
 
fulloflead said:
Here it is:



If you want it, it's yours.:thumbup:

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Click to expand...


LOL i considered it for like 0.5 of a second! thats so funny! i love those movies you wouldnt give me the deal above for say the M-60 would you? :D
 
BadKarma05 said:
LOL i considered it for like 0.5 of a second! thats so funny! i love those movies you wouldnt give me the deal above for say the M-60 would you? :D
Click to expand...

What's an M-60? If the original poster doesn't want this, you can have it. Just give him a chance to turn it down if he doesn't want it.


Regarding the back serrations - exhibit the Reeve Aviator:



Even Chris Reeve himself says the back doesn't really work well as a saw, but to cut through the material of an airplane fusulage (sp?) in a pinch. This knife has been out for a while. If it could be done better, I'm sure he would have done it.

By the way, I consider the Reeve one-piece line to be the only correct way, in fact the absolute ULTIMATE way to make the type of "survival knife" we're talking about.

This thread is kinda fun. Like chugging beer and eating hotwings at a wine & cheese tasting.:D

I got the above knife because somebody who knew "I like knives" gave it to me, not knowing any better - the best intentions and all of that. Figured I'd pass it on.

With all respect and no intention of insulting the original poster, these are exactly the kind of knives I loved when I was a kid, not really knowing anything about knives.

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