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Moved from General Knife Discussion: Gil Hibben is selling his latest Rambo knife.
- Thread starter EvanBNW
- Start date
d2 is a steel used in making knives. normally in smaller knives, but makers like bob dozier use it for much larger blades as well.
many think it is unsuited for large knives or choppers as it tends to be brittle.
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That's one of the original unfinished prototypes.
Here is one of the finished ones
Some of Gil's Star Trek knives are on display in the "Star Trek Experience" in the Las Vegas Hilton. If you buy the Star Trek Generations DVD one of the special features is about the knives Gil made for the movies.
Gil's knives have been used in over 30 Movies and television shows.
(Yes, I know. The spaceships aren't really functional either.)
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Take a look at the knives used in the cutting competitions at Blade and and the Guild shows, They are not very different. A little more pleasing to the eye but similar blades. A long straight working portion of the blade without much of an arc in the edge. Nice thick spine that gives the blade some real weight to do some serious chopping. I wouldn't hesitate for a second to take this knife into the wilderness with me.
This knife is probably 1000x more functional than the knives from Rambo I, II, III, Those worthless saw teeth on the first two knives would do nothing but prematurely wear out the sheath. long needle like points on a combat knife like the III knife while good for stabbing, would likely get broken off in serious field use.
And to anyone who thinks Gil is a hack, There wouldn't be a custom knife industry without a few guys like Gil Hibben.
You obviously don't know the man or you would not question his integrity and make such a statement.
It's amusing how 20 years ago a few people dismissed Gil for "selling out" to UC. Now, dozens of knifemakers who have made a name for themselves have a licensing deal to have their designs factory produced.
Bob Bowie has it right that the UC products has spawned a lot of collectors and knifemakers including me. There is an obvious need and market for lower priced mass-market knives. UC sold 250,000 copies of the Rambo III replicas and Gil's annual series has been selling for 17 years. It's absurd to say that it is junk that nobody wants. They are actually pretty good quality for what they are. The fit and finish is surprisingly good for Taiwan manufacure and 420J stainless steel has it's place.
Sure, the UC stuff is not going to be hand ground knives of the most expensive materials and be able to make an under-$100 retail price point.
I can asssure you that Gil is no millionaire. He has made a decent living through 50 years excellent and very hard work. Like all knifemakers that I have ever known he also gone through some extremely lean times.
He is still a one-man shop and at 72 years of age still spends every day making his knives entirely by hand, one at a time, with no automated equipment. He can only make a very limited number of knives each year and that is why they are highly sought by collectors around the world.
For the new Rambo knife, as I said he has invested over a year and dozens of handmade knives into the project. The knives are hand ground, properly heat treated and the sheaths are hand made. Who wouldn't want to get a return and make some money off of that? It is not a pretty knife but it is what the customer wanted and as one who has actually handled one I can attest that it is a quality piece.
Obviously I am a fan of the man and his work. I have limitless respect and admiration for Gil, what he has accomplished, and what he has done for the knife industry. He has taught me more than I could possibly describe here both about knives and about being a good and giving person. He has taught and influenced some of the biggest names in knifemaking and is justifyably highly repected by those who understand how hard it is to make it as a custom knifemaker.
MisterSat, great post, my man. Excellent picture as well. :thumbup::thumbup:
He's a small dude. I was shocked to see how small his footprints are near the Philadelphia Museum of Art. I've since read (though I have no idea if it's true) that he stands on boxes in certain scenes to look taller.
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I think the handmade Rambo III knives have been selling for comparable prices to the handmade Lile Rambo I and II knives. I know a couple of the Lile knives sold for very high prices and that can largely be attributed to the fact that Lile is dead which always increases the value of an artists' work.
Lile has also been getting a lot of attention lately because of the new book coming out about him. The legend grows. It's not uncommon for a person to become larger in death than he was in life.
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Do you think the knifemaker can make whatever HE wants the movie character to use and say "Here, use this" ?
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That is the whole problem with much of this thread.
Some folks are showing they are not capable of thinking.
Some of the most ignorant posts I have ever seen on BFC are in this thread.
Some folks are showing they are not capable of thinking.
Some of the most ignorant posts I have ever seen on BFC are in this thread.
Cougar Allen
Buccaneer (ret.)
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Nah, let's move it to TGB&U instead. The denizens of that forum are used to long threads full of ignorance and stoopidity; they can stand it.
Lets see if we can find the right forum
Lets see if we can find the right forum
Well, despite not completely agreeing with your views regarding intelligence, I want to say Thank You for allowing BF members to post their views regarding this item. I can't speak for anyone else, but I'm not insulting the man or his ethics. Still, I can understand why a friend of his would get upset at some of the comments being posted.
As I stated above, it looks like a used machete. If some of Mr. Hibben's supporters think that's being ignorant.... Well, I guess you can call me ignorant for saying the sky is blue, or George Washington's white horse is white.
But, let's try something.... I'm going to post that pic on another forum, outside of BF. I'm not going to mention who made it, or that it's supposed to be a collector's item, or how much it costs. All I'll say is, "What do you think of this pic?"
Then I'll post the link to that thread. Don't worry, the other forum is filled with mature, intelligent adults. "Ignorance" is in very short supply over there.
The results should be interesting.....
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The results will not be interesting. They are obvious without taking the whole context of the knife, the maker and the reason for the knife being made and the input that was given to the maker.
Go ahead and continue to wallow in it.
It is obvious the knife is the way it is due to why it exists.
To ignore that is ignorance in spades.
Gil Hibben is not a friend of mine. I just know ignorance when it comes to knives and I know the type of person he is.
Your intentions are neither mature or intelligent. Your are only insulting the work of a member of the Cutlery Hall of Fame who was approached to make a knife for a movie who has a career of helping others and opening the door for the uninformed and ignorant to do the same.
Explain to me how your position/intention is mature or intelligent. The knife is supposed to be "ugly". It was created to convey what it is not what you think a good machete should be.
I apologize if any of this goes over your head.
Go ahead and continue to wallow in it.
It is obvious the knife is the way it is due to why it exists.
To ignore that is ignorance in spades.
Gil Hibben is not a friend of mine. I just know ignorance when it comes to knives and I know the type of person he is.
Your intentions are neither mature or intelligent. Your are only insulting the work of a member of the Cutlery Hall of Fame who was approached to make a knife for a movie who has a career of helping others and opening the door for the uninformed and ignorant to do the same.
Explain to me how your position/intention is mature or intelligent. The knife is supposed to be "ugly". It was created to convey what it is not what you think a good machete should be.
I apologize if any of this goes over your head.
Cougar Allen
Buccaneer (ret.)
- Joined
- Oct 9, 1998
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- 75,957
Tattoo that on the insides of your eyelids and read it again every time you blink. Maybe then it'll sink in ... eventually....
Yes, it looks like a beat-up old machete. That's what it's supposed to look like.