The Handmade Hollow Handle Survival Knife

[Allison Wunderland]

I've been looking to "get lost" in an emergency survival situation now for more than a half century. It hasn't happened. I've done the Boy Scout routine, Army in Alaska -- mountain/glacier training, Arctic winters. Kayaking, hiking, camping, mountaineering. If you can't figure North from looking at the sky, I'm betting you can't use a compass either. If I'm seriously lost, last thing I'm going to do is spend time "fishing" for food. Waterproof matches in the handle? Sorry, I packed a butane lighter, flint/steel -- and know how to use them. I can see cutting my way out of a crashed helicopter I suppose. Sawtooth spine works for that, and Glock sells their Austrian Ranger knife for about $30 USD.

I suppose there's an application for the hollow handle "survival knife" . . . Maybe. I was surprised to find the Randall 18 in production. Mostly I see these items as curious toys for young kids who want to be commandos.

Seriously, bear with here . . . I'm not spamming, even though this is my first post. Now I'm going to ask a question about buying a Randall.

 

[thedemonbeast]

Man I am very excited! In just 60 days I will Finally, after many times of trying, have my very own highest quality handmade First Blood survival knife!! I mean, I have some of the nicest and highest quality handmade survival knives I have ever owned. But they just don't look like the First Blood Movie Knife! A couple of them come pretty close tho!

Anyway, I am buying it from one of the most well known makers of the First Blood movie knife (No, not Black Starr)!! I just cannot wait to get it either. It is already made too! The guy whom I consider to be one of my very best online friends is selling it to me! I have seen pics of it and it looks absolutely Beautiful! I am geting it to actually use so it won't be wasting away on some plaque or in some case. It will actually be used for what it was intended and made to be used for; Out in the woods during campng, hunting, or downright chopping and cutting someone's flesh deep into during combat or self-defense!

LOL not trying to sound like a Billy Bad Ass or anything. I am sort of joking, but will have no problem using it to protect myself or my lovely wife! Anyway, enough of that. I might keep it looking nice and tight for the first few months. But after that, it will be used. I am getting it sooooon!! For sure and cannot wait!

 

[flintsghost]

Interesting read, Demonbeast. I noted you mentioned Lile. Lile hollow handles including the famous Rambo series are actually resin epoxied to the blade after screwing the aluminum tubing on. They are extremely weak as hollow handles go. They look good and the blades are well done. But they aren't that strong. I had one of the original "First Blood" variety and I was thrilled to sell it a couple of years ago for very high dollars. The Randall's seem to hold together pretty well and of course the Randall shop will replace any that go bad. I think the Timberlines, and the Neeley or Sanders which are virtually identical are the very best of the hollow handles. Next maybe the Martin which is also plenty strong and actually a slightly better shape. As a collector the Lile is first rate. As a user one is probably better off with some of his non hollow handle designs. He made good knives but the ones made for movies were for show and film credentials not for real life use. People have used them and I know a few were carried into war but how much use they got is debatable.

 

[JParanee]

We all have a certain genre of knives that others find less than practical or desirable ....... Mines WSK's

 

[SharpByCoop]

Response to post #20:

An interesting story and you are a resourceful guy. 90% of the time when a knife is refurbished by anyone other than the owner, it devaluates the knife, but you seemed to have found the exception.

Good for you. You will enjoy the knife and telling the ^^^ story for many years!

Jim

 

[TAH]

AV8R, great thread! I agree with you on all accounts. Personally, I don't care for sawteeth, but they certainly can be functional if designed properly. I really like your Timberlines. They are fantastic knives.


demonbeast, any pics of your Budgen knife? Sounds neat.

The Randall's seem to hold together pretty well...

flintsghost, I agree. For 50 years, the Randall #18 has had an excellent track record of military and civilian use. Here are a couple of posts that I saved from another forum on how the #18s are constructed.

"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

"The blade is soldered at both sides of the hilt and then the handle is soldered to the hilt. In 30 years, I’ve seen only one #18 returned with the handle apart from the hilt and it was heavily abused." - Scott Maynard, Randall Shop Foreman

Here is a photo my Randall knife with a 5.5" clip point blade. To me, it's the perfect hollow handle knife. :thumbup:

 

[Mark Knapp]

Please permit me some shameless self promotion with my 1911 Combat Survivor. It's still mostly handmade but admittedly becoming more mid-tech. I think it resolves many of the issues raised with hollow handled knives. The blade is silver soldered and pinned into the hilt. I think you could baton it all day and not have a problem. The survival clip carries a diamond hone (the door of the compartment), a Leatherman micro, fish hooks, needles, synthetic sinew and a magnesium ferro rod.

Here's a link to a previous BF thread http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...orking-version?highlight=1911+combat+survivor

 

[A.l.e.x.]

Hi!

When it comes to "classic" hollow handle knives, personally I would put my trust in one of Farid's (Mehr) customs! I have yet to see a more sturdily built hh.

Other than that I've always been a fan of the late Wilkinson Sword Dartmoor 2. A different approach, but one that worked well in my eyes. Here are some snaps of one of mine:

Regards,
Alex

 

[TAH]

Mark,

Those are too cool and a very creative idea. I really like the blade shape and the handle looks super comfortable. Thanks for posting the photo and link. :thumbup:

 

[TAH]

Alex,

Your Wilkinson looks well built. Another unique design. Is there much room in the capsule? What is the capsule material? Have you tried the sawteeth?

Thanks and welcome to the forum!

 

[A.l.e.x.]

Hi!

The Dartmoor II is a collector's knife these days, since the Wilkinson Sword Blade factory was shut down years ago. Full sets are hard to come by. I do have a couple of these though and use some on a regular basis.

The Dartmoor is a big knife:

with a beautiful sheath:

The capsule is rubberized and can be locked up water-tight. The capacity of the capsule is limited though and I only carry items in it that must not get wet. The rest of the survival kit sits in the scabbards extra pocket.

The sawteeth are ok, but nothing more (not much of a surprise, since teeth and tang are the same size... ). Once you've worked you way into some wood, friction causes the blade to get prone to sticking.

Regards,
Alex

 

[TAH]

Really neat knife, Alex. Thanks for the extra information and great photos. I enjoyed see them! :thumbup:

 

[thedemonbeast]

Tonight I Finally was able to put the finishing touches on my redone handmade JWB hollow handled knife. I ended up having to Dura Coat the blade to keep it protected from tarnishing and rust, esp since it's made with a really high quality high carbon steel. Today my #18 Green braided Nylon cord wrap came, so was able to re-wrap the handle with the original type of cord it was wrapped with in the beginning. I tried using the 660 military grade para cord but for some reason, it just did not look right on this knife. The para cord was thicker, making it a bit wider than the endcap, causing it to possibly overlap past the endcap and then unwantingly come off and unraveled!

And so after some research, because I wanted the cord to be as close to the same size as was originally on it, I ended up with ordering the same exact size and type of nylon cord that is used on the handmade and production First Blood movie knives. I know this because I have a handmade FB knife and when I compared what it is wrapped with to what I ordered, it was the same exact size and color and everything. Besides, John Budgen, the maker of my knife, actually knew Jimmy Lile, and Lile got him into the Knife Guild Assoc. This was told to me by John Budgen himself, after I sought him out with questions following winning the knife on Ebay from a diferent person.

John told me the high quality materials he used to make the knife I have. he also shared with me his true story of how making this knife almost cost him his life. Quite an interesting story and a great piece of history to go with this knife once I have it in its display case.

I have my own funny story behind my winning the JWB knife on Ebay and how it arrived to me, and how I wrestled with making the Seller take it back based on his listing dishonesty. But it all worked out in my favor and I kept the knife, just about redone it all, coated the blade. And finally, today, I was able to put the finishing touches on it. LOL I tell you, it certainly doesn't look like it did when I first got it.

Now it does look so much better. I am going to end my rather lengthy post here. I am so sorry that my post is so long. Pls forgive me. I just get on a story and always feel that I have to tell every little detail. But I am working on that, Ha Ha! Still though, forgive me for the long post here!

 

[deltablade]

Demonbeast, could you post a pic? great story, would love to see the knife

 

[Thomas Linton]

WARNING britt owner of Black Starr knives has had my money for over 8 months and refuses to give me a refund and keeps giving me excuses and lies week after week so do not send this man money im having to take him to court for my money back and this is not slander I have every conversation with him saved and he acknowledges he owes me the knife but keeps lying to me to buy more time when he answers at all. I have never been treated so bad by a company and am selling the two knives I already got from britt and want to warn the knife community who probably cant afford like me for someone to steal 500 dollars from

You joined to post in seven different wrong places. We have a forum for evaluations - "Good, Bad & Ugly."

 

[A.l.e.x.]

Hello!

Here is one of my great CAS forged integral sub-hilt hollow handle commando-style survival knife:

Best regards,
Alex

 

[Blad3sman]

I love big knives. I especially love hollow handle handmade knives.

My latest hollow handle handmade knives are a handmade Andy Wood First Blood movie knife and a handmade Andy Wood Rambo Mission knife aka Rambo 2 knife.

I also now have a handmade Gil Hibben R3 knife aka Rambo 3 knife!! These 3 knives are the absolute BEST EVER!! Especially my Gil Hibben Handmade R3 knife. Now I know it is Not a hollow handle knife but it is still very very worth mentioning here!

Andy Wood makes damn Damn good hollow handle RAMBO 1 AND 2 knives!!! He really rocks!!! His knives are 100% Movie Accurate and made with Exceptional Detail.

Thanks Guys.

 

[Blad3sman]

Hi!

When it comes to "classic" hollow handle knives, personally I would put my trust in one of Farid's (Mehr) customs! I have yet to see a more sturdily built hh.

Other than that I've always been a fan of the late Wilkinson Sword Dartmoor 2. A different approach, but one that worked well in my eyes. Here are some snaps of one of mine:

I do not have any knives by Farid, but when Ray Matton was making knives, he was One Of The Absolute Best Knifemakers of hollow handle knives. It is a shame that he no longer makes knives.

Another fantastic maker is Andy Wood. Oh man, his RAMBO movie knives are very VERY WELL MADE!

Regards,
Alex

 

[TAH]

I love big knives. I especially love hollow handle handmade knives.

My latest hollow handle handmade knives are a handmade Andy Wood First Blood movie knife and a handmade Andy Wood Rambo Mission knife aka Rambo 2 knife.

I also now have a handmade Gil Hibben R3 knife aka Rambo 3 knife!! These 3 knives are the absolute BEST EVER!! Especially my Gil Hibben Handmade R3 knife. Now I know it is Not a hollow handle knife but it is still very very worth mentioning here!

Andy Wood makes damn Damn good hollow handle RAMBO 1 AND 2 knives!!! He really rocks!!! His knives are 100% Movie Accurate and made with Exceptional Detail.

Thanks Guys.

You sound just like demon beast.