The Hollow Handle

I had one of those 1980's hollow-handle knives, I threw it away as an embarrassment after I started collecting "real" knives. Now, I wish I still had it as I'd gladly take it into the field again to see how it'd perform.

Only problem about hollow-handle knives was put to me this way: "If you lose the knife, you lose all your survival kit". This is why I separate my survival kit now. Better to have it on your body, or even in a knife pouch, just in case you drop that knife at night, into water, down a hillside, etc.
 
CWL said:
Only problem about hollow-handle knives was put to me this way: "If you lose the knife, you lose all your survival kit". This is why I separate my survival kit now. Better to have it on your body, or even in a knife pouch, just in case you drop that knife at night, into water, down a hillside, etc.
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Agreed, that's why I see such kits as 'extras,' not a replacement for anything else you might want to carry.

Mine was always extra firelighting stuff. I still had the means to make fire without touching it. Usually lots of means :D
 
CWL said:
Only problem about hollow-handle knives was put to me this way: "If you lose the knife, you lose all your survival kit". This is why I separate my survival kit now. Better to have it on your body, or even in a knife pouch, just in case you drop that knife at night, into water, down a hillside, etc.
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Yeah, but that's really a non-starter. Even as a teenager I knew to have my survival essentials in the pockets of my pants, etc., not just in a knife handle which has always been, at best, a tertiary mini-kit. Perhaps even a micro-kit, depending on the knife.

That line of thought assumes that everyone is an idiot and will place their entire kit into mini or micro form and stuff it in the handle of the knife. It's just not so. It's a great way to store the bare bones essentials in case everything else gets lost, busted or ruined in any way. Everyone assumes they are going to lose their knife and then they will be kit-less. Everyone has their own opinion about kits and gear and everything else, which is fine. Some people only carry Bic lighters but they will tell you about falling down hills and stuff and how this, that or the other thing can happen. I can't think of a better way to break a Bic lighter than having it in my pants pocket and failling down a rock-strewn hill with it there. Yet, a lot of people totally discount things like the Doan Mag/Ferro block & rod. It seems to just be a fad to piss on a lot of stuff constantly. :D

Let me beat on a dead horse, and an old one. What can you do with a POS "survival knife?" I mean, one of the real stinkers too. :D
 
Don Rearic said:
Let me beat on a dead horse, and an old one. What can you do with a POS "survival knife?" I mean, one of the real stinkers too. :D
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1.) Open beer bottles

2.) Store your weed in it

3.) Wave it around at parties after you've had too much Jim Beam

4.) Throw it at a tree until it breaks

I think that's about it.
 
Can you make anything with it? I know you're being a smartass, but really. What if that is all you had?
 
That line of thought assumes that everyone is an idiot and will place their entire kit into mini or micro form and stuff it in the handle of the knife. It's just not so. It's a great way to store the bare bones essentials in case everything else gets lost, busted or ruined in any way. --Don Rearic

Well said! It's those basic concepts people miss that always crack me up. "You mean I can do that too? (Have two different "kits".) It doesn't have to be one or the other... Geez, never thought of that!"

I have more knives than I really use. Not a bad addiction to have I think. Two knives I do use and love to carry happen to be hollow handles, a CR Mountaineer II and an RP Sunfish. Tinder-Qwik(sp?) threaded onto some floss for easy retrieval, a brass spark-lite, & a small vial of backup personal meds is all that needs to go inside for me.

When I get back from overseas I'll be asking Mr. Sanders, Mr. Cox, and Mr. Laconico if they wouldn't mind making modified/to spec variations for me. That damn addiction again...
 
Funny thing, Don.
A guy I camp with grew up in Oregon, was in a certain SpecWar unit and is real good in the woods.
Know what his favorite knife is?

Yeah, a Rambo: First Blood Part II survival knife. The United Cutlery model, not an actual Lile. Uses that thing for damn near everything. It's 440C, and despite a lot of boo-hooing, that really is a good steel. It's also a full flat grind and slices like the devil.

Is that enough WS&S heresy for one post?

Only thing he doesn't do is beat the hell out of it,, er I mean baton.

For that, he either uses an Estwing Sportsman's hatchet or a machete he made himself from a slab of 3/16" steel (no idea what it is, but judging by the lack of rust and overall look, it's 303 or 304 stainless), that he made with a pedestal grinder and sharpens with a file. Works like a charm, too.

OK, I see the guys headed this way with a stake and firewood, so I'm outta here. . .;)
 
Cpl Punishment said:
a Rambo: First Blood Part II survival knife. The United Cutlery model, not an actual Lile. It's 440C, and despite a lot of boo-hooing, that really is a good steel.
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440-C is very good steel, but I am 99.99% sure that the United Cutlery Rambo knife is 440-A at best.
 
TAH said:
440-C is very good steel, but I am 99.99% sure that the United Cutlery Rambo knife is 440-A at best.
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Could be.

But it said 440C on the box, and is a pisser to get sharp if you let it get dull.

OK, Yes, I have one, too.
 
Maybe they changed over the years.

Mine is the part II knife.
Black blade. But I also got it back when Rambo II was contemporary and they first came out.
 
All the UC Rambo knives on eBay says 420 J2 Stainless. Are you sure your knife doesn't say "LILE" on the blade? :D
 
I have a handful of NOS Camillus USAF and K-bar blades that I bought through SMKW after the Camillus factory shut down. They're HT'ed, just waiting to for bevels to be ground and polished and handles put on them.

I've been toying with the idea of putting a hollow handle on one of each; what do you guys think?
 
I had a couple of the Rambo knockoffs, they were complete junk. I had a CRK Aviator, great knife, but black coating on the blade was not me. It's a neat design, and a useful design. But, I wouldn't want to depend on what I could store in the handle. I would like to pick up a Mountaineer, but have to carry some other blades with it.
 
James_Terrio said:
I have a handful of NOS Camillus USAF and K-bar blades that I bought through SMKW after the Camillus factory shut down. They're HT'ed, just waiting to for bevels to be ground and polished and handles put on them.

I've been toying with the idea of putting a hollow handle on one of each; what do you guys think?
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DO IT!!! :thumbup:
 
Here are a few pics of some that I made a while back. I think I made about 7 or 8 of these all together. I don't think I'll be making anymore...

h3.JPG


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h1.JPG
 
Thanks for that post, raylaconico! I remember those and they inspired me to snag up a couple of those same handles. May I ask why you don't intend to make more?

tyr_shadowblade said:
DO IT!!! :thumbup:
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I think I will... after some brainstorming and a couple tips from Mr. Laconico, I'm going to make some changes to the way the handle is affixed to the blade, in the interest of toughness. When I have one ready I'll run it up the flagpole and see if anyone salutes. I thought the Camillus blades with a hollow handle might generate some interest for various reasons... thanks for your encouragement. :)
 
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