traditional knives in movies

[Jack Black]

Looks like, or a Rappala fillet knife. These are very common here, although the handle in movie still doesn't seem to have the finger notch.

I don’t think it’s that knife exactly — the blade would have to go all the way through the table! — but it’s certainly something similar. Maybe a shorter J. Marttiini model, like this one.

I think that one’s been mentioned once or twice. But you’re the first to suggest it could be a time-traveling GEC.

Martiini seem to have made knives for a few folks. Here's one with Normark colours from one of my giveaways some years back Some of their sheaths are awful!

Like screened porch , I never saw Titanic (and have no plans to), but I remember one of the times that knife pic came up, someone remarked that the Titanic ticket was worth 100 times more than anything else in the pot! Well, maybe not to a time-traveller!

 

[btb01]

Here are a couple more from the current season of Fargo.

This big stag-handled Bowie knife appears frequently, usually sheathed on this guy's belt. There are a few scenes in which the knife is being handled/used, but you never get a great look at it.

I suppose if you're going to bring a knife to a gunfight, it better be a big knife.

This knife is the same small drop point fixed blade from my previous post, but here you get a slightly better look.

In this shot you can see it sitting on the table, just at the bottom of the frame. Looks like a wood handle with brass guard and butt.

I thought I had seen one more, but I didn't take note at the time we were actually watching the show, and skimming back through episodes 4-6, I couldn't find anything else.

 

[screened porch]

Here are a couple more from the current season of Fargo.

This big stag-handled Bowie knife appears frequently, usually sheathed on this guy's belt. There are a few scenes in which the knife is being handled/used, but you never get a great look at it.

I suppose if you're going to bring a knife to a gunfight, it better be a big knife.

This knife is the same small drop point fixed blade from my previous post, but here you get a slightly better look.

In this shot you can see it sitting on the table, just at the bottom of the frame. Looks like a wood handle with brass guard and butt.

I thought I had seen one more, but I didn't take note at the time we were actually watching the show, and skimming back through episodes 4-6, I couldn't find anything else.

What a safe place to carry your Bowie.

 

[btb01]

What a safe place to carry your Bowie.

Comfortable, too.

 

[Ron53]

I believe that Bowie in Fargo is one of the Muela ones. Have to get a closer look to see which one.

 

[Jack Black]

From the pretentious pile of cobblers, The True History of the Kelly Gang, (supposedly based on the novel of the same name, but having nothing in common with it apart from the name of the main character), Ned Kelly's knife is a Sheffield 'Town Pattern' Whittle-Tang Bowie.

 

[Jolipapa]

In Colombo's season 9 episode 3, Agenda for Murder, the famous inspector uses a slipjoint to steal some cheese. To small to be sure of what pattern.


edit : typo

 

[black mamba]

I watched Bite The Bullet the other night, and Gene Hackman's character used an I-XL Barlow (you could clearly see the stamped bolster). Pretty cool!

 

[btb01]

Here's another from the current season of Fargo, from episode 9 ("East/West"). Rabbi Milligan (played by the excellent Ben Whishaw) hands this pocket knife to the young boy he's looking after, Satchel Cannon. Based on the wide, rounded end of the handle (with end-cap) that you can see in his palm if you zoom in, I'd say it looks like a trapper.

Satchel later opens the knife in a closeup shot, and you get a decent look at the clip point blade, as well as a quick look at the backspring (looks like two springs) and what appear to be stag (or imitation stag) covers.

 

[btb01]

In City Slickers, Curly (Jack Palance) carries a large stag handled Bowie on his left hip.

He throws it in the ground a few different times in the movie, including once immediately after he’s finished (aggressively) stropping the edge. Seems a bit counterintuitive to me, but hey, what do I know?

If you’ve never used your Bowie knife to tip your hat to a lady, are you really even a cowboy?

A bit of quick Google research actually turned up some info on this one. The knife was made by a knife maker named Chuck Stapel from Los Angeles, who (according to his website, which I had a brief look around) has made knives for several different film and television productions.

Here’s an article about some of his work (which was originally printed in Knives Illustrated, February 2004). The knife from City Slickers is briefly mentioned:

“Another popular movie of recent years, still shown on the cable networks, is "City Slickers." Chuck Stapel made the big Bowie-pattern knife handled by actor Jack Palance. That one had an 8 1/2-inch blade, but was visible for only a few seconds in the film.”
​

I also found an auction for the knife used in the film. (The auction is closed and it appears that the knife was not sold.) Here’s the info from the auction site:

633. Jack Palance "Curly" signature hunting knife from City Slickers. (Castle Rock, 1991) Original Bowie-pattern knife with 8.5 in. steel blade and 4.5 in. stag horn grip, created by renowned knife maker Chuck Stapel. Signature weapon of choice for the burly old trail boss "Curly" played by Palance, who earned a "Best Supporting Actor" Oscar for his performance in the Western comedy. Exhibiting production wear. In very good condition. $2,000 - $3,000​

And an image from the auction:

 

[Mainerd]

I know Walt Longmire's Shrade/Buck 110 has been well covered and this one probably has to but I had never noticed Deputy Branch Conally's knife in the last episode of Season Two.

 

[Jack Black]

He throws it in the ground a few different times in the movie, including once immediately after he’s finished (aggressively) stropping the edge. Seems a bit counterintuitive to me, but hey, what do I know?

"Pick it up!"

Fantastic post Barrett

 

[huntnfishin]

I don’t know if anyone mentioned Hombre with Paul Newman. He uses a slipjoint quite a bit in that. Breaks my heart in the end when he cuts this lady loose from baking in the sun and just drops the knife on the rocky ground. Heck of a film. Check it out.

 

[Jolipapa]

1963's Spanish-French Tela de Arana / Comme s'il en pleuvait (#by the bucketloads) with Eddie Constantine, an American actor living in France, famous for being Lemmy Caution in Godard's Alphaville and many B pictures.
He was a favorite of my Dad because even after the wildest fight his necktie knot remainedl impeccable.
Spanish film, Spanish folder.

 

[btb01]

We've been watching Christmas movies lately, and while this one isn't great, it's the only one in which I've noticed a traditional knife so far.

In Four Christmases, Robert Duvall uses what looks to me like a stag-handled stiletto to open a Christmas gift. You can see that it has the vestigial cross guard built into the bolsters, and (just before these screenshots, while his back is to the camera and the knife can't be seen) the foley artist added the sound of a switchblade being opened. Duvall starts to close the blade just before his hands move off-screen, and it appears that he's holding his thumb over a button on the mark side scale while pushing the blade closed with the palm of his other hand.

 

[screened porch]

I don’t know if anyone mentioned Hombre with Paul Newman. He uses a slipjoint quite a bit in that. Breaks my heart in the end when he cuts this lady loose from baking in the sun and just drops the knife on the rocky ground. Heck of a film. Check it out.
View attachment 1470810

That looks a lot like the folder Ryker eats with in Grafton's saloon while waiting with Wilson to gun a sodbuster in Shane. Similar shape and head bolster anyway.

 

[huntnfishin]

Loved Shane. If it’s a western worth two bits I like it.

 

[btb01]

I'm not sure how this one hasn't been posted here before (I'm not even sure how I haven't posted it here, because I watch this movie just about every year around this time), but since it hasn't, here it is now.

In Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, Kevin McCallister buys a Swiss Army Knife at a toy store in New York City. You get a couple different views of it sitting on the counter while he's checking out.

Top down, looking at all the tools:

Side view. I'm guessing the white square on the side was put there to cover up the Swiss cross logo.

Back side of the knife:

Outside the store, Kevin uses the magnifying glass to look at a map of Manhattan.

Small continuity error: this scene starts with Kevin holding the knife so that side with the corkscrew is facing him, but when the camera cuts to a wider shot, the knife is turned the other way, with the corkscrew side facing away from Kevin.

Now I'm not particularly well versed on the differences between Victorinox and Wenger SAKs (in fact, I don't think I've ever owned one made by Wenger), but I have seen the magnifying glass design that Victorinox uses, so process of elimination (plus Google confirmation ) tells me this one's a Wenger.

I also don't know much about Wenger models, but if I had to guess, I'd say the knife in the movie a Wenger Champ. Looks about right to me:

Unfortunately, when he realizes that the Sticky Bandits (formerly the Wet Bandits) are standing behind him, Kevin drops his SAK, screams and runs away, leaving it on the sidewalk. It probably would've come in handy setting up all those booby traps later, too.

Merry Christmas, ya filthy animals!

 

[5K Qs]

Definitely delightful detectin' and deducin' you did in that post, Barrett!

- GT

 

[Jack Black]

I'm not sure how this one hasn't been posted here before (I'm not even sure how I haven't posted it here, because I watch this movie just about every year around this time), but since it hasn't, here it is now.

In Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, Kevin McCallister buys a Swiss Army Knife at a toy store in New York City. You get a couple different views of it sitting on the counter while he's checking out.

Top down, looking at all the tools:

Side view. I'm guessing the white square on the side was put there to cover up the Swiss cross logo.

Back side of the knife:

Outside the store, Kevin uses the magnifying glass to look at a map of Manhattan.

Small continuity error: this scene starts with Kevin holding the knife so that side with the corkscrew is facing him, but when the camera cuts to a wider shot, the knife is turned the other way, with the corkscrew side facing away from Kevin.

Now I'm not particularly well versed on the differences between Victorinox and Wenger SAKs (in fact, I don't think I've ever owned one made by Wenger), but I have seen the magnifying glass design that Victorinox uses, so process of elimination (plus Google confirmation ) tells me this one's a Wenger.

I also don't know much about Wenger models, but if I had to guess, I'd say the knife in the movie a Wenger Champ. Looks about right to me:

Unfortunately, when he realizes that the Sticky Bandits (formerly the Wet Bandits) are standing behind him, Kevin drops his SAK, screams and runs away, leaving it on the sidewalk. It probably would've come in handy setting up all those booby traps later, too.

Merry Christmas, ya filthy animals!

Well done Barrett, I was thinking the knife was the Wenger Major, but maybe that model even had different names I only saw that movie once (couldn't believe how violent it was! ). It was my Ellie's very first cinema experience, and she loved it so much that, when the movie finished, she cried, because she didn't want it to end!