UC Rambo knives - quality or crap?

I bought all three Rambo versions by United when I became interested in knives. They are not practical for anything but display pieces. If you are looking for a good utility fixed blade check out the Becker C/U 7.
 
If you're going to spend over a $100 get a Randall Model 18. The handle comes bare but just buy your own material and wrap it yourself. Only hangup is that you need to either find someone dealing in Randalls or look for a used one OR be willing to wait for approximately 3 years...:(
 
Well, I really like the nylon wrapped handles, and the look of the knife is the major selling point. I mainly want it for collecting. Perhaps, I'll get myself a decent camping knife later on. I'm not a knife freak so I can't see myself spending over $100 for a good knife at the moment.

Hell, if it sucks ass! Then I'll bite the bullet and get a Jungle King, or try to find a good Bowie blade to stick onto the UC grip.
 
You are obviously dead set on buying this piece of junk, contrary to the good advice you've received from people who know their stuff. Go ahead and knock yourself out, spend $80 on a poor steel, aluminum handle wall-hanger.

The Becker knives can do real work, for $50, and you would have money left for a decent folder to carry everyday.
(Heck, a KaBar has gone through wars, it will do what you ask, and actually has some intrinsic value as a piece of history -for <$50)

If you really like it, and want to but it...go ahead. If you want to try and actualy use it around camp, you will:
1) be sorely disappointed in the performance
2) ruin any "collector" :rolleyes: value you think this knife has
3) quite possible hurt yourself
 
Originally posted by OutdoorWanderer
the look of the knife is the major selling point
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The look of a knife can be very deceiving in the cutlery world. I didn't like Spydercos before because of their looks (and still I don't like some of them because of the looks). I changed my mind as soon as I cut something with my Spyderco Endura.
Trust all of us, you're going to waste your hard earned cash on that piece. If you really want a particular look you can ask a customer maker to make something similar. 420J2 is just way too soft to do anything for a decent period, and I doubt the joint is half decent. You can't put the blade on the that handle afterwards (well maybe you can, with superglue, but it'll fall apart anyways)
Edited for typos
 
Hey, OutdoorWanderer-- I have to agree with most here that if you want a knife to actually use, you would be better served by many many knives over the UC Rambo knife. That said, if you have your heart set on one, you should get it; just don't expect it to be a great performer. You might want to take a look at this link for a new licensed Lile Rambo knife at a very affordable price.
--Josh
 
Josh,

I also saw that WOW knife. It does look nice. Do you have any reason to believe that it is a better knife than the United Cutlery version?

I too realize that these may not be user knives but have some feeling that the movie knife had an influence on the knife industry and the public perception of knifes. For that reason it might be interesting to have one in a "collection".

:confused:
 
I think I can add some input to this. One year for christmas I expressed to my parents I was interested in knives once again...on christmas day I recieved a plentifull bounty of ..you guessed it, Frost Cutlery knives. However this was a dream come true to me back then, and we all know its the thought that counts, even to this day I haven't told the fokes how much crap they are...ANYWAY, I took a few out to do some "testing" of my own.

The first knife I tested was a rambo look alike knife..I choped 1 branch, and 1 piece of wood, and the blade almost completly detached. Later I threw it very professionaly into a tree, in which the handle shatterd and pieces hit my face. I stoped the testing there. THE MORAL OF THIS STORY: These kind of knives are just what everyone has been saying....Wallhangers. To impress friends who dont really know jack about knives, or family. Some look cool for decoration. However...definatly NOT practical in REAL use. The people on this forum have wisdom so well aged and tempered, it is usually nothing short of fact...so please listen to them, there is nothing worse than buying a knife you look up to, then being sorely dissapointed when you realize the mistake you've made. Good luck. -Hunter
 
Burtzolotar-- I don't really know anything about the knife other than what is posted in the catalog. I saw the link over in "what's new" and remembered this thread. I just thought I would pass it along to OutdoorWanderer or whoever else was interested.
--Josh
 
UC = Crap. If you want a similar blade, check out the Buckmaster 184. It is a HELL of a knife, and you can actually USE it too!!!

Drjones
 
Oh wow! You just made my day Josh. This Rambo knife looks even better than the UC ones. And the fact that it comes with a lifetime warrantee makes me feel a lot better. BTW, how tough is 420HCSS?
 
Uh, still crap. PLEASE do yourselves a favor and look at the Buckmaster 184! (Unless you LIKE throwing your money away! :rolleyes: )

Drjones
 
420HC is considered a better grade of steel then 420J. It is the stuff that Buck knives uses on many of their basic knives and has a greater carbon content. It is still a moderately priced steel, but it can be a little better when properly heat treated.

I'm not a knife freak so I can't see myself spending over $100 for a good knife at the moment.
Click to expand...

You sound like me a couple of decades ago. :) :rolleyes:

n2s

P.S. About 15 years back when I decided to go after a good "Rambo-like" knife I went with the Gerber BMF. It was a good choice and the knife is still a faithful companion today. It is no longer made, but it is common on the secondary market.
 
OutdoorWanderer-- drjones is probably right. the Buck 184 is a fairly affordable alternative to the rambo knife, and will be far more functional and durable. drjones can probably confirm, but I would assume these still show up from time to time on ebay or here in the Exchange forums. O.W., you've gotten a lot of responses here from people that don't want to see you get burned on your knife buying experience. If you just want the Rambo knife image, then only one of the originals or a reproduction will satisfy you. However, if you want a knife that will actually function like a movie knife, you know, chopping up helicopters and such, you should definitely look elsewhere. From the types of light intended uses you have described, any of the various rambo reproduction knives probably won't break into a million pieces in your hand, but you will probably end up being disappointed with the overall performance. If you do end up getting one, and it doesn't perform to your expectations, don't let give you a negative opinion of knives in general; there are definitely better ones out there at a variety of price ranges. Good luck with your decision.
--Josh
 
Good heat treated 420HC should do fine. The Kershaw Scallion uses 420HC and it's really sharp. It will hold the edge longer than 420J2 because of the higher carbon content, at the tradeoff of corrosion resistant, but it's not really a big concern.
420J2 is considered very soft and rarely used to make decent working knives.
 
Josh: Where in nor. cal are you? I'm in Sac.

O.W.: Josh gives very good advice, RH even better. "Buy quality and only buy once."

TRUST ME, if you are so impressed by those cheap crap knock-offs, the 184 will completely, totally BLOW YOU AWAY as it did me. That thing is an absolute MONSTER of a knife. I have one, and it was WELL-WORTH the mere $200 I spent.

Josh is right, there are LOTS of them on ebay. Check 'em out, you'll love 'em. Buy one, and I SWEAR you will NOT regret it.

Take advice from those who have bought crap before...don't do it! (The UC, that is!)

Drjones
 
Hmm why did u ask for the advice anyways??
Maybe you thought those knives would be well recieved?

Well have fun with them for the few days that it stays sharp.
 
420J2 is STRICTLY for show. Its nickname is show steel. It is very dangerous to actually use. I once had a customer come back and complain that he almost cut off his hand trying to cut a tree because the blade snapped off and flew backwards. If your looking for a show piece, its pretty good, but absolutely no work.
 
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