Accurate First Blood Knife. FULLSTOP.

[JonathanD]

Now, I'm sorry, I like a shiny as much as the next man - ditto quality workmanship. But "A great piece of history"?? Rambo??

Now if you'd said a Spitfire, or DH Mosquito, or even a Churchill tank, then I'd have gone along with you.

But - come on - Rambo? Have we really sunk that low?

Fair point with Rambo, Rambo past the book and first film is not a great piece of history, but we are talking about Jimmy Lile's knife here, not just Rambo. You cannot deny that the original First Blood was an epic film. Not only that, but because of Lile's knife, it has been commended by all custom knifemaking guilds in the US as the film that saved the custom knife making industry back when it was in serious decline. It's not actually a knife you'd want to use outdoors as it is a period piece set in its own time. But as an iconic blade made by an iconic maker, it is up there at the top. If an original film used knife came up for sale it would easily fetch a couple of hundred thousand pounds plus. You can't say that of many film props, let alone knives. It spawned a whole load of quality hollow handled custom knives and mass produced junk in the millions. Some are even still available today and best sellers. Boker have just released a new version... http://www.heinnie.com/Apparo/p--8410/ So Jimmy Lile's design is easily one of the most iconic and truly a piece of knifemaking history. It's as recognisable and iconic as James Bond Walther PPK and Indiana Jones Morgan bullwhip.

[H2497]

- "He said he uses it for hunting."

- "Huh, what does he hunt? Elephants?"

Great movie, awesome blade. Thanks for a great review. It clear that you take great pride in owning it, which is reason enough to have commissioned it. If you use it then even better.

[EmmaD]

I will be using it if he buys another. On him.

[Davey569]

I will be using it if he buys another. On him.

You sure you want to get blood on it at that price Emm?

[Silverback 1]

I will be using it if he buys another. On him.

Trying to keep boys from their toys is like flogging a

[Swallow]

Excellent Review JD thanks for sharing.

The film is on in London on Sunday.

http://www.princecharlescinema.com/i...p?display=1422

[JonathanD]

Got another parcel in the post today. Another gem from Andy Wood. He was waiting on a shipment of Arkansas stones when my knife was finished, so he posted one on when they arrived from the States yesterday.

Yet again, no corners in quality or expense have been cut here. The perfectly cut stone is a laminate of two high quality grits sourced from the very same place Jimmy Lile got his from. The grit on both sides is fine, but the white side is even finer and has the smooth texture you get from the ceramic stones we are used to now. It tops the whole package off perfectly.

[Shewie]

Purdy lil knife

[Andy BB]

Yoou've been conned, JD. That's not Arkansas stone, thats polystyrene

[JonathanD]

Yoou've been conned, JD. That's not Arkansas stone, thats polystyrene

Can I eat it then?

[British Red]

You cannot deny that the original First Blood was an epic film. Not only that, but because of Lile's knife, it has been commended by all custom knifemaking guilds in the US as the film that saved the custom knife making industry back when it was in serious decline. It's not actually a knife you'd want to use outdoors as it is a period piece set in its own time.

Hmmm I hated the film with a burning passion - but mainly because I loved the book long before the film was made - and the film didn't just adapt the book, it changed a deeply poignant and meaningful tale of the horrors of war and the futility of conflict into an an antithesis of the original plot.

However - that looks to be a very well made knife and you clearly love it - which is all good news - I hope it brings many a happy hour

[Perrari]

That's Hollywood !

Hmmm I hated the film with a burning passion - but mainly because I loved the book long before the film was made - and the film didn't just adapt the book, it changed a deeply poignant and meaningful tale of the horrors of war and the futility of conflict into an an antithesis of the original plot.

However - that looks to be a very well made knife and you clearly love it - which is all good news - I hope it brings many a happy hour

[JonathanD]

Hmmm I hated the film with a burning passion - but mainly because I loved the book long before the film was made - and the film didn't just adapt the book, it changed a deeply poignant and meaningful tale of the horrors of war and the futility of conflict into an an antithesis of the original plot.

However - that looks to be a very well made knife and you clearly love it - which is all good news - I hope it brings many a happy hour

With Vietnam still fresh in the minds of the US people and the abuse soldiers suffered upon returning home still ongoing to some extent, it would have been wrong to make an accurate screenplay from the book at that point. The book is powerful even today, and luckily I read it after I saw the film or I would have felt the same way as you. As it is, I see them as two seperate entities as they are so completely different. There was no hero in the book, just two equally strong characters very much the same heading on a collision course. In films then, and even today we need a hero, and it had to be John J. I really hope they do make a faithful production from the book though. It would go down much better now.

[British Red]

You said that very well Jon. What moved me about the book was that both Teasel and John R were decent men put into opposition by events beyond their control. The sadness was that the ending of the book was inevitable to make it realistic.

As you say, it deserves to be made true to the original.

Anyway, enjoy the knife

[John Fenna]

I too found the book very good and the film, though reasonably good, not a patch on the book itself ....
The Rambo sequels were just rubbish!
The knives - though not my favourite style of sharps - spawned a mass of "clones" and are certainly iconic...

[Bluebs4]

Tbh it's what got me started in knives so it's gona be on my shopping list in the future ,v near future ,did you just use the link you put up to order ? And I'm a cack hander to boot as well LOL .

[Dave]

Just had to check when the film came out, 1982. Good film.
I cant remember how old I was when I saw it, but that along with watching Lofty Wiseman on Blue Peter, [then stealing my brothers copy of the SAS survival handbook,] certainly left an impression.

I can also remember watching The Bushtucker man in the Eighties, but not much of it, and yearning for more!

Great Knife JonD.

[JonathanD]

Tbh it's what got me started in knives so it's gona be on my shopping list in the future ,v near future ,did you just use the link you put up to order ? And I'm a cack hander to boot as well LOL .

You can email Andy direct at andy@rambo-knife.com for any information or to commission a knife. I think there is about a four week lead time at the moment and you have to pay 50% as a deposit and the final amount when your knife is ready. So you don't have to fork out the whole amount in one lump.

[Swallow]

Hmmm I hated the film with a burning passion - but mainly because I loved the book long before the film was made - and the film didn't just adapt the book, it changed a deeply poignant and meaningful tale of the horrors of war and the futility of conflict into an an antithesis of the original plot.

However - that looks to be a very well made knife and you clearly love it - which is all good news - I hope it brings many a happy hour

I just saw this interview with David Morrell and his take on things and how the last film was supposed to be the character in the book.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R77w-Z-tbL4

Personally at the time I read it I could not cope with the characters in the book. I can relate to John J in the first film, but not the one in the book or the last film.

[JonathanD]

I actually missed something quite important in my original post. The compass isn't the same as the one Jimmy Lile used. Andy said he will be making his own copy of that too in the very near future. The compass he does use however is arguably better than the original and is use by the SBS and SAS in their E&E and survival kit. It's quite an expensive little compass and made by Pyser SGI who make some of the best dry compasses for the military (NATO Stock Number 6605 99 522 0223) and civvy market alike. Its features are: All brass and glass construction, North and south seeking luminous points and Niva tipped brass pivot.

Pyser SGI - Product Detail

They average around £30 new. So you can see that even this part has been sourced by Andy Wood to give the best quaility, reliability and performance available.

[salad]

Looks like there will be another Rambo knife for you to collect in the near future JD

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/f...-Rambo-5.html#

[JonathanD]

Yeah, I know. Pretty grim that they are doing another. I have no interest after First Blood, it all went silly after that. The last one was quite good if you could get hold of the Directors Cut version. And that machete was cool. But the First Blood knife is the only one for me.

[Bluebs4]

You can email Andy direct at andy@rambo-knife.com for any information or to commission a knife. I think there is about a four week lead time at the moment and you have to pay 50% as a deposit and the final amount when your knife is ready. So you don't have to fork out the whole amount in one lump.

just ordered :0) regular with brown sheath .......so will soon be shifting some steel to cover it ,funny as im getting older its getting bigger .