Rambo 4 Knife
More Articles Related to Blades And KnivesThe recent release of the Rambo 4 movie features a new Rambo knife. Known as the John Rambo Knife or the Rambo 4 knife, this collector blade is both expensive and quite unique.
As with Bear Grylls knife, the value of the Rambo 4 knife for survival is limited as much by its price tag as its construction. For the same amount of money you could purchase a large number of excellent survival knives that would serve you well in a variety of situations you are likely to find yourself.
Unfortunately Rambo 4 knives and similar blades give survival neophytes the impression that the best survival knife is overly large and heavy, often with outsized spines and blood grooves. Nothing could be further from the truth but an entire industry exists supplying these kinds of faux survival knives to the uniformed.
Making the Rambo 4 Knife
The Rambo 4 knife is the replacement for the survival knife used in the previous movie. The premise is that Rambo loses his old Rambo 3 knife and improvises a new version of this important piece of survival gear with which he heroically forges ahead.
To do this he obtains an iron leaf spring and forges a crude blade from it. Not only that, a new sheath is fashioned from the one that housed the former Rambo knife.
Old truck leaf springs can be forged into excellent knives and in the future I will write a Survival Topic on how to do this. However the Rambo 4 knife that is made from a leaf spring is overly large and heavy for use as a practical survival knife.
Interestingly, the Rambo 4 knife was purposefully made in a crude fashion from a truck leaf spring in order to mesh with the storyline. Stallone wanted the blade to look crude and unfinished since in the movie knife was pounded out quickly in a primitive foundry.
To give the Rambo 4 knife an added touch of crudeness, the handle was wrapped with dark green 550 paracord which any self respecting military survivalist would carry as a matter of course.
The result is a heavy, large survival knife with thick spine and crude finish. Because the knife was too long to fit into the old Rambo 3 knife sheath, the sheath was cut at the bottom to make room for the new Rambo blade.
Rambo 4 Knife Specifications
Gil Hibben is making 100 authentic Rambo 4 knives based on the movie.
The limited edition Rambo 4 knife is eighteen inches in total length with a twelve inch by one-quarter inch thick blade made of D2 carbon steel. The full tang blade has a paracord wrapped handle covered with grip tape.
At a price of US$1250, this knife is of collectors interest only and will no doubt only increase in value.
There are a number of Rambo 4 knife knockoffs; however United Cutlery makes the only official reproduction of the Rambo 4 knife. At this time I am unable to find a price for the blade.
Why Buy a Rambo Knife?
Knowing how to choose a survival knife is a fundamental survival skill. The only reason you would normally buy a “Rambo Knife” is as a collector blade or conversation piece. Overly large, heavy, and of often inferior materials, carrying a Rambo knife would be the mark of a survival beginner to any experienced outdoorsman.
Rather than a Rambo four knife the survival enthusiast or outdoorsman is far better off purchasing Becker Knives, Fallkniven, Gerber, or a SOG knife. If you want a knife used by a survival TV star perhaps the best choice is SurvivorMans knife.
Cranbrook BC
In your post you mention the use of a primitive forge to make the Rambo knife. In fact, I make knives using coal and on some occasions the gas fire method comes in handy as well.
I would have to disagree with the words primitive foundry - in fact coal is still a very viable and efficient way to forge. The word foundry refers to casting which is the pouring of liquid hot metal into molds not hammer work. The knife making in the Rambo movie was hammer work.
Taiwan
Thanks a bunch for the informative article on Rambo 4 knives.
My father mentioned on numerous occasions that to make an excellent knife or short sword the best thing is to go get an old truck leaf spring. I'm going to make a pair of custom Wing Chun Butterfly swords also known as Bat Jam Do, and before doing so would like to learn more about it. The best steel for knives and related details. Could you please write an article about this subject with more detail sharing your knowledge and experience, or if already done perhaps direct me to this article. Much appreciated.
NY
While I agree that the new Rambo knife isn't an acceptable survival knife, after watching the movie and an interview with Stallone about the reasoning of the knife, it was never meant to be. It was made for one purpose quickly and efficiently. Judge it as weapon not a survival blade.
THE BAY
Don't buy a big knife for the outdoors. Buy a ka-bar.
Hermosillo, Sonora. Mexico.
i have diferent "survival knives". i'm a survival instructor and do some jobs for the mexican military. I chose a m7 bayonet because it is the only tool the army has as "field knife". I have to stick with this knife for trainig proposes. I also use a 6" CRTC SEAL TAC for bowhunting, and a nice 3.5 inch Victorinox for daily use. But I personaly think the best survival knife is the one you realy like and holds a nice sharp edge and the best survival tool is your brain.
uk
Remington the UC Rambo 4 blades range from $100 plus have the numbered Rambo 2 Blade which is a nice piece of kit, but for out in the wilds I'd take Tom Browns T1 Tracker.
missouri
I tend to disagree with the idea that a smaller knife is always best. A machete is a great wilderness tool for the climate and terrain I live in, and if I had only one to take into the local wilderness with it would be a panga corvo style machete. There are a lot of jungle areas of the world (latin america and southeast asia) where the local population uses a machete for most everything they do in the wilderness. In the case of this knife, it is not used for "survival" it is a weapon, and in my opinion would work well for that use.
new york
i think the knives from rambo 4 are great knives.
nor cal
I personally think this is the best Rambo knife yet. There were cool aspects to all of the knives, and of course the over-the-top Hollywood aspects as well. This is knife is almost a machete, and maybe not practical at this size, but the same design at 14" would be highly functional as an all purpose tool. I could see this design both chopping firewood and skinning a deer. The point design suffers if you need to poke/stab, but the rest of the design is pretty cool IMO.
However, if you need to cut someone's head off, you're gonna need the 18" version and a lot of practice. :-) But that's why it fits the movie. After all it's a Rambo knife.
Australia
Movie knives do not increase in value, regardless of the price, only custom made knives by reputable dealers will increase in value, not the hideous things pumped out in movies. I myself carry a 15" bowie with another 8" knife that all sit on the same sheath.
Huachuca City Arizona
I think you may want to take a look at the TOM BROWN Tracker knife. It is not some movie knife, this blade is made of the best steel and can do just about anything. Worth the money, about $300. It's the only knife I carry into the mountains.
ohio
The original rambo first blood knife was actually made from a single peice of metal so it is full tang and it is actually a very useful tool It was only when united cutlary started making Rambo knives that it had a pin holding the blade on.
Nicaragua, Central America
The Rambo IV knife looks more like a small machete. By the specifications listed here, I will bet that it works more like a machete than a knife and perhaps it will work extremely well for opening coconuts, cutting branches from palm trees and other trees to make shelter, to cut bones of small to medium game, for digging and other jungle survival related things.
When I venture in the jungle in this country I always carry a 24 inch machete and a skinner knife, I never carry a "Survival Knife" because the knife itself will not make me survive but my brain will, besides I believe it is a marketing scheme because they are very expensive.
The only tools you need in the jungle are a machete and a skinner knife to skin, gut and slice meat with, and because we are in central america the biggest game you will ever kill is a medium size deer. In all jungle countries in Asia and Latin America you will see the locals carrying a machete with them, you can do almost anything with it and if you ever loose it, it's only about $5.00 dollars to replace it in these countries.
Basic Jungle Tools I recommend; a pair of good leather boots about 16 to 18 in. tall to protect from snake bites, a machete 18 to 24 in. in lenght, a skinner knife of your choice, a Mini Mag-Lite 2 AA size with extra batteries, a canteen or two, and a lighter. Military style pants, long sleeve shirts, gloves and a hat. Don't forget mosquito repelent you will be glad you have it.
I hope this info will help all you soon to be jungle trekkers. Rambo IV knife is a very expensive mini-machete.
Canandaigua, NY
I disagree with the statement that the knife is overly large and heavy for a practical survival knife. While it does not fit into a fold-up kit bag it would fit under a car seat or behind a pick-up truck seat etc. As a hunter an outdoors man, I can attest that a person can do everything with a big knife that he can with a small one plus a lot more. A properly sharp knife of 8, 10, even 13 inch blade length can shave tinder, gut a fish, chop down shelter materials, split fiber for cordage, butcher a rabbit, etc,etc. Not to say a smaller knife doesn't have a purpose. I carry one large fixed blade and one small folder when I go into the wilderness. I also keep a K-BAR under the riders set in my car. Yes, I have used it too. If I had to take only one, it would be the bigger knife.
Survival Topics - yes, traveling by vehicle allows a larger selection of gear with less regard for bulk and weight. However if there is a chance you could be traveling on foot, for example if your vehicle breaks down deep in the wilderness, then the weight and bulk of a very large knife may be a hindrance. Every ounce counts on a long distance hike; if a five-inch blade will take care of 99% of your needs then you may be better off using that size knife and carrying more food, water, or other gear.
As always, we can only talk generalities; you need to decide for yourself based upon your particular needs and experience.
You are welcome to share this Survival Topic with others. I only request that you use a short blurb (not the entire survival content) and this code to
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tucson az.
Why so much time is spent delving into the "Rambo movie's knife making scenes", when the point of this article is "quality survival knives"? We all know that if we buy a Rambo Knife, it was not made as depicted in thier respective film; in fact, it's easy as can be to find out what your blade of choice is made of, how it's tempered , etc. Most people buy knives for pure knife collecting, not "survival".
As far as I am aware, you do not get to choose your arsenal when thrown into a survival situation, you just hope you have what it takes to save yourself; if carrying a quality blade at all times is a die hard habit, you might have better odds; or you may not, and wonder why did I bother as you succumb to frostbite, snakebite, dehydration, starvation, infection, alergic reaction.
The items in the hollow handled knives would come in EXTREMLY usefull, and could very well save your life. A "rambo type knife" is not a weapon; it is a tool-capable of performing a number of vital tasks like any good tool should. It can be used fpr protection, since I do believe 9 or more inches of razor sharp blade steel is enough to remove, sever, break, tear, rip, and gut like anything that is at the wrong end of it.
Are there better quaility knives available that do not have the "rambo" name attatched? Of course there are! But how much do you want to spend? It's all a matter of tool for what use and personal preferance.
For example I do not like Gerber knives at all - that doesnt mean they are bad knives, it means they are not the knife for me personaly. I do like SOG knives, and 2 SOG models I would take into battle would be the full size Sog Seal knife, and the SOG Pentagon, both made for total survival.
Movie knives are more often then not flashy blades that are just fun to play with but unrelieable. Some movie knives are excellent; "The Hunted" with Tommy Lee Jones, displays The Tracker Knife made by Tom Brown. The Tracker Knife is as serious for all sorts of survival tasks as you can get and is pure quality from tip to tip; and The Tracker is a movie knife.
I havent yet used the Rambo 4 Knife, but i like what i see; a carbon steel knife, one piece, and HUGE.
If the knife will do the job easier and more through, what's the problom? And the people making the blade are a company named "Hollywood Collectors Group", but I havent had dealings with them as of yet; I'll have to wait and see.
I have the upmost respect for the knife maker Gil Hibben, and have found his knives inventive, affordable, and long lasting. So if he makes "Rambo Knives", i do know what im getting unless I find out otherwise.
If you want to see and feel what I believe is the best survival, hunting, and all around great knife, find one called "The Mantis", a hand made knife by Rex Kimball. The Manits knife is one of the best knives on the market.