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7 Legendary Knives You Know from Movies and TV

If you are a fan of cinema and also an enthusiastic collector, you probably watch films a little differently. Besides the plot, visuals and acting performances, you also notice details that remain hidden to the average viewer. Props get their real names and become a stronger part of the story. Thompson, Vz.61, Charger, Mach 1 or UH-1. Names and designations unknown to most people. For you, however, they carry history, adventurous stories, engineering marvels and human destinies. The same applies if you are a fan of knives of all kinds. And this article is exactly for you. We will take a look at several iconic movie blades and tell you a little more about them. Rambo Knife (First Blood) John Rambo, portrayed by Sylvester Stallone, is one of the most iconic action characters of the 1980s. Rambo handled a huge number of different weapons throughout his life. But for fans and collectors, only one remains truly iconic: the knife from First Blood. The Rambo knife is special in one particular way. It is not a mass-produced model. The knife was made specifically for the film by knifemaker Jimmy Lile. Lile designed a knife capable of handling a wide range of outdoor and tactical tasks, mainly connected with wilderness survival. The handle is hollow and hides a minimalist survival kit, such as fishing hooks and matches. The pommel also contains a hidden compass. When it came to steel selection, Lile took a pragmatic approach and chose semi-stainless D2 tool steel. In essence, the Rambo knife is a classic. The filmmakers did not choose something that would only look tough. Instead, they found a knifemaker and gave him the opportunity to design something according to his own vision that would fully suit the main character. The result is one of the most iconic survival knives of all time. Approximately 1,000 original examples of the knife were made for the film. Numbers 1–6 were used in the movie, all with 14 saw teeth, and all were reportedly destroyed during filming. Whether they truly were is something we can only guess. Numbers 7–14 were kept by Lile, all except the last one also featuring 14 saw teeth. Numbers 15–100 were sold to collectors. Around 800 unnumbered knives were also sold to collectors. If you want an original Rambo knife from the film, you need to be ready to spend a serious amount of money. The Rambo knife had such an impact on survival knife design that it would be hard to find one that does not resemble it at least a little. For example, the Bark River Bravo is a knife that would serve a modern Rambo well. COLD STEEL LARGE ESPADA (THE EXPENDABLES) Our list includes another Stallone film, but this time with an iconic character played by Mickey Rourke – Tool. Tool wins a knife-throwing contest against his colleague Christmas (Jason Statham) using the Large Espada, which he keeps hidden in his boot. Watching this almost 16-centimetre folding knife being used as a throwing weapon is one of those scenes that make action movies fantastic. The Large Espada is known for its bold, aggressive design and size. It is definitely not made for people who want to blend into the crowd. It is hard to forget the Espada once you have seen it in person. For most people, it is simply too large for everyday carry. If you decide you want a combat-ready blade that you can hide in your boot, the Espada is an easily available option. It is available as a standard model with polished bolsters, as well as a more utilitarian version with a G-10 handle. It is normally made from AUS-8A steel, although some of the newer models use higher-grade CTS-XHP steel. And if even the Large Espada seems too small for you, it also has a bigger brother: the Espada XL, with a 20-centimetre blade. SPYDERCO POLICE (TRAINING DAY) Alonzo Harris, portrayed by Denzel Washington, is a corrupt detective – a criminal with a badge. Yet, much like Hannibal Lecter, his charisma and charm made him a strangely likeable character. His methods inspire admiration, just like his style. And his gear deserves the same admiration. His EDC includes the Spyderco Police. The Police comes in several different versions, but Alonzo’s model is the classic one. It is made from stainless steel and features a fully serrated 10-centimetre blade. With such a large blade, it is reasonable to expect the knife to be focused on heavy-duty use and self-defence. And that is exactly the case. With its optimal blade length and serrations capable of tearing through fabric, the Police is an excellent close-combat tool. TEAM GEMINI LB (THE WALKING DEAD) In a post-apocalyptic series full of strong characters, Daryl Dixon manages to stand out more than the rest. There is something about zombie apocalypses that reveals the survivalist in most people. In The Walking Dead, however, you get the feeling that Dixon was born one and spent his entire life preparing for the moment when the world would be taken over by the undead. He is quiet, mysterious and at the same time pragmatic. His brutal yet distinctive approach to problems has made him one of the most popular characters. As it turns out, Daryl Dixon is not only a great crossbowman, but also has excellent taste in knives. His blade is the Busse Team Gemini LB. Busse is a small knife company best known for its Battle Mistress model. With a blade length of almost 20 centimetres, the Gemini is built to handle a wide range of camping and hunting tasks, or to serve as an excellent backup when you run out of ammunition in the middle of a zombie horde. Busse’s patented INFI steel is made for extreme toughness. The Team Gemini can therefore withstand plenty of abuse without chipping or breaking. Ka-Bar – The Pacific We could choose dozens of films and series that put the Ka-Bar in the spotlight. There is Jon Bernthal’s Punisher, John Wayne’s Letters from Iwo Jima and many others. I chose the HBO miniseries directed by the brilliant Tom Hanks because the Ka-Bar is a remarkable guest star in it. The Ka-Bar became the USMC (United States Marine Corps) combat knife during the Second World War and continues its legacy to this day. The Ka-Bar is designed to meet the needs of soldiers and Marines in any environment. With its 18-centimetre blade and overall design, it is a pure-blooded military combat knife. The blade is designed to serve as a cutting tool, wood-splitting tool, small shovel, hammer and, when necessary, to strike vital organs from any side of the enemy’s torso. The Ka-Bar shares the screen with legends such as the M1 Garand, BAR and Colt 1911, yet still demands its own special attention. The Pacific shows the Ka-Bar as it truly was – a combat tool and constant companion of a Marine on the harsh journeys across the Pacific islands, face to face with the raging Japanese army. Microtech OTF – John Wick The John Wick films redefined modern action cinema. A retired hitman on a path of revenge for his car and, above all, his beloved dog – the last gift from his late wife. Poor fight scenes and bad camerawork no longer get a free pass. John Wick delivers clear, choreographed violence with a moral motive, and we all love it. John Wick is a film about guns, but the knives deserve attention too, because they are just as high-quality and precise as his firearms. John always uses the best his sommelier can offer, and his knives are no exception. In every film, John equips himself with Microtech OTF knives. OTF stands for “Out the Front”, and it is the best way to describe a knife with an automatic deploying blade. This type of knife deploys the blade with a simple press of a button on the handle. Microtech OTF knives have fantastic blades. They are probably among the best OTF knives you can come across. Victorinox – MacGyver When I watched MacGyver as a child, one of the things that stayed with me permanently was the red-handled knives from Victorinox and Wenger. I always assumed it was just one knife, but while writing this article, I found out that he used various models. In total, there were 16 of them, with models from Victorinox being the most common. These knives are affordable and offer a quality tool with many functions and various sizes. It makes sense why MacGyver loved them so much. He is not a knife fighter. His main weapon is not muscle, but knowledge and the ability to improvise and adapt. Let’s be honest: MacGyver’s problem-solving ability set him apart from other action heroes and made him a worthy counterbalance to their physical strength. Not to mention that he uses his knives in a more “positive” way – as tools, not just weapons. He repairs, creates, builds and dismantles, but always survives without needlessly destroying everything around him. Our list could have endless pages and examples. Countless cult action, adventure and war films are directly matched by the number of cult knives featured in them. Legends shown on the silver screen can also take the form of knives. Whether used as tools or weapons, they have an unmistakable place among the great legends and stories that will last for generations.