Relic from the early 80's

[Radix lecti]

Hello
I dug out this old so called survival knife blade i used to use in the 80's when i was in the services,havn't used it for years. At the time it felt like it was a good knife to use,it even had a hollow handle although the sawback was useless,i had even sharpened the swedge. After a survival course my instructor told me bin it,so it went up in the loft and i got a MOD knife which is pictured. I have many fond memories of the my hollow handle knife( brunt of the Rambo jokes),but today i find it quite cumbersome,especially after using moras and marttiini knives. I still use the MOD knife though. Regards
Darren

 

[JonathanD]

I bet there are very few of us that were teenagers in the 80's that didn't have a hollow handle of some sort.

 

[John Fenna]

By cracky - I used the same knife for years!
It cut, it ...rasped...and it never broke!
It did get a little loose at the joint between ally hilt and blade but I rammed a couple of darning needles into were the ally had "bruised" away from the steel and epoxied it in place. It worked
The steel was OK (440?) and would take an edge but the hilt was awkward with its double guard. The tang was tougher than many short tang, hollow handle knives and the handle held the odd, useful bit of small kit such as matches.
I eventually sold the knife on and have found knives better suited to my needs (Moras, Falkniven and some addapted from a myriad of comercial blades) and pocket (some cheaper, some more expensive in real terms) but the knife did its job in its day and was a favourite for a while!
Nice to see one again!

 

[Toddy]

One of my cubs turned up at camp with it's twin
I didn't know whether to laugh or cry, it was as long as his forearm
Last I saw of it there was a hazel staff rammed up the hollow hilt and it was being used to roast an entire chicken

cheers,
Toddy

 

[JonathanD]

Last I saw of it there was a hazel staff rammed up the hollow hilt and it was being used to roast an entire chicken

cheers,
Toddy

I''m surprised it didn't melt.

 

[robevs73]

That knife brings back some memories ! I still collect hollow handle knives but only the best ones stay in the collection, I bid on one of these on ebay a few years ago but didnt win. Thanks for posting the picture.

 

[durulz]

I remember in the 80s, when we'd go out camping, a friend would always bring along his 'combat survival' knife thing. It had a hollow handle stuffed with loads of useless bits (but we were young and never really knew that at the time), a big heavy 'Rambo' blade, and a solid plastic sheath that had a built-in catapult! At the time we were really in awe of it. Then we grew up.
Great stuff.

 

[JonathanD]

It had a hollow handle stuffed with loads of useless bits (but we were young and never really knew that at the time), a big heavy 'Rambo' blade, and a solid plastic sheath that had a built-in catapult! .
Great stuff.

I had one with a small crossbow on the sheath. Not very powerful, which was a good job as it actually managed to shoot backwards once and hit me in the cheek. They used to be advertised on the second page of SWAT magazine.

 

[Radix lecti]

Thanks for the replies guys. SWAT magazine , i remember that ,i still have the first 30 issues in a case in my loft somewhere along with an 80s Survival Aids catalogue too i think.

 

[John Fenna]

Remember SWAT? - I used to WRITE for them!

 

[JonathanD]

Remember SWAT? - I used to WRITE for them!

In that case you should be held accountable for my misspent youth and the fact I'm on here.

 

[robevs73]

Me too! And john knows it , I wound him up in the moot last year and promised that this year I would bring a copy of SWAT for him to autograph.!!!!!!
I think the knife with the cross bow was a 'shark survival knife'.

 

[JonathanD]

I think the knife with the cross bow was a 'shark survival knife'.

Yeah, that sounds like it