James Buel Lile, known as Jimmy Lile and "The Arkansas Knifesmith", was an American knifemaker from Russellville in Pope County, Arkansas, who made the Rambo Knife for the films First Blood and Rambo: First Blood Part II.
11 Facts About Jimmy Lile
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Jimmy Lile made his first knife at the age of eleven by grinding an old file into a blade.
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Jimmy Lile spent his young adult life working as a high school teacher, serving in the United States Army, and as a construction contractor.
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In 1971, Jimmy Lile became a full-time knifemaker and was known as "Gentleman Jimmy Lile" or "The Arkansas Knifemaker".
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Jimmy Lile was particularly known for his Survival knife designs known as "The Mission" series, created by request for Sylvester Stallone to use in his first two Rambo movies.
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When Jimmy Lile was approached with the specifications for the "Rambo" knife, he was told to design it not as a mere "prop" but as a basic tool to perform a variety of tasks.
7.
Jimmy Lile adapted a basic clip point Bowie knife which could be used to chop wood and slice food while retaining an edge.
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Jimmy Lile employed a waterproof hollow handle design to store matches, needles, thread, and a compass; the hollow-handle allows the knife to be fitted to a pole to make a spear or gig.
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Jimmy Lile chose to forge the blade of 440C high-carbon steel, which he claimed could cut through the fuselage of an aircraft.
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Jimmy Lile was elected president of the Knifemakers Guild in 1978 and was an early member of the American Bladesmith Society.
11.
Jimmy Lile was elected to the board of directors of the ABS in 1977 and acted as a liaison between the two groups.