Knife mistakes in tv and movies

Hickory n steel

Hickory n steel

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I was just watching an episode of gunsmoke titled " the guns of cibola Blanca "
And this guy pulls out a ka-bar and tries to kill matt with it.
This show takes place in the 1870's I believe and the mk2 knife pattern was definitely not invented yet ( let alone the ka-bar ) not to mention that the knife had a black coating on it.
( I often see native Americans using them on other westerns as well )

So what are some major knife related mistakes you guys have noticed on TV and movies ?
( gun mistakes are the most common )
Knife mistakes can be harder to catch and are more fun to try and spot.
 
It's harder for me to spot knife boo-boo's than gun. If my history was more solid, I'd probably spot more.

But I did see someone in a show the other day rapid fire 7 shots from a Taurus Judge. Made me smile.
 
Cold Steel push dagger in Vietnam era "Platoon"... Or CS Trailmaster in "Flight of the Intruder"...

Gaston
 
I always wondered about the Italian stiletto switchblades used by James Coburn in "The Magnificent Seven". I'm not sure about the history of the stiletto switchblade, but I don't think those knives existed back in the days of the old west, not even in Italy.

Something that always makes me laugh is hearing the metallic shwing when someone draws a fixed-blade from a LEATHER sheath. As if they were drawing a cavalry sabre from a metal scabbard.

And something that always makes me cringe, is when someone is using a knife, temporarily stops what they're doing, and instead of just putting the knife down on the ground they stab the blade into the dirt, or instead of laying it on a log they drive the tip into the log. In the case of the dirt, I always think to myself- "What if there's a rock under there?" and "You just ruined your edge".
 
killgar said:
I always wondered about the Italian stiletto switchblades used by James Coburn in "The Magnificent Seven". I'm not sure about the history of the stiletto switchblade, but I don't think those knives existed back in the days of the old west, not even in Italy.

Something that always makes me laugh is hearing the metallic shwing when someone draws a fixed-blade from a LEATHER sheath. As if they were drawing a cavalry sabre from a metal scabbard.

And something that always makes me cringe, is when someone is using a knife, temporarily stops what they're doing, and instead of just putting the knife down on the ground they stab the blade into the dirt, or instead of laying it on a log they drive the tip into the log. In the case of the dirt, I always think to myself- "What if there's a rock under there?" and "You just ruined your edge".
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Yeah that one always makes me cringe :nightmare:
And there's also the old Kung Fu movies where the swords jiggle like rubber:D and I'm pretty sure they didn't have Italian switchblades back in the old west ( the push button knife company " aka Shcrade" started in the late 1800's )
 
Under siege, Steven Seagul knife fighting the bad guy like they were using swords. Super unrealistic.
 
In the "End of Watch" he said he carries a Spyderco Tactical knife, but pulls out an Smith&Wesson knife :s
 
killgar said:
I always wondered about the Italian stiletto switchblades used by James Coburn in "The Magnificent Seven". I'm not sure about the history of the stiletto switchblade, but I don't think those knives existed back in the days of the old west, not even in Italy.

Something that always makes me laugh is hearing the metallic shwing when someone draws a fixed-blade from a LEATHER sheath. As if they were drawing a cavalry sabre from a metal scabbard.

And something that always makes me cringe, is when someone is using a knife, temporarily stops what they're doing, and instead of just putting the knife down on the ground they stab the blade into the dirt, or instead of laying it on a log they drive the tip into the log. In the case of the dirt, I always think to myself- "What if there's a rock under there?" and "You just ruined your edge".
Click to expand...

I don't think it is unrealistic that a Western could be set in the 1890s. No one has a problem with the 1896 Mauser in Joe Kid for the same reason.

In a lot of these circumstances - especially when the knife really stands out - it's worthwhile to think about why that is. The people that made Magnificent Seven were just as aware of how much a switch blade would stand out as we are, and chose it anyway because it must have been period correct, and interesting. Coburns character replaces the master swordsman in Seven Samurai.

The Cold Steel knives in Vietnam movies is product placement - they helped get the movie made and gave Cold Steel some advertising. I don't think they looked out of place in the era of Gerber Mk IIs.
 
Can't remember the name, but I saw a movie set in the time of ancient Rome, with a character using a katar, a weapon which didn't exist at that time period. The 13th Warrior has a viking using a European style halberd that was still a few hundred years away from being developed...
 
I think the movie is "kick ass" it's been awhile since I saw it so my post may not be spot on. I do remember in the scene with the little girl and nic cage he asks her something like what do you want for your birthday or he got her something for her birthday and it's a benchmade 42 . Seems like she called it a benchmark or something else though ,I do remember it was a screw up though
 
Whenever anyone brings up something in a TV show or movie that is "not kosher" for whatever reason, I am reminded of what Helen Hunt, an actress and director once said.

We were on the set for an episode of Revolution Season 2 filming when the "barbarian tribesmen" rushed the gates of Willoughby. We had gone through a scene a bazillion times and the director, Ms. Hunt, and the Assistant Directors kept bringing up why "this, that, or the other thing" was wrong or not authentic or whatever and Ms. Hunt finally went ballistic.

She threw her script in the air and screamed at the top of her lungs,,,, (Paraphrasing, of course, slightly to remove a plethora of f-bombs.)

"Oh, my God, people. We're filming an TV show, not a documentary. It doesn't have to be perfect." And stormed of the set. After a 15 minute break, we started up again and did the next 5 or 6 scenes in about 30 minutes.

So just remember, it's just a TV show, (or Movie) for entertainment, not a documentary. :D

And for knife content, the earliest spring loaded/operated knives date back to the mid 18th century (1700s). :D
 
zzyzzogeton said:
And for knife content, the earliest spring loaded/operated knives date back to the mid 18th century (1700s). :D
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Yes, but not all spring operated knives were lockback Italian stiletto switchblades ;). Like Vikings had swords, but they didn't have samurai swords.

In any event, this is just a fun little thread on a knife forum. There's no reason for anyone to take it seriously. No one is condemning the entertainment industry for not being perfect. :)
 
Wasn't there a Cold Steel in Breaking Bad set in a time before it existed?
 
In the movie Summer of Sam (1999), the story takes place in 1977 and deals with the Son of Sam serial killer. I remember in one scene, some guy (possibly a performer in a club?) opens what appears to be a modern, 'tactical'-looking liner locking knife with thumb studs; such knives didn't exist in 1977.

Regarding knife fights onscreen: I agree with the earlier post about movies being entertainment, not documentaries. For the most part, if they presented knife fights on screen as they are in real life, it would either be seen as just plain sickening...or boring. Some cinematic uses of knives as weapons are more realistic than others, but remember, it's ALL fake and for entertainment. Just like comedies are fake, or scenes with car chases and shootouts, or martial arts fight scenes. Or love scenes. Movies require a suspension of disbelief to varying degrees. To criticize fight scenes that happen in movies because they aren't 100% 'real' is pretty silly, IMO. Otherwise, just focus on watching documentaries, news channels, or fighting sports like UFC or boxing.

Jim
 
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