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SHAME: Master Cutlery and Hollywood Collectables Group In 2008 a new "Rambo" movie is being released. Rambo returns to the big screen 20 years after the last sequel, Rambo III. The Rambo character once again has a new knife as he did in each of the previous 3 movies. This is exciting news for knife collectors and hard-core Rambo fans. The Rambo knife has become an icon and it is common to hear almost any big knife today described as a "Rambo" knife. Sylvester Stallone once again turned to master knifemaker Gil Hibben to make the new knife for the movie as he did for the previous movie, "Rambo Part III". He also had Gil make another copy of the knife from the previous movie as it too will be seen in the film. Gil spent a year working on the project and made nearly 2 dozen handmade prototypes and prop knives that he sent to the movie studio. He made at least 4 different designs before they arrived at exactly what Stallone wanted for the film. In 1988, when Rambo III was released, Gil Hibben also made the knives for the movie. The knife became almost as big of a star as Rambo did. Gil made a limited edition of handmade copies of the knife that he sold to collectors. He also licensed United Cutlery to use his design to produce cheaper factory-made replicas of the movie knife. These became the biggest selling knives that United Cutlery ever produced. As is standard procedure when another person's design is used, United Cutlery paid Gil Hibben a small royalty for each knife that was produced and included his name on the blade as the designer. Now to the SHAME part. Hollywood Collectables Group obtained the licensing rights from the movie studio to use the "Rambo" name on products for merchandising. They make bobble heads and other merchandise related to various movies. Hollywood Collectables decided that they were going to cash in on the Rambo movie by having copies made of both the new knife and the previous knives used in the movies. Against Gil Hibbens wishes, Hollywood Collectables made a deal with Master Cutlery to produce the knives. Hollywood Collectables and Mastery Cutlery began advertising their knives as the only "Officially Licensed" reproductions of the movie knives. "Officially Licensed" only refers tot he right to use the "Rambo" name and not the right to use the knife design which was created by Gil Hibben and NOT sold or otherwise released to Hollywood Collectables or Master Cutlery to use. They pay Gil Hibben NO royalties or otherwise recognize or credit him for the creation of the knife. I don't care if there is some legal loophole where they can get away with this, IT IS WRONG. Gil Hibben has authorized United Cutlery (not Master Cutlery, but United Cutlery) to make reproductions of the knife he designed for use in the new "Rambo" movie. He worked with United to make sure the knife is faithfully reproduced and of good quality while still being an affordable replica. However, since Hollywood Collectables has the naming rights, United Cutlery cannot put the "Rambo" name on the knife or market it as a "Rambo" knife. Gil Hibben also makes authentic handmade copies of the knife he made for Stallone to use in the movie. This thing has gotten very ugly. Hollywood Collectables and Mastery Cutlery have gone out of there way to try and discredit anyone's knives but theirs by claiming in all of their advertising that theirs are the only "Officially Licensed" movie knives. They even go so far as to say "Beware of cheap imitations" when, in fact, theirs ARE the cheap imitations of the knives. The "Certificate of Authenticity" that Hollywood Collectables and Mastery Cutlery includes with their "Rambo III" reproduction knife claims that it is an "Exact Replica" of the movie knife. This is not true. According to the specifications published by Hollywood Collectables and Mastery Cutlery there are numerous differences between the knife they are selling and the knife actually used in the movie. The differences include a blade of a different type of steel, a thinner blade thus affecting the weight and balance of the knife, different handle material, a different grind on the blade, and a different finish on the blade. How can it possibly be an "Exact Replica" with so many differences in virtually every part of the knife? But then they also claimed at one point that this was the "first time ever" that a full sized reproduction of the movie knife had been made when in fact Gil Hibben has been making full size reproductions of it for 20 years. Hollywood Collectables and Mastery Cutlery have since changed this claim to "the first full size factory reproduction". This is greed and arrogance at it's worst when you blatantly sell the work of others without input, compensation or recognition of any kind. Gil Hibben is one of the world's most recognized and respected knifemakers. He has been making knives for over 50 years. HIS Rambo III knife design became an American icon and broke sales records for knives. GIL HIBBENS design of the new movie knife will surely become another hit. The knives you see in "Rambos" hands in the new movie were designed by Gil Hibben and made by his hands. He deserves the right to market, license and sell HIS OWN WORK. But the reality is that Hollywood Collectables and Mastery Cutlery just decided that they would sell Gil's knives and pocket all of the profits. Gil has no input or control over the manufacturing, quality or marketing of the Hollywood Collectables and Mastery Cutlery knives. Gil gets NO compensation or recognition form Hollywood Collectables or Mastery Cutlery. I don't care how you spin it, this is just wrong. Because of this, I for one, will NEVER buy another Master Cutlery or Hollywood Collectables product. Mike Carter |
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