Raiders of the Lost Pocketknife

LuckyLighter · Post by **LuckyLighter** » Mon Apr 26, 2004 10:57 am

While helping my sister and brother-in-law with some yardwork at their new house over the weekend, I went into their basement to look for some gloves--didn't have my Wells Lamonts at the time...drat! When I got to his workbench, hanging out just off to the side of his toolbox, I saw an exact replica of Indy's pocketknife in "Raiders". I picked it up and pulled out the blade, which was a perfect length. The handle was the right color and texture.

But what was really remarkable was what I found on the other side of the handle: the Boy Scouts logo!

Given our knowldge of the adolescent Indy in "Last Crusade", it seems perfectly reasonable that he would carry an item from his youth.

I think, if one were interested in owning a screen accurate pocketknife, the best place to look would be a place that sold Scout gear. Now, my brother-in-law was a scout in the late 70's early 80's, so it is possible that they have changed models in that time. Perhaps a search on Ebay might turn in up.

Just wanted to let everyone know about an interesting discovery I made. Hope this helps some people.

IndianaGuybrush · Post by **IndianaGuybrush** » Mon Apr 26, 2004 11:02 am

Yeah I was going to post about this but it somehow slipped my mind. Official BSA pocket knives are more or less dead on for the Raiders knife. The one I have has a blade, a punch, a bottle opener, and a can opener, and has a small BSA crest on one side, but other than that it's dead on. I think the newer ones have the crest on them, but then it just might be the model. Unfortunately, I'm not sure if it's possible to buy these knives, you may have to be a boy scout to get them.

LuckyLighter · Post by **LuckyLighter** » Mon Apr 26, 2004 11:06 am

IndianaGuybrush wrote: Unfortunately, I'm not sure if it's possible to buy these knives, you may have to be a boy scout to get them.

Yeah, I had a bad feeling about that. Unfortunately, I lost my Scout knife years ago, so it looks like I'll have to do some digging.

VP · Post by VP » Mon Apr 26, 2004 11:34 am

What does the Boy Scouts logo look like? I am part of the WOSM too.

Shishak · Post by **Shishak** » Mon Apr 26, 2004 11:44 am

Here are some of the current offerings for the official Boy Scout knife.

http://www.jaysknives.com/boyscoutknives.htm

IndianaGuybrush · Post by **IndianaGuybrush** » Mon Apr 26, 2004 2:46 pm

Yep, that's the one. I have the 4-blade deluxe camper with the brown handle that you can see 3rd from the top.

Indiana · Post by **Indiana** » Mon Apr 26, 2004 4:44 pm

Im a boy scout, so If anyone has trouble getting one, PM me. I think theyre about $35.

Mola Ram · Post by **Mola Ram** » Mon Apr 26, 2004 5:15 pm

Guys,
how come no one ever agrees with me? The correct knife IS the Hubertus stag handled pocket knife. If you don't agree with me then I will kindly post loads of pictures towards my statement. I own(If I remember the date right) a 1968 boker- tree brand boy scout knife. It has a fake stag handle and has 2 bolsters(?) where indys only has 1. I also own the Hubertus knife. http://www.knifeshop.com/cgi-bin/vshop? ... anguage=us
Tell me what you think. Sorry If i sound a little harsh,
Its just time and time again I tell you guys and you don't
believe me.
Adam

Jordan · Post by **Jordan** » Mon Apr 26, 2004 5:45 pm

Molorom wrote:Sigh,
no one pays any attion to me....DO THEY!?!?!?
Guys,
how come no one ever aggrees with me? The correct knife IS the Hubertus stag handled pocket knife. If you dont aggree with me then I will kindly post loads of pictures towards my statement. I own(If I remember the date right) a 1968 boker- tree brand boy scout knife. It has a fake stag handle and has 2 bolsters(?) where indys only has 1. I also own the Hubertus knife. http://www.knifeshop.com/cgi-bin/vshop? ... anguage=us
Tell me what you think. Sorry If i sound a little harsh,
Its just time and time again I tell you guys and you dont
believe me.
Adam

How do you know for a fact that the Boker you are talking about is the same exact knife as the one used in the movie? People have posted many pics about this subject and to be honest, there are a lot of them that look pretty dang close, as does yours...I say unless you hear it straight from the guys who made the movie, it will remain up for speculation...If someone has a kinfe that they think looks close, then who cares what anyone else thinks, right?...No one can 100% prove or disprove what the exact make of the knife is anyway...

IndianaGuybrush · Post by **IndianaGuybrush** » Mon Apr 26, 2004 6:03 pm

The peen rivets on the knife you hold in your hands are too close together to be the ones on the knife Indy hold in the picture. I'm not saying the BSA knife is the one they used in the movies, i'm saying it's a very accurate substitution. As is your knife.

Mola Ram · Post by **Mola Ram** » Tue Apr 27, 2004 7:24 am

Thats not my picture,
its someones off of the board. I just used it as an example. I could take pictures of my knife...then you would see how much a-like they look.
The boyscout knife is not the correct one....just a replacement like you
said. Indys knife has 1 bolster.....the boy scout knife has 2.
Kindest Regards
Adam

Pyroxene · Post by **Pyroxene** » Tue Apr 27, 2004 7:40 am

Riverwind wrote:How do you know for a fact that the Boker you are talking about is the same exact knife as the one used in the movie?

Here's a pic of my knife.

I purchased this from RonC. You can read all about it here. http://www.indygear.com/forum/viewtopic ... t=hubertus He told me when I last spoke with him that he is getting another one with very screen accurate stag handles. I PM to see what's the latest.

In any case, the selling point for me is the release mech. on the back of the knife you see Indy depress to close the knife. Look at the thumb.

In any case, I have taken some screen grabs to several knife experts and they too have had difficult time trying to ID the knife.

Pyro.

Jordan · Post by **Jordan** » Tue Apr 27, 2004 10:17 am

Hey Pyro...

Are you able to get more of those knives? They look really close and I would not mind picking one up myself...

Lemme know...

Thanks

Pyroxene wrote:
Riverwind wrote:How do you know for a fact that the Boker you are talking about is the same exact knife as the one used in the movie?
Here's a pic of my knife.

I purchased this from RonC. You can read all about it here. http://www.indygear.com/forum/viewtopic ... t=hubertus He told me when I last spoke with him that he is getting another one with very screen accurate stag handles. I PM to see what's the latest.

In any case, the selling point for me is the release mech. on the back of the knife you see Indy depress to close the knife. Look at the thumb.

In any case, I have taken some screen grabs to several knife experts and they too have had difficult time trying to ID the knife.

Pyro.

Pyroxene · Post by **Pyroxene** » Tue Apr 27, 2004 10:22 am

I got mine from RonC.

He found it here http://www.knifeshop.com

But, I think he called as he had some details to discuss with them.

These knives are great. Solid and has a good action. Definately a field knife.

Stay tuned for more info....

RonC · Post by **RonC** » Tue Apr 27, 2004 10:37 am

The peen rivets on the knife you hold in your hands are too close together to be the ones on the knife Indy hold in the picture. I'm not saying the BSA knife is the one they used in the movies, i'm saying it's a very accurate substitution. As is your knife....indianaguybrush

The peen points only appear to be closer. It is an optical illusion created by the rounding up of the stag scales. The scales on the original Indy pocketknife were almost flat. Tha knife in ROTLA is a single-blade lockback knife, not a multi-blade Boy Scout knife. I own, or have owned both. This Hubertus is as close as I have been able to get to the movie knife.

Ron

Mola Ram · Post by **Mola Ram** » Tue Apr 27, 2004 5:41 pm

Ok,
you made me do it.

-compare the 2 above-
theres your pictures. If you want I can post a animation of frame captures of that scene.
Adam

Mattdeckard · Post by **Mattdeckard** » Tue Apr 27, 2004 5:52 pm

looks darn close to me.

Pyroxene · Post by **Pyroxene** » Tue Apr 27, 2004 9:45 pm

Yours looks better than mine. Great work.

Pyro

Post by **Indy Magnoli** » Tue Apr 27, 2004 10:17 pm

This is certainly the closest I've seen, but the blade still looks too short to me. Is anyone else seeing this, or am I not seeing straight today?

Kind regards,
Indy

IndyBlues · Post by **IndyBlues** » Tue Apr 27, 2004 11:02 pm

I'd say the blade may be about a half inch bigger on Indys knife, but you have to admit, this is a great find, and the closest I've seen yet.
Great job Molorom.

Let's give credit where credit is due.

parsa · Post by **parsa** » Wed Jun 02, 2004 5:16 pm

You may want to look at this:

BSA Scout Knives

Parsa

parsa · Post by **parsa** » Wed Jun 02, 2004 5:26 pm

Here's another antique Camillus, the same company that makes the BSA knives:

http://www.antiquemystique.com/pages/5540_jpg.htm

Parsa

Mola Ram · Post by **Mola Ram** » Wed Jun 02, 2004 7:44 pm

nope,
The knife in the film has only 1 bloster,
The ones you show us have 2.
Adam

Post by **Indy Magnoli** » Wed Jun 02, 2004 7:45 pm

IndyBlues wrote:I'd say the blade may be about a half inch bigger on Indys knife, but you have to admit, this is a great find, and the closest I've seen yet.
Great job Molorom. Let's give credit where credit is due.

I'll admit that this is the closest we've seen, and very, very close. But blade length is something that is quite important for me.

Kind regards,
Indy

parsa · Post by **parsa** » Wed Jun 02, 2004 10:19 pm

Indy Magnoli wrote:...blade length is something that is quite important for me.

So, size does count?

IndyBlues · Post by **IndyBlues** » Wed Jun 02, 2004 10:22 pm

Hey, I didn't write that! I'm quite happy with my blade length.
That was Indy Magnoli that stated this.

Please have a written apology on my desk in the morning.

parsa · Post by **parsa** » Wed Jun 02, 2004 10:45 pm

Fixed! He quoted you, and my cut and paste on the quote got mixed up.

IndyBlues · Post by **IndyBlues** » Thu Jun 03, 2004 5:33 pm

parsa wrote:Fixed! He quoted you, and my cut and paste on the quote got mixed up.

Thanks Parsa, I was just messing around with ya.
Welcome to the club.

T.E. Lawrence · Post by **T.E. Lawrence** » Tue Jun 15, 2004 3:04 am

I'm sold on the Hubertus stag handled pocket knife. Buying one tomorrow. Thanks for everyones thoughts.

ob1al · Post by **ob1al** » Fri Jul 02, 2004 5:46 am

I'm not convinced that the blade is a different length. I think it's possibly down to the perspective of the shots, which makes it difficult to tell for sure. Indy's knife blade is moving into perspective in the screen grab, wheras Adam's knife seems to be moving away in perspective - here's what I mean:

<img src=http://uk.msnusers.com/_Secure/0VwAAALI ... 6634991118>

The differing perspectives could perhaps account for the perceived difference in blade length.

I believe Adam had indeed found the closest yet to 'the knife'!

Regards

Alan

ob1al · Post by **ob1al** » Fri Jul 02, 2004 6:41 am

The newly produced Hubertus knifes come in varying lengths (the knife shown is, I believe, the same model as seen on screen), but be aware that there is a difference between the front and rear side of the handle:

<img src=http://www.knifemart.com/images/hub12.jpg>

However, the screen grabs only show the front (or good) side of the handle (naturally, the scene would have been blocked this way), so it is entirely likely that the screen used knife had this same design.

One distinguishing feature to identify this as the correct model of knife is the indentation and design of the upper handle metal section, close to the blade. You will notice a clear central indentation and small screw or rivet fixture set into this indentation - pay close attention to the screen used knife and these feaures appear to be there also, like in this screen grab:

<img src=http://uk.msnusers.com/_Secure/0UgCz*zY ... 3969701827>

We never see the back end of the handle on screen, but it seems clear to me that the picture above shows us the knife has a second metal section at the base.

Shishak · Post by **Shishak** » Fri Jul 02, 2004 10:14 am

I don't know if this has been brought up before, but there is another scene where Indy is using a knife and I'm curious if anyone has done any screen grabs to determine if it's the same knife. The scene at Sallah's house when they are talking, Indy is using a knife to peal a piece of fruit (?). Is he using his pocketknife or one of Sallah's knives? It just came to me, and since I'm not at home I can't check it out on the DVD.

Mola Ram · Post by **Mola Ram** » Fri Jul 02, 2004 11:02 am

ob1,
are you telling me the knife could have been a switchblade?
thats impossible because indy uses 2 hands to open the knife.
if you look closely the finger nail slits can be seen on bolth sides
of the knife, where as the hubertus switchblade knife's only have
a nail slit on one side of the blade.
Adam

Mola Ram · Post by **Mola Ram** » Fri Jul 02, 2004 11:15 am

Ob1
Also realize that the knife that you believe to be the one
has a diffrent shaped boslter then the on screen knife.

the one you think it to be has a rounded off bolster, where as
the screen used knife, has a distinct drop of at the edge of the bolster.
It is visible what I mean when these 2 pictures are compared.

I hope you understand what i mean.
Kindest Regards
Adam

Minnesota Jones · Post by **Minnesota Jones** » Fri Jul 02, 2004 12:29 pm

This topic always comes up every now and then. I'm sure we'll probably figure it out someday or come awfully close, but without calling up ol' Harry and asking him, we may never know which knife it really is.... but at least with the DVD's now, we have better shots than ever before of that bugger....

ob1al · Post by **ob1al** » Fri Jul 02, 2004 1:17 pm

Adam - by 'bolster' I assume you mean the metal part at the base of the blade, or the 'hilt', connecting the blade to the handle?

If so, yes - I take your point about the lack of a distinct fall on the new Hubertus pictured. However, some tweaks to the design may have come into being following ROTLA's release? - just a possibility.

In comparison to the other 5 or so modern-day Hubertus I have seen online, this is the only knife with a blade of similar aesthetics and proportions to the Raiders Knife. This doesn't make it 'the knife', agreed, but it's possibly as close as can be purchased from Hubertus these days. If anyone knows different, I'd love to be wrong about that.

You mention that the Raiders knife had a finger groove on each side - but how do we know that? As I understand it, only one side (the 'good' side) of the knife is ever shown in ROTLA? Perhaps I am missing something - if so, I'd appreciate some screen grabs if anyone can get them up.

Also, the question of 'switchblade'. To be honest, I'm not entirely sure what you mean here - as I see it, the modern-day Hubertus I pictured is just a standard fold-out pocket knife design. Isn't a switchblade a type of 'flick-knife'? Maybe I'm getting that wrong, cultural divides and all that jazz...

Adam, I'd really like to see a clear shot of your knife's extended blade and the markings on it - perhaps this will enable us to determine a few more facts, year of manufactor and so on? It would be really great to be able to pin this one down, once and for all.

BTW - If you ever think about selling your knife you know where to come...

I don't know if this has been brought up before, but there is another scene where Indy is using a knife and I'm curious if anyone has done any screen grabs to determine if it's the same knife. The scene at Sallah's house when they are talking, Indy is using a knife to peal a piece of fruit (?). Is he using his pocketknife or one of Sallah's knives? It just came to me, and since I'm not at home I can't check it out on the DVD.

Excellent point! I'll have to get back to the DVD to check that out!

High regards

Alan

Mola Ram · Post by **Mola Ram** » Fri Jul 02, 2004 1:32 pm

you flip up the golden button and the blade flips out. That
enables the knife to be opened by 1 hand. As where Indy
uses 2 hands in the film. True knife termonolgy is that the metal
plates at the end of the knife are the bolster, and you got what i
was saying. The knife that i am refering to as THE film used knife, has been made the same way for 80 years or so, ever since the company started, and no changes were made to it at all.
Adam

Mola Ram · Post by **Mola Ram** » Fri Jul 02, 2004 1:37 pm

And another thing,
if the knife you are talking about was the knife , then the silver flip button to open the knife would be visible in this picture.

And its not so what does that tell you?
Adam

Mola Ram · Post by **Mola Ram** » Fri Jul 02, 2004 1:41 pm

And one more thing i noticed,
In this picture you can tell the knife has a slight curve
in the stag on the side the blade goes in, where as the
knife in the film, is visibly a straight edge on bolth sides.

Adam

ob1al · Post by **ob1al** » Fri Jul 02, 2004 1:45 pm

OK, fair point - I see what you mean.

Well, is it possible for you to post a picture of your knife's extended blade, with the markings? That would be most useful.

Thanks,

Alan

JerseyJones · Post by **JerseyJones** » Fri Jul 02, 2004 1:58 pm

Wow..I thought I had detail obsession down to a science !?

Hats off too you all. Great Info !

Peace
Ken

Mola Ram · Post by **Mola Ram** » Fri Jul 02, 2004 2:02 pm

Sure,

Ill get a picture up later today.

Adam

ob1al · Post by **ob1al** » Fri Jul 02, 2004 3:30 pm

Molorom, you talked me into it.

After much deliberation, I just bought this from www.knifeshop.com :

<img src=http://www.knifeshop.com/shop/morocutti ... 00hh00.jpg>

Suffice to say, I am now convinced that this is indeed the elusive ROTLA knife, or as close as can be found anywhere.

Anyway, it looks like a great piece of kit - I'm looking forward to 'field testing' it on a little camping trip my brother and I have planned...

Regards

Alan

ob1al · Post by **ob1al** » Fri Jul 02, 2004 9:31 pm

BTW, in case anyone was still wondering, I checked and the knife used in the scene on Sallah's balcony in Cairo isn't the Hubertus...

For the record, it's a flat handled table knife with a gold metal piece at the base of the handle; the blade is straight and flat with a rounded tip...

OK, that's enough knife obsessing for one day! (or a lifetime, for that matter!).

Shishak · Post by **Shishak** » Tue Jul 06, 2004 12:26 pm

Yeah, I just watched Raider's on my father-in-law's new rear-projection LCD high definition television this weekend and the balcony knife is just a plain old kitchen knife. I got some really great views of the pocket knife too. The detail on that TV was unbelievable! It was like watching Raiders in the theater.

ob1al · Post by **ob1al** » Tue Jul 06, 2004 1:39 pm

What is it about Dad's and T.V's?

I'm a Dad, of course, so I thought I had it all set when I bought my new 32" Widescreen

. Yeah man.

So what happens? I go over to visit my Dad and he's just bought a humongous plasma-screen all singing-all-dancing thingamybobby!

Dad's and TV's - I have a better TV than my eldest daughter, but my Dad has a better TV than me...and so forever shall it be.

(BTW - just got my shipping confirmation on the Hubertus! Yay!

)

RonC · Post by **RonC** » Wed Jul 07, 2004 4:59 pm

ob1al & Molorom, to quote from a movie we all know & love: "You have chosen....wisely!"

Ron

Post by **Michaelson** » Wed Jul 07, 2004 5:12 pm

That's from 'The Exorist', right? 8-[ Regards. Michaelson

RonC · Post by **RonC** » Thu Jul 08, 2004 9:21 am

Either that, or a line from "The Wild Bunch"!!!!!!

Indiana_Stone · Post by **Indiana_Stone** » Fri Aug 27, 2004 9:01 pm

14300hh00 Exquisa
at www.knifeshop.com

I have absolutely no knowledge of pocket knives, except that to me this one looks very much like the other hubertus stag pocket knife above - except with about .5 inch longer blade? Tell me what I'm missing, or is this perhaps another option for a longer bladed indy knife?