Lights, Camera, ACTION!
By Desiree Weeks
When you think of an action star, a few names probably come to mind and I’m willing to bet one of those names is Sylvester Stallone.
He’s had a spectacular career spanning decades that is still going strong today. Stallone is currently in the Paramount+ original “Tulsa King” and has his own reality show called “The Family Stallone” which focuses on his life with his wife and daughters.
For fans of action films though, the next big thing on the horizon for Stallone is the fourth installment of the Expendables franchise called “Expend4bles,” which is set to release in September 2023.
If you haven’t seen the movies, let me assure you that they are everything you could ever want from an action film. The franchise is a love letter to all the action films of the 80s and 90s and mixes beloved action stars of the time with newer names. Over the course of the film franchise, Stallone has participated not just as an actor, but also as a writer and director.
The films revolve around a group of elite mercenaries called The Expendables who carry out various missions. Stallone plays Barney Ross who is the leader of the team, a role he will be reprising in the latest installment.
Also reprising their former Expendables film roles will be Jason Statham, Dolph Lundgren and Randy Couture. They will be joined in “Expend4bles” by 50 Cent, Megan Fox and Andy Garcia, just to name a few. In case you missed it, the trailer for “Expend4bles” was released June 7 and can be found all over the internet.
You may be wondering what all this fun Stallone and Expendables talk has to do with us here at BudK and I’m glad you asked.
When Stallone needed knives for the film series, he called upon premier custom knifemaker Gil Hibben who has a history of designing knives for Stallone’s other films like “Rambo III.” Hibben designed and made nine different models and more than 30 knives for the first three films and we are honored to have Hibben crafted Expendables knives to offer to our customers.
The first knife we will talk about is the Gil Hibben “Expendables” Bowie Knife with Leather Sheath. This piece was designed for the first Expendables movie that came out in 2010. A fun nod to the film is the Expendables artwork on the synthetic ivory handle. The artwork depicts the tattoo each member of the group gets in the film, which is a raven on a skull. This design also features the word “Expendable” on a banner. Just as you’d expect from any Hibben piece, this knife is truly eye-catching with its 14” polished 3Cr13 stainless steel blade and gold-plated blade catcher and guard.
Next, we have the Expendables Kunai Three-Piece Throwing Knife Set. These throwers are just like the ones used by Jason Statham’s character Lee Christmas in the film. Each is made of black-coated AUS-6 stainless steel and perfectly balanced for an accurate throw every time. They each measure 12” and can be carried using the included durable nylon sheath.
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The final piece we are going to discuss is truly unique. The Gil Hibben “Expendables 2” Toothpick Knife is a custom, never before produced Old West Toothpick. It features an 11 7/8” Arkansas toothpick style 3Cr13 stainless steel blade with a mirror polished finish and solid brass spine plate. This 17 1/2" knife features the Expendables skull and raven etching on the synthetic ivory inlay. It also includes a rugged leather belt sheath and certificate of authenticity.
While reading about all those impressive pieces, I’m sure you’re now thinking that you’d like to own them all. It’s your lucky day! The Expendables Collector’s Kit includes all three of the pieces listed above for one great price.
