Daniele Mauro's First Blood 1of13 replica, right side, resting on its case

Rebuilding Lile’s 1of13

After some years of making faithful replicas of the First Blood the target moved higher: to reproduce Lile’s number 1of13 down to its smallest details. Not the replica of a series of knives, however small that series, but the most exact copy I could make of a single knife made by hand, with all its peculiarities.

Left side of the First Blood 1of13 replica with the MAURO engraving and the number 1of13 on the ricasso
The left side: the MAURO engraving on the ricasso, and the nod to the numbering of Lile’s original.

That is how the 1of13 version of my replica came about: a numbered run limited to 13 pieces, sold out at once in 2023. Out of that run, the 1of13 version, unnumbered, is now available to order.

The number 1of13 that Lile made is a knife unlike the others. It has details that make it unique: differences in the grinds between the right and left sides of the blade, the black plate on the right heel, quirks of profile and geometry that an expert eye picks out at once. If ordinary things are not enough for you, if your passion for the First Blood is a particular one, this replica is for you.

Three photographs of Jimmy Lile's original 1of13 with seven numbered points on the characteristic details
Jimmy Lile’s original 1of13, with the seven points described below. Photograph by Kyle, used with his permission.

On the photographs of the original I have numbered the seven points by which the 1of13 is recognized. They are the ones I follow one by one when I make this version, the masking of the sandblasting included: the boundary between the blasted part and the polished one.

  1. The grind of the false edge. On the left side it follows the slant of the teeth; on the right it is square to the axis of the blade.
  2. The heel. The black plate is on the right side, and there the sandblasting leaves barely a millimeter of polish showing.
  3. Where the masking begins. On the left side it leaves more polished space than on the right.
  4. The masking towards the teeth. It comes close to touching them, and on the left side it comes closer still.
  5. The last tooth. The sandblasting touches its curve; on the right side it goes a little beyond.
  6. The point. The grind of the false edge runs past the point, and the masking ends on the grind instead of on the edge.
  7. The teeth. The cut is very deep, almost all the way down, and rises slightly in the last two.
The 1of13 replica beside Jimmy Lile's original, seen from three angles
The replica beside Lile’s original. Photograph by Kyle, used with his permission.

The run was made possible by Kyle, who owns the original 1of13 and shared many images of the knife. Kyle also had one of the knives from my numbered run, and made a video comparing it with his original. That comparison brought out further particulars the photographs had never shown clearly, such as the color of the cord and the thickness of the blade. Details I carried into the knives that followed.

The comparison between Lile’s original and a knife from my numbered run.
The comparison continues, close up, on the two handles.

The 1of13 version:

  • N690co stainless steel blade, hardened to 57/58 HRC
  • blade 9 x 1.5 inches (22.8 x 3.8 cm), 6.5 mm thick
  • AISI 304 stainless steel handle, aluminum cap with compass

Every knife can be built to your wishes in some of its details: a mirror polish, a different steel for the blade, a compass other than the standard one, such as the NATO or the original if it can be found.

First Blood 1of13 replica seen from above on the right side, with the sawteeth on the spine
The right side from above: the black plate on the heel, one of the original’s quirks.

As with the standard version, the leather sheath for the 1of13 is optional. It is made by Francesco Nova, and it can be:

  • light or dark brown (the original sheath was probably light brown when new; use and sunlight darkened it)
  • right- or left-handed (Stallone is left-handed and the sheath used in the films is a left-hand one; other original sheaths I have seen are right-handed)
  • in the movie version or the standard one (the standard sheath has a few changes that make it fit the knife better).

The knife starts at 720 euro, the sheath is 210 euro.

The numbered run is sold out; the 1of13 is not. I make it to order, one at a time. Write to me for yours at info@fabbroforgiatore.com.

A knife from the numbered 1of13 run of 2023 with the leather sheath and thong
Left side of a knife from the numbered 1of13 run of 2023, with the MAURO engraving on the ricasso
Right side of a knife from the numbered 1of13 run of 2023