A replica of Jimmy Lile's Mission seen from the left side, resting on its fabric case

My take on the Mission

The Mission is the knife Jimmy Lile made for the second Rambo film. Longer and wider than the First Blood, thought out for another story and another Rambo. At first glance you recognize the same hand: the same kind of sawback, the same way of building, and here too polished edges with a darker middle. That last element gives it away at once: black in the middle instead of gray raises the contrast and makes it look more aggressive. After some years spent on First Blood replicas I began making a version of the Mission as well. It was not a leap in the dark, but the natural continuation of the work done until then: same maker, same care, same style, but a new knife to get to know thoroughly.

Left side of the blade: polished false edge, sawback and the MAURO engraving on the heel — Polished edges and a black centre: it is the contrast that tells the Mission from the First Blood.

The route was a tried one: in 2019 a customer asks me for a replica of his own, I look for the material, work up a design and make it. Then, one knife at a time, I add details; customers suggest changes, bring photographs, archive material and insights. I put it all together.

At the end of 2024 I made a numbered run of thirteen. Thirteen pieces, offered first to the people who had bought a number from the First Blood 1of13 run. Each of them was kept the same number. The run sold out, and the knife is now available to order.
The pieces in the run, and those that came after, take their profile and their details from Lile’s no. 3of10, one of the original knives used in the film: details such as the smaller handle cap, the first tooth of the false edge with its double upper facet, and the deep saw cut that rises in the last teeth. From the numbered run onwards the black coating is Cerakote®.

The pommel cap is smaller in diameter than the handle itself. Archive photograph of an original Mission, author unidentified.

Close-up of the sawback of Jimmy Lile's original Mission 3of10, with a circle highlighting some of the teeth — On the 3of10 made by Lile the saw cut is deep and rises through the last teeth, and the first uncut tooth has a double bevel on top. Archive photograph, author unidentified.

The standard version:

N690co stainless steel blade, hardened to 57/58 HRC
blade 10 inches long (254 mm), 5 cm wide and 6.5 mm thick
AISI 304 stainless steel handle, aluminum cap with compass

From the run onwards the blades carry the MAURO engraving on the left side and THE MISSION on the right.

The Mission from the right with its leather cord, compass, card and sheath — The complete set. On the right heel, the THE MISSION engraving.

Every knife is made one at a time, and can be built to your wishes: a mirror polish, a different steel for the blade, a compass other than the standard one.

The Mission beside the signed and dated certificate and the original-version compass — Every knife comes with its own signed certificate. The compass can be the standard one or, on request and if available, the original model.

The leather sheath is optional. It is made by Francesco Nova, in Rome, and it can be right- or left-handed.

The Mission beside the black leather sheath with its sharpener pocket — The sheath by Francesco Nova, with the pocket that holds the sharpener.

The knife starts at 720 euro; the sheath is 240 euro and includes the EZE-LAP sharpener, normally black, though on request it can be left brass-colored.

Every knife begins with a request. To make yours, or just to settle a curiosity, write to me at info@fabbroforgiatore.com.

Close-up of the Mission blade from the left, with the sawback and the polished edge

The Mission from the right resting on the leather sheath, with the cord and the brass-capped sharpener