Since the discovery of iron and later, other metal alloys used in weapon and tool making, the knife is probably the most popular equipment ever produced. During the Stone Age, sharp-edged stones are tied to a long wooden handle to make the spear, which is widely thought to be the first weapon and hunting gadget. But the idea of a knife may have been earlier as archeologist theorized that humans used sharpened wood or stone in killing a game, and probably the use of a spear with a longer handle was introduced to get rid of possible injury that may be inflicted by animals such as wild boars and buffalos.

John Gibson has uploaded a very impressive collection of military knives in his website. He showed thumbnail images of different knives coming from various brands, makers or origin. Largely, the collection is taken from World War II vintage military knives and some are more recent Vietnam War memorabilia. Gibson's collection though has not yet included today's Rambo knife craze and the utility-conscious Swiss Army knives.

Some designs of military knives shown in Gibson's collection are combined with knuckles that make the knife twice effective in combat. Knives by Nguyen Dan, a blacksmith in Nin Hoa near the American based at Nha Trang, also form part of the Gibson collection. Slim stiletto knives use by both US and British forces are also part of the collection.

The Gibson's collection should not be noticed by the kind and make of knives alone. The beauty of genuine leather sheath is captivating as well, and some knives have a peculiar sheaths made of excellent materials, such as the navy seals knife that still has its original issue box.

The inclusion of knives made of non-magnetic metals is also wonderful in the Gibson's collection. There is also a knife that do not produced spark when in contact with electricity. Such design was used in Vietnam for bomb disposal units.

Knives with aluminum handle must have made them very light and excellent for throwing. Because of the concentration of weight upon the blade, it always comes ahead of the handle when thrown.

In the episodes "Walkabout" of the famous American TV series "Lost", a knife collection by fictional character John Locke, played by Terry O'Quinn, was showcased. These knives also saw action in the extra mini-feature dubbed as "Terry O'Quinn: Throwing from the Handle". It is found on the 7th disc of the DVD version of the complete third season of Lost.

The knives featured in the John Locke collection in the movie Lost include the following:

* a master Bowie

* a Tekna Wilderness Edge

* a Master Jaguar

* a Delta Defender from United Cutlery

* a Sentry Tanto knife from United Cutlery

* a nighthawk buck

* a full size serrated edged USMC Ka Bar

Holywood Collectibles Group and Master Cutlery have renewed publicity to promote a signature version of the Rambo knife after the debut of the fourth series of Rambo in 2008. The famous knife with serrated and saw-toothed back of its blade comes in three models as what appeared in Rambo I, II and III and a very different design used in Rambo IV, a design intended for knife collectors.