Ultimate Collectors' Forums

[quote=""dpegasusm""]see the attached image[/quote]

Wow. 2003 and Made in China. Definitely NOT post bankruptcy.

[quote=""Valkrist""]I'm with you on that, Thrand. My swords are all in storage now so I can't check my dates, but 2003 seems way too early for the Chinese made LOTR stuff to be around, yet there is the proof.

All I know is that I got my LFK pretty much the same month they came out, and they have caramel handles. Wish I could check where they got made though.[/quote]

I had to re-check mine.
2003 [MMIII] and Made in Taiwan.
I think I have the same ones you and Thrandy have, Val.

Whole thing is confusing.... I guess if you are going to buy a set it's best to ask the seller to check on the blade to see WHERE they were made as well as the date.

[quote=""Deimos""]Wow. 2003 and Made in China. Definitely NOT post bankruptcy.



I had to re-check mine.
2003 [MMIII] and Made in Taiwan.
I think I have the same ones you and Thrandy have, Val.

Whole thing is confusing.... I guess if you are going to buy a set it's best to ask the seller to check on the blade to see WHERE they were made as well as the date.[/quote]
My guess is that a different vendor came in with a better quote right when all this started out, or perhaps the China vendor was UC's prototype maker.

What's really the killer thing here now is that the most accurate version came out of China.

Mine have Taiwan on the blades and MMIII, so 2003 . Seems like I bought mine in '03 or '04.

where is kit when we need him.... perhaps the 2003 is not the manufacture date but a copyright of the design date or something like that? i got mine as a birthday present in 06 which was right before UC went bankrupt they were purchased from BudK.

Mine have Taiwan and 2003

The date definitely marks the beginning of the production run even if it was made in 2004, 2005, etc.
It's more like a copyright date on a book. If other printings take place those dates are added on. In this case, a new production run would put a new date on the product.

For instance, if they re-release Glamdring for the hobbit (even if it has no changes) it will be dated MMXII or 2012.

I seriously think that a China company was hired to make pre-production pieces for development purposes. Once the green light was given, the actual contract went to another company, but any and all pieces made by the China company were allowed for sale.
Dpeg may be sitting on a very limited version. Actually a prototype that was production ready and therefore okay to sell as part of the edition.
This makes the most sense to me when trying to make head or tails of this most bizarre issue.

This color issue discussion began a long time ago.
I haven't mentioned that I have carefully paid attention to the color of these handles when viewing the films again.
In FotR at the end when everyone is fighting the Uruks, in the scene where Legolas is shooting off all the arrows ripid fire, the handles look exactly like the color of mine, which is the medium yellow/caramel color.

I wonder if all the variations might be attributed to the color toning they did to the films (I forget the formal term they used).

However, the ivory white is clearly the true color of the props themselves, which should have remained the standard.

[quote=""Thranduil""]
I wonder if all the variations might be attributed to the color toning they did to the films (I forget the formal term they used).[/quote]
I think that's indeed the case. With the color grading, the shot-to-shot color of tons (if not all) of the props and costumes changes all the time. Those knives are an excellent example of that, as you have demonstrated. Mr. Rae mentioned sometime (think it was about the knives) that he had to make a hard decision whether to go with accuracy to what was seen on screen versus accuracy to the props themselves in regards to coloring, with the knives at least.

OK, thread resurrection time ...

Check out this ebay listing for the LFK.

What color would you say the handles are..the orange-y caramel color or closer to the later version "white" handles?

Because mine look a lot like the ones listed.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/United-Cutlery- ... 4d02824932

Hmmm... that's a tough one. It looks like they are right in between and could go either way with a slight change in the lighting. However, if I absolutely had to pick one, I would say they are the white-handles version.

I would agree with Val, White Handles

If I recall correctly, the cost to make the wood handles in Taiwan went into space after the first few Legolas production runs. UC had an American partner who owned a knife factory in Shanghai that made those LOTR mini swords. He also had a wood factory right next to his shop, so the whole thing was moved there in 2003 to keep the cost the same. For some reason it moved back to UC's original facility after that. I have seen at least three different shades on those handles over the years. I know we intentionally changed it about a year or so after the initial production.

As I recall, the China made knives were better than the Taiwan version, but I don't think the display was made as well.

As far as the handle color, the TTT prop we copied was this color. I have a set of UC knives from the first run, and the color is identical.


We never had the one from FOTR, but the prop master photos I have look like a light yellow-cream color, lighter than the TTT prop. I have never seen any white handles on these knives. The props were called Legolas "white knives" in the FOTR prop list because the scabbards were white. Galadriel gave Legolas a new bow, quiver, and dark brown knife scabbards at the end of FOTR. I do have a photo of a set of props from ROTK that look like blond-yellow wood.

Someone asked about the 2003 dates on the blades. New Line was alwasy changing the legal notice and © dates, so those don't always reflect when the knife was made, just that it was not made any earlier.

Wow, quite the evolution story on this particular replica. You know, you could almost write a book on the prop-to-replica history with the UC LOTR line, especially once I read your e xp lanation behind the reversed runes on the Glamdring crosspiece. We could call it "Kit Rae - Lord of the Memoirs"

By the way, when we say "white handles" we don't literally mean plain, stark white, but the ivory-cream coloured lighter shade that you referred to.

I think I'm at peace with this issue now, knowing that the caramel colour is also true to the prop because there were different versions used in the movies. I can rest easy knowing I have a screen-accurate version. I just personally find the lighter-coloured ones more appealing, but oh well.

Lastly, thanks for making us jealous by showing off the Boromir and Arwen daggers. I gotta ask though, why is that Sting scabbard all black?

[quote=""Valkrist""]

Lastly, thanks for making us jealous by showing off the Boromir and Arwen daggers. I gotta ask though, why is that Sting scabbard all black? [/quote]

I think its because its an un-painted urethane version. I forgot his name now who has Guthwine on the forum, but the scabbard for Guthwine was all black too.

Me wants Arwen's dagger

[quote=""Elvenguard13""] I forgot his name now who has Guthwine on the forum, but the scabbard for Guthwine was all black too.[/quote]

I want to say Draven but I can't be sure.

[quote=""Valkrist""]I want to say Draven but I can't be sure. [/quote]
No it's Jash who owns it.

Unpainted urethane is correct on the scabbard. Since UC was just following the shapes, it was faster and less e xp ensive to just get unpainted props from Weta. We briefly considered making that scale-double version of Sting for the LOTR line. All of the shapes on that one are completely different from the larger scale actor props.

I would have loved to have been able to do the Mirkwood version from FOTR, but it just got no screen time at all to justify it. It was a beautiful look though.

Found a closer photo of the prop when I dug up the Eomer helm pix for another thread. I think that's one of UC's first protos in the shot. Shows the differences in the guard and pommel clearly.

Those knives are beautiful. I wish I could get a hold of them. I wonder if UC will do a re-release for the Hobbit. Of course they may not even turn up at all in the movies.

Kit (derailing the thread for a quick question) whats your opinion on the handle of Orcrist? does it feel comfortable in the hand. I saw that it curves backwards unlike the other elven handles which usually curve forwards. I imagine it to be uncomfortable for some reason.

I'm sure UC will put the Legolas knives back in the LOTR line again at some point. They have been keeping various LOTR items in production off and on for the past few years.

I'll talk about the Hobbit stuff when the official images are released, probably in late October. I know the Orcrist sword has already been shown publicly in the production diaries, especially that last one, but WB has asked me not to say a word about anything regarding The Hobbit in public until we are closer to the film release date.

[quote=""Nasnandos""]I'm sure UC will put the Legolas knives back in the LOTR line again at some point. They have been keeping various LOTR items in production off and on for the past few years.

I'll talk about the Hobbit stuff when the official images are released, probably in late October. I know the Orcrist sword has already been shown publicly in the production diaries, especially that last one, but WB has asked me not to say a word about anything regarding The Hobbit in public until we are closer to the film release date.[/quote]

Thats good to hear about the knives.

October seems so far away, but I think these past few months have come and gone really quick. It doesn't seem that long ago since we saw the first trailer.

And soon we shall see the second trailer! Then before we know it Kit can come and talk about whatever he wants! And then... BOOM! The movie!

Then another whole year of waiting

potential of kilis sword?

[quote=""Deimos""]OK, thread resurrection time ...

Check out this ebay listing for the LFK.

What color would you say the handles are..the orange-y caramel color or closer to the later version "white" handles?

Because mine look a lot like the ones listed.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/United-Cutlery- ... 4d02824932[/quote]

I'm watching those same knives. I think they're definitely the lighter ones.

[quote=""ecthelion""]potential of kilis sword?[/quote]

Potential of anything at this point. If we buy, they will make more. That's just how it works.


So I've been debating lately whether or not to buy Legolas Knives second hand or wait until The Hobbit comes out to see if they do another run, whether under the LotR line or The Hobbit line remains to be seen. I wonder if they will be slightly different in The Hobbit? Assuming Legolas has the same weapons, of course.

[quote=""Fingolfin""]... So I've been debating lately whether or not to buy Legolas Knives second hand or wait until The Hobbit comes out to see if they do another run, whether under the LotR line or The Hobbit line remains to be seen. I wonder if they will be slightly different in The Hobbit? Assuming Legolas has the same weapons, of course. [/quote]

Nah...won't be the same weapons at all. He's a prince after all.

When your pop is reigning monarch of the realm and you're his kid (firstborn probably) you get a whole armoury full of really cool weapons to choose from -- sword, knives, shield, bow --- for every occasion, and all matched sets.

Kind of like the rich kid that has a half dozen cars in Dad's garage to choose from... Bentley, Maserati, a for real Hummer....

So true, Deimos. I hope he chooses the war hammer for the Battle of Five Armies! Who said canon can't be stretched, eh?

[quote=""Fingolfin""]So true, Deimos. I hope he chooses the war hammer for the Battle of Five Armies! Who said canon can't be stretched, eh? [/quote]

Legolas with a war hammer... oh dear

[quote=""Deimos""]Nah...won't be the same weapons at all. He's a prince after all.

When your pop is reigning monarch of the realm and you're his kid (firstborn probably) you get a whole armoury full of really cool weapons to choose from -- sword, knives, shield, bow --- for every occasion, and all matched sets.

Kind of like the rich kid that has a half dozen cars in Dad's garage to choose from... Bentley, Maserati, a for real Hummer....[/quote]
He's really good on a horse, but the boy can't drive! The Hummer with the .50 cal mounted is out.

New weapons? Maybe, but it makes more sense to re-release the knives, bows, and add his quiver. We'll see.

[quote=""Thranduil""]New weapons? Maybe, but it makes more sense to re-release the knives, bows, and add his quiver. We'll see.[/quote]

I don't know really. I mean I can see why they would re-release the knives because the pattern is already made ect, but similar to most the scabbards I doubt we will see the quiver and probably just get another resin poopy bow.

United Cutlery's difference in handle colors occurred just before bankruptcy when they started having China (or was it Taiwan) do their manufacturing.