A rainbow knife is a type of United States Air Force military survival knife, with a proprietary handle that contains three sections colored in red, blue, and green. The blades are stainless steel and the handles are made from phenolic resin. It was designed by the United States Air Force in 1982 and adopted by the USAF Survival School Team at Eglin AFB, Florida.

The design was submitted to the Air Force Material Command (AFMC) by Precision Tool, Inc., a Rockwell International subsidiary. The AFMC selected the knife and assigned it various names including "extreme survival knife" and "military survival tool". In 1986 the knife was designated as an ornamental item (1370-00-966-2146) and discontinued. It has been proposed for reissue but is not currently in production. 

More recent research indicates that there is no rainbow pattern on any of the three sections of a rainbow knife except on the end of one of them, which was invented later (prior to 1982). The rainbow pattern was invented not by the manufacturer, but by the AF Survival School cadre and would have been applied at the time of manufacture.

Elegant Design and Cool Features

A rainbow knife is a color-changing knife, with blades that come in the colors of the rainbow. The design of a rainbow knife was created by Scott Antique Knives in 1985 and patented on March 2, 1987. In this article, we are going to tell you all about a different type of blade - the color-changing knife! We'll show you how it works and what makes it so special. We'll also tell you how it was created and what started it all.

This knife started from a desire to create cool pocket knives that could be used in a practical manner. In the early 1980s, Scott Antique Knives began working on the idea of creating knives with different blades and handles in different colors. The finished products were not based on a specific theme, but rather each one was created to have its own individual look. 

The emergence of stainless steel made colored blades easier to produce because the colors would not mar the finish on the stainless steel blade. From this point forward, color-changing knives became a regular part of Scott Antique Knives' product line. Here are the details of the cool features of this knife:

1. Colored Blade

The blade of this knife is made of stainless steel. What makes it unique is that the blades are colored. Essentially, each knife has its own personal color scheme. Some people like to keep their knives pure, meaning that they only want certain colors on the blade. 

Others like to have their whole knife colored as one unit. The use of colored blades has become a popular and unique way for people to add character and creativity to their cool knives; perhaps this is why more and more companies have started adding them to the handles of their knives!


2. Knife Colors

The rainbow knife works by having blades of different colors attached to different parts of the handle. In essence, the blade does not have one single color. The handle of the knife may be one color or several colors. The different colors on each blade are matched with each other in different combinations to create a rainbow effect. 

When the knife is in its natural state, the blades will all look solid and be a single color. When the knife is closed, the colors will mix together and create a rainbow effect that changes depending on how you look at it.

3. Color True

When creating knives with colored blades as part of its product line, Scott Antique Knives makes sure that the colors are true to their name. The blades are not made of clear or translucent plastic, but rather they are colored stainless steel. This gives the knives a natural look that enhances the colors on each blade. 

Using colored blades instead of clear or translucent plastics gives each knife its own individual look that draws people's attention to what the knife is about. Of course, it also makes it easier to create knives with different looks and colors without having a specific color scheme.

4. Pattern

The pattern of each knife is meant to have an overall pattern, but within that overall pattern, there is an assortment of patterns within a certain grouping of colors. This is not the pattern on each blade, but rather the overall pattern of the colors on the handle. Each color group is meant to complement and work off of one another. 

You can see that there are patterns within a color group, but you also see a pattern between each color group. Many people like to use this as a way to design their own knife using different colors in different places on the handle and blade.


5. Materials

This knife is made with many different materials, including stainless steel, aluminum, brass, and stainless steel bolsters. Each material is chosen based on what type of handle it will be used for. Bolsters are used to give the knife a solid feel and a strong grip. Stainless steel bolsters are also popular because they will not corrode or rust over time. 

The selection of materials can also be used to determine the price point for the knife. For example, an all-stainless steel rainbow knife may be more expensive than one with just an aluminum rainbow handle.

6. Handle

The handle is one of the most important parts of a knife. It gives you a sense of what the knife is about. The handle of a rainbow knife is usually round, but it also may be more unique than that. Sizes, types, and colors are determined by what materials were used to create the blade of the knife. 

Some of these knives have handles that are one solid color throughout; most have a main pattern and then smaller patterns within larger patterns. Most people choose to have their handles colored as one unit, but others like to mix things up and add a little diversity to their handles by having each part colored differently from the others.

7. Sizes

While the patterns may be different, each type of knife has the same overall size. The overall length of each knife is about 4.75 inches and the closed length is about 2.375 inches. The knives are also about 0.19 inches thick at their widest point. They are meant to give you a good level of comfort when holding them in your hand, while still being able to fit easily into your pocket or purse for ease of use and transportation.

8. Use

These are not just for show – these are really knives! All materials used in rainbow knives can be sharpened to give the blade a really strong cutting edge. Whether in the office or at home, a rainbow knife can be used for many different things.

9. Function

While they are great for display and as conversation pieces, the main function of a rainbow knife is to be used. This type of knife is made to be used every day for many different purposes, including at work, at school, and around the home. These knives are convenient to carry and they are meant to be sharpened so that you can use them whenever you see fit.

10. Future

Since its creation in 1999, the rainbow knife has been one of Scott Antique Knives' most popular products. As with any other item that has become popular among consumers, there have been knock-offs. Scott Antique Knives is known for its knives and is known to not tolerate any other knife with the same look and feel as their knives. 

Enrich Your Arsenal With a Rainbow Knife

A large amount of controversy has surrounded the rainbow knife trend due to the fact that it is difficult to determine whether or not their use was intended as a joke. However, this has somewhat abated as many people now know how to make them, resulting in an influx of these knives in social media photos without context.

These knives are a relatively new invention that appeared in the 21st century. The first knife was arguably invented by "Bonnie Rose" but there is no proof of this because the invention is not patentable. The popularity of the rainbow knife led to a variety of inventions based on it in that same year. These were generally variations on the theme and owners would often refer to them as "rainbow knives" rather than any other spelling, thus furthering the proliferation of this popular trend.