Is there any way to determine the appx. date of manufacture of a Randall # 9-11 Throwing Knife, It has the "Roughback" Sheath without pocket for sharpening stone. ( Sheath marked 9-11)

I have found that three of the best sources for Randall Knife information are Robert Gaddis' book "Randall Made Knives", Pete Hamilton's "The Randall Chronicles" and Sheldon & Edna Wickerham's Randall Knives A Reference Book."
My early Model 9 pictured above has the wasp waist and stamp in the middle of the knife. Later wasp waist knives had the stamp moved to the rear part of the knife. In the mid 70's the shape was changed to the one shown in the current Randall catalog. A sheath was (is) not provided with a Model 9 knife except as an extra cost option so it may or may not be the same age as the knife. I hope that this informations helps.
Mark

+1 for what bubbablades said you could add the books of USMC,Rtd.
Robert E.Hunt did as well. Good luck on getting an approximate date on your #9.
Oliver507

I have only one Randall...the Boomerang model...don't throw it very often though...

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Thirty characters. Exactly...

The Johnson roughback sheath doesn't mean much contrary to what you'll hear at your local gun show. I wish I had $5 for every time I've heard "yes sir, that's an old one...look at that Johnson roughback sheath".The Johnsons made sheaths for Randall from about 1961 to 1991 and the vast majority are roughback. Only a very few of the first ones(split back) and then the last ones(smooth back) are not roughback.

The shape of the Model 9 doesn't vary after about 1982 but before that there are several variations. IIRC the museum at the Randall shop has 10 or 12 different shapes of Model 9's from the earlier years.

The length of your knife says late 70's to early 80's and that's where I'd put it if asked for a WAG. With your knife, I really can't think of any way to get closer to its age.

Bob

An interesting side note, Bob Hunt ran the Law Enforcement Training Academy at S&W. Small world ain't it?

Bob