Anyone here own one? Do you just look at it, and its pretty much useless or is it something you use and your glad you got it cost and all. Is the metal all its cracked up to be for holding an edge and ease of sharpening or are you just inheriting the legend so to speak and the hand made craftsmanship?

It's just for looking


You get the picture...

i use mine.

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James L. "Jim" Rhiner

Like all of my knives (and guns), they're for usin'. I think that's what Bo Randall intended when he made the first one back in 1938. Even functional items can be a thing of beauty.

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Pack light and cinch tight.

Looking only. If you can afford a Randall, you can afford another knife to use.

Charli

Use 'em. Got a twin to Mule Packer and 3 more. All get used, some more than others.

Use my #1.

Mine has spent about 25 years dealing with pigs, deer and other misc. varmints. It isn't pristine, but it looks pretty good.

Ed

Is it noticeably sharper and better than production knifes say gerber 154 cm steel?

Like S&W revolvers they are made for using. Mine has been used on three continents.

I carry mine for the most part. If I'm wearing boots, the #24 boot knife is there. I always carry a small #10 salt fisherman when camping, and the #18 attack/survival goes along as well. The #1 all purpose doesn't go out as much because I probably should have bought a shorter blade, and the #15 airman barely goes out because it's the same blade as the 18 and I like the tubular handle better than the finger grip. They are all noticeable better quality and hold a better edge than any other knife I own. If I was the least bit hesitant about Randall, but wanted to try one, I'd get the #10 salt fisherman with a 5" blade (I've got the 3"). They're a little over $200, and since these are the first knives that a Randall maker is allowed to make, they're a little more easily available than some of the other models.

JMHO, but there's not a better knife out there than a Randall.

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Wisdom comes thru fear . . .

Some get used..... and some don't!

I have 4. A folder that has never cut anything or been in my pocket. A 7" 18 that is now my wife's kitchen knife. A 5" 18 that's my hunting knife and a miniature 4" 18 that's just a knife.

Pretty much just for looking with this Randall, now the HD gets a work out every once in a while.



And one that has seen a lot of use. This one was left to me by a good friend when he was taken by cancer. He carried this in Viet Nam during his service as a Marine Artillery Officer.

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LEX ET ORDO

I have several. All get used. This model 23, alomg with the OM Ruger 45, was my carry set up in grizzly country for several years.

A porcupine got the leather handle one night in elk camp. Now both are handled in buffalo horn.

This one ended up being for display. It had to go.


No One Fighter: Enough Said!


Not included: My Bird and Trout that is my general camping knife and has skinned a few deer; the wife's Little Bowie (used for general camping) and her carving set used for dressing a prime rib for Christmas each year!

Some get used, some not. Just like my guns. If I live long enough, and all my current using knives go bad, then the show knives will move up to first string. I have nothing against buying a used Randall, either. The ones I use the most are my individual steak knives, 6-4s. They just balance and feel right. Makes the steak taste better, too. I've lost count of how many I have, and that's good because it doesn't influence me when I see a good one for sale. No one has enough.

One of my new favorites is my mini 3. When I first saw one, I thought they were just novelties. Then I got one in my hand and realized they were really nice little knives. No, you can't carve up or clean a moose with one. But its a really well balanced tiny knife. Some cutting tasks don't require or respond well to a bowie sized knife. Lets call that almost none. There are more cutting tasks that can be done well with a small knife than a big one. 5" is a big blade, especially for precision cutting.

I love hunting season when the fools come out with their Rambo survival knives. Especially while hunting big game like tree rats or bunnies. Make your knife match your prey. Its how you tell the novice from the old guys.

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Dick Burg

Dick,

With your 6-4s can we assume that you also have a carving set?

I must admit- I hoard my Randall's and purchase Bark River Knives for every day use. It is simply a matter of economics.

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Member, OGCA.

I have carried and used Randalls and other custom knives for hunting, fishing, canoeing, camping, and deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. A high quality knife is like a high end set of binos or a top notch scope...one must use it for a while to "get it".

I carried a Randall #1 for almost the entire 32 months I spent in Vietnam as a helicopter gunship crew chief/door gunner. When I left, I left it behind because I was really stupid.

Now, 47 years later, I frequently find myself weeping silently to myself whenever I remember it which is almost daily.

I can't remember the name of the first girl i was with, but i can still see every inch of my Randall #1.

No, wait, it was Sandy or maybe it was Sally

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Bud
Lots of S&Ws

I just collect knives, but if I used one, I'd want it to be a Randall, just like I want the best watches for telling time.

Well, that and the fact that Bark River Knife & Tool makes superb, virtually indestructible working knives in addition to the ones that seem to be sought by pure collectors.

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Oh well, what the hell.

Yes, I've got one still. I've had 3 and gave the first 2 away to people as wedding gifts. Both remember the gifts and say its the best present they received. Turned out to be good gifts. I have one left. Its a much earlier version from about 1970. I'm keeping it because that was when we got married. I'd originally bought them to give to my sons as wedding presents, but after watching both use a knife, I decided others might do better.

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Dick Burg

I've got a couple now. Used to own about 25 or so.

Some of them are very nice to look at but not worth the money for a carry knife IMHO. Good steel is easy to find in a knife these days. I have several very excellent knives for under $40.

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You are what you learn.

Those I owned were always users, but I take excellent care of all my things. And I derive joy from owning really nice items.

If you just need an excellent knife at a modest price, get a Buck Model 105 or Model 119. Some people will never want better and resent paying more. And I still treasure my Bucks and like using them sometimes when the mood strikes. Current Bucks probably sharpen more easily than Randall, for most users.

If you want better, look for a nice used or NIB Puma. But vintage Pumas are now collectable and can cost as much as a Randall, so look out for that factor. I suggest the Outdoor model, if in doubt, or the little Hunter's Pal. Some Puma stag handles are too thick or don't match well on both sides. The good ones are terrific. The 6.5-inch blade Bowie has a handle that I find a little short for the Fairbairn-Applegate combat grasp. That's true of many knives, inc. a lot of Randalls. How will you want to hold the knife, under all conditions?

I get criticized here for frequently plugging Fallkniven knives. I think such critics have never handled one. And some of these guys like knives that give me eyestrain just to look at them. I like smooth classic, flowing lines. Look at Fallkniven's Models F-1, S-1, and A-1, in particular. Note that the F-1 looks like a Loveless style at a glance, but the blade is flat ground and is much stronger than a deeply hollow ground Loveless or true copy. The Royal Swedish Air Force issues the F-1 as a pilot survival knife. That means a lot, for it has passed really grueling trials and must be able to split wood and get a fire going fast if a pilot bails out in the frigid Arctic winter. These models named have all passed both Swedish and US military trials and are authorized for unit purchase (with optional black blades) for USAF and USN air units. They have National Stock Numbers for that reason.

NO other readily available high quality knife other than SOG's original profile SOG SEAL 2000 has passed such tough trials, to my knowledge. Sit and think about that. It's important. The University of Lulea in Sweden also conducts deliberate breakage tests on Fallkniven knives. They're tough!

You can find US dealers for these knives who give good discounts. Prices on the site are in Swedish kroner. You can probably snag a new S-1 in the USA for maybe $150. Less is a real deal.
www.fallkniven.com

I post this here about a dozen times a year. I think maybe one man has PM'd that he bought a Fallkniven and he was much more impressed than he expected to be. Stores seldom stock them, as the "public" won't pay a lot for a premium knife.

If you like Randall's designs and can get the knife now, buy it. If you don't like it, you can usually get your money or more if you sell it. If you're happy with a Sear's or other fair to very good Japanese binocular, you'll probably find Randall and other premium knives overpriced. If you can appreciate using a Leica or Zeiss binocular, you can see why people buy Randall, etc. Yes, I use my expensive binoculars, too!

If in doubt as to model, I suggest a Randall Model 5 with five-inch stainless blade and a thong hole. (A wrist thong is not a lanyard.) You may want a NS butt cap or a thinner slightly dome shaped one. If you specify a thong hole, Randall furnishes a paracord thong. Look at that blade. Looks a lot like a Fallkniven S-1 doesn't it? Fallkniven is also a major retail dealer in foreign (non-Swedish) knives and sells Randalls. The owner also hunts and fishes and knows what works best. I'm not surprised that he has an appreciation for what looks a lot like a Randall Model 5.

I've never seen a Bark River knife but photos look good and the company seems more stable than previous business ventures by the owner. I suspect that they're excellent.

Buy one of those Bucks I mentioned and see how you like it. If you want something fancier or even more rugged, look at a Randall, a Puma, or a Fallkniven. Randall quality varies some, as several men make those knives and some are more skilled and experienced than others. The best Randalls are very nice. My experience of them is that, overall, the stainless blades get a better finish. And the edges don't decline between hunting seasons, as do all non stainless knives, due to oxidation.

If you have to ask why men pay to own a Randall, or other top knife, don't buy one. Lord, I know men who can't see why I pay for the wines I like. They may as well buy Boone's Farm. Or, beer. If you can't tell the difference in Ceylon, Assam, or Darjeeling premium tea, buy Lipton and be happy. The finer things in life are beyond your ability to grasp them. Your money is probably better spent elsewhere.

If a Remington M-700 is all you need in a hunting rifle, leave the Sakos and Winchester M-70's for those less easily satisfied.

Less TS be accused of being an "elitist", I'd like to relate something I once heard when I moved up here: "We were standing in a check-out line and the cashier commented on my jacket and asked about the Columbia Brand. I responded that, as a biologist, we used brands like Woolrich, Pendleton, and Columbia because they're the best and we spend so much time in the outdoors" The guy behind me stated "And they'll keep you alive!" No one can guarantee that a Randall will keep you alive when a Buck won't==it's just slightly better odds.

Or, think of it this way:

When I was diagnosed a diabetic, the Dr. said to think of it this way: " You can't drink as MUCH beer but now you can afford to drink ONLY the good stuff!"

I thought I'd share a few of the famous and infamous folks that have used Randall knives.

Major Richard Bong: The United States' highest-scoring air ace in WWII.


Guy Clark: Singer-Songwriter


Unknown Officer WWII


Col. Rex Applegate: O.S.S. instructor, Knife Fighting Expert


General William Westmoreland: Commander of US forces in Vietnam


Erol Flynn: Actor


Charles Whitman: Texas Bell Tower Sniper


Gus Grissom: Mercury Astronaut (All seven Mercury Astronauts carried a Randall knife.)


Francis Gary Powers: U-2 Pilot

I never had one but remember them well among Army helicopter crews in Vietnam, just as recounted by BudMan5.

I remember being told by some guys that the knives were often given to those who were still there. I was told they were prized because they could cut through the skin of the helicopters.

While SCUBA diving off the coast of Cam Ranh Bay I found a Bone knife. I carried it, but considering that I had no knife skills whatsoever, it was mere decoration. I still have it, but only to look at.

I am sure many would enjoy seeing a photo of this war trophy! I know, that I would,...

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Member, OGCA.

I use mine and its a fine knife

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SWCA#2208
KK4EMO

My only Randalls.

#8 Bird and Trout, ordered with the un-cataloged old style grind
#1 All Purpose Fighting Knife, 5"
#1 All Purpose Fighting Knife, 5"
Special order Bowie grind, 5 1/2"

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Jim
S&WCA #819

I sharpen knives six days a week. In the course of a year I probably get to handle and sharpen a dozen or so Randalls. Not a huge percentage but an indication they are used.

The is a 12" bowie in the family but rarely carried. Not an outdoor knife, it was bought at a Police auction and is too heavy and awkward to use.

Kevin

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Unshared knowledge is wasted.

Kevin,

No Pic....

"Unshared knowledge is wasted." How true!

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Jim
S&WCA #819

Jim,

Your old style 8-4" is gorgeous. That stag is one in one hundred. I've had a couple made with a double hilt, makes it look like a miniature 12-8"! You may know that Gary Powers was carrying an old style 8-4" when he was shot down. It seems you're fond of the 5 inch blades. I used to get a call from Bo Randall about once a month, just to chew the fat. One day I asked him what he thought was the optimum blade length for a belt knife. Bo didn't hesitate and responded "five inches". I asked why and I was anxiously expecting a well thought out answer from the master baldesmith when he replied "any longer than five inches and you can't sit down in the pick-up truck!"

Hi Rick,

LOL

I don't have much more of a profound answer. I just don't do much knife fighting. If I did, I wouldn't be caught dead with anything less than 7" and would prefer longer! But I have to agree with Bo, 5" is my maximum for an all around utility knife and a #1 makes a good one. Anything longer is just not manipulative enough to be real handy.

Thank you on the #8. My #8 was ordered for me by my son and no one was more surprised to get such a nice piece of Sambar by the luck of the draw.

As a kid I remember seeing pictures of Powers' knife and always wanted that style. When I could afford one years later, the 1st catalog I found showed the new grind! So I was a happy camper to find the old grind could be special ordered.

But it took my oldest son to order it for me as a BD present. I had to add the finger grooves. Bo doesn't offer them on a handle for a 4" bladed knife. Mine might be too small for a large hand, but it was easy to fit them on the handle in a size that fit my hand. I didn't make the grooves as deep as on a thicker handle.

The other side:

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Jim
S&WCA #819