I have noticed in several recent threads about Randall Knives that the sheath has what appears to be parachute cord through 4 holes in the belt loop portion of the sheath.
What is the purpose of the parachute cord?
-Extra for securing the knife, during say a violent ejection, or some other fast event?
-Use the cord for survival purposes, say securing on the end of a pole, like a spear or pike?
-Something else?

http://smith-wessonforum.com/e...200103904/m/57710714

__________________
Wherever my mind isn't
Jim

I have noticed in several recent threads about Randall Knives that the sheath has what appears to be parachute cord through 4 holes in the belt loop portion of the sheath.
What is the purpose of the parachute cord?
-Extra for securing the knife, during say a violent ejection, or some other fast event?
-Use the cord for survival purposes, say securing on the end of a pole, like a spear or pike?
-Something else?

http://smith-wessonforum.com/e...200103904/m/57710714

__________________
Wherever my mind isn't
Jim

The ties on the belt loop are to secure the handle so it stays close to your body and isn't vulnerable to snagging on things. The ties on the bottom of the shealth are to secure the shealth to one's leg. The ties through the hilt and/or handle are to wrap around the wrist for retention. The combat/survival models usually come with all of these.

Only one Randall is designed so it can be mounted on a pole and that is done by means of threads inside the hollow handle.

Bob

Looks sexy.

At one time Randall used leather thongs rather than parachute cord. This photo of a 1964 vintage Model 14 illustrates that:

n4zov...that's a nice one and definitely that age with the larger copper throat rivets on the sheath. Are we interested in selling by any chance?

Bob

Thongs for knives, who woud a thunk it!

Thanks for all the answers, now I know more!

__________________
Wherever my mind isn't
Jim

Sorry, but I sold it about a year ago to a collector. I ordered it in '64 before going on active duty and think I paid about $40 for it. Could not believe what those things bring these days!

Here is a randall I bought for 1/2 price about 35 years ago on a sale. Doubt I used it a couple times. A safe queen.

I think you are referring to the Model C sheath only. Some use the thongs to secure the knife against ejection or parachute jumping, and others use them to attach the knife to a pack or other object.

Wrist thongs are available on most Randall models, at extra cost. It is handy to have the thong when on the water or up a tree, anywhere the knife may be dropped. I think SCUBA divers also find them handy on occasion.

Model C sheaths are standard on Model 14, 15, and 18. They may be available as subs on other models. (Model 16 uses a special wax-impregnated divers' sheath.)

www.randallknives.com

I think it is unwise to tie a knife to a shaft to get a spear. Just sharpen a point on the shaft and lightly harden the point in your campfire. Or, employ a flint point, if available. Homo erectus and other primitive men used simple wooden spears successfully for thousands of years.

It is not worth risking loss or damage to your knife to use it on a spear.


T-Star

It is true that only "C" sheaths have leg ties. However, other model sheaths for many Randall knives come with handle ties.

For parachute jumping today, or any time in BDUs, the proper sheath is not a belt sheath but the one pictured here on the right in Iraq. BTW, that Riverine Squadron seaman is safely home and you can call him Chief today. I own that knife.


Bob

In the Korean War days, Bo Randall would only make fighting knives for servicemen, and would put your name on them, if you wanted. If captured Gooks had a Randall knife on them, they stood them up in front of their buds and cut their throats with the Randall, then a couple of their buds were released to take the word back that being captured with a Randall was a death sentence. Ed., (40th Inf. Div.)

Do you KNOW this to be true? Why wouldn't it apply to other clearly US knives? To Fairbairns taken off of our British allies?

Have you read James Jones's book about Korea, where the N. Korean took the Randall off of the dead American at the last? The enemy had no idea what he had, but I suppose that it must have looked like a very special knife, although he didn't treat it very well. Those people couldn't be judged by Western standards.

That fictional knife was a Model 1, and Jones mentioned that his character wanted to buy other Randalls for peacetime use, had he survived.

Jones was responsible for Randall designing the real life Model 16 diver's knife, by the way. The author got to know Randall pretty well.

T-Star

I ordered my model 14 in 1983 and it took 3 years to get it, I want to say it was around $300.00. Received 3 years to the day in 86 and have had it ever since.

Carried all over the world on deployments some 2Lt even tried to confiscate it once.

__________________
Stan

The hell they couldn't. Once a few Westerners with cojones and morals had them in their hands, they most certainly could be judged by Western standards. If we don't USE Western standards, they aren't standards at all, they are just another "opinion" floating around to be deemed morally equivalent to the drivel of savages and liberals, if there is any difference.

__________________
Formerly Model520Fan