The NEW Randall Made Knives Museum

[Rick Bowles]

Nestled among the giant hardwood trees on the Randall estate is the Randall Made knife shop. Adjacent to the shop is the home in which Bo and Ruth Randall raised their family and where, on Christmas day 1989, W.D "Bo" Randall passed away peacefully after spending Christmas with his family. After many years of planning and construction the family home has now been transformed into the brand new Randall Knife Museum. The museum will officially open on Tuesday, April 14. This will fast become a "must see" for any knife enthusiast visiting Orlando Florida.

 

[BubbaBlades]

Thanks for the update, Rick.

Mark

 

[30-30remchester]

I am going to speak some trash, but I never understood the allure of Randall knives. I have owned but a half dozen and couldn't seem to sell them fast enough. I need to be tutored.

 

[A10]

Thanks for sharing. Randall knives are icons in the knife industry.

30-30, its the same reason folks want to own a Colt. The pony makes no difference as to quality, but there is such history to the brand that everyone seems to want one. If you want a fairly priced high quality knife, look at the US made BlackJack Knives or Bark River knives. Both are ground by Mike Stewarts shop, and they are truly fine cutlery.

 

[shouldazagged]

I second the Bark River suggestion. Not yet the prestige of Randall, Dozier, et cetera, but splendid knives, especially the earlier models. The Highland Special is as good a four-inch field knife as I've seen.

I have an example of the discontinued Forager models that Mike made especially for me in thanks for a design suggestion for the guard, which he generously named for me and used on a number of models. It's a heavy-duty four and a half inch blade. I haven't used it because I want to pass it along in the family in pristine condition; but the balance and design tell me it would perform superbly.

The little Mini-Canadian, carried in a hip-pocket sheath, is a wonderfully versatile and efficient small utility knife. Cuts like a scalpel, and like all Bark Rivers is damn near indestructible.

 

[Muss Muggins]

I have never met a better knife than my Randall #1, although my #24 Guardian Boot Knife is an every day carry . . .

 

[Rick Bowles]

couldn't seem to sell them fast enough.

...and I would guess you sold them at a profit. There are innumerable makers and knives that
will get the job done but only a very few that you can use for a lifetime and then sell it for much more than you paid.
I think the simple answer to the popularity of Randall Made knives is history. These folks understand!

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

Guy Clark: Singer-Songwriter

General Jonathan M. Wainwright

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

General William Westmoreland: Commander of US forces in Vietnam

Erol Flynn: Actor

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

Francis Gary Powers: U-2 Pilot

 

[BE Mike]

Randall knives were legendary in Vietnam. One of our pilots received a large one and a magnum of champagne for rescuing a Marine fighter crew. I saw a downed helicopter crew use a large Randall to clear a makeshift LZ, but actually a machete would have been a better tool. I bought a Camillus pilot survival knife at a store at Ft. Rucker and carried it. Fortunately I never needed it. I found out many years later that it makes a fair deer skinning knife. I never was a "knife guy". I always appreciated the work that went in, the beauty and toughness of custom knives, but they never were worth the price tag to me. I have bought most of my tools at garage sales, flea markets and Harbor Freight. That being said, if I were in the area of the museum, I'd probably drop in.

 

[five shot]

Thanks for the info Rick. On one of my trips out of Alaska in the early 90's I stopped in to the knife shop and had nice lengthy discussion with the shop foreman, can't remember his name now. Bought two knives over the counter that folks had ordered but did not take delivery of. Now living in the Florida Panhandle I will surely plan a trip to this museum in the very near future.

 

[Rick Bowles]

The shop foreman could have been Pete Hamilton or Dave Griffin. I think it's too early for Scott Maynard the current shop foreman.