A recent thread prompted me to ask the question. I have been a Randall knife lover since I saw my first one when I was 10. It is the knife pictured which was bought by a good friend of the family before he shipped out to SEA in 1965 with the USMC. He let me "safeguard" it growing up, but it did not become officially mine until I shipped out in Sept. 1984. It did 3 tours with him and I since passed it to my best friend who served in the Corp during the 1st sand box war. I figured a Marine bought it...a Marine should have it, I was Army. This is one of the few Randalls I have seen that has actually been used. Having sold a few lately I know if you use one you lose quite a bit on value. I would love to see what you all have out there that you love and cherish as much I have this knife and have actually used it....would love to hear the stories too.

Sir, I've always told myself I can't afford a Randall (they are expensive), so for years have made do with a rotating array of cheaper knives. I've belatedly realized that I'd be money ahead if I'd just bought a Randall at an early age and been done with it. This philosophy applies to other aspects of life as well.

Semper Fi,

Ron H.

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Wishin' don't make it so.

My two that I carry and use. #14 & #18.

I have used my #8 & #10 quite a bit. the #1 , #5 & #18 haven't been used yet.

I used a Model 3 as a general hunting and fishing knife. Had to sell it when a GI Education Bill check was late. Got more than I had in it.

T-Star

I use mine. What's the purpose of buying and not using it??

Many Randall knives that have been used are eagerly sought after by Randall collectors as long as they've not been abused. Collectors seem to favor knives with carbon steel blades over those with stainless steel, does anyone know the reason for this? I know that SS is harder to sharpen and hold and edge, but that would make sense for a user not a collector where the knife would sit in a vault.

It may be just tradition as the carbon blades were around longer than SS.
Randall will build you practically anything you want based on one of their models. What collectors really want besides vintage examples are those that have a unique set of upgrades.
This knife is an upgraded 14 which has an oval nickel silver guard and a sawtooth back

I also have a #16 Special Fighter (not a Dive) with a stainless blade and a waxed sheath which is an upgrade.

I'm new to putting stuff on fourums so if I do anything wrong please let me know. The reason carbon steel is so much better, & perferred by people who have knowledge of metalurgy, other than the rust resistance aspect of stainless is- carbon is needed to make the edge hard during heat treating so it doesn't roll the way stainless does. The reason stainless is hard to get sharp and keep it that way, is because when it gets thin it wants to roll to one side or the other. That being said Randall definitely uses a better grade of stainless alloy than most. The reason stainless doesn't rust as easily as carbon steel is that oxygen attacks carbon. The more pure alloy the stainless is like say 304 the less carbon content, therefore less rust. You just can't Harden stainless the way you can high carbon steel so the cutting edge is definitely less desirable. Just like everything else nowadays people like stainless for the ease of maintenance so you don't have to worry about it so much. I would think if you spend the money on a randal that you would want to take care of it and if you ever have to use it have a much more serviceable tool. You can actually make high carbon so hard and brittle during the heat treat it will break if you drop it. That is the reason a lot of high-end knife makers use high carbon steel for the cutting edge and laminate milder steel around it for flexibility so the blade doesn't break with use but will hold an edge for a long time. I have one that I skinned a deer, split the ribcage, & butchered it, you could still shave with it. Try that with stainless & you will likely stop sometime during the process to sharpen it probably more than once.

I have over 200 knifes in my collection and I get constantly ribbed about having a bunch of "Trailer Queens". I can't help it! These knives are works of art and craftsmanship. Not all are Randall's but a variety of old, new, and rare. My pleasure is to preserve the knives as history and uniqueness. I carry a Buck Lightning (discontinued) and use it with wild abandon.... LOL It's your toy, you do what you want with it...... ; )

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S&W, Simply the Best!

I've owned quite a few Randall's over the years, mostly safe queens, and all but three of them have moved on to other homes. The one user out of all of them is this one:

Model 14 Airman, sawteeth, and finger-grooved black-micarta handle. I ordered it new from the now-defunct San Francisco Gun Exchange back in November of '95, and picked it up three months later. Had Blade-Tech make a kydex sheath for it, and carried it as part of my SWAT gear for years.

NEVER going to part with this one.............

That's a beauty!

I spent a lot of time (And money!) at the SF Gun Exchange back in the day......

It is not so, nearly

And the fact that stainless steel is inferior carbon,
it's just the old prejudices. It can be said - the inertia of thinking.
This statement is gone 20-30 in the early years, when the level
of steel was approximately equal of a modern stainless steel
AISI 420 (most cheap Chinese knives). Then indeed the level
of heat treatment was low and carbon steels were better.
Now the situation has changed, but the momentum bad
history about retention edge has remained.

There is one more thing, while steel, as now 420, was 0.4-0.5% carbon. Most of the carbon blades that time correspond to
the steel 0.6-0.9% carbon. Their comparison is simply not correct.

It all depends on the quality of heat treatment.
You can harden steel 440A, 440B or 440C
with using cryotechnology, thermal cycling
and other special techniques, so that the edge retention
is better than most carbon steels.
Wherein this is easy sharpening. If we consider the modern
powder steel, it features much more capabilities.
But it is quite expensive. You can compare the prices of
standard industrial knives, for example, knives Phil Wilson,
Bob Dozier and other custom masters from same steel
and then compare the results of the real work him.
Industrial knives are behind.

According to my observations, Randall makes a high-quality heat treatment. I do not see much difference between stainless 440B and O-1 in retaining edge.
In this case there is one point O-1 have ~1% C.
440B have 0.75-0.95% C - such variation laid down
in the standard for this steel. So I do not rule out that sometimes Randall knives made of stainless steel can
be a little bit softer or harder, depending on the instance,
which naturally affects the edge resistance.

There is also another factor that rare mentions - this quality of sharpening and sharpening angle.
If you sharpen the knife on rough abrasive - it is well cut,
but not for long. If you choose too small an abrasive,
the knife good cuts tree, but the skin, the fat,
film on the meat it will just slip as if blunt.
Sharpening is also very interesting topic, bit of an art,
akin to cast bullets and weighing required number of homemade black gunpowder.

Now I bought a rare version Buck 110 with S30V.
A very good stainless steel. I use it in city like EDC
and as an additional assistant for my Randall 3-5.

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Great stories...keep 'em coming

I think I should clean mine. These are from around 1960+/- . Can you tell what model they are?

The Bowie is a Model 12 and would depend on blade length as to the specific version.

The other one appears to be a Model 3 or a Model 4 with a stag handle.
This is based on the current catalog and blades/models have changed some over the years.

Looking at the knives tells me you know better than to "clean them up". The #12 Bowie was introduced in 1953 and the wide top stone pocket was replaced by the narrower top around that time. My guess is that even with slower moving models like the Bowies, the older style sheaths that were in the bin would have been used by the end of 1954. The heft of the lugged hilt seems a little on the light side for that era but is probably correct. The Model #3 shealth, pin, choil and spacer stock place it perhaps a few years later but not by much. This is based on what I can see and you need to keep in mind that there are things that I can't see in the pics that could change what I think of the date. Seeing the stones would also help as they changed during this time frame.

Valuable? Very, but I suspect you knew that also. Two very desirable knives.

Dick, what's a Centenial Model? I don't think I've ever heard of that one.

Bob

Sorry, its the Anniversary, not Centennial. The latter is a gun!

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Dick Burg

Can't you at least clean the verdigris off of the brass guard on the Model 3? That looks atrocious!

bump for more

I saw my first Randall in 1967 when I was 12. My older brother had just graduated from Ranger School and Infantry OCS and was headed to Vietnam. My dad bought it for him as a graduation present for making it through Ranger School. If I recall, it looked like the one Cooter posted a pic of. I remember how sharp it was, because I still have the scar on my left index finger... Anyways, two tours later Bob brought it home, but it sure wasn't the shiny new knife I remembered. I think he still has it, but don't know for sure.

Its Christmas time. Call him and find out!

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Dick Burg

I can only speak for myself, but I know I would love to see pics of it and hear a story or two. I am sure others feel the same.

I have several that I use all the time, including the one I carried in the Army in the '60s and '70s, a Little Bear Bowie. My ex used hers all the time too.

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You are what you learn.

It looks like there are some very knowledgable "Randall" people here on the S&W forum.

Can anyone tell me if Randall actually made some "All Stainless Steel"------- ( No Brass) Model 18 Survival Knives?

I have a friend who claims he has one, although I have never seen it

I use these three... to dress up a book case! They're all JRB's from the 70's. The only thing I've ever cut with them was myself, ergo the enclosed display!

I haven’t needed a combat knife and the hunting and fishing knives I use (Marble’s, Bark River, Western, Marttiini, Wyoming) are far less valuable and meet my needs.

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"I also cook."

I guess it is possible, but Randall does not currently list a stainless guard as an option. It could have been a special order request, or he is mistaking a nickle silver guard as stainless.

In the 1980's Randall did some real creative things with the Model 18. One was the all stainless and there were probably less than 100 made. They also made perhaps 100 #18 handled knives with several other blade grinds, everything from Bowies to fighting knives. As you can imagine they are all collectable and yours truly for one will try to buy every example I see(which isn't many).

As to value of your friend's #18, a guy at a show here had one on his table not that long ago and he wanted $3,000 for it. That's high and is especially so in today's very soft market but they are worth good money. If your friend is interested in selling PM me. I would make an offer that could make this a really Merry Christmas for him.

Thanks Dick! I was racking my feeble brain and keep coming up blank...should have guessed the Anniversay knife.

Bob

back up for a good thread

Rusty37874
These are Randall 18s all stainless steel. They were $400 each when I got them (used) in the late 80s.
Mark

Mark;
I think you got a couple of rare Randall's,--- According to Shel Wickersham"s book "Randall Knives A Reference Book",( pg 137,) he states "There were probably less than 100 all stainless steel Model 18' s produced in the early 80's,--- 25 being the smaller ones" ( 5 1/2")---I think you got a couple of high dollar items there.

I came back from Korea in 83 and ordered one and 3 years to the day it arrived I carried it in the field until 92 and now it is in my dresser drawer. Mine is a model 14

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Stan

had one i used for years it was a mod 1 ivory handels i think? sold it for way more than i paid for it, wish i still had it

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WILL WORK FOR AMMO!

back up for a good thread, would love to see more vintage knives!!!

I've got an early 1990's Model 5 a four inch model that I have used to dress well over a dozen elk and twice that amount of deer and antelope. Even took it over with me in 1998 to RSA on my first plains game hunt...simply to say it had been to Africa.

Did use it though to search for slugs in dead game, and other cutting chores on the hunt.

Have a model 26 but that ones a safe queen.

FN in MT

Frank I LOVE that Freedom Arms. That is my dream gun you have pictured as far as SA's go. I had a 7 1/2" a while back but really wanted the shorter one. I guess I am getting old as I forgot just how big an handful those things are to shoot. I had 4 3/4 one about 20+ years ago and it didn't seem that bad...but I was young then

Curtis,

Thats a M-83 .454 Casull with a .45 Colt aux cylinder, six inch, ported, micarta grips. I've had it for ten yrs or so. It gets shot 90% of the time with the Colt cylinder in place. And even when I hunt with it for deer/elk my Casull loads are fairly mild; 325 gr LBT @ 1200 fps.

I've got painful shoulder and elbow issues and RECOIL only worsens the situation.

Also have a M-97 a .44 Special in 4 1/4"...talk about sweet!! Light, normal Freedom Arms accurate, yet FAR easier to pack around all day long.

FA's really do ruin you for other pistols. Now I look at a Ruger SA and get half a headache. Just NOT the same.

I know a poster here who recently snagged a 7.5" M-83 in .454 LNIB for $700 or maybe $600!! Told him to go out and buy a LOTTO ticket as he was possibly on a winning streak.

FN in MT

I thought that was an 83. I saw one similar to yours at Tulsa that also had a Leupold scope with it. I about cried when he told me what he'd take for because I still couldn't justify it given my current economic status.

No one I know of builds a finer revolver, and I hope to have another some day.

Sometime in 2003 Febuary before the invasion of Iraq, My Dad and Uncle called down to Randall in FLA and told'em I was deploying to Kuwait for the Invasion, I wanted the stainless instead of carbon because of a friend who had one that had seen alot of field duty, he let it stay wet after a long field problem and it rusted and pitted promptly! Black Micarta 7" SS blade, w/ military sheath and stone, no wait, they fed ex overnight and I got it 2 days before the Longbird over. Never got to use it as a fighting knife but did use it as a GP knife when needed, It looked very intimidating worn on the front of my ballistic vest beside my Beretta M9 above 4 M-4mag pouches containing 3 mags apiece and 2 Frags and a smoke. Knife has been sharpened but still looks new, the sheath however is still in great usable condition but its looks have suffered, it has turned dark reddish brown and has stains of brass on it. Sentimental so would sell most of my guns before I sold mi Randall!!!





Pictured with a couple of war sovenirs I picked up, in Iraq that is!!

LOVE Randalls, but I sold off most of my collection some years ago. Regret that now of course. I still have a 7" No. 1 in carbon w/leather, a 5" No. 11 in stainless w/leather, and two No. 14s...one is in stainless w/micarta finger grip and the other is in carbon w/black micarta, #1 style brass hilt, brass & black spacers and a flat brass butt. Use the 11 and 14 mostly.

This Pathfinder has rode along on many a camping and hunting trip. Have a couple others, but their use isn't required as much these days.

This one was delivered to me from Randall in 2008 to Camp Leatherneck, Afghanistan. The fruit was about the extent of its "use" but I sure felt good about having it with me. An Afghan elder gave me the pomegranate.

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I would state that MOST expensive Sheath Knives, (not just Randall's) that I have seen in my life are rarely if ever used. Most spend their lives in their original box or hanging on the wall for display. I own a few Marbles (Gladstone made) knives and can count on one hand how many times they've been used.

Unless you make your living in the woods or outdoors, most of us just don't have the need for a large knife like that.

I find that the Marble's Large Stockman Folding Pocket Knife (Gladstone) that is in my pocket each and every day gets used almost each and every day. It's small, handy, sharp and is unobtrusive. In fact, when I go into the woods these days, that is usually the only knife I have with me. The sheath knives I own usually get left at home in their box. Just my experience of course, YMMV.......

Chief38

I just sold an unused safe queen. Had it up at a pretty good price for several weeks on several forums and ended selling it for what I paid.



My others (#1, #23, #8 and my wife's Little Beaver) are all used=camping, Several elk and deer and many wild hogs.

For those "end of the world as we know it" fantasy threads and other serious social encounters:

Here's a "pre" Randall that has been over used and abused

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Dean
SWCA #680 SWHF #446

Harry Morseth's knives were not connected to Randall's. Both were just handmade knives. Randall was inspired to make knives by a friend that he saw using a Scagel knife , and early Randalls resembled Scagels.

I kept some handwritten letters from Bo Randall. Wonder if they're valuable today? He used a fountain pen, which I thought was classy.

I prefer the stainless blades. Gary Randall told me that the plain "carbon" blades may hold an edge some 10% better and be a little easier to sharpen, but I think the advantages of the stainless outweigh that. And based on my observations, I think the stainless blades usually get a better polish. Could be just the knives I've seen...

My son visited the Randall shop a couple of years ago and took some nice photos. He was pretty impressed.

Don't own any Randalls, but I do have a custom by Harold Corby that I even picked out the Buffalo scales for. Harold made me promise to use the knife before agreeing to sale it to me, and also made me promise to never try to sharpen it myself, just bring it back by his shop. I kept both promises!

My only regret is that I didn't let his son Phillip make me the folder he and I talked about before his untimely death. I really wish I had that knife.

I'll probably "settle" for a Sebenza by Chris Reeve.

Nice blades folks.

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I hope I copied that right

I worked in RVN as a contractor from 1968 through 1973. Purchased three Randalls in 1968. I switched off carrying the #1 and the #2 pictured below. The third Randall is the Jim Thorpe Bowie also in the photo. I regret that I sold the big bowie recently. I picked up the other Randalls one at a time. Notice that they all are trimmed in brass and have brass butt caps and red micarta grips.



The old style trout and bird is my favorite.

I carry a Spyderco waved Endura that I bought at the Randall retail store in Rogers. Does that count?

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Rick, W0FG
CTR2 68-72

Well I finally took pics of the #16. Stainless and Micarta with a waxed sheath...according to the catalog these usually ship with the A Type sheath which is not waxed and has a stone pouch which I wish this one had (the pouch).
The other knife is a pre-patent Buck 184 Buckmaster. I bought it brand new in 1984 and it has been ABUSED. I have literally cut fenders off of cars with it. It is one of the 1st 2500 made and had the compass in the handle. If I had known what it would be worth today I may not have been so tough on it.
The "Non" Smith in the pic is my EDC Sig 229 40/357...it has had a hard life too