My modest Randall collection, will try to get up more Pics later.
Randall Made Knives - My newest addiction. (Pic Heavy)
- Thread starter 45Wheelgun
- Start date
29aholic
Member
Randalls (& a few others)
#16 Special fighter with a L/H waxed sheath. The other knife is a Pre-Patent Buck 184
A sawback #14 with nickel silver guard.
Solingen blank #14
#16 Special fighter with a L/H waxed sheath. The other knife is a Pre-Patent Buck 184
A sawback #14 with nickel silver guard.
Solingen blank #14
They do have certain elan. Got this Mod. 2 as a replacement to one that went missing back in the sixties.
Rick Bowles
Absent Comrade
Randall knives have been popular with military, sportsman and collectors for seventy-five years. They have been carried by both the famous and the infamous.
The following is only a few of the notable individuals who recognized the value of a Randall knife.
On July 21, 1961 Gus Grissom's Liberty Bell 7 splashed down after a 15 minute, suborbital flight. Emergency explosive bolts unexpectedly fired and blew off the hatch, causing water to flood the spacecraft ultimately sinking it.
Thirty-eight years later, on July 20, 1999, Liberty Bell 7 was recovered in nearly 15,000 ft of water. Inside the capsule was Grissom's Randall Astronaut "Survival" knife. The knife was restored and is on display. A civilian version of the Mercury Seven's Randall is available today as the Model #17 Astro.
Errol Flynn is seen aboard his yacht Zaca with his Randall model #4-6" then caller the Hunter. This model, with a sharpened top edge and double hilt was one of the first Randall fighting knives preceding the iconic Model #1 all purpose fighter designed in 1942 by Lt. James Zacharias and W.D. Bo Randall.
General William Westmoreland, Commander, Military Assistance Command, Vietnam, was rarely seen in the field without his ivory handled Randall model #1-7".
Maj. Richard Bong, the leading fighter ace of WWII wears his Randall Model #1-7" while leaning on the prop of "Marge", the P-38 Lightning named after his mother.
Col. Rex Applegate, an OSS trainer in close combat, co-wrote "The Fighting Knife" with Bo Randall and consulted in the development of the Randall Model #2 "Stiletto".
Lt. General James M. Gavin, who led the 82nd Airborne Division into Normandy in June of 1944, is seen here with his Randall Model #1-8". General Gavin may have been left handed as he wore his Randall on his right side. Belt knives were generally worn on the weak side while sidearms were worn on the strong side for obvious reasons.
U-2 pilot Francis Gary Powers was caring his Randall Model 8-4" when he was shot down over the Soviet Union on May 1, 1960. His Randall and other equipment is on display in a Moscow museum.
Last and most certainly least, when the University of Texas’s tower sniper Charles Joseph Whitman was killed he had with him an assortment of weapons including a Randall model #1-8" with stag and a 4" nickel S&W, perhaps a model 19 with what appears to be "Fitz" stocks.
The following is only a few of the notable individuals who recognized the value of a Randall knife.
On July 21, 1961 Gus Grissom's Liberty Bell 7 splashed down after a 15 minute, suborbital flight. Emergency explosive bolts unexpectedly fired and blew off the hatch, causing water to flood the spacecraft ultimately sinking it.
Thirty-eight years later, on July 20, 1999, Liberty Bell 7 was recovered in nearly 15,000 ft of water. Inside the capsule was Grissom's Randall Astronaut "Survival" knife. The knife was restored and is on display. A civilian version of the Mercury Seven's Randall is available today as the Model #17 Astro.
Errol Flynn is seen aboard his yacht Zaca with his Randall model #4-6" then caller the Hunter. This model, with a sharpened top edge and double hilt was one of the first Randall fighting knives preceding the iconic Model #1 all purpose fighter designed in 1942 by Lt. James Zacharias and W.D. Bo Randall.
General William Westmoreland, Commander, Military Assistance Command, Vietnam, was rarely seen in the field without his ivory handled Randall model #1-7".
Maj. Richard Bong, the leading fighter ace of WWII wears his Randall Model #1-7" while leaning on the prop of "Marge", the P-38 Lightning named after his mother.
Col. Rex Applegate, an OSS trainer in close combat, co-wrote "The Fighting Knife" with Bo Randall and consulted in the development of the Randall Model #2 "Stiletto".
Lt. General James M. Gavin, who led the 82nd Airborne Division into Normandy in June of 1944, is seen here with his Randall Model #1-8". General Gavin may have been left handed as he wore his Randall on his right side. Belt knives were generally worn on the weak side while sidearms were worn on the strong side for obvious reasons.
U-2 pilot Francis Gary Powers was caring his Randall Model 8-4" when he was shot down over the Soviet Union on May 1, 1960. His Randall and other equipment is on display in a Moscow museum.
Last and most certainly least, when the University of Texas’s tower sniper Charles Joseph Whitman was killed he had with him an assortment of weapons including a Randall model #1-8" with stag and a 4" nickel S&W, perhaps a model 19 with what appears to be "Fitz" stocks.
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Rick Bowles
Absent Comrade
Just like S&W enthusiasts, Randall folks have their users and then there are the safe queens and picnic knives!
Texas Star
US Veteran
RB-
Thank you for those magnificent photos!
Notable are some people whom you didn't name. The pilot with the .45 talking to Bong was Maj. Tom McGuire. Those two were the top US air aces of all time. Bong had a credited 40 kills and McGuire had 38. Both flew P-38's against Japan. Bong was awarded the Medal of Honor, and I think McGuire was, too. McGuire AFB, NJ is named for him.
The Maj. Gen. to whom Gavin is talking is prob. Matthew Ridgeway, commanding the 101st Airborne, the brother unit of Gavin's 82nd. Gavin often carried an M-1 rifle as well as a .45 and his knife. He was frequently pretty close to the fighting and may well have been involved. The pic may be a flipped transparency. I don't know if he was left-handed.
I knew about Grissom's lost knife, but not that it was recovered and restored.
I have written a fair amount about Randall knives and am credited in a major article about them on Wiki. I love them, and they represent a study of US history in steel. No brand has been more patronized by famous people. I didn't know about Charles Whitman having a Randall. But he is the only infamous man I know of to use one. Most are more virtuous, although King Farouk of Egypt might be controvesial. I think he had some, as did Faisal II of Iraq.
Thanks again for the great photos! I didn't know that Errol Flynn had one. That's a good photo of him on the yacht. BTW, he was Australian, born in Hobart. For some reason, his publicist put out a story that he was Irish. I read his book, "My Wicked,Wicked Ways" and a book by the mother of his young girlfriend, with whom he was involved at the time of his early death. An interesting man, and a fine actor.
Thank you for those magnificent photos!
Notable are some people whom you didn't name. The pilot with the .45 talking to Bong was Maj. Tom McGuire. Those two were the top US air aces of all time. Bong had a credited 40 kills and McGuire had 38. Both flew P-38's against Japan. Bong was awarded the Medal of Honor, and I think McGuire was, too. McGuire AFB, NJ is named for him.
The Maj. Gen. to whom Gavin is talking is prob. Matthew Ridgeway, commanding the 101st Airborne, the brother unit of Gavin's 82nd. Gavin often carried an M-1 rifle as well as a .45 and his knife. He was frequently pretty close to the fighting and may well have been involved. The pic may be a flipped transparency. I don't know if he was left-handed.
I knew about Grissom's lost knife, but not that it was recovered and restored.
I have written a fair amount about Randall knives and am credited in a major article about them on Wiki. I love them, and they represent a study of US history in steel. No brand has been more patronized by famous people. I didn't know about Charles Whitman having a Randall. But he is the only infamous man I know of to use one. Most are more virtuous, although King Farouk of Egypt might be controvesial. I think he had some, as did Faisal II of Iraq.
Thanks again for the great photos! I didn't know that Errol Flynn had one. That's a good photo of him on the yacht. BTW, he was Australian, born in Hobart. For some reason, his publicist put out a story that he was Irish. I read his book, "My Wicked,Wicked Ways" and a book by the mother of his young girlfriend, with whom he was involved at the time of his early death. An interesting man, and a fine actor.
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Texas Star
US Veteran
Just like S&W enthusiasts, Randall folks have their users and then there are the safe queens and picnic knives!
Are the handles of the Models 1 and 2 a wood called Pink Ivory and once reserved for spear shafts for Zulu kings?
Rick Bowles
Absent Comrade
Right you are! Pink Ivory wood, a sacred wood of Zulu chiefs in Southern Africa, has long been treasured as a rare wood. At one time, it was said to be rarer than diamonds. Legend states that the Zulu king would carry a staff as well as ornamental jewelry crafted from this wood. Any others caught possessing the wood of the Pink Ivory tree were to be punished by beheading. This included foreigners in their own country and abroad. Many have said that this legend was simply invented by the Africans to drive up the price of the wood as an export item, but that is unclear. It is a protected tree in South Africa, and only cut down by limited permit, making it one of the most rare and expensive woods in the world.
Do you know what the handle material is on my Skinner?
Rick
Texas Star
US Veteran
Right you are! Pink Ivory wood, a sacred wood of Zulu chiefs in Southern Africa, has long been treasured as a rare wood. At one time, it was said to be rarer than diamonds. Legend states that the Zulu king would carry a staff as well as ornamental jewelry crafted from this wood. Any others caught possessing the wood of the Pink Ivory tree were to be punished by beheading. This included foreigners in their own country and abroad. Many have said that this legend was simply invented by the Africans to drive up the price of the wood as an export item, but that is unclear. It is a protected tree in South Africa, and only cut down by limited permit, making it one of the most rare and expensive woods in the world.
Do you know what the handle material is on my Skinner?
Rick
Rick-
Going by the photo, no. Oosic? I've never actually seen any; just read about it.
Do you engrave as well as scrim? BTW, do you by chance know a scrimshander named Linda Karst? She may have a married name now. Does splendid wild cats and other African animals in particular. She's displayed at Safari Club International as well as at the Dallas Safari Club. Used to display at gun shows here at Market Hall. I haven't seen her in years. Hope she's still at it. Her business card used to show a very realistic lion's head on a dark green card. Astrological sign is Leo, hence her choice for the lion on the card.
Of course, I've admired your work, too, though we've never met. Like Randall knives, you're a bit of a legend, yourself.
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Rick Bowles
Absent Comrade
Though I don't get to see her often, I've known Linda and her excellent work for many years. Linda Karst is happily married to knife maker Mark Stone. Last I heard they were living in Texas.
Rick
Rick
We have been having a little knife show down at the rifle club every Monday morning. The other day one of the guys brought in a couple beautiful Randalls that belonged to his collection. He told us about the "custom shop" that you can have access to if you have bought more than a couple of knives. One of his knives is a custom Bowie that is about the most beautiful Randall I have ever seen, not exactly the most useful in that regard I like the Pathfinder, but truly a beautiful example of the Randall grind and finish, not to mention balance for a big knife. What knife guy can handle a Randall and not want one, I may make the move one day just to have that one very special knife. I like to to use my stuff and have gotten to the point where I'm not sure if I will ever hunt anything again but still like to carry a knife that could handle any hunting chore that came up.
Rick Bowles
Absent Comrade
I think someone was pulling your leg. There is no Randall "custom shop"...never has been regardless of the number of knives you've purchased. If Gary Randall makes anything for anyone he'll make it for everyone.
There are far too many counterfeit Randall knives on the market. As with unusual and collectable guns, buy the knife not the story.
Rick
OP, I feel your pain. They are like potato chips. I have a small collection to show. I do think Randalls are some of the best made knives in the world. Some are true works of art. My favorite is 25-5 .
Model 28 and Model 22
Model 27 and Sargent Model
Model 4-6 and Model 25-5
Model 28 and Model 22
Model 27 and Sargent Model
Model 4-6 and Model 25-5
BubbaBlades
Member
Just when you think that you've seen all of the Randall models something like the above shows up.
Rick B.,
I tried to respond to your private message two times but my "sent items folder" still shows "0". I had 2 RB Skinners and 4 other scrims. All have been sold.
Mark
OP
45Wheelgun
Member
There is a setting in the UserCP which "turns on" the save my sent messages in the sent folder. Also if you look at the options at the bottom of a PM entry form you will see a check box for "Save in Sent Messages Folder". You messages more than likely were sent and received.
Picked up two today...
Model 1 7" w/stag
and a "Bird and Trout" in stag....I think that's the model
forget the number.
Model 1 7" w/stag
and a "Bird and Trout" in stag....I think that's the model
forget the number.
OP
45Wheelgun
Member
That's Musk Ox horn, right?
Here is my sole Randall, a Model 14 CDT with a micarta Commando handle:
feralmerril
Absent Comrade
I have just one. Without rechecking I think it may be the model 22?
steveno
Member
the "bird & trout" knife is a #8 and stag is the standard handle material. I have sold several Randall's but the #8 was my first and that one ain't going anywhere.
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