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Randall #1

84K views 274 replies 37 participants last post by  cordell 
#1 ·
What does a Randall #1 go for these days? I met a guy at last gun show that told me Randalls son is now making his knives. Anyone have the sons knife? If so, opinion of the knife?
 
#2 ·
Depends on where you go to buy one! Figure anywhere from $450 to about $600, depending on blade length and options. The Wannemacher show in Tulsa has HUNDREDS(no exaggeration) of Randalls every show. Bo's son Gary took over operations in the late 70s, and as I recall, Gary's son is now taking charge. Randall's are what are referred to as bench-made knives these days. The blades are blanked on machines, and then ground and completed by hand. Randall has a number of employees who specialize in different aspects of the finishing, some do handles, some do polishing, etc. The days when you could count on getting a Randall knife actually made by a Randall, start to finish, have been gone since the late 60s, it was the only way to keep up with the demand.
 
#3 ·
........ Randall's are what are referred to as bench-made knives these days. The blades are blanked on machines, and then ground and completed by hand. Randall has a number of employees who specialize in different aspects of the finishing, some do handles, some do polishing, etc. The days when you could count on getting a Randall knife actually made by a Randall, start to finish, have been gone since the late 60s, it was the only way to keep up with the demand.
Respectfully, you are dead wrong. Randalls are not blanked on a machine. Never have been and likely never will be. They are hand forged from a piece of either O-1 or stainless.

http://www.randallknives.com/construction.php

Blanked on a machine..... Bo Randall is turning over in his grave at the the thought.....

PS....Randall ain't keeping up with demand either. Current waiting period is at 5 years. Ask me how I know.
 
#4 ·
One Randall type is not forged

The only type that is cut and ground from flat stock is the Model 10 Saltwater Fisherman. These used to be "in stock" knives at Randall, but now they are 60 months like all Randall knives.

All the other more famous models are forged. I have both types but my saltwater fishing models get the most use.
 
#70 · (Edited)
The only type that is cut and ground from flat stock is the Model 10 Saltwater Fisherman. These used to be "in stock" knives at Randall, but now they are 60 months like all Randall knives.

All the other more famous models are forged. I have both types but my saltwater fishing models get the most use.
The other Models not forged are the Model 24 Guardian and Model 9 Pro-Thrower, as well as the Model 10s of various length, all of this stated plainly in their catalog.....currently i believe the Guardian is ATS-34, the others being 440C-range......i say "range" as when talking to Gary and inquiring about whether they used variously quoted 440B or 440C for the big knives, he replied it would depend on what that particular lot essayed at.....high carbon 440B blends into the 440C range, and visa versa.....i would expect from that comment they order their steel in a carbon content range that straddles the arbitrary division between B and C.....not being a shop insider, this is hypothesis....but it would make sense when trying for that best balance between hardness and toughness...

Speaking of which, while not a metallurgist, it seems a simplistic half-way accurate way of explaining the advantages/disadvantages of 440C stainless versus O-1 would be to put it this way....the O-1 in barstock is about 30% tougher in resisting breakage using the Charpy Notch Test which uses a weighted pendulum axe against a known sized notch in a sample, while the 440C can be 30% harder and hold an edge better....this, of course, would vary depending on specific contents of specific lots, 440C covers a broad range....and forged in both cases should test a bit better versus barstock.

Also, when forging stainless, there is always the possibility hardening and non-staining elements might "clump" for lack of better non-technical explanation, in a manner quite beyond prediction due to variables beyond anyone's control, causing a weak spot in grain....only way to test for this would be to try to break each blade, which only ABS Journeyman/Master smiths SHOULD do to my knowledge.....this is where a good warranty such as Randall's steps in, i know of ONE guy who managed to break a stainless Model 14 Attack during heavy/non-abusive use, and Gary just wrote a nice letter explaining sometimes there can be flaws in stainless, and sent him a new knife no questions asked.

 
#5 ·
The popularity has grown and the war effort has backed them up. Even into the mid-90's and a little later you could call them up and get most of the basic knives (no specifying options) immediately. I think the first Model 1 that I got was in my hand within a week of ordering. Now? Yeah, a long, long wait if you can't find a dealer with what you want.
 
#6 ·
Lots of #1's on ebay, at all range of prices depending on options and wear.

Yes, I'm waiting until 2014 to get a Randall #5 I ordered custom back in 2009. Turns out I could have paid an extra $100 to a dealer to order it for me, and would have had the knife in six months.
 
#8 · (Edited)
Pricing depends mostly on the era of the knife.Just as any other collectable the age and rarity of the piece commands the price.A wide spacer 5 of World War II vintage will bring in the thousands while a 6 spacer knife of late 60's vintage or early 70's will fetch in the 800.00+. Type of handle(old yellow micarta in vintage spacer knife will command a premium,ect.ect.)Buying Randalls for investmant will demand some serious study just as Early SAA or Military 45's must be correct to justify a premium price. The sheath must match the vintage of the knife to be correct.New Randalls are a soft market right now.This is the time to buy new knives, while the Johnson Roughback sheath era knives and older vintage are holding rather steady in price. Own a piece of history buy a Randall!
 
#9 ·
sorry...

My bad, I should know better! The knives are forged, but they use air hammers, and specific sized blanks to minimize waste. And I stand by my comments on the knives being bench-made. Getting a Randall actually MADE by a Randall usually means buying used, not that that's a bad thing, you just have to know what you're looking for. The usual way to tell when a knife was made is the pattern, thickness, and color of the spacers used in the handles. I can't read 'em! In the case of the micarta handles, you might be able to tell by the stamp.

The wait period is a killer for some, but the knives are available. AG Russell has a decent selection, and dealers at the Tulsa shows seem to have no shortage of knives.
 
#11 ·
I like the #1 but not sure what to make of the leather washer handle.
anyway, I ordered a #2 with Micarta handle about four years ago and take delivery this november.
If i had gone through a dealer I would have gotten the knife in 6 months, but paid about 40% more.
plus I got my name on the blade and bragging rights that I got it straight from Randall.
 
#12 · (Edited)
Stacked leather handles are the way to go for a user knife. Gutting a deer you'll get blood on your hands and on the handle. Stag or any type of synthetic material gets slick when wet. But the leather handle just gets tacky and sticky when wet and will not slip out of your hands. All of my Randall users have a leather handle.

Some of mine....

 
#14 ·
Stacked leather handles are the way to go for a user knife. Gutting a deer you'll get blood on your hands and on the handle. Stag or any type of synthetic material gets slick when wet. But the leather handle just gets tacky and sticky when wet and will not slip out of your hands. All of my Randall users have a leather handle.
Nice knives, but the leather washers on my #3 got all twisted and out of alignment after some hard use. I was able to massage them back into place, but basically you can't beat on the butt if you have that handle. That's why I decided to change my custom order to a micarta handle.

Have you had this issue on your "user" Randalls?
 
#15 ·
The first year I used my model 3-5, the leather started to shrink and the washers got loose. I loosened the nut on the handle, realigned all of the washers and tightened the nut back down. Then I applied some leather conditioner, and now i do that about 2 times a year. Once in the fall when it goes into my bowhunting pack, then again in the spring after turkey season. I haven't had any problems since then and the knife is about 7 years old.

PS....when you tighten the nut back down, you may have a couple of threads exposed on the threaded stud coming up through the cap nut. Just grind the end of the stud back flush with the nut and you're back in business.
 
#16 ·
Have used Randalls forever it seems like. My model #1 was and is the one that I have with me when I need a knife. When I was young they were 125-150 dollars. Look up their cataloge on the web. I have never had a problem with the 7 inch blade. If I have some fine work to do I just choke up on the blade. Mine is an old micarta handle and it has seen better days. I have had it back at Randall's for reconditioning twice and replaced the sheath several years ago. I also like and use their Model #7 with a 4 1/2 blade. My nephew wouldn't leave home without his #3.

Never had an issue with a Randall Made Knife. If you are ever in the Orlando, Florida area you should stop in and visit them. Gary and Jason Randall are running the show and they are great people to talk to.

And if you need a knife for "going off to war", give them a call and talk to them about it. Bo Randall was known to take care of the Military and I believe they can work with you.
 
#18 ·
Carbon Steel for me. I like a blade that seasons into the gray color. On a wilderness canoe trip to the Boundry Waters I used cooking oil to protect the blade. I have waded a lot fly fishing and you have to clean carbon and oil it.

I find it is easier to sharpen on a stone, but with the sharpening systems out there you shouldn't have a problem.

I do have a custom made knife by E.H.Brown that is stainless and it seems harder to sharpen but once I get it sharp its really sharp.

A lot of people don't use their custom made knives. The Randalls like to see them used for the purpose they made them for. (And that's a qoute from Gary Randall.)
 
#19 · (Edited)
Firstly, to correct some expert opinions, they are entirely forged, and from flat barstock, whether by a hand powered hammer or otherwise makes no difference, a guy is standing there at the hammer and moving steel.....if you look at the construction details on their site, you can see the entire blade and tang is kneaded out of that thick bar of steel, including entire shape of blade to about the thickness of a nickle at the edge....a lot of metal getting moved around, which is what you want to gain the advantages of a forged blade....very little final "grinding" when scale still shows on a finished blade and mostly cosmetic polishing, as with Randalls....

As for getting one, you can get one by contacting one of several authorized dealers who charge only catalog price, generally in about 5mths...the 2012 price on a standard #1 is $375...get the same knife in stainless with micarta handle and stainless blade and much heavier tang as the #16-7 SP#1 for $405....compared to the ridiculous prices people are getting for stock removal name brand today, a Randall is a low-med priced knife, and benchmade unlike others, and an incredible bargain for that level of handwork.

they have never claimed to give you anything but the finest knife you can get for the money they charge, and they do that in spades...
 
#34 · (Edited)
First move, go to www.randallknives.com and order their free catalog which should arrive in a week....then study the model you are interested in and note available options, then study price list and add it all up....then read the following link...
http://lundestudio.com/RandallOrderingFAQ/ and do your own search on locating these guys....if you can't wait 5ths, AG Russell currently has a few 1-6s with O-1 blades for $100 over MSRP, and personally i think it one of their best, ....another one of their best being a micarta handled 5-6 done as a Bradford Angiers model (minus compass which is fragile and dumb next to that much ferrous metal)....both of those knives are almost a ka-bar, much flatter and only weigh about 8oz....the 1-6 should balance just behind guard, the 5-6 blade heavy out past guard.

What steel?...my experience contradicts most...my stainless holds an edge better and is very hard and rustproof, and not as tough as the O-1 for abuse....the O-1 rusts/stains easily, holds a great edge, and is a tougher steel for hard-use/abuse...pick what's important....

Randall seems to be catching up a bit on dealer orders, and stuff i ordered 3mths ago already came in, but that would depend on what was ordered.....

there was a question about why buy a Randall? they are a bargain for a benchmade knife with that kind of name recognition....what does a Loveless or Moran go for?....Bo didn't go the collector route and jack prices to thousands by the mid-70s as other names did, and still do......he kept them affordable for someone who wants one, and they still can get a deploying soldier a knife in a matter of weeks......sure, there can be better knives, an ABS Master blade reduced from 1" or larger stock into something 1/4" or less....you also pay $1000 or more for starters.....and there are similar outfits today who forge from smaller stock and charge similar prices as Randall, but lack the fame and resale value.....you get an excellent knife that often isn't even twice as much as other factory knives blanked and ground from barstock, and forged just looks and feels different....buy one and enjoy, you won't regret it, and their guarantee makes sure of that.

what makes them so collectible?.....generations of use and customer satisfaction, and into the 60's simply the finest knife money could buy...owned by the likes of Capt R. Reagan flying in WWII, as well as Bong, movie stars such as Errol Flynn constantly wore one, soldiers in combat with one writing about Italy that his Randall accounted for a large percentage of his 385 kills, Randall chosen to supply the first astronaut knife, the Rolex and Randall becoming synonymous with Green Beret in Vietnam, the choice of royalty worldwide in the 50's and 60's and beyond, and story after story after story....NOBODY else has that, or ever will

edited in PS regarding edge holding....widely quoted figure from Randall is O-1 holds an edge circa 10% better than stainless....such statements depend entirely on what the knife is used on....my uses have been everything from heavy vegetation, hard oak, dirty cargo net, rope and cargo strap, abrasive gritty cardboard, to kitchen duty slicing potatoes, tomatoes, meats and spreading mayo (all the latter stain O-1)...both steels generally require only stropping with strop charged with red rouge, but the O-1 sometimes requires a light several passes with finest ceramic stone or smooth steel prior to stropping while stainless generally requires no extra attention...
 
#23 ·
Here are Randall Made catalogs from 69 (small) 72 (tan) 78 (green). 69 has order confirmations, changes and change confirmation. Originally, cut teeth were included plus other standard features. Text Paper Font Paper product Document
Knife Tool Hunting knife Blade
Knife Bowie knife Hunting knife Dagger Blade


Blade width, interesting! Leather Antique


I own 17 (12 are early, late 60's and very early 70's all made when W. D. Randall ran the show, most S) many with extras ordered and include, original correct sheaths and stones. Only one, the Bushmaster has been professionally sharpened. Additionally, have paperwork for most orders.

Gotta love Randall Made knives
 

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#26 ·
I've never lost money on selling a Randall.

I have a Model 23 GameMaster with a large sambar stag handle that I once dropped and, of course, it landed on the tip. That night, I decided I'd try to work the tip with a stone to fix the damage before going to bed. I brought my Golden Retrievers in for the night, as usual, and before I turned out the lights I placed the Randall on the bedside table. Around 3:00 in the morning I woke up hearing a grinding noise. I turned on the light and my male Golden, Big Nate, was lying in the middle of the floor with the sambar "bone" in between his big paws knawing away.

The good news is that the next time I was in Orlando I dropped the knife off at the Randall shop and they made it good as new. Big Nate was the best dog I've ever had and I'll never sell that Randall.
 
#156 ·
I am replying to this just to have the story retold in above quote....great story....great dog.....2yrs ago i had to put my Mollie the Border Collie down, after 18yrs, my best friend who outlasted two wives....if i had a Randall like yours from her, i would be buried with that knife......
 
#29 ·
You can open a 55 gallon drum without screwing up the blade, if you need to. Reports of pilots' using one to exit a crashed chopper and numerous other stories. Designed for hand-to-hand combat but utilitarian as well. Additionally, Randall was not adverse to accepting constructive critism and design suggestions from those using his knives during WW II and probably more so during the Vietnam war/police action to make his knives better. I believe he accomplished his objective prior to his death in 1989 with his son continuing the tradition.
 
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