Another question about Randalls, with photo

A

allankidd

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Jan 7, 2007
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I’m new to Randall knives. I only started getting interested in them earlier this year. So please bear with me, I have a couple of question:

What is the deal with miniatures? For example, I see Model 25's for about $600 on eBay, and miniature Model 25's for sometimes more than twice as much.

Why are the miniatures more expensive? Are they harder to make?

Then I was looking at 2 of my new Randalls, a Model 25 and a Model 26, both with nickel silver hilts and butt caps. Look at the blades, very similar shape. If I didn’t know the smaller one was a 26, I would think it was a miniature 25, at half the price of a miniature!

Does any else agree with me that the 26 looks like a miniature 25? And if so, why would anyone pay twice as much for a miniature 25?

Regards,
Allan
 

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HI Allan,

This is the custom knife forum. Randall's are not custom knives. I suspect somewhere in the factory/production knife forums you questions would find answers.

Good Hunting.
 
Allan,
The Model 25 "Trapper" comes in two blade lengths, 5" and 6". The Model 26 "Pathfinder" comes only with a 4" blade. The grinds on the on both are very similar. The model 26 only comes in stainless and model 25's come in carbon or stainless. You also have a choice with different handles on a Model 26 but, there is only one handle style for a Model 25.

The miniature Model 25 has a 3 1/2" stainless blade. The mini 25 was one run of 1500 and all are serial numbered. The mini's were produced as a collectable, not really a user. They really got hot a few years ago and at one time they were bringing around $1,400.00 or so. The market is a bit off now and they are bringing around $1,100.00. I have seen a few people carry the mini but, you would need a very small hand, the handle is only 3" long. All of the mini's are stainless as well.

Prices will vary on Model 25's and 26's because of the options. I noticed you said that your Model 25 and 26 had nickel silver butt caps, that is a $50.00 option. Most Randalls sold on ebay go for around 35% over catalog price. The mini's go for for well more that that just because their were only the 1,500 prouduced. Hope this helps...
 
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Perry,
Yes, your explanation helps, thank you. Now I get it, rarity value. I will skip the miniatures. I have rather large hands anyway! - Allan
 
Allan,

Perry's explaination was good, but the answer as to why are Randall miniatures so expensive actually runs a little deeper still...it's still supply and demand of course, but with a twist...

Starting sometime in the early 1950's, as a hobby, and continuing on until possibly the very early 1970's, W.D. 'Bo' Randall made miniature versions of his knives and gifted them to friends - some of these knives were fairly roughly made, almost toy like. Yet, to have a miniature Randall knife back then was 'to know Bo'...which was a really big deal for a lot of collectors.

Gary Randall, prior to purchasing the shop, and during the almost ten year transition period therein, also made miniature knife versions. Not all the models were made, and in some cases just a few of any given model were made - these were true miniature knives, but all in all, maybe only a hundred or so of this style of miniature knife were made in total...

Most known authentic examples of the miniature knives made by Bo and Gary (and a few select shop workers) during these periods reside either at the Randall Shop, or in the collections of just a very few advanced Randall collectors...thus, they are very hard to come by, and as such highly prone to counterfeiting...(beware/beware/beware)

The miniature Model #18 knife was made for a longer period of time than any of the others, and prior to the release of the miniature Model #25, in a larger quantity at roughly 300/350 made...but, there are different versions about; the oldest versions, from the early 1970's, IMO, being the better knives to own - based in part on the sheath type supplied, a miniature 'C' model...

With regards to the mini Model #25 - there were enough handle variations, stag, dyed stag, smooth stag, Ivory, etc. to make the knife interesting enough to collect. As to the models that followed, well, that's a different story...

You mentioned that the mini #25 looks a lot like a #26 with a #25 handle - yes, at first glance they do. There's another head-turner variation that I saw down in New Mexico last October - a shop error limited to just a handful of knives, a Model #26 with both #25 handle and (swedged blade spine) blade grind. Uber-cool, I'll own that knife someday... ;)

Hope that helps,

Shel

I once asked Pete Hamiliton, former Randall Shop foreman, how many of the miniature Model #18's were made over the course of their entire production run. His reply, paraphrased, was something like "Oh, I don't know, 300, maybe 350". I've since heard from other sources that fewer were actually made - but, I can only go with what Pete told me...
 
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Shel,

Thank you for that further explanation. Good luck getting that special #26! Please do post with a pic when it happens.

Allan
 
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