Are randall knives still?

Didnt know he was dead. so why do they cost so much now if they arent made by him, Is it even custom anymore?
 
Originally posted by DgrantD
Didnt know he was dead. so why do they cost so much now if they arent made by him, Is it even custom anymore?

AFAIK, no, they are production made.

EDIT: This is from the Randall website

W. D. "Bo" Randall passed away December 25, 1989 at his home after visiting with all his family earlier in the day.
 
Bo Randall had people working for him making the knives since probably around 1940 or so. While Randall's have always been "handmade" they have not been strictly custom since the very beginning. His son Gary Randall was running the company long before Bo died and Gary's son will probably be running it pretty soon.

However, with all that said, they are still some of the best made, heavy duty, and yes, "handmade"(though not neccessarily by just one set of hands) knives out there. They command the price they do because they are good knives and in demand.
 
Well said Lifter.

Randall knives have always been handmade, except for the "Springfield" Randall made in WWII and the Solingen Randalls made during Vietnam.

From the beginning in 1938 Randall has employed makers in their shop (12 - 15) sometimes there is a Randall amoung them, as Bo was in the begining and as there is now with Jason.

A. G. Russell
 
Just one more point. Even if it is "production", most of the line still has each blade forged to shape. Not done with the stock removal process that "custom" makers use to make their knives. For the amount of hand labor involved, Randalls are still some of the best user knives for the money, compared to what custom makers, who forge their knives, charges.
 
I visited the factory about 20 years ago while on a visit to Orlando (guess where??:D ) and it struck me at the time as a small production operation with a very skilled crew of technicians that seemed highly trained in each of their respective part of the operation.

The end result has been the production of extremely high quality knives that may not be strictly what we would consider "custom", but are, nevertheless, high-end "near custom" in quality.
 
I have a #14 O-1, and I'd buy the #1-8 O-1 if it wasn't for the extremely long waiting time now.
 
Here's something about Randall's some dont know. They have the best layaway plan in the business. Put down $20 when you order, then during the time you wait, you can send them whatever amount a month you want or even skip months as long as it's paid for when they told you it would be ready. If you change your mind at anytime up to the due date, they will refund your money. How can you beat that?
 
Another little trick about Randall. They don't advertise, and not every order gets delivered. So, every now and then, give them a call and see what they have in stock. Picked up two of my Randalls this way. Picked up another when I visited the Orange grove of a factory. It was a weird sensation buying a Randall over the counter at Randall.....
 
Originally posted by tonyccw
Just one more point. Even if it is "production", most of the line still has each blade forged to shape. Not done with the stock removal process that "custom" makers use to make their knives. For the amount of hand labor involved, Randalls are still some of the best user knives for the money, compared to what custom makers, who forge their knives, charges.

They forge them!? That suprises me a lot! :eek:
 
They ares till made by (run by) the family and their employees. Much as from the beginning, except of course Bo has been gone for quite some time.
 
And ask...but Randall fans and collectors know that Gary Randall had effectively taken over the Randall operation before Bo died...Gary's son, Jason has apprenticed there for years and forges many of the big blades (bowies)....I've been bemused by the insistance among the "purist" knife guys who state emphatically that RandallMade knives aren't "custom" knives...that they are "production"...and I know that those who've been the founders of the BF have the final say-so...after all, the site belongs to them! But how in the hell can a knife be production if there are no "jigs", no molds....and each one is made by hand (of course nowadays "by hand" has many connotations).
No two Randalls are alike....I recently had two Model 19's made...each with different "hardware" and handle materials....and while they appear quite similar to the unpracticed eye...and while they are easily recognizable to the Randall folks as a Bushmaster...they are distinctly different...And keep this in mind, I know of no Randall collector who has ever lost money if he ordered the Randall thru the shop (or authorized dealer)...buy it today...sell it today for more than you paid...how many makers will that apply to?:confused:
 
Randall knives are and have been for twenty years made under the supervision Gary Randall. Bo Randall died a few years ago and Gary is now in charge. 48harley
 
It is my opinion that Randall knives are actually a bargain. They are not cheap, but they are also definitely not overpriced. If they were there would not be a wait of almost four years to get one.

As to whether they are custom knives, not by the accepted definitions, but you know what? It really doesn't matter. They are damn good knives. In fact, they are better than a lot of the custom knives out there. Just because it is custom doesn't necessarily mean that it is good.

A little bit of a correction to something posted above. Randall knives are not forged to shape. The are rough forged to the general shape of a blade and then are ground to shape.
 
IMHO, some of the best blades i've ever handled. I really feel you can rely on these knives for whatever purpose you need of them, and i think aesthetically, they're very nice, too.

I recommend them to all my friends who are looking for a less expensive handmade blade.

Respects, Guro Jeff
 
I know several of the people who work for Randall or have worked there,and they are extremely talented.Anyone there could probably become a knifemaker on their own.Greg Gutcher, the sheathmaker is one of the best I've ever seen.While the rules of the Guild and others may call these guys production versus custom because of the number of people touching them, I will still think of Randall's as custom.Dave:)
 
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