Dating A Randall Model 1 - Verify What ChatGPT Told me

[mikiekimi]

Per ChatGPT, this is a white linen micarta (Ivorite) Model 1 made in 1974/1975. These are the pics I provided to AI to date the knife. Looking for verification from the experts

 

[Mick Boardman]

The stone is one of the old ones, and I would ask Randall to try and date this knife. I don’t see any color bands normally associated with dating a Randall build. I wonder what chat based its answer on?

 

[mikiekimi]

Here is the summary:

Production Window

All features overlap cleanly in 1974 – 1975, possibly extending into early 1976 if the knife sat in shop stock before sale.

Summary

Your Randall Made Knives Model 1-7:

• Made: Circa 1974–1975
• Blade: Stainless steel, “FL” + “S” stamp
• Handle: Ivorite (linen micarta), early batch with visible weave
• Sheath: Johnson roughback, double-diamond “ORLANDO, FLA” stamp, “Randall Made” logo snaps, green leg tie
• Stone: Norton “Fine India Made in U.S.A.”, single-line

This is a desirable mid-1970s transitional example, with all-original period-correct components.

Here are the details:

Feature	Date Range Known	Notes

Blade stamp: “ORLANDO, FL” + separate “S”

Late 1972 – late 1970s

“FL” (not “FLA”) began late ’72. Stainless “S” separate from logo common through ’70s.

Handle: White Ivorite (linen micarta)

~1972 – early 1980s

Your warm cream tone & visible weave are early- to mid-’70s batches.

Sheath stamp: Double diamond “ORLANDO, FLA”

~1972 – mid-1970s

Johnson used “FLA” die for years after blade stamp switched to “FL.” Common overlap mid-’70s.

Snaps: “Randall Made” logo

1972 onward

First appeared ~1972–73, always Johnson.

Leg tie: Factory green cord

1973 onward (Model 1)

Became standard mid-’70s on fighting/tactical models.

Stone: Single-line “Fine India Made in U.S.A.”

~1974 – 1976

Norton changed from 2-line to single-line ~’74, matches your stone exactly.

ChatGPT thinks it is a roughback sheath (which it is obviously not). I came across a site that discusses dating a knife based on the stone (and number of text lines) but naturally I cannot find it now

I personally think it's newer production, but I thought it would be a cool exercise to see how close AI gets (if it's really possible to definitively say).

 

[mikiekimi]

The stone is one of the old ones, and I would ask Randall to try and date this knife. I don’t see any color bands normally associated with dating a Randall build. I wonder what chat based its answer on?

I'll reach out and see if they're willing to ballpark a mfg date. To me, the 'dot matrix' print on the stone would seem to put this in the 80s or later.

 

[Sphinx3000]

The FL stamp is first used in 1984/85 and only on stainless Randall's. It is still used today together with the FLA stamp. The sheath has Randall Made with a knife on the snap. That type of modern sheath in combination with this snap was used from 1995/1996. There is no way the blade was made in the seventies. It is a beautiful Randall by the way!

 

[mikiekimi]

The FL stamp is first used in 1984/85 and only on stainless Randall's. It is still used today together with the FLA stamp. The sheath has Randall Made with a knife on the snap. That type of modern sheath in combination with this snap was used from 1995/1996. There is no way the blade was made in the seventies. It is a beautiful Randall by the way!

Thanks for the info!

 

[tunefink]

Your sheath is a post 1995 Sullivan made with logo snaps. In 1975 sheaths were being provided by Johnson and used a smooth snap, no logo. White micarta was introduced after Westinghouse old yellow and Antique Gold Micarta became unavailable....... that was in the early 2000's I think.