How do Randalls stack up these days?

[ichor]

Once one of the best knives available, how do Randall Knives stack up, value-wise, against the vast array of the similarly priced knives
available today?

John in Boise, who still has that mid-70's Randall #1

 

[DaveH]

Hmm, have to define the question better.

In terms of pure performance there are probably a number of knives close to, as good as, or better for the same price.

In terms of collector desireability, value holding, and other difficult to define reasons maybe not.

 

[ichor]

Originally posted by DaveH
Hmm, have to define the question better.

In terms of pure performance there are probably a number of knives close to, as good as, or better for the same price.

In terms of collector desireability, value holding, and other difficult to define reasons maybe not.

My only concern with knives is performance (OK, I like them to be nice to look at too).

I'm not looking for collector's prices, just how would this knife perform in the field compared to other knives that cost the same, new, in today's market (paid 90 bucks for a #1 in the late 70's and don't know what they cost new). If there are similarly priced knives that are "close to, as good as, or better for the same price" can you give examples, in your opinion, that fit all of these three catagoris? That is, close to, as good as, or better.

John in Boise

John in boise

 

[DaveH]

So either to compare we have to do the following:

A) Correct your 90 - 1970 dollars to some number of 2002 dollars and see what's currently available for that amount.

Or

B) You take the price of a Randall now, and compare what else is avaliable now for the same price.

My guess is both of those methods probably end up at approximately $300. And I would guess your Randall is plain carbon steel.

So given that would mean a pretty large fixed blade selections:

Many Chris Reeve models
Old and New Marbles
Old and New Black Jack
Mad Dog
Traci Rinaldi
Busse

That's just a few I can name without doing any research. It's probably hard to have enough data to say for sure. So I'll backtrack and say I would imagine many of these knives would be similar in performance to yours.

 

[Warthog]

My only concern with knives is performance

If raw performance is your desire, a Busse Battle Mistress is your answer.

Even though there are comparable knives, I would still like a Randall...the history of it, the looks and the quality.

Warthog

 

[MelancholyMutt]

will always have a greater mystique and better percieved performance than any other knife...

Under 3 bills for most Randalls is a great deal, but if you get it from a reseller or collector, in my opinion, the deal gets less and less attractive.