How tough are Randall knives?

As I said earlier, my Randall knives are working knives. How many dead animals have I got to cut up, before it dawns on me that the Randall #11 has processed every one of them with zero issues, before I realize that it's a damn good knife? I have hunting knives with 'better' steel than Randall's O1, but I don't believe they do the work any more satisfactorily.
 
lobo9er said:
440B stainless or 01 Carbon, 5 year wait, $400+ cost... Just out of curiosity and conversation sake... if it didn't say Randall would any one here wait in line for a knife with that description?
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Sure you can wait........but why? There are enough authorized dealers out there with a nice variety that you can have a brand new Randall in a matter of days. Do a little searching, and you can find pretty much exactly what model you want. Unless you want/need to have a knife made to YOUR exact specs there's no need to wait.
 
Has there even ever been a destruction test of one, or anyone who has cut 3 hours worth of wood with one? In the years I have browsed this forum, I think there is only two reviews of moderate use. Does anyone really know, with the same people posting the few pics of these knives posing. No hard use videos of any kind.


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It just depends on "how hard" a use you're talking about. You can break any knife if you try. I am not going to use any reduced size tang knife really hard unless it is in a life or death situation. I treat my Blackjack 125 the same way.
 
22-rimfire said:
It just depends on "how hard" a use you're talking about. You can break any knife if you try. I am not going to use any reduced size tang knife really hard unless it is in a life or death situation. I treat my Blackjack 125 the same way.
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My point exactly. They are not hard use knives. Most are kept pretty for the next owner. That's cool, nothing wrong with it. Some just like to pretend on here.
 
If they radiused the tang/blade junction, it would eliminate a stress-riser. Still, "hard use" for what? Cutting?
 
In 1970 I was getting ready to go back to Vietnam for my fourth tour and bought a Model 14 Stainless, from Van Sickle (?) a dealer in Texas that you could get the knife from right away with about a 25% mark up. I carried that Model 14 for the next 21 years, a tour in Vietnam, in the Philippines, Thailand, Okinawa, and the British Army Jungle warfare school in Brunei. I spent about 5 years on a Scuba Team (pre-Combat Diver) and swam it in salt water and fresh water, did 12 + Winter Warfare Exercises, at least one down to -40 degrees C/F, multiple parachute jumps, exercises in Germany and Italy and all over the USA. In 1988 I had custom knife maker Wayne Goddard, put a new handle on the knife as I never was completely satisfied with the finger grip handle it came with, carried it for three more years like that. I used that Model 14 to do whatever needed to be done, and it is still ready to go to the field. Not sure if that constitutes "Hard Use" but so what, it did it's job in the field for 21 years, so it was tough enough for me. John
 
I dont know how many commenting have actually handled one but I was skeptical of thin-tanged knives. Still am for some. But at a knife & gun show I finally got to personally handle a bunch of Randalls and came away very impressed with them. They exude quality and Ive no doubt they are up to all but the most extreme tasks.
Id love one or more but still too cost prohibitive at this time.
 
Final Option said:
I purchased a Model 14 many years ago and have carried and used it from cutting myself free from a tangled rope under the belly of a Huey to setting snares. Now the most action it sees is sharpening tomato stakes for my garden and extended camping trips. Are there better built knives, sure however a Knife company does't stay in existence for 83 years producing just okay knives. From WW2, Korea, Vietnam, Granada, Panama, Dessert Storm and other shit holes our brave men have fought in and will continue to fight, Randall Knives have been carried.
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I agree with this. The one knife that has stood the test for me is a Randall #1 I carried as a Scout Plt Sgt and gave my son when he was in B 1 505. It is covered by a patina of rust from many days in the wet of panama, Ft. Richardson, and Korea but retains it's sharpness. The one thing we should replace is the leather grip. So I advise folks getting a new one to go with one of the more modern handles.
For those of you worried about the cost go to Nordic and pay off in time payments. In a few months you will have a multi-lifetime weapon.
 
threefeathers said:
I agree with this. The one knife that has stood the test for me is a Randall #1 I carried as a Scout Plt Sgt and gave my son when he was in B 1 505. It is covered by a patina of rust from many days in the wet of panama, Ft. Richardson, and Korea but retains it's sharpness. The one thing we should replace is the leather grip. So I advise folks getting a new one to go with one of the more modern handles.
For those of you worried about the cost go to Nordic and pay off in time payments. In a few months you will have a multi-lifetime weapon.
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Threefeathers thank you for the tip about Nordic knives. I just found a sweet Model 18 (5 1/2") there and placed an order.
 
threefeathers said:
In a few months you will have a multi-lifetime weapon.
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Your Randall certainly has history.

I agree if you want a weapon. I guess in the back of our minds, we're all Rambo's. I bought the fighters, Randalls and others, back in the mid-80's. You know we all need a survival knife, right? Well, after a few years passed I came to the realization that I am not knife fighter and have no interest in such. The fighters became novelty items to me that I look at from time to time and giggle. I even have a Blackjack 1-7 which is essentially a fighter that i purchased a couple years ago, so these thoughts do not pass quickly. My favorite Randall is the Jack Crider Special.
 
Randalls are plenty tough and they have a proven track record.

I would most certainly not feel 'under gunned' with a Randall.

Fakeducci said:
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Anything can be broken and even Randall can have a QC fail.

But that stand alone pic means exactly diddly without a valid explanation, as to why it broke.

Truth be told, the blade looks spotless - for all we know, someone put a knife in a padded vise and whacked the handle sideways. We dont know. Could be QC fail, could be abuse, could be pure bull.
 
John A. Larsen said:
In 1970 I was getting ready to go back to Vietnam for my fourth tour and bought a Model 14 Stainless, from Van Sickle (?) a dealer in Texas that you could get the knife from right away with about a 25% mark up. I carried that Model 14 for the next 21 years, a tour in Vietnam, in the Philippines, Thailand, Okinawa, and the British Army Jungle warfare school in Brunei. I spent about 5 years on a Scuba Team (pre-Combat Diver) and swam it in salt water and fresh water, did 12 + Winter Warfare Exercises, at least one down to -40 degrees C/F, multiple parachute jumps, exercises in Germany and Italy and all over the USA. In 1988 I had custom knife maker Wayne Goddard, put a new handle on the knife as I never was completely satisfied with the finger grip handle it came with, carried it for three more years like that. I used that Model 14 to do whatever needed to be done, and it is still ready to go to the field. Not sure if that constitutes "Hard Use" but so what, it did it's job in the field for 21 years, so it was tough enough for me. John
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Thank you MR Larsen!
 
Anything can be broken. But lets look at the facts:

1. Mostly Stick tangs with harsh transitions which can be serious stress risers
2. Mostly leather stack handles, not always though.
3. Mediocre steel. Mostly 440B or C. This is not a tough steel by any measure.
4. Use of low sabre grind to make up for weak steel.
5. Use of weak hollow grind to make up for low sabre grind.

Lots of compromises. I like their looks and someday I want to own one. But I know they will not take severe use, like lots of heavy wood work, using a baton or extended chopping.
 
John A. Larsen said:
In 1970 I was getting ready to go back to Vietnam for my fourth tour and bought a Model 14 Stainless, from Van Sickle (?) a dealer in Texas that you could get the knife from right away with about a 25% mark up. I carried that Model 14 for the next 21 years, a tour in Vietnam, in the Philippines, Thailand, Okinawa, and the British Army Jungle warfare school in Brunei. I spent about 5 years on a Scuba Team (pre-Combat Diver) and swam it in salt water and fresh water, did 12 + Winter Warfare Exercises, at least one down to -40 degrees C/F, multiple parachute jumps, exercises in Germany and Italy and all over the USA. In 1988 I had custom knife maker Wayne Goddard, put a new handle on the knife as I never was completely satisfied with the finger grip handle it came with, carried it for three more years like that. I used that Model 14 to do whatever needed to be done, and it is still ready to go to the field. Not sure if that constitutes "Hard Use" but so what, it did it's job in the field for 21 years, so it was tough enough for me. John
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Cold hard empirical evidence harvested in the field talks, blue sky theories walks.
 
BladeScout said:
Cold hard empirical evidence harvested in the field talks, blue sky theories walks.
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From 1970 using probably O-1 hot rolled steel forged. A little different from the use of 440b.

Empirical evidence that is 40 years old isn't very useful in an industry where many things have changed to include steel.
 
The question was "How tough are Randall knives?"

John A. Larsen said:
In 1970 I was getting ready to go back to Vietnam for my fourth tour and bought a Model 14 Stainless, from Van Sickle (?) a dealer in Texas that you could get the knife from right away with about a 25% mark up. I carried that Model 14 for the next 21 years, a tour in Vietnam, in the Philippines, Thailand, Okinawa, and the British Army Jungle warfare school in Brunei. I spent about 5 years on a Scuba Team (pre-Combat Diver) and swam it in salt water and fresh water, did 12 + Winter Warfare Exercises, at least one down to -40 degrees C/F, multiple parachute jumps, exercises in Germany and Italy and all over the USA. In 1988 I had custom knife maker Wayne Goddard, put a new handle on the knife as I never was completely satisfied with the finger grip handle it came with, carried it for three more years like that. I used that Model 14 to do whatever needed to be done, and it is still ready to go to the field. Not sure if that constitutes "Hard Use" but so what, it did it's job in the field for 21 years, so it was tough enough for me. John
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That tough.
 
Pontiac made some great cars once, then they made the Aztec.

Is there any actual videos of Randalls doing really hard work? Can they even match an Esee in toughness? Can they match a Cold Steel blade in toughness? Is there any proof anywhere in a video? Or legit testing by legit testers?
 
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