I finally ordered a Randall... now the wait...

VorpelSword said:
REgarding the familuy heirloom thing:

Our son brought a Randall #16-1 "Special Fighter" to Iraq in 2004. He also brought a Chris Reeve "Green Beret" knife. He carried each of them (separately) while outside the wire for extended periods of weeks at a time. These knives were either worn on a drop leg rig or strapped to his plate carrie. He saw action at both Fallujah and Ramadi.

When he deployed again, the Randall stayed home in a display case in his home office. The CRK went back on his plate carrier.

Both are considered to be weapons of war. One is a family heirloom in a shadow box. The other is a trusted tool in his go-bag.
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2 fine choices.20241118_161118.jpg20241118_160951.jpg
 
Back then, I had to get a "jump qualified" combat sheath for each of them. I had a local gunsmith bead blast the Randall to reduce glint in the desert. The upper false edge was sharpened in theater . . .so, an heirloom but not a collectable now.

The CRK was made in S30V which has been superceeded by a few other steels since. It is currently offered in Magnacut and another high alloy steel now I think.

One for the wall, one for the emergency bag.
 
The 16-1 is a heck of a knife. You get alot of knife for your money. Essentially an upgraded No1. You can’t really deviate much from it’s standard configuration, but it’s a heck of a knife.

I had one with all the finger grooves but sold it, My Buxton Fighter has the border patrol handle. I have one on order with a single finger groove. I have high hopes for the single finger groove IMG_1031.jpeg
 
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Regarding wait times: I think Randall is now 4-5 years. The Chris Reeve websice indicates abvout the same for direct orders and recommend that you shop with one of their dealers.

I found that CRK Green Beret at a Gunshop here in Houston, Collector's Firearms. It was in a display case with other premium knives.

This year I bought a CRK Sebenza (folder) from an authorized online dealer.

Randall Made knives are also available from dealers. I think that AG Russel is one.
 
Randall is currently quoting 6 years and my last one was late. It has been slowly getting longer so plan accordingly.

My next one I ordered in Dec 2018, they sent me notice it should be shipped in June 2025

On the plus side their communication is much better than it used to be.
 
eveled said:
Randall is currently quoting 6 years and my last one was late. It has been slowly getting longer so plan accordingly.

My next one I ordered in Dec 2018, they sent me notice it should be shipped in June 2025

On the plus side their communication is much better than it used to be.
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I was told April 2031 at order... even later would be a bummer...
 
In my experience a couple months before the due date you will either get an invoice or a new date. All of mine were early except for the last one and the next one.

I have been happy with the quality which is more important to me than the wait.

Your knife will be worth the wait. Just try to forget about it for now.
 
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eveled said:
The 16-1 is a heck of a knife. You get alot of knife for your money. Essentially an upgraded No1. You can’t really deviate much from it’s standard configuration, but it’s a heck of a knife.

I had one with all the finger grooves but sold it, My Buxton Fighter has the border patrol handle. I have one on order with a single finger groove. I have high hopes for the single finger groove View attachment 2714668
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Agreed. This is the most rugged of Randall's practical "combat" knives.


Our son has been out of the Corps for years now. If I were doing it again, that is , buying a Randall combat knife for a warfighter about to go into harm's way, I would order the Randall with the sawtooth grind, but no saw teeth. . . .because it looks so butch.

Regardless of 80 plus years of combat history, it is my feeling that the hidden intern tang construction of most of the Randall military oriented knives is less strong than the hefty tang design of the #16 "series Divers Knife" or the #1 profiled "Special Fighter"
 
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VorpelSword said:
Agreed. This is the most rugged of Randall's practical "combat" knives.


Our son has been out of the Corps for years now. If I were doing it again, that is , buying a Randall combat knife for a warfighter about to go into harm's way, I would order the Randall with the sawtooth grind, but no saw teeth. . . .because it looks so butch.

Regardless of 80 plus years of combat history, it is my feeling that the hidden intern tang construction of most of the Randall military oriented knives is less strong than the hefty tang design of the #16 "series Divers Knife" or the #1 profiled "Special Fighter"
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Definitely stronger, but the balance is off. Just a little.

There is only one picture on the internet that I have found of a broken tang on a Randall model 1. Forged and rounded corners and good heat treat all make a difference.
 
eveled said:
Definitely stronger, but the balance is off. Just a little.

There is only one picture on the internet that I have found of a broken tang on a Randall model 1. Forged and rounded corners and good heat treat all make a difference.
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Granted: Reputation of quality in construction, design and execution were why I made Randall my first uninformed choice.

At the time, I was not looking for a family heirloom or something to top what my hunting buddy had. With deep anxiety, and looking several years ahead, was attempting to get something for our only son that might help to bring him home intact. Not really knowing, I shopped by reputation and settled on Randall. The few hundred bucks it cost was not a major concern. Rugged quality was. I could (and would) have bought about any knife but an original Moran or Loveless. I actually did look at a copy (replica?) of the Loveless double hilt fighter in Damascus. I opted out of Randasll's options for flashy stag and potentially less durable stacked leather. I avoided options for a brass estuation with engraved initials. I selected nickle silver fittings for corrosion resistance and so on. Any of this is open to criticism of course, but that is where my head was back in the opening years of the Global War on Terror.

As I said, narrow hidden tang construction, as done by Randall Made, has over eighty years of history as an adequate and serviceable design for a frontline warfighter in in any active war zone. I was looking for whatever was as good as I could get.

The CRK Breen Beret has a full tang (the Randall actually does not) and the Micarta scales are replaceable. That is the knife that went on his plate carrier for the next deployment.
 
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Ordered a catalog over the weekend after reading this thread, it arrived yesterday somehow, that’s incredible shipping time, 1-2 weekend days. So at least after the 7yr wait for the knife you can rest assured they will ship it to you with blistering speed.
 
VorpelSword said:
GRanted: At the time, I was not looking for a family heirloom or something to top what my hunting buddy had. With deep anxiety, and looking several years ahead, was attempting to get something for our only son thaqt might help to bring him home intact. Not really knowing, I shopped by reputation and settled on Randall. The few hundred bucks it cost was not a major concern. Rugged quality was. I opted out of options for flashy stag and potentially less durable stacked leather. I avoided options for an brass eustation with engraved initials. I selected nickle silver fittings for corrosion resistance and so on. Any of this is open to criticism of course, but that is where my head was back in the opening years of the Global War on Terror.

As I said, narrow hidden tang construction has over eighty years of history as a adequate and serviceable design in any active war zone. I was looking for whatever was as good as I could get. The CRK Breen Beret has a full tang (the Randall does not, actually) and the Micarta scales are replaceable. That is the knife that went on the next deployment.
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I cannot imagine the stress of sending a son or daughter into harms way. I’m sure it was a comfort to be sending him with a good knife. A small comfort, but one with strong symbolism. Only the best is good enough in that scenario. You’re a good Dad.
 
^^^

Listen to this song from Les Misérables. It comes close to what we went through at home.


Regarding the Randall and the CRK knives, I have written about that here on this foru in the past.

But this thread is not about me, our son or the kn ives he took to Iraq.

This is a thread about the OP's joy in anticipating the still far off arrival of his own Randall Made knife. I wish him more joy when it finally does come.
 
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