IDing A RKSA Year?

[polish avenger]

Sooooooo....bought my first Randall last night. A guy about an hour away from me listed his knife on Craigslist as a Pathfinder. Cost was $300. I thought that was an okay deal, but I immediately noticed that it really didn't look like a Pathfinder since it had a different blade grind, a double guard and a sheath with a stone pocket. Anyway, when I get to his house, it seems that he forgot to mention the blade engraving..."RKSA 875/1433". Well, I immediately put all thoughts aside of offering him $280, and tried to keep from needing a hanky to clean up the threatening drool puddle forming in my mouth. My question is...is there a way to tell when this little gem was made?
Thanks for any help y'all can be.
-Mark

 

[cut_n_run]

Sounds like it may be the RKSA-1 (the first of the 5 RKS knives). Only 2 of the 5 RKS knives had double hilts, and one of those
was MUCH larger than a Pathfinder.
875/1433 means knife serial number 875, and RKS member number 1433.
564 of the 1000 RKSA-1 knives had stag handles, brass butt plate, and brown sheath.
436 of them had black micarta handles, smooth brass coolie butt cap, and black sheath.
All had a 5" tool steel blade, brass double hilt, and brass and blue spacers.
The first of the RKSA-1 knives were delivered in 1991.
-Steve

 

[Samael]

RKSA-1s were made from 1991 to 1993. And no, it shouldn't look like a Pathfinder. It should look a lot like a Combat Companion, as a matter of fact. Nice catch.

 

[polish avenger]

Thanks a heap for the info! Got lucky with this one.
-Mark

 

[Melvin-Purvis]

Mark, pictors...or it didn't happen.

 

[polish avenger]

You are, of course, correct sir. Been forever since I've posted pics. Let's see if this works.

Hmmmm....like my wife once told me..that's not the size I expected it to be.

 

[polish avenger]

Let's give her one more shot.

 

[Melvin-Purvis]

Great purchase of an RKSA first club knife, you did well! :thumbup: