On Randall knives

hhmoore said:
I just priced out my 12-8... ordering it today, would be approx $850.Desert ironwood, single finger grip, nickel silver hilt & buttcap, forward curved hilt.
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Awesome knife, beautifully optioned.:thumbsup::)

My savings formula would give you $810-00 over a 4.5 year period.

Go ahead and order one and I will spot you the $40-00 difference when the payment is due!:D (I will put 75c aside each month!)
 
hhmoore said:
$10/week x 52 weeks = $520 yr x 4.5 yrs = $2340:eek:
That seems like a pretty significant price increase, even considering that its been 20 years since I ordered mine(;)). The $25/yr increase that you mentioned didn't sound too bad when I first read it...until I considered it in those terms. (Now I'm curious, and will have to actually go price out the knife I'd been thinking about for some time )
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$10 a week is just a goal. The reality is that some weeks you’ll forget some weeks you wont be able to afford it you might even have to dip into it for an emergency. You will have enough in the jar to buy the knife when it’s ready.

Some people buy a $4 coffee every day. They don’t realize that’s $1460 a year! Suddenly a $450 Randall doesn’t seem so extravagant.

@rpn made a good point in an earlier post about the quality of the sheath that comes with a Randall. AFAIK it’s about $100 sheath.
 
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I just reread my previous post. An errant comma changed the phrasing a bit. I own the pictured knife - just ran the numbers to see what it would cost today.
I have been toying with getting another, more usable, Randall... neither the 12-8 or 2-7 (also ironwood and nickel silver) are really suitable in my current world. Problem is, I don't know what I'll want. I could, conceivably, be 60 by the time it arrives.
 
scottyj said:
That means nothing to me. I didn't put my posts here to get caring from you people. My posts are from my experience with a handmade Randall Knife. I received a Randall knife from a Randall dealer that was garbage. It was an embarrassing example of a hand made knife. My dealer and Michael Randall's customer service sucks too. When someone buys a Randall knife they are just getting a name, and a crude example of a "classic" as you put it. Randall Knives are a classic case of caveat emptor, and they always will be.
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Scotty,
You're the person to whom Bo Randall would want to sell a knife. I'm sorry if you had a bad experience with Randall service but... no matter how flat you make a pancake it still has two sides. As an authorized Randall dealer for 40 years I would like to hear the rest of the story. What problem did you have, how did you present it (I have an idea) and what remedies were you offered.
 
hhmoore said:
...I have been toying with getting another, more usable, Randall... neither the 12-8 or 2-7 (also ironwood and nickel silver) are really suitable in my current world. Problem is, I don't know what I'll want. I could, conceivably, be 60 by the time it arrives.
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Aaahhh.... 60's nothing, wait until ordering one pushes the delivery date into your mid-70's. At that point, I would say look elsewhere. After 65 or so, think in terms of 5 year increments in terms of how you might feel and physical abilities. It isn't like when you're 40....
 
dryflytrout said:
As someone who has only recently become interested in knives, Randall's history is somewhat meaningless to me. I don't know their whole story. This is the story I see. A 5 year wait for a knife with a higher cost and lower quality steel. Yes it's handmade, but it's not handmade by the person who emails you and drops it off at the post office.

This probably won't be a popular opinion, but I'd rather that bladeHQ exclusive Bugout in 20CV shipped overnight for slightly more than half the cost of a Randall. Or many of the customs I see for sale from knifemakers here.
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Everyone is welcome to their own opinion. If you stick around long enough I suspect that some day you will look at this post and smile.
 
Rick Bowles said:
The rest of you that are bemoaning the current wait time may want to contact an authorized dealer. You can have the Randall you want in less that 12 months.
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Maybe I'm wrong; so I'll pose this as a question - can one place customized orders with an AD, and receive it in that time frame? Or are the options limited?

@eveled I'd want something I could, and would, carry. I bought the ones I have because they were what I like...I wasn't really carrying fixed blades much, back then, so that wasn't a concern; but I've always been drawn to them.
I actually looked at all the catalog & non-catalog when I was posting yesterday. Most of what might have worked for me was shown with stag handles, which don't generally appeal to me on fixed blades. I saw a few possibilities; but nothing I was eager to jump for. (And, realistically, it was still the ones I probably wouldn't carry that appealed to me the most)
 
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hhmoore said:
Maybe I'm wrong; so I'll pose this as a question - can one place customized orders with an AD, and receive it in that time frame? Or are the options limited?

@eveled I'd want something I could, and would, carry. I bought the ones I have because they were what I like...I wasn't really carrying fixed blades much, back then, so that wasn't a concern; but I've always been drawn to them.
I actually looked at all the catalog & non-catalog when I was posting yesterday. Most of what might have worked for me was shown with stag handles, which don't generally appeal to me on fixed blades. I saw a few possibilities; but nothing I was eager to jump for. (And, realistically, it was still the ones I probably wouldn't carry that appealed to me the most)
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You're correct. You can order any cataloged or non-cataloged knife with up to five chargeable options. Most of my dealer friends are delivering in 12 months at close to catalog prices. Additionally, if you are being deployed and furnish the shop with a copy of your orders, Randall has a group of fighters from which to choose that will be delivered to you in about 8 to 10 weeks!
PS. Due to the current troubles the shop will not have a price increase for 2021.
 
I did sort of like the 27 mini copper, mainly because I like copper... figured I'd end up contacting Randall Knives to see if I could order a copper hilt and buttcap on another model.
 
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hhmoore said:
I did sort of like the 27 mini copper, mainly because I like copper... figured I'd end up contacting Randall Knives to see if I could order a copper hilt and buttcap on another model.
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Let me save you a call. Copper hardware is only available on the Copper Mini #27 and the Copper Companion....nothing else.
 
So, I don't really understand this stuff about Randall Knives, but I would like to.

I'm digging some of their models (especially the no. 5), as well as the stag grips. And maybe the stacked leather ones, too.

I do have some reservations, though. First off, I'd like to actually use the knife. During holidays. During camping. Are they still good users?

Second: I'm left handed. I have seen in some video reviews that the handles are shaped for right-handed users. That would suck for me.

Third: I'm in the Netherlands and cannot have a knife that is sharpened on both sides. Do all their models have that?

Fourth: I'm in the Netherlands and with import costs, you can easily add 30 - 40% of the cost for the knife. Is it really worth it? Is the heat treat good enough to not notice that 440B?

(I could deal with a 12 month wait if I could get the knife I wanted from an authorized dealer. For the 5 year wait, the risk is too great that I will have moved on in tastes and life. )

What's so special about these knives that I would pay € 700 for a knife in 440B? How do I 'get it'? Can someone help me understand?
 
Lodd said:
So, I don't really understand this stuff about Randall Knives, but I would like to.

I'm digging some of their models (especially the no. 5), as well as the stag grips. And maybe the stacked leather ones, too.

I do have some reservations, though. First off, I'd like to actually use the knife. During holidays. During camping. Are they still good users?

Second: I'm left handed. I have seen in some video reviews that the handles are shaped for right-handed users. That would suck for me.

Third: I'm in the Netherlands and cannot have a knife that is sharpened on both sides. Do all their models have that?

Fourth: I'm in the Netherlands and with import costs, you can easily add 30 - 40% of the cost for the knife. Is it really worth it? Is the heat treat good enough to not notice that 440B?

(I could deal with a 12 month wait if I could get the knife I wanted from an authorized dealer. For the 5 year wait, the risk is too great that I will have moved on in tastes and life. )

What's so special about these knives that I would pay € 700 for a knife in 440B? How do I 'get it'? Can someone help me understand?
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They are definitely good users, they have all been constructed to be used, but have become functional pieces of art to some.

They are unique as they are all handmade, so no Model will ever have an identical twin.
I don't think the Model 5 has a sharpened swedge, so you should be ok. I'm sure you could probably request an unsharpened swedge if you were ordering a Model 1.
I think the 'handed handle' is for an additional option, so if you just got a plain stacked leather or Micarta handle it wouldn't be handed.
Everything I've read or heard about these knives is that over 80 years they have refined some original models and designs, so they are now optimised and are excellently balanced and very functional knives.
I was procrastinating until I got a very good deal on a Model 1. I have also decided to order another knife, which will work out cheaper than the distributor one, but take 5+ years.
I will definitely be using my Model 1.
 
Lodd said:
So, I don't really understand this stuff about Randall Knives, but I would like to.

I'm digging some of their models (especially the no. 5), as well as the stag grips. And maybe the stacked leather ones, too.

I do have some reservations, though. First off, I'd like to actually use the knife. During holidays. During camping. Are they still good users?

Second: I'm left handed. I have seen in some video reviews that the handles are shaped for right-handed users. That would suck for me.

Third: I'm in the Netherlands and cannot have a knife that is sharpened on both sides. Do all their models have that?

Fourth: I'm in the Netherlands and with import costs, you can easily add 30 - 40% of the cost for the knife. Is it really worth it? Is the heat treat good enough to not notice that 440B?
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The #5 is basically a #1 with no sharpened swedge, and no finger groove on the back of the blade.

The handles are neutral, unless you get something like stag (sometimes), but I'm sure they could pick a stag roll that would feel good for a left hand. For round handles with finger grooves, you simply tell them you're left handed when ordering.

Yes, they are good users, knife design hasn't drastically changed in a long time for outdoor knives. I'd even venture to say there are probably more Randall's being used for outdoor work than any other custom/small shop/handmade knife.

I won't touch on the steel thing, but I don't know, folks spend hundreds on knives made from all types of simple steels, but go crazy because a knife is 440b.
 
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