Recommendation? Randall 128 Bowie, never handled in decades but dirty.

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Elkamin

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May 8, 2023
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Hello everyone. Glad to have found this great site. I’m a new member here with a question. We just unearthed a trove of special knives kept in a box in the humid Florida garage for DECADES but don’t know much about collectors knives. There are two Randalls, a Buck 184, a WWII machete and other heavy old daggers and fighting knives with interesting markings. My question is related to the Randall 128 Bowie. It has the leather stack and brass hilt, the leather and all metals are new and intact but in need of attention, the blade has a dullness in spots but no scratches or any signs of use, and the brass hilt is tarnished. Question is, would l ruin the value by polishing (flitz) the metal? Edge is untouched, never sharpened and the sheath and honing stone intact and original but there’s some light white mold and dryness. I’m not able to post the pics l took of it, however. Kinda old fashioned here.
Any information would be greatly appreciated.
 
Welcome to Bladeforums Elkamin.

Randall knives is located in Orlando, Florida, and they offer refurbishment of their knives. For a knife at that level of value I would advise you to send it to them for any work. That way if you ever decide to sell it you can tell perspective buyers that it was refurbished by Randall (be sure to save all related paperwork).

Randall Knives has a website with information about this as well as contact info (phone number, email). If you go to randallknives.com, click on "FAQ", then scroll down until you get to "Refinish & Repairs" and click on that.
 
Would the knife be so much less valuable if it had been used to cut a piece of apple 20 years ago? Is it really important to anyone that a knife was 'never used"? If there is "dullness" on part of the blade, was is really "never used"? I personally would like to see a shiny knife that's been restored than an ugly, dirty virgin!
 
Awesome. Thanks for the advice. I’ll get in touch with Randall.

M Malty Falcon : point taken. I’m treating them like fancy vintage guns but it’s not quite the same. Appreciate the input!
 
Elkamin said:
Hello everyone. Glad to have found this great site. I’m a new member here with a question. We just unearthed a trove of special knives kept in a box in the humid Florida garage for DECADES but don’t know much about collectors knives. There are two Randalls, a Buck 184, a WWII machete and other heavy old daggers and fighting knives with interesting markings. My question is related to the Randall 128 Bowie. It has the leather stack and brass hilt, the leather and all metals are new and intact but in need of attention, the blade has a dullness in spots but no scratches or any signs of use, and the brass hilt is tarnished. Question is, would l ruin the value by polishing (flitz) the metal? Edge is untouched, never sharpened and the sheath and honing stone intact and original but there’s some light white mold and dryness. I’m not able to post the pics l took of it, however. Kinda old fashioned here.
Any information would be greatly appreciated.
Click to expand...

The vultures are circling......Don't sell anything until you know what it is and what its worth...........
 
The Randall sheaths will release a white waxy substance. Its called spue. It sort of looks like mold but doesn’t bloom. If that makes sense? Anyway I hope that is what you have not mold.
 
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