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For those of you not yet subscribing to Knife World Magazine, here is the Book Review on our new Randall Knives reference book from the October 2007 issue, Vol. 33 No. 10
Randall Knives:
A Reference Book
By Sheldon & Edna Wickersham
Finally, a complete collectors guide to Randall Made Knives! This new book from the couple that brought you the popular Randall Knife Timelines is full of just the sort of information that collectors need to know. In addition to Randall basics like the companys history and knife models, theres a wealth of information on dating Randalls, obscure variations, and rarities. Its also LOADED with quality full color illustrations, including some of the rarest Randalls on the planet. A must-have for every Randall fan!!
BOOK REVIEW
Reviewed by Knife World Staff
Lets cut to the chase THIS is the book for which Randall collectors have been waiting so many years! That may seem like a bold statement in light of Bob Gaddis excellent Randall Made Knives: History of the Man and the Blades as well as the other fine books addressing the famous marque. But the new Randall Knives: A Reference Book differs from other titles in that its truly the Reference Book proclaimed by the title a reference for the information-starved army of Randall collectors out there. Randall enthusiasts will recognize this books authors as the creators of the very popular and now out of print Randall Quick Reference Guide, a folding laminated sheet printed with a timeline and additional material useful to collectors. Really, the new book is sort of like the timeline, if you can imagine it more text-based, well illustrated, and expanded to 252 pages!
The Wickershams have organized their book into 22 different chapters. The first fifteen of these are the heart of the book, which divide the history of Randall Made Knives into five-year segments from 1937 to the present day, analyzing the evolution of the business and Randall knives in greater detail than has ever appeared in book form. Just about every possible aspect of these knives has been considered, from spacer combinations to marking locations to the contouring of this or that part, to the innumerable sheath variations encountered, to what sharpening stone is hiding in the sheaths pouch. If theres any feature that evolved on a Randall knife over the years and we all know that practically every feature did that evolution is explained somewhere in this book.
Chapter 16 is devoted to a Quick Reference Guide, which seems to be expanded somewhat from the textual material presented in the Wickershams pocketable guide. The next three chapters deal with Dealer Specials, Embellished Knives and Miniature Knives, respectively; and a chapter on counterfeits and reworks is aptly titled Spotting the Frauds. A section is then dedicated to the Randall Knife Society [of America] and its club knives, and finally, theres a well illustrated history of Randalls current sheathmakers, Sullivans Holster Shop, including a photographic essay of the making of a Randall sheath. The final pages wrap up with Acknowledgements, a bibliography, an Epilogue, and most importantly, a subject index.
Its tough for a dyed in the wool collector to critique a book like this. Admittedly, its not really light reading theres too much information packed into these pages for such a pronouncement. And the photos arent as artistic as others youll find out there but they are clear and in superb color, so they are nonetheless perfect for study.
Yes, Gaddis book remains an excellent introduction to Randall history and the basic Randall models, the Hunt and Hamilton books are attractive, well illustrated photographic compilations, and the Randall Knives CD-ROM is especially useful for the images of rare catalogs and searchable Randall Knife Society newsletter text. But anyone with the slightest interest in collecting Randalls will find the new Randall Knives: A Reference Book an essential reference for the collector, for the information on how to date and evaluate all Randalls from the very first knives through the present models, for identifying knives that have been altered to deceive, and for comparing actual knives with the full color photos of knives of all time periods pictured herein.
Really, those words reference book sum it up very nicely, as thats precisely the way in which this book will serve most collectors. I think most will find that Randall Knives: A Reference Book quickly becomes the most frequently referred to Randall book on the shelf, and thats saying a lot! Hardcover, 252 pp.
And that review folks, well, that review was pretty darn cool...thanks again to everyone that helped make the project such a success!
Randall Knives:
A Reference Book
By Sheldon & Edna Wickersham
Finally, a complete collectors guide to Randall Made Knives! This new book from the couple that brought you the popular Randall Knife Timelines is full of just the sort of information that collectors need to know. In addition to Randall basics like the companys history and knife models, theres a wealth of information on dating Randalls, obscure variations, and rarities. Its also LOADED with quality full color illustrations, including some of the rarest Randalls on the planet. A must-have for every Randall fan!!
BOOK REVIEW
Reviewed by Knife World Staff
Lets cut to the chase THIS is the book for which Randall collectors have been waiting so many years! That may seem like a bold statement in light of Bob Gaddis excellent Randall Made Knives: History of the Man and the Blades as well as the other fine books addressing the famous marque. But the new Randall Knives: A Reference Book differs from other titles in that its truly the Reference Book proclaimed by the title a reference for the information-starved army of Randall collectors out there. Randall enthusiasts will recognize this books authors as the creators of the very popular and now out of print Randall Quick Reference Guide, a folding laminated sheet printed with a timeline and additional material useful to collectors. Really, the new book is sort of like the timeline, if you can imagine it more text-based, well illustrated, and expanded to 252 pages!
The Wickershams have organized their book into 22 different chapters. The first fifteen of these are the heart of the book, which divide the history of Randall Made Knives into five-year segments from 1937 to the present day, analyzing the evolution of the business and Randall knives in greater detail than has ever appeared in book form. Just about every possible aspect of these knives has been considered, from spacer combinations to marking locations to the contouring of this or that part, to the innumerable sheath variations encountered, to what sharpening stone is hiding in the sheaths pouch. If theres any feature that evolved on a Randall knife over the years and we all know that practically every feature did that evolution is explained somewhere in this book.
Chapter 16 is devoted to a Quick Reference Guide, which seems to be expanded somewhat from the textual material presented in the Wickershams pocketable guide. The next three chapters deal with Dealer Specials, Embellished Knives and Miniature Knives, respectively; and a chapter on counterfeits and reworks is aptly titled Spotting the Frauds. A section is then dedicated to the Randall Knife Society [of America] and its club knives, and finally, theres a well illustrated history of Randalls current sheathmakers, Sullivans Holster Shop, including a photographic essay of the making of a Randall sheath. The final pages wrap up with Acknowledgements, a bibliography, an Epilogue, and most importantly, a subject index.
Its tough for a dyed in the wool collector to critique a book like this. Admittedly, its not really light reading theres too much information packed into these pages for such a pronouncement. And the photos arent as artistic as others youll find out there but they are clear and in superb color, so they are nonetheless perfect for study.
Yes, Gaddis book remains an excellent introduction to Randall history and the basic Randall models, the Hunt and Hamilton books are attractive, well illustrated photographic compilations, and the Randall Knives CD-ROM is especially useful for the images of rare catalogs and searchable Randall Knife Society newsletter text. But anyone with the slightest interest in collecting Randalls will find the new Randall Knives: A Reference Book an essential reference for the collector, for the information on how to date and evaluate all Randalls from the very first knives through the present models, for identifying knives that have been altered to deceive, and for comparing actual knives with the full color photos of knives of all time periods pictured herein.
Really, those words reference book sum it up very nicely, as thats precisely the way in which this book will serve most collectors. I think most will find that Randall Knives: A Reference Book quickly becomes the most frequently referred to Randall book on the shelf, and thats saying a lot! Hardcover, 252 pp.
And that review folks, well, that review was pretty darn cool...thanks again to everyone that helped make the project such a success!
