Randall knives--I just don't get it

[Dorito Monk]

I can see the allure randall knives would hold as collectibles, but for practical use I could never imagine buying one, personally.

 

[elkins45]

Oh, and by the way, it's not strictly correct to say their stainless 440B. The carbon content is right on the borderline between 440B and 440C. Some are technically 440B, others are technically 440C, depending on the batch. Either way, it still holds its own against everything else out there (and I really mean everything).

And if you don't drool when you look at this, you have no soul:

Sorry, I can honestly say it does nothing for me. The only thing I see is the money I might make if I sold it to someone who IS drooling.

I still think I have a soul...just maybe a cheap one.

I should add that I'm clearly distinguishing between knives of historical significance (because they were carried into combat or owned by someone noteworthy) and new production. My question is strictly about buying newly produced knives.

 

[rprocter]

Part of my collecting is to build up a good representation of American made knives, vintage to present. Therefore i 'needed' (note the justification of a knife addict) at least 1 Randall. I asked and received a great deal of help from a very kind member of the BF Randall forum, towards understanding the Randall knives & their nomenclature, as well as about Randall fakes which are ever present.
After much looking, which is fun for a 'knifer', i bought a #25-5. In hand it is so beautiful and just perfectly balanced.
Some time later i read a post by BF member Sheldon Wickersham and saw that he has written a book "Randall Knives, A Reference Book". I contacted Sheldon and bought a copy of his book (autographed) and another Randall, this time a Finger grooved Stag handled #3-7, because my collection 'needed' an example of a longer bladed Randall.
These are knives with a captivating 'presence'. My only complaint is that they do not arrive with an edge sharp enough to use.
There are dealers who charge a minimum mark up ( ~ $50 or less) and have knives in stock, so if you can find the model you want with the options you want, there is no wait and no excessive price paid.
I also have 2 "Randallesque" knives by Lamont Coombs. These are Sharp ! and cost a bit less than a Randall for a full sole authorship custom.
To sum up, you can't knock a Randall until you've owned one, because their captivating presence does not come through in pics.
If you want a Randall style knife ready to use, some established custom knifemakers are likely a better bet.
roland

 

[JTR357]

Randall knives are overpriced and the wait is just ridiculous. They remind me of the cheap pakistani knives sold at the swap meet, behind the times.

If anything it those Pakistani knives that are attempting to look(more like copy) like a Randall,& the quality is not even in the same ballpark as the original.
I don't currently own any Randalls but I have handled a few,& have one on order.They are hands down some of the most well built fixed blades I've ever handled.They just melt in your hand.Yes they feel that good & they're worth more than what they're asking IMHO.
In the end you will get what you pay for.

 

[kamagong]

I saw a 25-5 in a local gunshop about a month or so ago. I've always found Randalls attractive, but seeing one in person was another thing entirely. That knife was a thing of beauty, and I am close to ordering one.

 

[Samael]

Yeah, it amazes me how many people have an opinion, yet they've never even held one in their hands. I guess they review movies they've never watched also.

 

[Loki]

Having a few Randall knives, I can opine they are well made, practical, and classic designs. I'm partial to the O-1 steel and leather handles. Like any other product they're not for everyone. You can buy a less expensive knife that will do as well or better for whatever task you have in mind. But you can probably say that about all high end knives and such. Buy what you like and enjoy it.

 

[Ron Athay]

I am amused when people compalin about the cost of Randalls and Busses. I was at a gun and knife where the Randall dealer was set up next to a Loveless dealer. Both knives are well known and very desirable. The Randalls averaged $750 each. The cheapest Loveless was $9,995. One was $25,000. There was a Randall there that had been the personal knife of General Curtis LeMay. They wanted $30,000 for that one. There were many coustom made knives in the $4,500 up range (S.R. Johnson). If you want bang for the buck buy a Mora. Otherwise buy and pay for what you want. Corvettes cost more than Impalas for a reason. If Randalls were not worth what they cost, they would not sell.

 

[jwileyfox]

Reading the process of building one I can see why they are sought after. If i put that much work into one I wouldn't sell it cheap and probably would have a hard keeping up with demand. Everyone has different ideas about knives. To each his own.

 

[Gatogordo]

It is easy to shorten the five year wait to a year or less by using one of their dealers.
Rick's, for instance, has several available today for catalog prices.

It is a rare person (outside of knife nuts) who recognizes even the most well known knife maker's name, but many of them know what a Randall is.

They're as close to an American Classic as knife making gets outside of the name "Bowie".

 

[archeriomc]

They are another part of America that we must defend and protect,art work of a type that we the collectors and patriots appreciate.

 

[Hondo.3]

It is unreasonable to isolate a single piece, or the work from a single era, and disregard the balance of the body of work. The Randall that is forged today is connected to every other knife that bears that maker's mark. That would be akin to deciding if a painter was a master or a fool based on a single piece of work. It is only through the contemplation of an entire body of work that one can fully appreciate the ideas and accomplishments of the maker.

One cannot compare Randall Made Knives to the work of a custom maker. No maker ever produced so many blades over such a long period of time. The number of blades and the span of time have resulted in a significant number of pieces being used in historically significant events, by historically significant people.

It would make more sense to compare RMK with other high-end production knife companies. In my opinion, the most obvious modern example is Busse Combat. Few would argue against their performance and utility, and surely these knives serve as gallantly as Randall's products. However, Busse Combat has not yet had decades to produce and distribute their wares. They are still finding their place in history. Perhaps it would be more appropriate to compare RMK to Sheffield Cutlers. However, this comparison breaks down when you look at the number of different manufacturers who have stamped the name Sheffield into their blades. Their pedigree is muddled when compared to RMK. Therefore, I find it impossible to meaningfully compare Randall to either custom or production makers.

I find that our environment is increasingly homogenous. We see the same things over and over again. We live in cookie-cutter homes, eat the same food, wear the same clothes, and inhabit the same cubicles. It seems like human hands were not at all involved in their creation. The world can sometimes feel like a hive: efficient, uniform, predictable, and soulless. I believe that interacting with something that is not mass-produced is one way of recapturing something that we have lost. A Randall is just such a thing--as is the coffee cup that I made with my own two hands. I believe that buying a Randall is like buying a bespoke suit, hand-cobbled shoes, an automatic watch, or a piece of handmade furniture. It connects you to a past where objects were not mass-produced and uniform, when more people took pride in doing things by hand.

TC

 

[nutnfancyfan]

well.....to me they seem like great knives. are they expensive? yes. but then again so are busse knives and chris reeve knives, which in my opinion are just as good as randall knives, but im not sure if i would say better.
does it take a long time to get? yes. but that is because they are handmade, which takes time, and there are many collectors of these blades. but on the other hand, if you are an active duty military they can have a knife to you in 3 months, which i think is not all that bad for a custom.

 

[Scoop65]

In the early 80's my brother and I ordered a couple of Randalls, his a Model 14 and mine a 15. I think we waited about 9 months and paid less than $300. Mine was a safe queen until the run up to the 2nd Gulf War when I gave to my nephew, an F16 pilot. Afterall the model 15 was called the Airman. He had it with him when he took out 2 SAM sites in the first 5 minutes of the war. To this day I don't think to this day my nephew has any idea what the value of the knife is and that is not important. When I gave it to him I told him it was the lowest tech item he had in the aircraft and I hoped he never needed to use it. By the way, the missiles were in the air when he launched his rockets and he was subsequently awarded "The Distinguished Flying Cross" for the action. I do apologize, as I re-read this post, I realize it more of a personal nature than about Randall knives.

 

[MIKE MACINTOSH]

Carried by which astronaut?

I was under the impression the knives that the Apollo astronauts carried were made by Case.

Randall #17 Astro was carried and designed by the origional 7 Geminie Astronoughts and carried on there flights




Picture borrowed from web

 

[cutter17]

Let me get this straight: I can get on a five year waiting list to pay $400 for a cataloged production knife with limited customization options? And it's made from 440B steel? Wow! Where do I sign?

I understand Randall has a historical significance, but other than that I just don't get it. Are Randall's fitted with the kind of precision that people say makes paying for a Sebeznza worthwhile? Or do they have a special process that turns 440B into some sort of super steel?

Other than the cachet of owning one, what's the big deal about Randall? It's a serious question---I'm not trolling.

I would never peg you for trolling! It is a fair question, but I cannot give you an answer. The wonderful thing about knives is that we usually don't have to answer to anyone for out particular taste in knives.

There are many a Randall collector out there, so there is a mystique!:thumbup:

 

[The Amazing Virginian]

I think Randall is to knife what Rolex is to watch.

Neither company makes the highest quality product in their field. There are much better knifes than Randalls and much better watches than Rolex. And IMO neither one is even a very good value - similar or better quality can be had for less $$$.

Yet both have tremendous brand images and huge followings to where Rolex is probably perceived by "the masses" more than any other watch to represent a "quality watch" and Randall is probably perceived the same when it comes to knives. As a result, they each have a unique position within their respective market such that anyone who owns a Rolex or a Randall can ALWAYS find a buyer.

For the record, I have three Rolex watches and two Randall knives and I cannot even tell you why, because the Randalls are just about my least favorite knives I own, and I really only like one of the Rolexes. Maybe I am just a pawn of the marketing folks.

 

[BBQ BOY]

I'd buy one just for the history and they are a great American family. Definitely a dying breed in these days.
Is it a stupid wait? Yes, but a the same time it would make it that much more special to me.
Is it expensive? Yes, but I would gladly pay it simply for the reason stated in my first paragraph.
Is it quality? I think so but I also think they are far behind in cutting edge of the knife world.
Are they durable? Don't know because I have never even held one.
Are they beautiful? To me some of them are but some are just ordinary. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

 

[elkins45]

Randall #17 Astro was carried and designed by the origional 7 Geminie Astronoughts and carried on there flights

I knew that...designed primarily by Gordon Cooper in fact. I was responding to someone who said a Randall had been to the moon, which I didn't think was true.

 

[elkins45]

Corvettes cost more than Impalas for a reason. If Randalls were not worth what they cost, they would not sell.
__________________
Ron Athay

"In order to make a man or a boy covet a thing, it is only necessary to make the thing difficult to obtain."
Mark Twain

Surely you see the irony between the concluding sentences of your post and your .sig line?