- Joined
- Aug 9, 2000
- Messages
- 374
This article is from an old RKS newsletter. By Domonic Beaucant.
BEAUCANT: U.S. BORDER PATROL
This article is in response to the non-member from New Mexico and to Rhett's request. Since I am aware of the Border Patrol story, I would like to share it with you.
Mr. Fred Capio first became interested in Randall Knives after seeing a fighting model while serving in Southeast Asia in 1966. Being an Air Force officer (Lt.) he was stationed in Korat, Thailand. He belonged to a Tactical Fighter Wing. He served another tour in Vietnam in 1969 and received a Bronze Star for his duties. In all, Mr. Capio served for two full years during the Vietnam conflict. He is now an anti-smuggling agent employed for the Houston District Office for Immigration. Before that, he was a member of the U.S.B.P. for ten years stationed in El Paso, Texas.
Being so pleased with his Randall's, (which were purchased during the war) he decided to have a special design made. It occurred to him that he might be able to commission a limited edition model for the Border Patrol agents (at that time there were about 3000 throughout the U.S.), and started to discuss this idea with several agents and finally conferred with Mr. Richard P. Stanley, who was the Chief Patrol agent for the El Paso area.
After getting the "OK" from his Chief, he contacted Gary Randall in order to have such a model constructed and was invited to visit the shop. The only problem was to select a particular model for the project. At last, he opted for the model #14 "Attack" and asked if some modifications could be incorporated into the handle design and also for the hilt's shape. Pete Hamilton, shop foreman at the time (1979), had a #14 made with an extra heavy 7/8 inch wide full tang with a 440B stainless steel blade.
After completion of the knife Mr. Capio felt that the handle shape and design wasn't comfortable enough for a solid grip, so he and Gary designed a contoured handle which was fitted to the blade. The new handle design felt very good and everyone was pleased with the change. The standard 1/4-inch oblong brass guard was also changed as per Mr. Capio's request and a contoured brass guard was designed.
In order to have the knives properly identified as being a special edition for the U.S.B.P. agents, Mr. Capio suggested that a medallion be inlaid in the handle. Mr. Henry Marmolejo (a custom jeweler) designed a facsimile of the Border Patrol badge. Two choices were offered: brass or 14 kt gold (the latest costing an additional $25.00).
Each blade will be etched with U.S. BORDER PATROL followed by the serial number. All knives will be delivered in handmade cherrywood presentation cases, which were made by fellow agent Mr. Jackie Harris. A total of 350 knives were constructed by the RANDALL company. The original cost for each knife was $125.00, which included the presentation case. All of the knives were made over a one year period. The experimental model was etched with the following: B.P.A. FRED CAPIO U.S.B.P. EXP. #1.
The knife bearing serial number one was made for MR. Fred Capio with the 14 kt. gold medallion (incidentally Mr. CAPIO told me that he is the only agent who decided to have the gold medallion inlaid in his knife). \\\\\ Dominique Beaucant
--------------------
Rhett Stidham
President/Founder Randall Knife Society
www.randallknifesociety.com
BEAUCANT: U.S. BORDER PATROL
This article is in response to the non-member from New Mexico and to Rhett's request. Since I am aware of the Border Patrol story, I would like to share it with you.
Mr. Fred Capio first became interested in Randall Knives after seeing a fighting model while serving in Southeast Asia in 1966. Being an Air Force officer (Lt.) he was stationed in Korat, Thailand. He belonged to a Tactical Fighter Wing. He served another tour in Vietnam in 1969 and received a Bronze Star for his duties. In all, Mr. Capio served for two full years during the Vietnam conflict. He is now an anti-smuggling agent employed for the Houston District Office for Immigration. Before that, he was a member of the U.S.B.P. for ten years stationed in El Paso, Texas.
Being so pleased with his Randall's, (which were purchased during the war) he decided to have a special design made. It occurred to him that he might be able to commission a limited edition model for the Border Patrol agents (at that time there were about 3000 throughout the U.S.), and started to discuss this idea with several agents and finally conferred with Mr. Richard P. Stanley, who was the Chief Patrol agent for the El Paso area.
After getting the "OK" from his Chief, he contacted Gary Randall in order to have such a model constructed and was invited to visit the shop. The only problem was to select a particular model for the project. At last, he opted for the model #14 "Attack" and asked if some modifications could be incorporated into the handle design and also for the hilt's shape. Pete Hamilton, shop foreman at the time (1979), had a #14 made with an extra heavy 7/8 inch wide full tang with a 440B stainless steel blade.
After completion of the knife Mr. Capio felt that the handle shape and design wasn't comfortable enough for a solid grip, so he and Gary designed a contoured handle which was fitted to the blade. The new handle design felt very good and everyone was pleased with the change. The standard 1/4-inch oblong brass guard was also changed as per Mr. Capio's request and a contoured brass guard was designed.
In order to have the knives properly identified as being a special edition for the U.S.B.P. agents, Mr. Capio suggested that a medallion be inlaid in the handle. Mr. Henry Marmolejo (a custom jeweler) designed a facsimile of the Border Patrol badge. Two choices were offered: brass or 14 kt gold (the latest costing an additional $25.00).
Each blade will be etched with U.S. BORDER PATROL followed by the serial number. All knives will be delivered in handmade cherrywood presentation cases, which were made by fellow agent Mr. Jackie Harris. A total of 350 knives were constructed by the RANDALL company. The original cost for each knife was $125.00, which included the presentation case. All of the knives were made over a one year period. The experimental model was etched with the following: B.P.A. FRED CAPIO U.S.B.P. EXP. #1.
The knife bearing serial number one was made for MR. Fred Capio with the 14 kt. gold medallion (incidentally Mr. CAPIO told me that he is the only agent who decided to have the gold medallion inlaid in his knife). \\\\\ Dominique Beaucant
--------------------
Rhett Stidham
President/Founder Randall Knife Society
www.randallknifesociety.com