Randall Made Stainless?

[Maqua]

I am considering putting my name in the hat for a Randall Made #14 Attack in stainless. Does anyone here have any experience with Randall's grade of stainless steel? Is it acceptable in terms of edge retention and ease of sharpening? Are you happy with it?

Apparently my Al Mar is made from the lowly 6A, but it performs excellently as long as I leave the ugly work to an axe or 'hawk. I'm just wondering if I can expect the same or better performance from the Randall Made line.

 

[fuzzyedge]

I have used the stainless blades , they work fine. If you know how to sharpen a knife, not a problem there either.

 

[MelancholyMutt]

440C is a fine stainless steel, even in the age of supposedly better supersteels.

 

[Rob Kelly]

I have a few Randall's in stainless

Holds a good edge and no problems to resharpen

 

[Don Luis]

Here´s a very old thread about Randall stainless:

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=83660

 

[cdyer]

I have a Model 1 in stainless that I bought in the mid to late '80s (my first non-production knife). I have used it sparingly over the last 15+ years, and it holds an edge much better than any other stainless knife I've used. However, if I could turn back time, I would have gotten the high carbon blade.

Bottom line: GET IT!!! IT'S A RANDALL!!!

 

[Brindlehund]

I have a number of Randalls, my favorite using knife - home, boat and field- was a number 10, with a 5" blade. That is one of the stainless "saltwater fisherman" models. Easy to sharpen, easy to hand. Randall carbon blades are just a little easier to sharpen (we are talking seconds, here), take just a little better edge (you can feel it, but I can't quantify it), and hold the edge just a little longer. The difference is so slight, the attraction of the easier maintenance of the stainless blades won me over. Having worn out my old model 10, I have graduated to a model 22. Now there's an underrated tool!

 

[Danbo]

IMHO, the stainless Randalls are ok, but in no way as good as the carbon steel models(at least for users). Love that O1 carbon steel!

 

[Maqua]

I just ordered a model 14 attack with the model 1 guard and border patrol micarta handle. I opted for the O1 steel becuase I possess many stainless knives already (and some that I am making from 154CM, ATS-34, and S30V ).

Maybe I can learn to forge, heat-treat, and grind like a J.S. between now and the time my RMK arrives. I'm betting I'll at least get a second college degree!