Randalls that have been cleaned and are now "new"?

Mack

Mack

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I have been watching this 12-8. It has my name on it so it has interested me to say the least. When I first saw it a couple of weeks ago, it looked like this.
mack 12 8.JPG
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Now it looks like this and is "Listed as "NEW" but this is because it "LOOKS" such. It is vintage."
mack 2.jpg
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How much value has this knife lost by the cleaning? Should I be concerned?
 
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Mack, I try not to buy knives that have been 'cleaned', or clean them for that matter, but to answer your question - either a lot, or nothing at all, depending on the effect of the cleaning done. As to value, that's your call; it had your name on it...
 
Thanks Shel.
I thought you might say that but I'm never quite sure so I ask.
 
Cleaning the brass doesn't devalue the knife to me. And there was no change to the shops original grind, therefore the knife is still the same. But it damn sure didn't raise the price.

You won't see another like that one Mack. It's hard to put a price on what you like, that blade looks better and better the more I look at it something like that could surely put a real smile on that face. Such a fantastic and nasty looking grind.
 
Interesting Ron, Thanks.
I've got my lottery tickets just in case.:D
It took me a little while to really like the design of this blade. Now I'm convinced that it just might be one of the three or four "coolest" blade designs.
 
protourist said:
Interesting Ron, Thanks.
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The brass will be tarnished again in very short order. :D

There is a lot of character in the grind, it took great skill to execute it. I haven't seen grinds like that in (recent) production blades until TOPS came out with that war bowie thing. No doubt because of the skill or machinery required.
 
I think more than the brass being cleaned, the blade looks as if it's been polished with a scotchbrite wheel. If you look closely, the Randall stamping isn't as crisp as usual and that bugs me a bit. Just a bit. I use my knives, I'm not a collector.
As to the grinds, you are right. I'd love to see more knives made with grinds like this. Most companies don't try it. That's what sets Randall apart.
 
I am not as sure about that. Both pictures kind of suck to be honest. The second looks like a digital camera with the focus and lighting toward the inlaid shield, that would blur the stamp on the blade. To my eyes I can make out the stamp and the MACK engraving much better in the second shot.

This does propose an interesting question for me though. I wouldn't have a problem buying a RMK blade that had been brought to a high polish with steel wool, and most of us wouldn't know the difference between the shops polish and the end users I think provided the end user was skillful. So is it really a sin to clean up a blade that has no provenance? What about taking out the masked grind lines the shops leaves on some new blades, does it ruin the future potential to how shall we say, finish? the blade polishing....curious minds want to know.
 
Great question.
I wouldn't have a problem either but I know that Shel would. Here is a different angle of it as it is now.
mack 12 8 angle.jpg
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Mack, is it the same seller? As Ron said, cleaning tarnish off brass is no big deal if done in a nonabrasive fashion; and yes, it's quickly reappear. Still, the blade finish in the second photo looks pretty original to me from that angle; I'd have to see the knife in person to know for sure. Yes, polishing the blade does decrease, not increase the value.
 
Shel, different sellers. It looks like the second seller bought it just before the auction was done and got it, cleaned it and is selling it again.
That's kinda where my question stems. Is this practice common in the Randall world? The seller sure seems to have a lot of them. Is he deceiving us into believing that we're buying something "as new" that really isn't?
I brought this one up as an example because I've watched the progression. I'm betting that there are lots more. I don't want to see honest collectors getting cheated.

This was the first seller's posting.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...sspagename=STRK:MEWAX:IT&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc
 
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It appears that some of the solder has been removed next to the hilt. Regardless, it's a good looking knife.
 
Well, I guess it's a moot point. The seller pulled it off the market. Again.
 
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