Sharpening a Randall Made Knife

DJD

DJD

Joined
Jun 4, 2006
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Below is a scan from the owner's sheet that came with a brand new Randall knife I purchased some years ago, which details a suggested method for sharpening their knives. It has always troubled me. I have a couple of questions.

1. Do you know anyone who has sharpened a new Randall knife using this method.

2. Are they crazy?

DD


sharp.jpg
 
You must fully understand the concept of sharpening a blade to realize what is being said. To achieve a true razor edge both sides must be polished to a mirror smooth surface where the they meet (the edge). This is such a fine edge that it will not last long, hence the suggested slight bevel to achieve a slightly thicker edge. The finer the stone you use the smoother the edge, the sharper it will be. To get a true razor edge a strop is required. I have sharpened many woodworking tools and this holds true. While knife collectors rarely seem concerned with the edge woodworking magazines often devote full length articles to the subject. An edge is an edge so it applies to all tools. The use of the tool often dictates how sharp it needs to be.
 
Believe me, I know how to sharpen a blade. But I would no sooner re-grind a $500 knife on a stone than I would re-paint a Ferrari with a spray can. I know some folks may still buy a Randall as a working knife, but that's a world with which I am unfamiliar. ;)

DD
 
DJD, how would you sharpen it ?
What is being said above is to put a microbevel.. Or do you object to the use of a stone ?
I would use my bench grinder and water.
roland
 
I use crock sticks set in a V pattern in a wooden base to realign an edge when needed, then a leather strop glued to a wooden paddle that I screwed onto my work bench. Dull to very sharp in about five minutes or less - with no metal removal... :thumbup:
 
rprocter said:
DJD, how would you sharpen it ?
Click to expand...

Exactly the way Melvin does.

However, if it were a nice Randall that I might sell someday, I wouldn't sharpen it at all. What would be the point? I have plenty of perfectly good users if I need a sharp knife.

But I think the point may have been missed. The instructions are not advocating honing the knife. They are instructing the owner to lay the blade flat on the stone. That's not honing. That's re-shaping. I knew an old cowboy who used to sharpen knives that way. Ruined some really nice ones too.

DD
 
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The instructions are assuming you bought the knife to use. Eventually you wear the edge back enough so you do have to remove the 'shoulders' to maintain a reasonably narrow angle for the cutting edge. Before the V type sharpeners came about, people used stones. Properly done you may scratch the blade some but you will not be "wrecking" the knife. You will be re-creating optimal edge angles. It's a user.
The instructions are only 'bad' if the knife is to be a collectible.
The current important question to be asked of Randall Knives is "Why do you send out new knives with dull edges ?" That's what i want to know.
Even Sheldon doesn't know the answer to this Randall question.
roland
 
rprocter said:
"Why do you send out new knives with dull edges ?" That's what i want to know.
Even Sheldon doesn't know the answer to this Randall question.
Click to expand...

I think I know the answer. They must not believe the average buyer is likely to spend that kind of money on a knife they intend to use. The average person is not going to light cigars with hundred dollar bills either. Those who do, either have money to burn, or are being conspicuously self-indulgent. IMHO.

DD
 
Old military tradition: $400 Randall in the duffel-bag. $40 Ka-Bar on the web gear.


But some folks do use them.

I recently sold these two Randalls for a guy who enlisted in 1972, stayed in 20+.

He also had a Kennefick special that he did not use, just liked the way it looks (as do I, although I like the Model 1 better).


rand1-7-316_thumb.jpg


rand1-7-319_thumb.jpg


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*

rand18-330_thumb.jpg


rand18-331_thumb.jpg


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KENNEFICK SPECIAL:

rand-kenn302_thumb.jpg


rand-kenn306_thumb.jpg



BRL...

*
 
No question, the earlier Randalls were made to be used hard. And obviously were.
To my eye, the No.1 is one of the prettiest knives ever.

DD
 
I'm of the opinion that they just grabbed whatever simple instructions were handy and stuck them in there. I wonder when they last revised that care sheet.

On regular outdoor boards, I'm still shocked how many old timers offer up knife sharpening advice, even for expensive knives, that begins with: "go get yourself a file......." . So in hindsight, this ain't so bad:).
 
rprocter said:
The current important question to be asked of Randall Knives is "Why do you send out new knives with dull edges ?" That's what i want to know. Even Sheldon doesn't know the answer to this Randall question.
Click to expand...
Nice cast Roland - wrong bait tho'... ;)
 
tltt said:
I wonder when they last revised that care sheet.
Click to expand...

I think you hit the nail on the head. There is nothing "New" about that sharpening concept. That cowboy I mentioned was doing it over 40 years ago. The outdated instruction sheet was probably a Randall tradition. Randall knives are nothing if not traditional.

DD
 
I'm dumb enough to not recognize a troll or understand how the OP could have been Trolling. Care to explain to this dumb old guy ?
roland
 
Those sharpening instructions are perfectly adequate, and would work as well on a Randall as a $10 Wally World Special. I fail to see how there's anything "wrong" with them.
 
Um, Roland, I'm a wee bit younger than you, and to be quite honest, I didn't see DJD's post(s) as trolling either. Maybe I'm just a dumb young guy? :confused:
 
I didn't see it as trolling either. I guess I have talents I was unaware of. :rolleyes:

DD
 
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