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Springfield Randalls
- Thread starter willis
- Start date
- Joined
- Aug 9, 2000
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This article by Rhett Stidham is from a very early Randall Knife Society newsletter in 1989. Research and material provided by Bob Gaddis author of the Randall Book, Randall Made Knives: The History of the Man and the Blades.
The Randall Springfield is an 8 inch Model No. 1 "All-Purpose Fighting Knife". The same one made famous by Allied combat troops in World War II. But instead of being marked Randall Made, Orlando, Fl., the knife is marked RANDALL MADE, SPFLD. Mass. Most of you know the story about how Lieutenant J. H. Zacharias, U.S. Army, came to BO in June of 1942 with a request for a bowie knife that would have been too big to be practical. Well Bo sat down with Zacharias and they came up with the design which we know today as the Model No. 1. In Bo's order log book, under the date of June 15, 1942 is the following entry: "1 Special made, Swedish steel Jap Sticker for Lt. J.H. Zacharias". This was to become The Knife for the U.S. fighting man in World War II.
Well, it seems that a Mr. W. F. Larsen of Springfield, Mass. had heard about this special Randall knife and came to see Bo about half-way through the year 1943 while he was in Orlando on a business trip. Mr. Larsen had an idea and a proposition to offer. Bo's correspondence file about this wartime project has yet to be found, but with the journal notations to augment his memory Bo and Bob were able to establish the major points of the story about the "Springfield Randalls".
It seems that Mr. Larsen's proposition was to produce a Randall type fighting knife in a Massachusetts factory and he would pay Bo a royalty (50 cents per knife) for the use of his name and basic design. But first Larsen had to get a War Production Board approval, material priorities, and a place to make the knives. Mr. Larsen had in mind the Northampton Cutlery Company (1871-1987) located in Northampton, Mass. This was the same one which had furnished a few carving knife blades, plus forks and steels to Bo before the War started. Most of this company's business was the fabrication of table flatware and carving sets, under contract, for the major silverware companies. With the wartime allocation of metals going to military needs most of this large factory was not in operation. Some of the best forging, grinding and polishing equipment in the knife business was readily available for use, if the necessary governmental approvals and priorities could be obtained. Bo related that "the man seemed to have pull with people in the right places so I was happy to go along with his plan".
Bo showed Larsen the procedures necessary in making the Model No. 1 "All Purpose Fighting Knife", plus furnished a completed knife and a set of unassembled parts. It was suggested by Bo that the Southern Saddlery Company in Chattanooga, Tenn. would be able to supply sheaths for Mr. Larsen. Bo had obtained a few sheaths from them in early 1943, but was presently able to obtain all of his needs from the H. H. Heiser Company, Denver, Colorado and Mr. Clarence Moore. The ones he purchased from Southern Saddlery had been acceptable, but not of Heiser's quality.
W. F. Larsen went back to Massachusetts and proceeded to put his plan into opera-tion by getting part of Northampton Cutlery re-opened, the necessary materials purchased and some skilled workers hired. Some minor design changes were required to adapt the Randall Fighter to Northampton's tooling and Bo was able to answer questions and lend advise during a couple of subsequent visits by Mr. Larsen. It seems that he made regular business trips to Florida at this time.
Knife production started quickly and the first royalty check for 263 knives was sent to Bo the end of October, 1943. Sales were good at first with Bo receiving royalty payments for a total of 623 knives by the end of January, 1944. He also received a few finished Springfield knives, selling at least 22 from his shop in Orlando during the first three months of 1944.
The payments from Mr. Larsen then became more widely spaced, with the last being received on August 13, 1945. Using Bo's journal notes, recorded at the time of occurrence by date, Bob Gaddis accounted for a minimum known quantity of 1,179 Springfield Randalls. He estimates that the production of these knives ran to a total of approximately 1,200.
Bo's last contact with W. F. Larsen was near the end of World War II when he visited in Orlando dressed in an American Red Cross uniform of relatively high status. As a parting gift he gave Bo some gasoline ration coupons which he wouldn't be needing. Bo regrets that he never heard from Mr. Larsen after this and hopes he did not meet with misfortune while serving the Red Cross. There are a few important facts to remember about the Springfield Randalls. While the blades are marked
RANDALL MADE
SPFLD. MASS.
the knives were actually made in Northampton, Mass., which is actually 20 miles away. Bo recalls that Mr. Larsen's home and business were in Springfield and he had the knives so marked. He also recalls that these knives were sold through dealers, with the majority going to Abercrombie and Fitch.
Southern Saddlery Company of Chattanooga, Tenn. did make some of the sheaths for these knives. //// Rhett Stidham
The Randall Springfield is an 8 inch Model No. 1 "All-Purpose Fighting Knife". The same one made famous by Allied combat troops in World War II. But instead of being marked Randall Made, Orlando, Fl., the knife is marked RANDALL MADE, SPFLD. Mass. Most of you know the story about how Lieutenant J. H. Zacharias, U.S. Army, came to BO in June of 1942 with a request for a bowie knife that would have been too big to be practical. Well Bo sat down with Zacharias and they came up with the design which we know today as the Model No. 1. In Bo's order log book, under the date of June 15, 1942 is the following entry: "1 Special made, Swedish steel Jap Sticker for Lt. J.H. Zacharias". This was to become The Knife for the U.S. fighting man in World War II.
Well, it seems that a Mr. W. F. Larsen of Springfield, Mass. had heard about this special Randall knife and came to see Bo about half-way through the year 1943 while he was in Orlando on a business trip. Mr. Larsen had an idea and a proposition to offer. Bo's correspondence file about this wartime project has yet to be found, but with the journal notations to augment his memory Bo and Bob were able to establish the major points of the story about the "Springfield Randalls".
It seems that Mr. Larsen's proposition was to produce a Randall type fighting knife in a Massachusetts factory and he would pay Bo a royalty (50 cents per knife) for the use of his name and basic design. But first Larsen had to get a War Production Board approval, material priorities, and a place to make the knives. Mr. Larsen had in mind the Northampton Cutlery Company (1871-1987) located in Northampton, Mass. This was the same one which had furnished a few carving knife blades, plus forks and steels to Bo before the War started. Most of this company's business was the fabrication of table flatware and carving sets, under contract, for the major silverware companies. With the wartime allocation of metals going to military needs most of this large factory was not in operation. Some of the best forging, grinding and polishing equipment in the knife business was readily available for use, if the necessary governmental approvals and priorities could be obtained. Bo related that "the man seemed to have pull with people in the right places so I was happy to go along with his plan".
Bo showed Larsen the procedures necessary in making the Model No. 1 "All Purpose Fighting Knife", plus furnished a completed knife and a set of unassembled parts. It was suggested by Bo that the Southern Saddlery Company in Chattanooga, Tenn. would be able to supply sheaths for Mr. Larsen. Bo had obtained a few sheaths from them in early 1943, but was presently able to obtain all of his needs from the H. H. Heiser Company, Denver, Colorado and Mr. Clarence Moore. The ones he purchased from Southern Saddlery had been acceptable, but not of Heiser's quality.
W. F. Larsen went back to Massachusetts and proceeded to put his plan into opera-tion by getting part of Northampton Cutlery re-opened, the necessary materials purchased and some skilled workers hired. Some minor design changes were required to adapt the Randall Fighter to Northampton's tooling and Bo was able to answer questions and lend advise during a couple of subsequent visits by Mr. Larsen. It seems that he made regular business trips to Florida at this time.
Knife production started quickly and the first royalty check for 263 knives was sent to Bo the end of October, 1943. Sales were good at first with Bo receiving royalty payments for a total of 623 knives by the end of January, 1944. He also received a few finished Springfield knives, selling at least 22 from his shop in Orlando during the first three months of 1944.
The payments from Mr. Larsen then became more widely spaced, with the last being received on August 13, 1945. Using Bo's journal notes, recorded at the time of occurrence by date, Bob Gaddis accounted for a minimum known quantity of 1,179 Springfield Randalls. He estimates that the production of these knives ran to a total of approximately 1,200.
Bo's last contact with W. F. Larsen was near the end of World War II when he visited in Orlando dressed in an American Red Cross uniform of relatively high status. As a parting gift he gave Bo some gasoline ration coupons which he wouldn't be needing. Bo regrets that he never heard from Mr. Larsen after this and hopes he did not meet with misfortune while serving the Red Cross. There are a few important facts to remember about the Springfield Randalls. While the blades are marked
RANDALL MADE
SPFLD. MASS.
the knives were actually made in Northampton, Mass., which is actually 20 miles away. Bo recalls that Mr. Larsen's home and business were in Springfield and he had the knives so marked. He also recalls that these knives were sold through dealers, with the majority going to Abercrombie and Fitch.
Southern Saddlery Company of Chattanooga, Tenn. did make some of the sheaths for these knives. //// Rhett Stidham