Was Blackjack knives at 2024 Blade Show?

A

Albin

Joined
Aug 31, 2001
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Anyone know? What's the latest on BJ knives? The last I heard was that their name was bought by Blue Ridge, but I've heard nothing on production. The last time I was SMKW, they had no Blackjack knives, not even a place in their store for them.

I can find their military RMK #1/CS R1 types, but no 124/125s.

I have one of their 125 I got 2nd hand from a bushcraft forum.
 
TC said:
There's not a lot of information on blackjackknives.com but I believe they're still made by Mike Stewart / Bark River.
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Some of them -- those of lesser quality -- are made in China. IIRC, that decision was out of Mike's hands. The "good" ones are still made in Michigan.
 
It's the batch run system they use, when people ask Blue Ridge, they're basically told the you have to wait for the next batch. When they do the batches, the only constant is the Randall # 1 style, then it's whatever is a newer model, then it's the older styles. They seem to have done a run of #4's (Randall #4 fighter style) recently. Before that, it was the 129 which is their copy of the Randall #12-9 style Bowie.
 
tltt said:
It's the batch run system they use, when people ask Blue Ridge, they're basically told the you have to wait for the next batch. When they do the batches, the only constant is the Randall # 1 style, then it's whatever is a newer model, then it's the older styles. They seem to have done a run of #4's (Randall #4 fighter style) recently. Before that, it was the 129 which is their copy of the Randall #12-9 style Bowie.
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And that's the part I only half get: They're all Randall patterns. And not cheap, like less than $100, either. (The under-a-century "Randalls" all seem to come from Pakistan.)

Why not save up a bit and get the real thing? Especially if both have a waiting time?
 
TC said:
And that's the part I only half get: They're all Randall patterns. And not cheap, like less than $100, either. (The under-a-century "Randalls" all seem to come from Pakistan.)
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Why not save up a bit and get the real thing? Especially if both have a waiting time? Put $50 down configure it exactly how you want it. Put $10 a month into a jar and wait 5 years.

This is mine the day it arrived.
IMG_1443.jpeg

Every time someone posts a picture of a Blackjack they say it’s just like a Randall. Do they say that to themselves every time they use it? If they even use it at all.
 
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eveled said:
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Put $50 down, configure it exactly how you want put $10 a month into a jar wait 5 years.

Every time someone posts a picture of a Blackjack they say it’s just like a Randall. Do they say that to themselves every time they use it? If they even use it at all.
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Guilty as to not putting my own Randalls to use (yet) - but just being able to put one's fingers on a Randall (= the slight hollow grind that morphs into a slight convex toward the thus fortified tip, etc. - on the 1-7) pretty much makes a mockery of the pretenders.



The 2-5 was never going to be more than a show piece (until the zombie apocalypse come to town, perhaps) - or the "letter opener" as it's also called.

 
eveled said:
view

Put $50 down, configure it exactly how you want put $10 a month into a jar wait 5 years.

Every time someone posts a picture of a Blackjack they say it’s just like a Randall. Do they say that to themselves every time they use it? If they even use it at all.
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visually they look like Randall's. I own some Randall's....ya know one I got from you, and I own some blackjack Randall clones/copies.

the blackjacks aren't even close to the same in quality, fit and finish or even well thought out angles and such. visually yes they look like a Randall..but that's about it. well that's not fair. the sheaths are pretty good on the blackjacks i have. the blackjacks aren't horrible per say....but bark river makes them and it's no real secret it's hit and miss from them...

also the blackjacks aren't really cheap either.
 
TC said:
And that's the part I only half get: They're all Randall patterns. And not cheap, like less than $100, either. (The under-a-century "Randalls" all seem to come from Pakistan.)

Why not save up a bit and get the real thing? Especially if both have a waiting time?
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I think it's sort of a three pronged thing, from what I've seen over the years -

1) Steel type. Some of the guys that go Blackjack just want a different steel than 0-1. This is probably the the most compelling to me of the arguments. I don't like Mike Stewart, but a 3v Randall clone did perk my ears up for a sec when they were making them :).

2) I think a lot of guys use Ebay or similar for pricing. I've seen guys think that a standard new production common model is a $800-1000 base price knife. Randall doesn't promote it's dealer network hard, and most folks don't know that some of them can get you one within a year, many times close to catalog price.

3) The wait.

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Personally, I fall into your line of thinking. The prices are so similar now, I'd rather just buy the real deal.
 
The wait for a Randall seemed intolerably long to me initially. Until I realized if I had just ordered it when I first wanted to I would’ve already had it. Also I had other knives to use in the mean time, so there really was no rush.

The steel thing I get, they never jumped on any super steel bandwagon. I kind of admire them for that. Basic 0-1 got them this far. you dance with the girl that brought you to the dance.

Randall has more orders than they can fill, for the last 50 years at least. That is mind blowing. They just keep chugging along doing what they do.
 
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It should be mentioned that Randall offers a choice between O-1 and stainless 440B. Both steels will not appeal to those looking for the latest steel formulations, but as mentioned above there is so much demand for Randall's knives that it does not matter. And they forge their blades (hence the steel choices) which is an added bonus in my view.
 
jbmonkey said:
visually they look like Randall's. I own some Randall's....ya know one I got from you, and I own some blackjack Randall clones/copies.

the blackjacks aren't even close to the same in quality, fit and finish or even well thought out angles and such. visually yes they look like a Randall..but that's about it. well that's not fair. the sheaths are pretty good on the blackjacks i have. the blackjacks aren't horrible per say....but bark river makes them and it's no real secret it's hit and miss from them...

also the blackjacks aren't really cheap either.
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$400 and up is well within custom knife prices. I'd much rather order one from one the makers here than get a recent made BJ.
 
I have both Randall and Blackjack. There's not a nickel's-worth of difference between them, quality- and performance-wise. There is MORE than a nickels'-worth of difference in terms of price and delivery.

Randall and Blackjack.jpg

Now, to be sure, my two are both at least 15 years old. And there is just a bit of difference in the handles -- stacked leather vs Sambar Stag.....
 
One is forged the other is stock removal. The Black Jack is closer to a KA-BAR than a Randall.
 
Choctaw Dan said:
I have both Randall and Blackjack. There's not a nickel's-worth of difference between them, quality- and performance-wise. There is MORE than a nickels'-worth of difference in terms of price and delivery.

View attachment 2598348

Now, to be sure, my two are both at least 15 years old. And there is just a bit of difference in the handles -- stacked leather vs Sambar Stag.....
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there's is some differences between them. what eveled said is a big one that leads to the higher cost. also another being proper heat treat...which is also a big one if you're using it. bark river seems to struggle on this from batch to batch. could be okay, could not be okay.

I can't tell is your bark river silver soldered at the guard and blade.

I also own a few of these and I don't feel they are that great for the price points. same with bark rivers. sloppy assembly and mistakes and high costs for what you get.
 
jbmonkey said:
there's is some differences between them. what eveled said is a big one that leads to the higher cost. also another being proper heat treat...which is also a big one if you're using it. bark river seems to struggle on this from batch to batch. could be okay, could not be okay.

I can't tell is your bark river silver soldered at the guard and blade.

I also own a few of these and I don't feel they are that great for the price points. same with bark rivers. sloppy assembly and mistakes and high costs for what you get.
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It's not a Bark River; it's about 20 years old.
 
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