Who to sharpen a Randall?

R

rc51kid

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Dec 7, 2009
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I desided to use one of my never used Randalls. Desided life is too short to not create memories using things. I recently inherited 4 Randalls from my father inlaw. He was mostly a collector but also a hunter. So i thoight it would be appropriate to use one of his Randalls on this years elk hunt. I belive it is a model 20 Yukon skinner. The blade shape and handle did fabtasic. But i felt it lost its razors edge after about 2/3 of the way through. I admit i was doing a poor job and making extra cuts through the hide and not always from inside out. If you know about skinning, the hair will hold a lot of dirt and dull a blade quickly if you keep cutting through the hair. Regardless, i lived the knife but have to be honest that it felt like it was loosing its edge a bit as the process went on.

So know i would like to have it sharpened. I gave heard somewhere that randel doeant really put a good 20 degree bevel on it from the factory. Now that this one is a "working" knife i want whatever is 100% the best funtional edge on it. Wondering if i should send it somewhere to have a bevel put on it. Or if i just hit it with a sharpmaker, or send it back to Randall?

Is there any truth to the idea that Randall doesnt put the sharpest best factory edge on these knives? Not trying to knock Randall. Just trying to be honest. If they dont who would be the best to do it right? I think after it is done right i could probably maintain it with a Sharpmaker and a strop.

To be clear, when i got home i hit it with a knock off brand "sharpmaker" ( plan to get a real one). Then a leather strop. The edge was back to shaving hair on my arm. I just felt like it lost that edge during braking down the elk. I didnt know if having a different edge geometry would help.

ps. I also have to add that this was the first elk i have ever had to do solo. I was working in the dark, solo in grizzely country (nerve wracking to say the least) and admit i didnt do the cleanest job. But thats on me, i owe it to the elk to work on that skill and be better educated next go round.
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If the Sharpmaker is working for you, get the real thing. They are a great solution.
I know a lot of hunters locally who take their Sharpmakers into the field to keep the knives sharp while they are working.
 
I also agree to learn to do it yourself. A Sharpmaker or a good copy will work great as long as the angles match, or you are willing to spend the time to reprofile the edge. You're already willing to get some wear on the knife by using it, so don't be afraid to sharpen it too!

They don't say what type of stainless they use other than it's a 1% carbon not available to other knifemakers. I've read that it's just 440B. Either way it's not the best for edge holding, and Randall says it doesn't hold an edge as good as the O1 that they use. They say that the O1 holds an edge 10% better and is much easier to hone.
 
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