Why I probably won't buy another Randall...

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Instead of buying knives, some of you whiners should be buying those.

:).
 
I can tell you one thing for sure. The sporting knife industry would be in dire straits if there were no knife collectors.
 
MelancholyMutt said:
Hey Marcelo,
You've seen me here long enough to notice my posting trends. Here are several things that I tend to post against adamantly...

1) posts or posters who are judgemental without good cause
2) posts or posters who feel entitled to things
3) posts or posters who blame others for things that are blameless or their own fault
4) posts or posters who try to justify wrongful behavior

I mean, I've never gone after you Marcelo, cause you've always been a standup kinda guy... live and let live. I went after badzilla cause his first post basically abrasive and stupid. I do understand that after reading the most previous posts that I might have been a little harsh on him, but post number 30 was a denial of what was plainly written in previous posts, but he went back and edited it to look as if he was being attacked unprovoked...
It's not the fact that he's upset with collectors that bother me... it's the fact that he would actually feel that Randall or the rest of the world should do things to please him. The feeling of entitlement can be a very dangerous thing.
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Hey Mutt, If that was the case then I apologize.
 
Marcelo Cantu said:
Hey Mutt, If that was the case then I apologize.
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No apology necessary... you were just doing what you felt was right...

We still have a winter hiking trip to do...
 
Dennis Riley makes an excellent knife and I am sure you will not be dissappointed in it. I also had a Randall 7" #1 that has been used a lot. I gave it to my oldest son when he was going to Irag, he wouldn't take it for fear of being stolen. At least he still has it.
 
I think it's unfair to blame Randall for being a small shop that cares about quality. It'd be pretty easy for them to farm out their name and start churning out blades but that would just dilute the quality and desirability of the product.
Would you blame Holland and Holland for having a waiting list? If you want one bad enough, there are many on ebay, but you do have to pay the market price, i.e a premium one.
 
The customer is always right. How people order and use or store their knives is up to them.

But for me personally I use my only Randall.. A 6" model 5 in 01 tool steel with a leather border patrol handle, all brass with brass and black washers. Been inside and skinned two elk and a half dozen deer or more. Well used and cared for. I will someday get more and will find a quicker way but nothing with 'bowling ball' material for a handle...

You may want to consider www.grohmannknives.com They make under rated user knives and you can customize the options. I have a survival knife on order with water buffalo horn tip handles, high carbon blade and overlap sheath. That knife has moose written all over it.

Cheers.
 
I think the only maker that comes somewhat close to Randall quality (well at least one you can get a knife from in some normal amount of time) is Dozier...
 
Badzilla83 said:
[snip]
I went to the website only to learn that the
wait would be close to 4yrs!
[snip]
Best I can tell the company seems to have shifted
it's focus to placating collectors.
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Welcome to the bladeforums, Badzilla.

Like you, I would hesitate to wait many years to get a knife. A few years ago during a business trip to Orlando I stopped by the Randall shop. I picked out a nice 6" model 1 with a stag handle. The wait time was about 10 minutes, while I decided which one to buy.

It does get used.

Randalls have taken on some of the faddishness of beanie babies. This is just the way the free market works. (Especially when a lot of people in the society have a good percentage of disposable income.) Manufacturers make what sells, and price products according to what the market will bear. Although it may seem silly at times, the net result is a greater availability of goods than in a planned economy.

I wouldn't have it any other way.
 
I actually just bought a 12-8" model with the black micarta handle w/ finger grooves from ebay. That'll see some use.

I personally hope that someday I can stop by their shop, and just pick out what I want, rather than waiting for 4 years. :(
 
MelancholyMutt said:
I think the only maker that comes somewhat close to Randall quality (well at least one you can get a knife from in some normal amount of time) is Dozier...
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I'd add Ruana to that list. Really nice stuff, but they try to keep a lower profile.
 
MelancholyMutt said:
I think the only maker that comes somewhat close to Randall quality (well at least one you can get a knife from in some normal amount of time) is Dozier...
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Actually, there are a few. GenO Denning, David Winston, Frank Bradley and Sean O'Hare come to mind. I could probably come up with a couple of dozen more given a little time. Randall's are fine knives, but there are lots of custom makers that can equal or better their quality for similar prices and get the knife to you in a fraction of the time.
 
Well guys, seems that we 've all got our favorites... I'm embarassed to say that I don't know the works of most of the makers you guys have mentioned but if yous guys like em, then I know dems are good knives...
 
I have two Randall knives, a 6" Model 1 with a stag handle and a Vietnam carried 2, 8" with black Micarta, both have carbon steel blades.

The Model 2 is not often carried as it is a combat knife and I am not a warrior. However the Model 1 certainly does get used and is a very very fine knife.

At the NYCKS there were many many Randall knives for sale, they are out there, you just have to get of your rear end and look for them! ;) :p
 
Well, while I do think MM was a bit harsh, I have to admit, as a collector of high-end knives, I sometimes get annoyed that time after time, I come across posts where it is said, in various ways, that knives are tools, meant to be used, and, the implication always is, people who collect them, and don't use them hard, are to be ridiculed, and that collecting knives, and keeping them in perfect, collectable condition is foolish and a waste of a good knife.

Well, I find that line insulting, some people, myself included, appreciate many things about a well made knife, the design, often, they are made with very high quality, rare, natural materials that I find very appealing, I appreciate the mechanics and precision of a well made knife, and, yes, to me, many knives are just as much an expression of art, and an art form, as they are a tool, in fact, many knives are clearly more a work of art, than a tool. Just because you personally do not appreciate such knives, doesn't mean those who do are not worthy of owning knives, or are doing something stupid.

If I love knives, and see and appreciate them as a form of art, and, arguably, a lot of the expensive knives were designed and made intentionally as a type of art, well, I don't see why I should be looked down upon because I choose to keep the majority of my collection in new, unused condition, treating them as I would any fine art collectable, while I relegate other, maybe cheaper knives to actual use, of course I own, and use, knives as tools, but, no, I'm not about to use a $2500 Jerry Corbit dagger folder, with checkered pearl handle, with 18K gold pique, inlayed rubies set in 18K gold bezels, a blued multi-bar blade and bolsters, extensive, engraved filework, and frankly, anybody who WOULD use such a knife, aint playing with a full deck, it was not meant to be used as a tool, but rather to be admired as a work of art and, frankly I see not a thing wrong with this and get a little annoyed with people who do.

I don't mean to say your post was as insulting or aggressive as some I have read, but, you did make some pretty black and white statements about collecting knives, rather than using them, which was at least somewhat aggressive, and along the same lines as those posters and posts which I do find very insulting.
 
Megalobyte:

I hear 'ya.

I find quite a few people have that type of attitude towards collectors, but also towards "tactical" types.

Collectors supposedly hurt the quality of knives because they don't use their knives, so the demand for high-stress knives is low.

"Tactical" types bring a bad name to the knife industry because it brings a violent image to a useful tool.

Personally I think anyone who likes knives is cool, because I like them too. I don't see the need for labels.
 
4 Ranges said:
Megalobyte:

I hear 'ya.

I find quite a few people have that type of attitude towards collectors, but also towards "tactical" types.

Collectors supposedly hurt the quality of knives because they don't use their knives, so the demand for high-stress knives is low.

"Tactical" types bring a bad name to the knife industry because it brings a violent image to a useful tool.

Personally I think anyone who likes knives is cool, because I like them too. I don't see the need for labels.
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You forgot to mention collectors of "tactical" knives. :eek:
 
Thomas:

Tactical collectors, tactical users, user collectors, I think that covers it.

I fall under the "users that collect tactically" (as in without the wife knowing). :D
 
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