Randall knives

[Bill in Oregon]

I've wanted to own a Model 14 Attack since the day I first set eyes on one as a college freshman at the University of Oregon in 1971. One of my dorm mates was a gung-ho ROTC cadet from Hawaii and he had several Randalls, including the Model 14. Never had I seen such a purposeful tool, so perfectly executed. And then the catalog in those days was packed with testimonials, mostly fresh from Viet Nam, from combat vets describing using their Randalls to chop their way out of burning Hueys and letting the air out of "pesky Reds." Boy, that was exciting stuff for a guy with draft No. 22 and classified 1-A. Then the draft ended. I didn't go in, just had some ROTC, but for those who did, I'll bet those Randall testimonials are better forgotten.
Still, if a guy had to take a knife with him into harm's way, it would be hard to imagine a more capable tool than one of those big Randalls.

http://www.randallknives.com/knives/model-14-attack/

[rjohns94]

They make a nice blade. I have a #10-4? -5? One of those. It's the filet knife. Nice piece of cutlery

[wm]

My son is talking very seriously of joining the Marines in two years when he graduates college.......I'm thinking if he does as he says he plans to this or something very similar is going to be his college graduation present.

[jazman]

My son is talking very seriously of joining the Marines in two years when he graduates college.......I'm thinking if he does as he says he plans to this or something very similar is going to be his college graduation present.

Plan ahead, I think the wait list time is about 4 years...

[Bill in Oregon]

I'm pretty sure Randall will bump you up on the list if you are on active duty.

[guido4198]

My personal choice was the Randall #1.
Still have it. It's not in "collectible condition"...but it's also Not for sale, so I don't mind.
That knife and I have racked up a bunch of miles together. S.E. Asia, Rhodesia, a couple of spots in Central America and more than a few Biker gatherings(I used to ride with a rough crowd).

I like the 14 real well, but at the time I felt the "need"...this #1 was available, and away we went.

[Warhawk]

I can't afford a Randall, but I can afford the poor man's version, a Blackjack Halo Attack. Blackjack even calls it the model 14, made from A2 tool steel, it's a hell of a knife.

http://www.blackjackknives.com/?CONTEXT ... 2947820930

They are available in a variety of handle materials, with either the finger groove grip or the "Border Patrol" grip.

My son carries a Blackjack Model 15 "Jet Pilot" on his flight suit when he's flying in a combat zone. (USAF C-130 pilot)

http://www.blackjackknives.com/?CONTEXT ... 2947820930

[MrMurphy]

Friend of mine is a Randall fan.

20 years in service and 2.5 wars in, his last tour he carried a Randall.

These days most guys migrate more towards Strider, Grayman, and others, but the Randalls are still fine blades.

[plowboy 45]

Thats a bigol knife

[t.r.]

My nephew has been to Iraq twice and to Afghanistan once. The guys use their big bowie knives for opening boxes of MRE's and that's about it. He never heard of a hand to hand combat incident over there.

I like the big bowies for their looks only. A couple years ago, I skinned my deer with a 7 inch blade bowie and found it to be too long for this task. I prefer my Schrade LB7 for big game chores.

TR

[octagon]

TR I find a seven " Bowie is good for everything but skinning, and it works for that too. I really like it for quartering and field dressing, my Puma stays sharp for several deer at once. I've other knives that are better for skinning.

[earlmck]

In 'Nam we got some kinda' deal on Randall knives -- that's why everybody got one. My vague recollection is mine was something like $35 at the time. Considering what's happened to the dollar (a dollar today buys about what a nickle did in early 60's, doesn't it?) those Randall knives are cheaper today then they were back then.

[piller]

I have never heard of anyone being disappointed in a Randall knife.

[Ben_Rumson]

I've got a 14 with this grip, download/file.php?id=8816&mode=view The bottom one in the pic is a 14-10 w/#25 handle.... Sure wish I could swap handles after having them for a while now....

[Griff]

I can't afford a Randall, but I can afford the poor man's version, a Blackjack...

Ditto, tho' mine is their Model 7 w/stag grips:

I hope their current products are as good as when I bought mine in 1990.

[Paladin]

Was lucky enough to be issued one a long time ago for a job we did. Cold blue darkened the blade enough to keep most of us happy, very good knife.

[Nazgul]

Have a #5 I carried in the Marines. Good blade, good memories.

Don

[jeepnik]

"THE" knife to take to SEA at the time was this

which I finally got a couple of year ago.

The knife I ended up taking was this


I'll sell the Randall, yea like that's ever going to happen, before I sell the USAF issue Pilots Survival Knife. There's some history with it.

And to the OP, I know a source that has a number of Randall's on hand including some Model 14's. Prices are pretty close to factory, less if it's a pre-owned knife, and they can ship it to you immediately.

[BrentD]

There are a whole bunch of Randall going up for sale somewhere. I don't recall exactly, but could probably find it again. I think it was Amoskeag Auctions.

I understand they are nice knives but I don't know what makes them worth the dollar they command today.

[BobM]

I've been planning on ordering a couple for a retirement gift to myself. I plan on an 18 but can't decide on the 5" or 7", and a Model 5 in the "Bradford Angier" style.

[BrentD]

Poulin auctions - last weekend in sept has a bunch of what look like NIB Randalls. You can find them through proxibid.

[Streetstar]

My nephew has been to Iraq twice and to Afghanistan once. The guys use their big bowie knives for opening boxes of MRE's and that's about it. He never heard of a hand to hand combat incident over there.

I like the big bowies for their looks only. A couple years ago, I skinned my deer with a 7 inch blade bowie and found it to be too long for this task. I prefer my Schrade LB7 for big game chores.

TR

They are good luck charms for the GI's for the most part ---- I took a commercial hollow handled survival knife with me on deployment (hung upside down on the LBE naturally) --- blacked out and wrapped in paracord - it was kept ridiculously sharp

But .................. because i didnt want to ruin my sharpening job, - most of the mundane tasks of military life were accomplished with my issue Navy Mk2 knife like Jeepnik's --

With the very cool auto assist pocket knives out today --- if i were to do it again, i'd likely bring a KErshaw or two

I have a Randall #1 i just aquired a few years ago -- its a great knife! There are only so many jobs you can do with an 8" blade though ----- I want one of the "trout and bird" models for everyday use - about a 3.5 or 4" blade with a much thinner profile


beautiful knives though


I gathered together the knives i actually used in the military for a pic though for some reason a while back --- the aforementioned hollow handle survival knife is in there too, as well as a commercial Gerber boot knife ---- Not quite as glamorous as hanging a Randall from your pistol belt, but i was never under-equipped with blades

[Ben_Rumson]

I like the big bowies for their looks only

+1 Nice BBQ knives
Top 14-7 The bottom one is a 14-10 w/#25 handle.... Sure wish I could swap handles after having them for a while now....

[Bill in Oregon]

Ben, BBQ knives? Y'mean, you strap that on your left to offset the highly engraved Smith N frame you're packin' on your right side to the Saturday night BBQ? Y'all must be from Tejas.

[jeepnik]

There are a whole bunch of Randall going up for sale somewhere. I don't recall exactly, but could probably find it again. I think it was Amoskeag Auctions.

I understand they are nice knives but I don't know what makes them worth the dollar they command today.

I've watched Randalls at auction. Never seen anything but gross over payment. You might get lucky, and there's no reason not to look.

[jeepnik]

My nephew has been to Iraq twice and to Afghanistan once. The guys use their big bowie knives for opening boxes of MRE's and that's about it. He never heard of a hand to hand combat incident over there.

I like the big bowies for their looks only. A couple years ago, I skinned my deer with a 7 inch blade bowie and found it to be too long for this task. I prefer my Schrade LB7 for big game chores.

TR

My eldest is here because he did have a big knife, and this took place in Afghanistan. You likely won't hear much about it. Heck, it was my youngest that told me about it. Not something folks like to discuss unless it's with others who've been there and done that.

[Old Savage]

Ok, what then for a big knife. Personal combat?

[Ben_Rumson]

Yep Bill for the Sunday BBQ ... Never looked at 'em as counter weights You don't got to be from the Lone Star State to be just another BBQ eat'n fool

[Streetstar]

My nephew has been to Iraq twice and to Afghanistan once. The guys use their big bowie knives for opening boxes of MRE's and that's about it. He never heard of a hand to hand combat incident over there.

I like the big bowies for their looks only. A couple years ago, I skinned my deer with a 7 inch blade bowie and found it to be too long for this task. I prefer my Schrade LB7 for big game chores.

TR

My eldest is here because he did have a big knife, and this took place in Afghanistan. You likely won't hear much about it. Heck, it was my youngest that told me about it. Not something folks like to discuss unless it's with others who've been there and done that.

These "1% of 1%" situations are the reason most of the men in my unit carried big knives ( K-BAr is a "big knife" too ) --- although i dont know anybody personally that ever had to use his,(as i mentioned earlier, most of them seemed to be good luck charms of sorts) --- i'm glad your son was able to come out on top in his encounter

----- Most troops i know were terrified of the prospect of knife fighting, although we received some obligatory advanced instruction in different methods of it (the "de-fang the snake" method - either Thai or Filipino,. IDK)
-------- People do not go gently into that good night from knife wounds as a general rule , and can live for minutes with fatal damage

As well, in knife fighting -- one of the most effective ways to stop the fight quick is a downward piercing motion from the collarbone area to hit the heart -- this requires a blade roughly K-BAr size or so ---- but is also an easier said than done proposition -- the guy your trying to stop is also not going to be sitting still

[Warhawk]

My nephew has been to Iraq twice and to Afghanistan once. The guys use their big bowie knives for opening boxes of MRE's and that's about it. He never heard of a hand to hand combat incident over there.

I like the big bowies for their looks only. A couple years ago, I skinned my deer with a 7 inch blade bowie and found it to be too long for this task. I prefer my Schrade LB7 for big game chores.

TR

My eldest is here because he did have a big knife, and this took place in Afghanistan. You likely won't hear much about it. Heck, it was my youngest that told me about it. Not something folks like to discuss unless it's with others who've been there and done that.

Yep, kinda like carrying a concealed handgun. You don't need it until you need it, then you REALLY need it.

[Bill in Oregon]

Good reason to pack one ...

http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/09/ ... FJ20140918

[Old Savage]

1411075517903.jpg

1411075270991.jpg

Marbles Damascus

[Scrateshooter]

I like them there Randalls, I got one or three laying around here. Have yet to use one, they sit next to the 5" and 6" S&W Model 27s in the safe: They are like that Indian fellow's hard candy on The Outlaw Josey Whales.