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I've hemmed and hawed over pulling the trigger on a Randall for about 3 years now. Had I done it back then, I'd be getting mine now. I've looked at their smaller field/skinner knives and really like how they look. I like how the samples I've held feel, but I can't shake the fact that my $60 Buck Zipper and my $45 stag-handled Imperial do everything I want a knife to do.
I'm interested to hear from those who have Randalls whether they feel they were worth the price and wait. I'm also interested to hear from those who haven't bought Randalls - why not?
I think talking fine knives is only marginally off topic on a levergun board. After all, you gotta have a knife to skin what your levergun kills!
I'm taking mine pig hunting tomorrow, so I'll let you know if I get a chance to try it out!
! I've never put it to use.
25 years ago, my dad gave me a old Randall knife of his that he got as a gift sometime before that (1960s?)
It's the "Trout and Bird" model, but it looks like it willl work as an purpose knife, too.
I'm no expert, though.
Legend has it that is the same model McCain had when he was captured by the Viet Cong.
I did ask a couple of local knife shops about it and they seemed thrilled that I might bring it in for polishing/resharpening sometime.
I have two Randalls - a fishing 10-3 with a black macarta handall that I use for boating, fishing, canoeing etc. The other is my fighting knife with a stag handall. I have pictured both on this site before. I think the quality and fit and function of them are well worth the money, but not the wait. I would pay the premium where ever you found them and get them now. I have bought mine on either ebay or gunbroker.
They are not the do all end all of knives. There are many fine custom blades out there. I recently bought two damascus blades, with stabilized maple that may become my skinners, one has a 2.5 inch blade, the other 3.5inch. I bought them from cherokee knife in NC, paying less for both of them then I paid for either Randall.
That said, if you want one, and can afford the jack, go for it. You won't regret it. The hunting blades you are looking at, are fine choices.
The fighting bowie.
[/img]
The 10-3 is pictured above/
The short Cherokee knife is pictured above. [/img]
Mike Johnson,
"Only those who will risk going too far, can possibly find out how far one can go." T.S. Eliot
Old Savage wrote:Never knew anyone to actually use one.
That's funny, but neither have I. The only ones I've seen in person have been babied. If I ever bought one, you can be dang sure it would go on my belt. I don't buy guns to not shoot them and I don't buy knives to not use them!
I'm actually thinking about selling all my custom knives. I've found that I prefer a 6" Old Hickory or something like it. Cheap knives work perfectly and I don't worry about losing or ruining them.
"I have reached up to the gun rack and taken down the .30/30 carbine by some process of natural selection, not condoned perhaps by many experts but easily explained by those who spend long periods in the wilderness areas."~Calvin Rutstrum~
"You come to the swamp, you better leave your skirt at the house"~Dave Canterbury~
I have a mod 15 airman that has seen a lot of use and I NEVER go hunting without it!! I have been wanting to get a mod 26 but have not been able to find one at a fair price. I need to just get one ordered.
IN MEMORY OF PFC JEFFREY ALAN AVERY, 571st MP CO, KIA 23 APR 2007, AGE 19,MUQUDADIYAH,IRAQ
big medicine wrote:I have a mod 15 airman that has seen a lot of use and I NEVER go hunting without it!! I have been wanting to get a mod 26 but have not been able to find one at a fair price. I need to just get one ordered.
They list on gunbroker - search "rvrat" and their knives come up. I was wrong saying they are in NC, they are in OOLTEWAH, TN 37363 . They were great to work with and I really love their work. The longer blade is on my gun belt with my .45 LC and the shorter goes on my jeans belt. Very sharp and beautiful they are. here is a link to one of their auctions: http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewIt ... m=93102619
Mike Johnson,
"Only those who will risk going too far, can possibly find out how far one can go." T.S. Eliot
I have two (down from three ), a 3" #10 w/Rosewood scales, and a dupe of the #25 Trapper I just swapped for a Winchester Trapper.
I belt carry the #10 daily, unless I'm in dressy clothing/going out for dinner, etc - and use the Trapper for camp chores.
I have other handmade knives, with lengths between those two, that I use while deer hunting, another small shortie made in Idaho for small game and my huge Cold Steel Bowie for fun.
I bought all three Randalls as-new, over-the-counter at various stores. One Trapper was in the knife case at Maine's Kittery Trading Post, a large Cabela's-type outdoors store, and the other two at a local gunstore whose owner is a Randall enthusiast.
I don't have the patience to wait years for something - I may not have that long.
I have not been without one or more Randall knives since 1962. I used my 3.5" Trout and Bird knife as my primary hunting knife for 30 years. I recently gave it to my son-in-law. I still have a 5.5" Aircrew as a general purpose camping knife. I have had this knife since 1966 and it has seen lots of use.
During my years in South America, I kept a Randall A1 with me at all times. It went with me to some wild and wooly places.
Will a Randall do anything a Buck or other brand will do? Probably not, but there is no finer knife made than a Randall. They are made to be used and not collected.
I believe there are dozens of brands that are as good or better. You're just paying for the name.
"I have reached up to the gun rack and taken down the .30/30 carbine by some process of natural selection, not condoned perhaps by many experts but easily explained by those who spend long periods in the wilderness areas."~Calvin Rutstrum~
"You come to the swamp, you better leave your skirt at the house"~Dave Canterbury~
They are collectors items....
Their home base is in Orlando Florida..
See a bunch of them at the gun shows...
and they are very, very pricey....
I have never seen a randal hunting knife for
less than 250 bucks and i have seen them over 800..
They are nice though...
I bought a couple of Randalls in the mid-eighties. I used them, they are great knives, but I never grew attached. When I realized they were seriously collected by some, I sold them for a considerable amount. There are so many custom knifemakers out there working away and selling great knives for reasonable prices. I see no reason to spend my money on Randall knives.
What is the typical price on a Randall these days? I have a #11 5" that I've had since the mid-70s, brand new condition. I've never taken it into the field.
My mind reader refuses to charge me..........
Now listen boy, I'm tryin' to teach you somethin'. That ain't an optical illusion, it only LOOKS LIKE an optical illusion.
[I believe there are dozens of brands that are as good or better. You're just paying for the name.]
I respectfully disagree.
I've never had a Randall fail me, nor seen or heard of one failing anyone else - either domestically or in an active war zone.
I cannot say the same for ther "brands", like Buck (who's now having knives made in China) and Marble's.
Handmade knives are not "brands", IMHO, and are only as good as their maker can make them. Not all makers are created equal.
I agree, that with some brands, one pays for the name - especially for the fantasy and "art" knives some makers have turned to as artists - but they can cost a buyer three and four times the price of a Randall.
WinM71 wrote:What is the typical price on a Randall these days? I have a #11 5" that I've had since the mid-70s, brand new condition. I've never taken it into the field.
On ebay, you rarely see any Randall go for less than $400. The older ones can fetch well over $1000. All depends on which knife and sheath you have.
i have had a couple Randalls. they are very well made but there alot of very well made knifes out there. as in anything you are paying for the name. i sold them when the money offered got rediculous. i have a few old bucks and westerns that do everything a randall can do.
www.agrussell.com has many Randall knives in stock right now. He adds a premium to them but you can get one now instead of having to wait. Even with the premium Russell adds, you can make it back in just a few years should you decide to sell.
Randall knives are great knives. I have their Pathfinder model.
I've had a number of Randall's through out time and I now find myself owning only three. One Guardian and two #14's. I use the Guardian and one of the 14's alot. I carry the Guardian as a back up for work. The other #14 was a gift from the wife and it's a safe queen. There are a lot of good knives out there. A Randall's better than a lot of them and not as good as some of them. But you get a reliable tool for a decent price. You can pay as much as your wallet will allow for a custom blade.
These are from Steve Brooks who mainly makes his living making custom bullet moulds now. He still makes custom knives too. I apologize up front for the bad quality of these pic's.
Pick up a copy of blade magazine and check out the various adds they run. There are a lot of comparable knives out there that will perform just as well and with a style all their own. WalMart knives do just fine in 95% of circumstances but if I were going into combat, you can bet I would be looking at one of the top makers in combat blades. That is where Randal is coming from. In todays parlance, they would be described as EXTREME knives.
Having made a few knives myself, I can understand the desire for a step or two above what you can buy in WalMart. Why do we put fancy wood on our gun stocks? Case colors on gun steel? Same thing. They might be tools but they don't have to be boring tools. For more on this subject take a look at the thread on Turnbull Restorations. I say go ahead and indulge yourself. Tell you wife I said it was OK.
No price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself
There's no trick to being a humorist when you have the whole government working for you.
Will Rogers
I've had my hands on a lot of Randalls. They are nice but I've never been moved to spend that kind of money on one. In fact, I have spent "real" money on a Chris Reeves knife but couldn't keep a Randall I traded into. Go figure!
Sincerely,
Hobie
"We are all travelers in the wilderness of this world, and the best that we find in our travels is an honest friend." Robert Louis Stevenson
Hobie wrote:I've had my hands on a lot of Randalls. They are nice but I've never been moved to spend that kind of money on one. In fact, I have spent "real" money on a Chris Reeves knife but couldn't keep a Randall I traded into. Go figure!
Hobie,
You still have that Reeve knife you bought from me? How is it working out? I've been looking at his knives again, as it looks like he has improved his sheath design, which is what I didn't like about that one you got from me.
big medicine wrote:I have a mod 15 airman that has seen a lot of use and I NEVER go hunting without it!! I have been wanting to get a mod 26 but have not been able to find one at a fair price. I need to just get one ordered.
The Model 26 is one of the ones I like.
One of my buddies has a mod 26 and cleaned 2 moose with it a couple years ago in Alaska, didn't sharpen it once. My mod 15 is the same way I used it on my elk this fall and touched it up when I was done, but it really didn't need it.
IN MEMORY OF PFC JEFFREY ALAN AVERY, 571st MP CO, KIA 23 APR 2007, AGE 19,MUQUDADIYAH,IRAQ
Hobie wrote:I've had my hands on a lot of Randalls. They are nice but I've never been moved to spend that kind of money on one. In fact, I have spent "real" money on a Chris Reeves knife but couldn't keep a Randall I traded into. Go figure!
Hobie,
You still have that Reeve knife you bought from me? How is it working out? I've been looking at his knives again, as it looks like he has improved his sheath design, which is what I didn't like about that one you got from me.
The sheath is a sticking point (har!) with the knife. Rob Leahy made me two different sheaths and after working with them I can't say they suit me either. A simple pouch that is 2/3rds over the handle with a simple belt loop would likely work best for this knife. The quality of the leather needs to be up there, too!
The knife itself I like.
Sincerely,
Hobie
"We are all travelers in the wilderness of this world, and the best that we find in our travels is an honest friend." Robert Louis Stevenson
I have five. Two #1's seven inch, one #3 five inch, one #11 4.5 inch and a fake Randall. The fake is made of a Randall blade blank that was supposedly made by AG Russell. The stamping is not as good the blade is not shaped the style of the #11 it is supposed to be, but the metal is still great. Having said all that, the #1 that I bought in 1965 has been to SE Asia two times, cut several LZ's and a myriad of normal "stuff" and is still nice looking. I use the #3 every year for deer hunting and it works wonders gutting and skinning. I use them and use them hard. Great knives.
Ron
everybody wants to be a cowboy but, nobody wants to ride the range
otteray wrote:I'm taking mine pig hunting tomorrow, so I'll let you know if I get a chance to try it out!
! I've never put it to use.
25 years ago, my dad gave me a old Randall knife of his that he got as a gift sometime before that (1960s?)
It's the "Trout and Bird" model, but it looks like it willl work as an purpose knife, too.
I'm no expert, though.
Legend has it that is the same model McCain had when he was captured by the Viet Cong.
I did ask a couple of local knife shops about it and they seemed thrilled that I might bring it in for polishing/resharpening sometime.
I thought about getting my son and daughter each a Randall knife. Then I found Bark River knives and realized I could spend less money for more knife and have a lifetime guarantee also. http://www.barkriverknifetool.com/
Joe
---
Peter's Laws - Rule #7, "If you can't beat them, join them, then beat them."
Some people have to face the fact that you get what you pay for. I have quite a few Randalls and I use everyone of them. I am carrying one now in Afghanistan. Collectors are what drove the prices and waiting time up. If you order from Randall, the cost for the average knife is $300-$350. Not bad for a custom. Are you paying for a name?? Sure. But they are made to be used. I know fella's that spend thousands on a winchester rifle, but never fire a round down the barrel. There are also alot of fly by night guy's making knives in their pole barns. I like some of those too but trust my life to a Randall. They have been making them since the 40's. If I ever have a problem, simply send it back. I put some serious nicks in one of mine and sent it back. They took care of it for free. I also have been to the shop myself. I showed my military ID and was sold a nice #1-7 over the counter. Another thing you will notice inside is the box's of letters from GI's over the years thanking them and ordering them. There is a reason why there is Randall knife in the Smithsonian!! Stop in there if your ever in the Orlando, FL area. Woreth every penny
They are very good knives but they aren't magic. A good knife with collector value is not going to be cheap, but if a person is asking the "is it worth it" question, then the knife might not be worth it for them. Not doubt Randall's ARE worth it for other people.
If money is an object, then there are a lot of good knives available for less money.
I have a Randall Model 1-8 and it's certainly one of the coolest-looking knives around, but it ain't much for chopping. But edge it gets, wow, it is fabulous.
Worth the price as a (camp knife) chopper: nope. My SOG Seal 2000 is much better.
But the Randall as an investment, heck yes !! I reckon someday it will be worth twice what I paid for it, and that's some serious money, far beyond what I reckon my SOG Seal 2000 will be worth someday.
Randall is a great knife, no doubt about it. Yet for the price of one Randall I could buy several SOG fixed blades.
As with most everything, it's a matter of a person being willing to pay for an expensive tool that will work just as well as another less-expensive tool.
I've handled many of them and for the discrimiating knife enthusiast, they are among the finest available. Their prieces are very fair if you consider what it takes to complete the entire knife and sheath by hand.
For those who don't know, Randall blades are forged, not the stock removal method used by most knife makers.
If you are thinknig about getting yourself one then just order it. The deposit is only $20. You can change your mind on what model you want so you don't have to decide before ordering and if you decide you don't want it you can sell it for more than you paid.
My current order is a #5-4 with stag handle and nickel silver hilt and I should dget it this fall. If you want one sooner AG Russel has them as well as Nordice Knives here in California, http://www.nordicknives.com/RandallGAL1 ... odelid=R05
I have a #3 that was given me by my Father, and it is a great knife.
It's never been pampered, has cleaned deer, hogs, rabbits and dove, cut stew meat and vegetables in camp, and been an all-around whittler. It has cleared shooting lanes, trimmed palmetto fronds into marshmallow roasting sticks, and picked splinters out of my hand. It's the one knife that always goes with me when I'm in the woods.
I've never considered it a 'collector's item' - and It's done everything I've asked of it for well over 30 years, and it still looks good! It is not the only one I've ever owned or used, and in my experience they've all been just as good.
Lot's of folks complain about their cost, and I can see where they're coming from. The thing is, most randalls are still hammer forged, ground, tempered and sharpened by hand by craftsmen, and here in America, no less. I see many posts decrying the loss of manufacturing, and the loss of craftsmanship, but those things cost money. If you want quality hand craftsmanship, then it's going to be expensive, no matter the manufacturer.
I like knives. I buy them, sometimes, just for the heck of it, to see how good or bad they are. Probably most things I've done with my Randall, I've also done with a bunch of other knives, some expensive and some real inexpensive. Most of the high volume production knives don't hold an edge as well as the #3, and I've had them chip the edge when boning out a carcass. Personally, I like Old Hickory knives as well; they'll take an edge and keep it. Old Hickory's are cheap, but cheap in price not capability.
But, should everything turn to mud, and I have to sell every dang thing else off, the #3 will remain in my possession. It has never failed me.
That's how I feel about Randall knives in general, and this one in particular.
I've looked at their smaller field/skinner knives and really like how they look. I like how the samples I've held feel, but I can't shake the fact that my $60 Buck Zipper and my $45 stag-handled Imperial do everything I want a knife to do.
), a 3" #10 w/Rosewood scales, and a dupe of the #25 Trapper I just swapped for a Winchester Trapper.
