Outstanding!
Well, a little history here to clarify before I go on then...
First and foremost, I'm a shooting enthusiast...and have been for around 20 years now. The main focus being on .223 and .308 rifles, and pistols chambered in 9mm and .45 ACP.
Unfortunately, the 'political climate' here currently doesn't lend itself well to free range shooting of said weapons. As such, my wife Edna and I have taken up knife collecting in the mean time...
To that end, we've been collecting 'Randall Made' knives (RMK), Al Mar knives (AMK), and Applegate/Fairbairn 'Fighting Knives' for a few years now...
Being that there is very little useful information in print on these knives, we're researching and documenting them from a historical perspective. We're also publishing our findings in the KnifeForums.com hardcopy magazine.
That said, to date we've submitted a seven part series on dating RMK's via their various characteristics over the years, the last of which will be published in the April issue of 'KnifeForums, the magazine'.
(This is not a plug for KFC, just a FYI for those interested in obtaining the back issues, or having access to the information provided).
Yes, we did our homework prior to submittal for print, in excess of 1000 hours research, numerous emails and phone calls, and pre-print 'proofing' by many of the known stalwarts of RMK collecting. At this point, I think we're pretty close with our dates and info.
So now, we'd like to share what we know, here, with those interested in sharing too. We can't, won't, be put in a position where we come across as psuedo-experts...we're simply enthusiast's that like to discuss knives, just like you.
As part of the sharing of information, we'll tell you what we know, to the best of our ability, with no 'airs'. We're like minded hobbiest/enthusiast's here, and information should be shared, we'd ask that you do the same.
Ours is still a 'work in progess', so actual dates of purchase, as confirmed by original ordering/ownership, or receipt, or by other means of 'knowing for sure', will be the most desireable forms of providing accurate info on your part.
Anyhoo, that's the background, so let's talk knives...
Mel
