I used to carry a Randall trout and bird, I beat up the handle and sheath. It was not a slicer, very wedgie design. Prices on Randall's got so high, it just did not make sense to dent it up more.
There was a time when the only good knives were the custom knives. My bud, Danny Boy, three tour Veteran of Vietnam and Green Beret, told me that in the Vietnam era every Infantry Officer carried a Randall. Randalls are an excellent design. Have a few myself
From post WW2 to the middle 1980's, I think that was the era when custom knives were actually used in the field. And the basic reason was, the big knife companies were being run by Harvard MBA types who were not interested in knives, the knife market, knife customers, and were not interested in taking chances.
blast from the past:
Buck knives were great hunting knives, still are. But a bit lacking in the kill, crush, destroy category.
So, if you needed a special duty knife, you wrote a custom knife maker with your design. Dan Denney was a big name at the time, and this is the drawing submitted by the service man who wanted a better knife to carry in Southeast Asia
and this is the first "Green Beret knife" that Dan Denney made, for 1st Lt Godsey.
as you can see, Lt Godsey carried the knife and used it.
Lt Godsey died in Vietman, don't know when, don't know why, don't know if the knife was on him or not, but his effects came back to his family. But it is quite sure from looking at the edge and the blade, he used it in some capacity.
But, this Green Beret model, is as new as the day Dan Denney made it. And this is typical of these custom knives.
By the time you get into the late 80's, small manufacturer's are making very affordable knives, out of better materials, and at a price point far below a custom knife smith. And, you did not have to wait between two and five years to get your knife.
These are post 2000 knives, but when you can pick one of these up for $50 or $70 at the PX, and if you lose it, you are not out five hundred dollars, it makes economic sense to carry one of these.
I could carry this into the woods, but the finish and the blade would get scratched, and also the sheath would get worn and twisted, and to what purpose
When I can one of these, and don't care if I lose it: