Experience with a Randall?

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Very few knives made in this world that you can use for 20 years and then sell it for more than you paid for it.

There are Randall users and there are collectors. You can be either, or both.

It took me 20 years to get to the point where I could own one and by golly I'm using it, 'cause I'll be lucky to have 20 years left!
 
suppose I was slipping down a steep slope toward a drop off, could I slam the Randall in a crevice between a couple of rocks thus damaging the blade, and probably cracking the Sambar stag handles?
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Nope but you could do that with a Busse and maybe pay a little less. Thats my hang up with Randalls personally. For the cost they aren't using anything special for steel. You can get a heck of nice 0-1 knife from a custom knife maker for less. I think, and this is just me of course, Randalls era in the sun may not last forever, I think you are buying the name on the knife, like Harley. And theres nothing wrong with that either. The new generation of Knife enthusiast are more aware of knife steel. And in away more steel snobbish. for Randall high dollar price I'd be looking more at what guys like this are doing i-GLZ222Q.jpg

And as far as a user go for 200 some dollars theres endless choices made from the newest and coolest steel. Just me though everyone has brands they like and stick with. And some brands are collectible and stay that way.
 
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Cool guys, thanks for all of your replies. I'm thinking I'm going to go through with the purchase..
Someone was wondering which I ordered. The plan was originally to get three...I was going to get one of the smaller, more useful, and practical ones first but ended up getting a pretty big one (almost a friggin sword, I may change it to 7 or 8") , thinking I would get a smaller one and a more military style one later that I could actually use. I had to pull out the invoice to remember all the details, it's been so long! It is a model #12-9" Sportsman, forward curved hilt, maroon micarta handle, crow beak brass butt. Who knows how that will look, hopefully thats not an ugly mix..
 
Busse kin.

I've paid as mch for a Swamp Rat as I could have a Randall- but I've used it.
 
IMO: A 9" knife is 3" - 4" too long to be a useful knife.

And 12" - 20" too short to be a useful sword.

I'd cancel the order post-haste!

Unless you just want a useless Randal knife to coon-finger while watching TV in the evening.

rc
 
Randalls continue to go up in value. If you ordered a Randall you pay $500 for, you can get it, put it on eBay, and you'll get 200-300 more than you paid for it. However, you'll be giving up a beautiful knife that has excellent construction.
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Actually, the more common & popular Randalls (models 1-7) go for $360, that's only up $10 since I started ordering them, and the wait time is now 4 years because of the economy.

That's not a bad price for a hand-made, forged knife. It's just the waiting time that most don't like to deal with.

A more realistic price is prolly a $100-150 mark-up if you turned-around and sold your new Randall after you get it.
 
model-12E-sptmn.jpg

forward curved hilt
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ok

maroon micarta handle
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hmmmm maybe

crow beak brass butt
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not on a 12 bowie

If you're looking for a big display Randall a 12 isn't a bad choice since it is a big freaking knife, but since it is a bowie you need to think about the overall presentation, which your choices don't indicate. A big display bowie shouldn't use micarta unless you're trying to modernize the look. With the foward swept guard the maroon micarta is the only micarta I'd pick for a 12. For a more traditional looking bowie it needs a wood or stag fancy grip to go with the display piece concept. The crow beak butt is a prosaic style that shouldn't be used for a display piece (see Q below). The butt is the final statement on the knife. Here you've chosen a dramatic large blade style so you need a dramatic butt. Stag with buttplate and your initials engraved in the plate or a wood with brass butt cap to improve balance or even the maroon with brass cap???

Look at the C and the Q and decide which butt looks better.

excust-sm.jpg


Look through here for a variety of combos http://www.ricksknives.com/photo_collection.htm
 
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IMO: I own exactly one Randall, a Vietnam era leather handle 1-7 I have owned for a lot of years.

But, it is nothing special as far as knives go today.
Maybe it was then?
But it sure isn't now!

Randall1.jpg

I look at current prices with somewhat the same amusement I had when people were paying $500 - $1,000+ for Beanie Baby collectables.

You could have lost more money faster by tipping strippers.

Randall's are no longer handmade custom knives.
And have not been since Bo Randall died 25 years ago.
And stopped making hand-made knives himself many years before that.

Today, they are produced in a factory by a bunch of semi-skilled knife assemblers.

Any perceived 'scarcity' or 'back-order' is caused by Randall's insistence on filling their dealer orders first, and letting them sell them on eBay for a 150%-200% markup, or more.

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_trk...andall+&_nkw=randall+knife&_sacat=0&_from=R40

I have made enough pretty good knives myself in the last 40 years to know if they wanted too?
They could catch up with back-logs, and fill all the orders in the next few months.

But that would surely PO a Whole Bunch of Randall dealers with standing orders, (and collectors) that fell for it by dropping the bottom out of the prices they are commanding in the Randall collector & uninformed eBay community.

That's my story & I'm sticking too it!

rc
 
rcmodel said:
IMO: A 9" knife is 3" - 4" too long to be a useful knife.

And 12" - 20" too short to be a useful sword.

I'd cancel the order post-haste!

Unless you just want a useless Randal knife to coon-finger while watching TV in the evening.

rc
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Yes rc, I think you're right on the blade length...I couldnt decide, so many options..
 
HSO,
I appreciate your help most definitely and will take some of your advice most likely and do a change order (of course they will charge me). I think I get the gist of what you're saying but can you sum up what all you would do to it again?



I'm not so proud as to say I really know what I'm doing on this...When I say I've "collected" since I was young, that may be to strong a word..I've always been interested in knives, checking out stores on vacation, getting one here and there, but not really studying up on them...I have probably 15 or so, some fantasy (the knife used in Cobra, and a Gil Hibben), throwing knives, a couple bucks, a couple butterflys, a switchblade, a few "tactical" ones...etc

I'm at work but will check replies again when I get home. Thanks everyone, seriously..
 
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I have been an owner/ user of Randall's since the early 80's. I got my first one (A model 14) back when the wait was only a year or so. It was my main "Outback" blade for many years.

I then lucked out on a nice Model 16 at a gun show, which I used when I was kayaking. My next Randall was a little Model 10-3, that I carry in my Maxpedition gear bag.

As a retirement gift to myself, I picked up a Model 12-9 "Sportsman's Bowie". I ordered this one through Nordic Knives, so the wait was only three years instead of five. I have carried this beast while checking fences out on the ranch.

My last Randall is a the one I use the most. It is a Model 5 with a 5" blade. This is the one that is always with me when I head outdoors. The smaller blade is easier to carry and is the most useful for the majority of chores I come across...

From left to right, my Model 12-9, Model 14, Model 16 and a Model 10-3:

DSCN0273_edited.jpg

My Model 5:

DSC_0297.jpg
 
"I'm not so proud as to say I really know what I'm doing on this..."

Mr. Indecision,

You said it, I didn't - but I think your assessment is correct. You also seem to be a person easily swayed by emotions - and those seem to run this way and that, from one 'I want' to another, all likely beyond your current means.

Why torture yourself further? Since you are having difficulty deciding I suggest you wait out the remaining period and make a final decision when it becomes time to fish or cut bait. Undoubtedly, by then other 'I want's' will likely appear.

As always, the decisions we make and the consequences that follow are ours alone. Chose wisely. Remember, none of us can have it all and none of us can take it with us. Good luck. :)

Richard
 
mic214 said:
I have been an owner/ user of Randall's since the early 80's. I got my first one (A model 14) back when the wait was only a year or so. It was my main "Outback" blade for many years.

I then lucked out on a nice Model 16 at a gun show, which I used when I was kayaking. My next Randall was a little Model 10-3, that I carry in my Maxpedition gear bag.

As a retirement gift to myself, I picked up a Model 12-9 "Sportsman's Bowie". I ordered this one through Nordic Knives, so the wait was only three years instead of five. I have carried this beast while checking fences out on the ranch.

My last Randall is a the one I use the most. It is a Model 5 with a 5" blade. This is the one that is always with me when I head outdoors. The smaller blade is easier to carry and is the most useful for the majority of chores I come across...

From left to right, my Model 12-9, Model 14, Model 16 and a Model 10-3:
Click to expand...
Nice. I like all, but the #5 does look quite practical.
 
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Zeeemu said:
"I'm not so proud as to say I really know what I'm doing on this..."

Mr. Indecision,

You said it, I didn't - but I think your assessment is correct. You also seem to be a person easily swayed by emotions - and those seem to run this way and that, from one 'I want' to another, all likely beyond your current means.

Why torture yourself further? Since you are having difficulty deciding I suggest you wait out the remaining period and make a final decision when it becomes time to fish or cut bait. Undoubtedly, by then other 'I want's' will likely appear.

As always, the decisions we make and the consequences that follow are ours alone. Chose wisely. Remember, none of us can have it all and none of us can take it with us. Good luck. :)

Richard
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Alrightey then. Will you be sending me a bill for that? :)
 
I don't really want to make a bunch of decisions, I do enough of that at work...I really just want a nice knife.
 
So HSO, you think the crows beak brass butt is a no no for this particular mix? right? I read your post quickly earlier and didnt catch everything. I see what your saying. I like Q better overall, but you're saying lets look at the butt here....duh..

It's really hard to imagine all of these options together, maybe my imagination isn't very good. I was leaning on the lady's experience on the phone when I ordered it, and you see where that got me, I remember a back and forth about the butt...So for a presentation piece you would have gotten a different butt, but I would like to modernize the look a bit (micarta)..
 
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" Will you be sending me a bill for that?"

No bill to pay, my advice is free and worth what it costs.


"I really just want a nice knife."

See, that wasn't too difficult. Only took two pages of postings to almost arrive at a decision. May your choices bring you joy. : )

Richard
 
Gordon Thats a Custom maker CAS Knives you should check out his stuff. Someday I would like one of his smaller creations. pretty sick user.
 
mic214's 12 shows almost exactly one of the examples I indicated with stag and a brass buttcap. Look at the flow of the knife from the point to the butt with the brass buttcap he chose. Then go back and look at "Q" in the picture from Randall with the crow beak. Does the "Q" flow like mic214's? Not to my eye, but then I'm not the buyer and it may appeal to you.
 
Just get a Busse, Tater Head. Then you'll have Real Ultimate Power- you can even slay dragons, really.
 
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