stirring the Randall pot.

[Zeke/PA]

At one time. Randall knives were listed as High-Carbon Steel and were in fact of a 1095 alloy.
Through the years, the 400 Series Stainless came into vogue and I guess Randall had to move into the Stainless direction.
Truthfully, a knife made from O-1, a very common oil hardening tool steel is ALL the knife that anyone needs, a MARGINAL amount of care required.
400 Series Stainless?
Go for it, I personally prefer Carbon Steel knives.
Randall Knives?
Exceptional quality and a really superb investment

 

[lobo9er]

while it sounds like I'm not alone than. 440B I'm guessing was better than alot of knife makers were using back than, so they made themselves a good reputation. But since everyone, or most quality knife makers caught up and or exceeded them in material. Also now 01 isn't rare, not sure if it was rare to see 01 steel being used in the 70's. If it was it would also make sense that knife connoisseurs thought highly of them.

 

[Zeke/PA]

Hey Guys,
440 C Stainless has come into vogue in the knife world and it really ain't that bad as a knife modem.
In actuallity it is an Air Hardening variety comparable to my favorite, D-2, so close in fact that BOTH alloys are heat treated in the same manner.
BUT: In reality, a knife made of Carbon Steel , (O-1) is ALL the knife that ANYBODY needs.
The edge-holding ability of course goes to D-2 , a Vintage Die Steel with EXCEPTIONAL abrasion restinence that so far has not been possible with the
stainless varieties.
D-2 ??
Because of a very high Cromium content, the alloy APPROCHES Stainless in rust RESISTANCE!

 

[jeepnik]

Hey Guys,
440 C Stainless has come into vogue in the knife world and it really ain't that bad as a knife modem.
In actuallity it is an Air Hardening variety comparable to my favorite, D-2, so close in fact that BOTH alloys are heat treated in the same manner.
BUT: In reality, a knife made of Carbon Steel , (O-1) is ALL the knife that ANYBODY needs.
The edge-holding ability of course goes to D-2 , a Vintage Die Steel with EXCEPTIONAL abrasion restinence that so far has not been possible with the
stainless varieties.
D-2 ??
Because of a very high Cromium content, the alloy APPROCHES Stainless in rust RESISTANCE!

Gee, I'm so glad someone, who doesn't even know me, knows what I need. That will make things easier.

 

[VA27]

How 'bout my Old Timer 34OT?

I'll be I could sell it for what it cost me in 1982. It's a 3 bladed pocket knife make back when they still used carbon steel for the blades.

Still plenty serviceable and keeps a very keen edge.

You could sell it for more than what you payed for it but it's not still in production, at least not in the USA. The name/knives are Chinese now.

 

[RetiredUSNChief]

You could sell it for more than what you payed for it but it's not still in production, at least not in the USA. The name/knives are Chinese now.

Yeah, I know. I was all kinds of upset when I had lost/misplaced my pocketknife and found out that all the new ones are stainless. They don't take and edge like carbon steel, and they don't keep it worth a darn either.

I kept an eye on ebay and picked up a few of the older ones for some good deals. Then I found mine again.

So I'm set not just for lifenow, but for a couple additional generations.

 

[RatDrall]

Is it a like Harley, paying for the name part of it?

Yes, as others said you are paying for a name, little more.

Randalls are semi custom

So are Bark River knives, and they have a hand ground convex edge that is strong enough to split logs and sharp enough to shave hair.

If you like the Randall designs, you can get similar knives from Blackjack knives for a fraction of the price ($150ish).

 

[22-rimfire]

I own a few Randalls. I like them. But I have gravitated to Blackjack knives made by Bark River as my go to field knife. I like them and A-2 works well for me.

 

[DNS]

I've got an old carbon Schrade Sharpfinger that I'd put up against a Randall anytime.

Found it re-configuring the cargo deck on a C-141 over twenty five-ish years ago and it'd been rusting away back in this catch hole for years prior. Schrade sure did make a solid knife back in the day.

 

[JTW Jr.]

Hey Guys,
440 C Stainless has come into vogue in the knife world and it really ain't that bad as a knife modem.
In actuallity it is an Air Hardening variety comparable to my favorite, D-2, so close in fact that BOTH alloys are heat treated in the same manner.
BUT: In reality, a knife made of Carbon Steel , (O-1) is ALL the knife that ANYBODY needs.
The edge-holding ability of course goes to D-2 , a Vintage Die Steel with EXCEPTIONAL abrasion restinence that so far has not been possible with the
stainless varieties.
D-2 ??
Because of a very high Cromium content, the alloy APPROCHES Stainless in rust RESISTANCE!

You need to get out more and broaden your knowledge , there are plenty of steels that are far superior to 01. Dont get me wrong , I like 01 , have made many knives from it , as well as D2 and CPMD2 , I would not consider or ever claim " That is all anyone needs".

 

[hipoint]

personally and with no metallurgical background, only my experience with being a dang fine edge honer (and proud of my reputation as such locally) if a knife won't rust, it's not something I'm going to be happy with. Any knife I've ever handled that has corrosion reistance has had to give up it's edge, or at least it's edge retention...

is there somethign out there that I don't know about? probably. however that simple logic has served me well... you can easily harden a knife at home if it needs it, you can't remove the crazy alloys...

 

[hso]

I talked to him and he said at the time he had just got it. It was an ebay purchase and he hadn't done any sharpening/honing/etc. and that he said it was needed.

Wait a minute, you're saying he bought a Randall off ebay and hadn't touched it up and wasn't satisfied about the performance the first time he used it? AND then you came here telling all of us that the knife was inferior based on that and you're just now telling us this fact?

C'mon, that's not fair or very forthcoming unless you consider "stirring the pot" to be the fair warning disclosure.

 

[Hangingrock]

I have a Randall knife that dates from 1965/66. At that time if you had an APO or FPO address your order went to the head of the line. The leather sheath for it has a pocket for a sharpening stone and would fit the web pistol belt of the time. Several years ago there was a Randall dealer/representative at a gun show we talked. He said that if I had a picture from the time period with the knife it would had to the value for a collector. I declined his offer its one of those things that’s not for sale.

 

[Zeke/PA]

Hey Guys,
I really thought that the discussion was about Randall quality THEN versus NOW and Carbon versus Stainless.
I apoligize if my comments offended anyone, no offense intended.
Respectfylly, Zeke

 

[JimStC]

No offense taken here. Thanks for sharing your opinion and knowledge.

Jim

 

[messerist]

I carried two types of Randalls in the service. Both were carbon steel My first was a Model 1 made in 1977. It was lost/stolen during a jump into the high desert of California. I was heartbroken. I ordered a second upon return to Georgia from Mr Randall. He said that a Model 1 might take a year to get to me but that he had a Model 15 available and he would drop it in the mail the next day. I had no credit card back then and asked him how he wanted to be paid. He just remarked. "Send me a check when you get the money." He was a true Gentleman in every sense of the word.
I used that Model 15 from Panama to Iraq and from Bavaria to Korea and places in between. It performed well enough for a what I needed it for. You had to keep on top of the rust because it was carbon steel and I needed to have a new sheath made for it after someone decided to pour diesel fuel all over our rucks one day.(I couldn't stand the smell of the sheath after that). My experience with Randall knives goes beyond collectors or waiting lists or prices. Mine is part of my memory of days gone by.
I am proud to see so many knifemakers out there today following in Bo's footsteps. There are truly some talented folks who make some fine cutlery. I can't and won't vouch for the quality that Randall is producing today just because I am ignorant as to their current stock and manufacturing techniques. I will vouch for my knife and state emphatically that it never let me down.