Home Forums Gear Knives and Blades randall #1

Just got this one in. #1-7. Heiser marked holster. Can someone give me a date range +/- 10 yrs on this one. What little I know suggests 1950's to early 60's.

I haven't seen a hilt like this on a # 1.

Charlie

What a great old Randall. Wish I could help on the dating, but I just don't have a clue.

From other sources it is late 50s

That’s a cool knife.

Was it issued to the service man? Was the engraving / stamping factory or done later?

Randall has since WWII put order from service men ahead of civilian orders. Anyone can request their name or perhaps a slogan etc, be inscribed on the blade, opposite the Randall logo. Dennis Reider requested and got his name, rank and serial number. The knife would have been a private sale to the Air man. A quick read of the history of the Randall knife can be found here. http://www.randallknives.com/randall-history/

Charlie

Now if that one could talk, I bet you'd learn a lot about post-WWII aircraft and Air Force life, and maybe a bit about the Korean "Police Action" and/or the "Cold War" (in which we lost MANY aircrew on "sniffer" missions around and over the edges of the Iron Curtain--when an old-fashioned long-range spy plane went down, you lost a LOT of good people. I hope all the ones that baled out had knives this good.).

A "sidearm with history"--it would be interesting to get Airman Reider's service history!

I have tried to research Daniel Reider's service history, but can't find much. From the family, he was a career Air Force guy. The knife and sheath are from late 50's, so I would think this one went to Viet Nam, at least once.

If anyone can find his military service history, I would appreciate it.

Charlie

^^^^^^^^^^^^

True all of this. The Heiser sheath, as stated puts it late 50s early 60s, probably the latter. The hilt, though usually double on a #1 is a special order item, and that hole for the lanyard might be as well. The nickel butt cap and handle shape I think might be special order as well. ( I think...)

Later in the Vietnam era Randall would use pretty much pre-made blades from Solingen Germany ( on special request) to speed up manufacture and delivery times, the above knife is NOT a Solingen blade but a Randall Made.

The sheath is in amazingly good shape, and is worth $$$$ in and of itself.

All Tolled, thats a COOL knife!!

Nice knife! As others have stated the hilt is one that is standard on their Bowie's, the handle shape, one that is standard on the Model 2. Either my monitor or my eyes, I can't distinguish if the the butt cap is nickel or the standard aluminum one.

thanks guys. The butt cap is aluminum. just tried a magnet. I took it to the Greensboro gunshow this weekend and got additional info from a very knowledgeable guy. Only new info was the stone was right and worth $200.
Another knife dealer offered me $1500 for it, which was tempting, and that dealer was expecting to make something on it. HOWEVER, he was trending it toward a WWII era knife, which I think is way wrong.

Charlie

I did find some service history on Daniel L. Reider. It unfortunately came from his obituary, in the Seatlle Times.
DANIEL LEE REIDER
Obituary Condolences





Daniel Lee REIDER Beloved husband of Joann and brother of Sally Loercher passed away on April 21, 2006. Dan was born March 30, 1939 in Harrisburg, PA to Blaine and Catherine Reider. Dan served in the Air Force as a loadmaster from 1957 to 1968. He participated in the Lebanon crisis (1958) and the Congo Airlift, receiving medals for both of these. He was an air commando. He flew in 380 combat missions, earning numerous air medals. There is also a book on C130's that includes some exploits of Mr. Reider.

thanks for looking

Charlie

[quote=crsides]From other sources it is late 50s[/quote

Possibly very early 60s, but unlike the Model 1-7 I bought at the old Abercrombie & Fitch store on Madison Avenue in NYC around 1961-62.

Handle, hilt, sheath all different and they were selling a bunch to folks thinking of going to Vietnam. Blade is marked Randall Made, but sadly, my sheath is in worst shape today.

Norm

can't edit the images in the OP post, but here they are again.

Beautiful. And great history. If that one could talk..

Very nice piece. I have a really nice model 3-7 single pin stag from the same era. Having a Heiser sheath (if it is the original sheath for the knife and I would believe it to be), it is guaranteed to be made in 1962 or earlier. Randall stopped using Heiser sheaths in 1962.