Who has one? Let's see them. I'm pouring over all the different options and would love to see and hear about anyone's experience with them.

Currently looking at the Sergeant model, model 28 and model 23.

Here's my No. 1



Ordered it from Randall about 25 years ago.

i sold the ones i had a couple of years ago.
nothing wrong with them at all, and they're everthing
that folks say they are. extremely well built and nice
in every way. i'm just getting old, and having anything
high-end in this area isn't practical and i'd as soon have
the money as to have some pinhead ex-con sell my stuff
at the pawn shop for his daily bread. i use inexpensive
easily replaceable cutlery for everything now.

That's a valid concern. Better to have money in the bank than a highly valuable, and stealable, object in a high crime area.

Here's my Model 11 Alaskan Skinner.



That's not a scratch on the spine. Just the light reflecting strangely off it.

The Sergeant's Model looks quite a bit like my Alaskan Skinner.

I have sold some Randalls, but kept two of them. Model 14 is a favorite camp knife. My Alaskan Skinner, Model 11 was my regular dead animal processing knife for many years.Both are O1 steel, and
very rugged.

Sam can you comment on how you like the finger groove grip?

Here's my Model 4 Big Game Skinner.

I'm not Sam, but I wouldn't have finger grooves on a knife, especially not a high end knife. They either fit your hand or they don't, so you're taking a chance. But even if they do happen to fit your hand perfectly in one grip, you are stuck with that one grip with the knife oriented in exactly that way in your hand. A neutral grip design is far more versatile in terms of how you can hold and orient the knife. It will also preserve resale value better, i.e., to a wider market of potential buyers.

I used to have the Randall Model 5 Camp and Trail, but stupidly traded it to someone for a very nice Model 18 S&W revolver. Not that I don't like the revolver, but I still kick myself for letting that knife go. I wanted the revolver, but was short on cash, thus the trade offer, which was disturbing quickly accepted.

Matt, it actually fits my hand well. I would prefer what Randall calls the 'Border Patrol' handle, but this is what they had when I ordered.

Thanks still mulling over a few options.

I've got a model 5-5" o1 with stag, and a #8-4 o1 with stag. I just wish I had bought the #5 in stainless - I'm too chicken to let the o1 stain so it just sits in my safe...

given reasonable care, the O1 won't stain. I have never liked Randall's stainless steel. They are still using 440B, which is just not good material.

I really like the Randall patterns but they don't seem to get much love these days.

Mine is a Model 19 Bushmaster. Red Micarta. I would not get the stainless.

I have piles of knives. Factory and custom and the Randall is one of my favorites.



I think I have three more on order right now.




Travis

That's a No. 1 and a No. 26, the two I own. The first was a gift, the second I bought from a local Randall dealer.

Odessa,

Those are great Randalls. You did well.




Dave

Model 16-7 special #1 fighter

Always wanted one.....

25 O-1, I also have a 27 mini-trailblazer that is quite a handy knife.

Here's my imitation of a 23. CPM154 stainless, Elk shed found in NM while hunting. She's a cutie.

I like your version better than the original.

MM

Thanks, not the first time I've heard that. If you go with stainless, I'd much rather have my CPM154 than Randall's 440C. Good grief..what were they thinking? Of course, that was basically all they had back in the day...they just never changed. Like their O1 carbon..but feel there are better choices there too.

Thanks for the kind words.

Randall is using 440B, not 440C. Sadly.

B? Lord they might as well be grinding pot metal.

it's got a great heat treat. lol

Honestly, I can't figure out why they stay with that steel. Well, other than the fact that they sell every knife they make and have a 5 year waiting list.

Wow....440B?

I guess they don't have a need to change if it's not demanded of them.

I would not rate 440B as a bad steel.
And I would not be surprised if Randall has the chemistry of the steel it buys tweaked to their own specs.
Other makers have done such. Sometimes giving the steel their own name.

Wondering? Any reports of Randalls not holding an edge???

I think you could tweak and heat treat the chit outta 440B and still beat it easily by miles with a dozen other steels. Chris Reeve uses S30V but ran it at 57-58 Rc. What's the point of that? Easy to touch up but at 58 Rc you aren't coming near the potential for S30V.

With all those high priced, long wait period knives out there, I just wondered if there were any reports on Randall 440B edge holding.
I am sure to OP would like to know the same.
Anyone know the Rc they heat treat to?????

For reference 440B spec is .75-.95 % carbon content and 440C is .95-1.2 % carbon content. The rest of the specs are the same.

Also for ref: 154CM is 440C with 4% less Chromium, 0.5% less Manganese and 3.5% more Molybdenum.
S30V has 0.4% more Carbon, no Manganese, 4% more Vanadium and 2% less Molybdenum than 154CM.

But OMG what a big difference in performance to the user in the field. Yeah right. They are Not miles apart.

Geometry and heat treat is often miles apart.

Just my own thoughts.

440B is not the best choice by a long shot, tweaked or not

The diff. between 154 and S30V are a diff. conversation, but 440B is not in the same league. It is just subpar compared to almost any other stainless today...

I am not suggesting for makers to change to 440B.
A higher carbon content gives better results for sure.
Maybe not miles apart though.

I do not remember ever hearing anyone report on Randall Knives edge holding, regardless of the steel used.
Still would like to hear some actual hands on experience with Randalls and with 440B steel.
I am also wondering what Rc they treat it to.

Since Bo was inspired by Bill Scagel, I would think their blades would be well heat treated. I have no idea why
they would go to 440B vs something a bit better, but.......

Grind on.
Tim

Taking the money, and using it help move?

I couldn't imagine living in a place where you are afraid to have something nice.

You still have guns?

Only a couple patterns that I like from Randall, maybe I'm unAmerican?

I do like this song though-

Thank you for that!

My dad was a pharmacist's mate. He was in the south pacific for 36 months. He made 9 island incursions in WWII. My understanding is that when he mustered out, the captain ordered a general quarters and had all the torpedos and the meds inspected. Seems dad refused to let any GI's be in pain. Evidently the stores of morphine were depleted and the captain was afraid that the propellant from the torpedos had been distilled into hooch. At 70, years, when I was 40, ya' give the man a hoe and he could work me down. At 80 he could do one-arm push-ups.

So a song such as this..........


Anywho,

One of the things I've always liked about the knife forum here on 24 hour is the lack of contention that seems to be "stock in trade" these days on so many forums.

Randall's may not be all that, but what the hey.

One of my buds has a sticker in the back window of his truck. It states "cause I can".

What better reason to own Randall's than that!

ya!


GWB

Just the stainless or Randall's in general?




Travis

don't have a clue what steel, but this one skint' out this bear!




and has skint' out a number of hoglets, and has not needed to be resharpened or even touched up!



I figure, if it works............



ya!


GWB


PS: as an aside, my dad had a Coon-Azz bud. The ship they were on was the USS President Adams for 36 months during WWII. The Adams and and three other troop transports were "dubbed" the "unholy four"

http://www.network54.com/Forum/594514/message/1293543320

Anywho, my dad and Griff remained lifelong friends. One year Griff and his family would come to Texas. Next year we'd go there. My dad would never ask directions. Many a nite I spent in the floorboard of the family car while we went up and down the roads along the Mississippi river, lost, while heading to visit. Dad passed in October of 09. Griff passed six months later. We did not take many vacations when I was a kid. The Alamo, and the Griffins......

His son Charles, who once remarked "we lived so far back in the swamps of Louisiana, that he did not know that there were any other white kids in the world other than his sister and me and my brothers till he got into high school", gave me this Randall, so you know it's special!

ya!

GW

If GW says the steel on a Randall is good, than its damn sure good enough for me!

Travis
"Just the stainless or Randall's in general?"

Mostly the 440B, cause I am pretty sure they do a good job on the high carbon blades, but then I have no user experience
with Randall blades. Just wondered if the negative comments on 440B were substantiated with actual experience.

FWIW I have two small kitchen knives I made from some 440B at .040" thick and heat treated before I acquired the strip of steel.
It was a drop from a high volume production process of surgical blades, so figured must me ok. I have had not seen edge
degradation to me much different than from 440C personally.

Yeah, GW gives them a work out.

Yeah I can't help with the stainless. My carbon holds and takes an edge great. But I've also never been one of those guys that owned a knife which could "clean ten deer and still shave hair."

The most I ever do with a knife in the field is break them down shotgun style to fit in a pack and I consider my Randall to be one of the best in that regard. I've never had it dull in the middle of that process.





Travis

I hear you. I have many a good knife and I too have never cleaned out 10 of anything, sans squirrels, that didn't need work.

Knife steel threads always sort of crack me up. Despite the fact that millions of deer have been cut up using various Buck knives, case xx , western, kbar etc. some steel expert will come along and explain why someone's knife isn't up to the task because it isn't made of some exotic steel. As to the various woodcraft exercises such as batoning they like to recite I can hear my grandfather saying If you want to split kindling they make a tool for that. It's called a hatchet. To him only a fool abuses his tools. I like Randals they are pretty knives and they have their legacy but I wouldn't spend the $$ they demand . One there's a lot of good knives for less but mainly I field dress deer and small game so I generally like a smaller knives.

FWIW,

I do believe that this was the OP's initial post



The point of my original post on this topic was mainly to thank the gent who put up the video. It brought back a flood of memories, it was not to start an argument in regards to knife steel and the purpose behind blade profiles.

I do believe one of the three Randall's I posted was a model 28 Woodsman. I re-iterate that that one was a gift. The other two I purchased. The model 2-8 Fighting Stilletto, and the model 3- 5” Hunter were purchased, as new, at a “value”. When purchasing items such as rifles, knives, pistolas, vehicles or scooters, I typically have an exit strategy that involves making a profit.

IMHO, Randall’s have excellent trade value, and when purchased "right", even better.

Here is from AG Russell in regards to the model 28 Woodsman:

"The 4-1/2" drop point blade of 3/16" 440B stainless at 55-56 Rc"

https://agrussell.com/knife/Randall-Model-28-Woodsman--RA-M28G42S

Is 440B a super steel. No.

Would I refuse it as a gift? Absolutely not.

The model 28 is called a "Woodsman" not a skinner. There are any number of you tube vids that review this knife and its use that contrast it vs. a bushcraft knife. Should you be interested, Google is your friend.


Is this a "skinner", No!

Can it be used for skinning? Most definitely.


But what the hey!



IIRC, Dove season opener in the Texas Central Zone is September 2nd and the 15th in the South Zone. I’ll probably make opening morning. Whether the doves have been blown out by Harvey will remain to be seen. I’ll most likely set out a couple snares at both leases. Perhaps perforate one or more also. I might just skin one out and make a short vid to see whether this “woodsman” will still “cut it”

As I mentioned earlier, it is what it is


ya!


GWB

Thanks for the video Geedubs. I'm still on the fence as to which model I'll go with. Not worried about their steel one way or the other.

Just get a #1. They're cool.

10/4

This jewel just showed up today. Had to fight Harvey to go pick it up!





Please excuse the poor quality cell phone pix.

Randall # 1 Fighter, etched A2 steel. (not a super-steel but a steel very much to my liking)

Stag, peened brass guard.

Make a sheath for it, and it will be ready for some quality pix!

ya!

GWB

Damn nice one GW! My favorite Randall is my #1.

Don't tell anyone, but that one is by Ricky Bob Menefee. Don't know if it had anything to do with the fact that Jason Randall visited him for a spell. Been waiting for Rick to get in the mood to do a #1 Fighter in A2 for over three years.

To say the least, I'm jazzed!

ya!


GWB

Wow! Nice!

You're gonna need a big brontosaurus steak!

Not too many brontos roaming around Pearville. Prolly just go to the Hong Kong market tomorrow and pick out a large beef tenderloin and do a little carving if weather permits!





That will kinda take the edge off till I can baptize it hoglet guts!





ya!


GWB

A2 with Menefee heat treat and grind... it'll be a cutter.

I saw a lot of pictures showing the making of that knife. I am very, very impressed. Interesting to see Jason out at Ricky Bobby's place, pounding steel and grinding.

This thread reminds of me the time I shot this wolf. The guy I was with at the time worked me and was a great 'kid'. We were in the process of bringing the canoe up river. We had just stopped at a gravel bank when the wolf came out to eat salmon.

It was a good day and has nothing to do with Randall Knives, but another friend in Alaska was named Randall and he was a taxidermist. I'm sure I did use a knife to skin the wolf, though I know it wasn't a Randall.

I do know know that I like eggs though and it's a pretty picture.


Sweet!

Word!

Ricky's version looks really good GW. I have a suspicion that it will perform every bit as good as it looks. I knew he was working on a small batch of them.

Dale

A lot of pretty knives for sure.

See, that's how it should be and I hope it can be.

Peace out!

10/4

GWB

Fellas,

I learned many things in Ranger School, and later when in 2d Bn. One key lesson regarding equipment was always endeavor to use the best. Ergo when I was a Butter Bar I invested in both a Rolex and a #14 Randall- each a half months pay back then. Neither for "Bling" but rather simply that they always worked.

That was early '76 and I still use both today.

OP wanted stories/advice; I will only say in three years/deployments to the mountains on the Af/PAk border the #14 saved my life twice. Nothing dramatic other than those Pashtun Hillbillies have deep respect for beards and blades.

As to advice, while the #14 has served me well all these years, I would agree with GW and Dave and go with a #1.

There's nothing like young love. Sorry it didn't work out.

He married a nice gal...