Randall Made

[JEVapa]

Model 19, 25 & 27 mini here. Contemplating sending them all back for new sheaths. They were my deceased step-dad's and he kept them stored in the sheaths so the brass discolored the leather. But the biggie is that he wrote in ink pen on the back what model they were. I guess the embossed number wasn't good enough for him. I'm sure he'd been drinking when he did that.

At least I'd have some "beater sheaths" if they were replaced, but damn! The sheaths are as nice as the knives!

Those sheaths give provenance. I would keep them immaculate and get the new sheaths for beaters. Danny Gutcher (he makes them now) sells extra sheaths.

See on fakebook
https://www.facebook.com/groups/559325434186922/user/100013398433627

 

[Rez Exelon]

Aaah, that explains the grind. I was thinking that looked like a Solingen blade but didn't figure you had the other side. It looks like a Solingen fighter...mid 70s to mid 80's ish. That appears real. There are people way more knowledgeable than I. This is what you were trying to get but wasn't able to?

Yeah. Although truth be told, I probably liked the "feel" of the Al Mar a little better. I didn't take a picture at the sale but it looked exactly like this one:

 

[JEVapa]

From Blade Forums, 2002:

"GADDIS: THE RANDALL SOLINGEN FIGHTER

This non-catalog Randall knife seems to be causing a bit of conversation among collectors these days, so Rhett asked me to shed some light on both its past history and current status. When I spend my hard earned money on an unusual style of Randall knife, I want to know the facts about its origin, and not just somebody's best guess or flight of imagination. Assuming that you all are of a similar mind, I will therefore try to be like the old TV police sergeant, keeping it short and "just the facts, please".

With the end of the Vietnam War in 1975, the demand for Model 14, 15, and 18 Randall knives made with the factory blades from Solingen, Germany came to almost a complete halt. Also about this time the man in Germany who supplied these forged and ground blades passed on, leaving Bo and Gary without a source for future purchases. With this state of affairs, it appeared that the time was ripe to let the Solingen Randall knives quietly slide into history, which is what they did. The offering of such knives was dropped from their catalogues and the shop carried on making all future Model 14, 15 and 18's with blades hand forged in Orlando. The only usage of the left over Solingen blades was for the occasional replacement work done under their famous guarantee.

By 1978 or 1979, it was evident that the few hundred Solingen blades on hand were more than enough for any possible future guarantee work, so Gary and a couple of other craftsmen tried their hands at designing knives which could be made from these surplus blades, without too much regrinding. Gary's design of a fighting knife was selected as being the best of the lot, and it was decided to make some for over-the-counter sales there at the shop. The only problem was that the men in the forging room didn't have any extra time to rough grind the Solingen blades into the required new shape. To get around this bottle-neck, about 30 Solingen blades were fanned out to an ex-employee, who still lived in the Orlando area. He had sufficient grinding equipment in his present business and was happy to take on this task. The Randall shop craftsmen were then able to find the time to finish, grind and assemble these first Solingen Fighters. Gary said that these knives did not enjoy a brisk sales at the time, and speculated that maybe it was because they had "a funny-looking, black micarta handle". Whatever the reason, these slow sales ended that project and the idea sort of faded away. The Vietnam era Solingen blades continued to gather dust and the shop went on making new knives from hand forged blades.

In January of 1987, I was in Orlando doing some of my historical research at Randall Made Knives, and one of the subjects under discussion was the blades imported from Solingen, Germany. While talking about the ones left over from the Vietnam War times, Gary mentioned that they had made a few "neat fighting knives from those Solingen blades". Although he didn't describe these fighter's blade shape, he did explain that the tangs were to short for a butt cap on the handles. While they had used micarta on those earlier Solingen Fighters, a stag handle would work just fine, and might look quite nice. Without even asking for a more detailed description of the design, I asked Gary if he would be willing to make a couple for me at Nordic knives. He agreed and said to include them on our nest order for the store. The note that I jotted down that day was short and not very informative: "Spl. Solingen Fighter--no butt caps--short tang--#1 or #2 style hilt and handle". I didn't even know what the blade length was to be! The order that was placed the following February included two of these mystery fighters, but the information on our order was still less than complete. They were both specified only as: "Solingen Fighter--see GTR for design". One was to have a stag handle with nickel silver double hilt (#1 style), while the other was requested with a black micarta handle and brass double hilt. We would find out what they looked like when they arrived! Gary later related that when he received this order, he unlocked a cabinet and located his old pattern knife to use as a model for the shop craftsmen. By keeping these pattern knives locked away he is able to have old style and unusual designs duplicated with great precision. We are therefore able to state that the newest Solingen Fighter is a close match to the ones made about a decade ago."

 

[JEVapa]

I like the old Al Mars too... they were nice.

 

[Bocephus123]

great history!

 

[Rez Exelon]

Dang....that history makes me think I should have worked harder to acquire.

 

[Gunbuffer]

I love Randall’s, but man that chip is kinda disturbing
Dare I say there are much better performing knives these days out there. But it was one heck of a sticker back in the 70’s

 

[Snattlerake]

TY. In addition to the regrind, they gave it the "spa treatment"...basically return it to as new condition. Not the sheath though, that still looks 20 years old, they recommended to get a new sheath that fits...next task I guess.

All you would need is a cleaning and one more stitch line inside the old one to tighten it up. Easy peasy for a leather shop.

 

[mike miller]

I much prefer my’George Englebretson’ Randal pattern bird and trout!!!!

 

[Bocephus123]

I much prefer my’George Englebretson’ Randal pattern bird and trout!!!!

Yea that’s a good shape I tried to pattern the knives i made off of the Puma Hunters Companion.