Randall Knives are regarded as true collectible items, especially between knife aficionados. Randall is renowned for producing some of the best caliber hand-crafted blades in the world.

History of Randall Made Knives

In 1937, W.D. "Bo" Randall began producing knives as a hobbyist. Diligently he rapidly developed the skills to make hand forged knives of the utmost value, for a range of outdoor functions. In the years leading up to World War two, he began to offer his knives commercially on a casual basis.

Early in the war, a journalist learned of the knives and featured Bo in a piece. The outcome was that Bo was so swamped with demands for the knives that he had to turn to knife-building full time. People who are grateful for great knives are happy he did.

Randall continued to make each knife by hand, despite innovation in production techniques throughout the business. His publicity and fame increased during and after the second World War, as many decorated war heroes and well known celebrities like Ronald Reagan used his weapons.

When the war ended, Bo was contacted by NASA to create a survival knife for its infant space department. The result was perhaps one of Randall's best-known works -- The Model #17 "Astro".

Gary, Bo's son, ran the family business following Bo's death in 1989. Currently, Randall Knives are regarded one of the best in the business of hand-crafted blades, and holds an excellent reputation. These blades are regarded as collectibles and their value increases just as soon as they are purchased.

The Knives

Randall makes more than fifty models, some of which have been made for many years. The blades break down into several divisions: Outdoorsman blades are for hunting, fishing and general wilderness tasks. The #5 and #25 "Trapper" fall into this category.

Saltwater knives are for diving, fishing and common utility use. The #10 "Salt Fisherman" and Model 16 "Diver" are the most well-known items in this sub-division. Survival blades include the famous #17 "Astro" and #18 "Attack And Survival". Combat style blades include the #15 "Airman" and the #14 "Attack". Bowie blades include the #12 "Bear Bowie" and #12-11 "Smithsonian".

Knife Construction

Randall has been perfecting its knife making process throughout its past. It currently uses a time-consuming, seventeen step process that entails forging a high-carbon steel blade, fine-tuning the blade to precise specifications and multiple polishings. For complete details on the process, check out Randall's home online.

Where to Buy Randall Knives

You've got a couple of possibilities when looking to buy a Randall Knife. If you don't mind joining a five-year waiting list, you can go to the Randall Knives website. Or you can search around and find an authorized Randall distributor. Sadly, Randall distributors have a limited allotment of knives that they can acquire from Randall, so it's pretty much hit or miss. If you want a knife soon, or are browsing for a particular model, the only path to go is eBay.

There are many new and used Randall Knives available for sale on eBay. It might require a little surfing around to find the right deal, but with some work you can almost always find the perfect item. Always check the feedback score belonging to the vendor before buying, because you want to buy from an honest vendor. This that means one who has a feedback score of 98% or greater.

Learn More about Randall Knives

Randall blades are so collectible, there are multiple books written about them: an exemplary reference manual by Sheldon and Edna Wickersham, Robert Hunt's "Randall Military Models" and "Randall Made Knives: The History Of The Man And The Blades" from Robert Gaddis.

For a rough rundown of the Knives, check out the Wikipedia's entry on Randall Knives. It's concise, but does offer up some links to more definitive sites.