[Jacknola]

Thanks for the input. I too thought this to be early black Micaeta... but closer look led me to believe it to be brown from a longitudinal cut. It seems Randall was very careful to properly ID his knives with stamp and etch. The “Randall Made, Orlando Fla.” etch pattern was created in mid 1963. The “Randall Made, Solingen” etch pattern dates from the 2nd order for Solingen blades which were delivered without the ricosso stamp. It also dates from about mid-1963.

If this is a Solingen blade, mismarked, it would be pretty strange. Occums razor...i believe it is more likely Orlando, with the early humped teeth feature... and I think it likely to be late 1963. I would emphasize the early blade shape, teeth characteristics, and actual Orlando stamp, iver blade-shape-made-later with mis-marked stamp. If it is indeed black Micarta, I would move manufacture up a year. I wonder how and if the metallurgy could be tested to ID Randall O2 steel vs Solingen steel? Ciao.