[Moosehead]

Hello all!

I've been holding back on this story, waiting for an appropriate time to post it. With things so quiet here, I figured this might help wake us all up.

Like our pal Mr. JCSnakes, many of you know that the model #27 "Trailblazer" is also one of my favourite in the RMK lineup. In fact it has become of the most popular Randalls of the modern era.

This knife is the last "new" model to be offered in the official RMK catalogue, but it was actually first introduced in 1998 as a "Non-catalogue" offering. The design was based on the Randall Knife Society's third club knife, which was the last knife Bo Randall had a hand in designing prior to his death on Christmas Day in 1989, and eventually issued to club members in 1997.

Our pal Captain Chris posted the following about the early "Trailblazer" on another forum in March 2004:

"I used to be asked this quite often, but it is still a question that I get asked every month:

'Why is the Randall Trailblazer pictured in the standard Randall catalogue, as well as the Non-catalogue'? :confused:

I'll try to straighten this one out.

To understand how this came to be you have to get the time-frame correct. The current "non-catalogue" insert was printed and inserted in the, then already published and in stock, 31st printing of the Randall catalogue. This was, I believe in 1998, or so. I have 31st printing catalogues in my stash that have 2000 price lists in them, but I think that the 1998 date is probably correct.

Within a couple of months of this insert being introduced, the 32nd printing of the catalogue was being finished. It was obvious to Gary Randall that the "Trailblazer" was, not only a big hit, but was going to be the newest addition to the model number line, hence the model #27-5 3/4" knife was introduced.

The new model was supplied with a sheath that would, from then on, be stamped 27. The first, early "Trailblazers", were exactly that: "Trailblazers", not model #27's. This was the reason for the TB stamp on the back of the sheath. They didn't make these for very long. I have always wondered why nothing had been written about these limited-run of knives and sheaths. Oh well: I guess they have probably been covered somewhere. If not: we just covered it here and now.

Captain Chris Stanaback"

(As Cap always says, "Clear as mud right?")

Given this knowledge and my passion for the "Trailblazer", I embarked on the quest to try and obtain one of these early examples with the "TB" sheath. Recently, I was fortunate to snag not only the sheath, but also a stunning knife to go with it!

Once I had the goods in hand, I decided to confirm the Captain's explanation by going straight to Randall's only authorized sheath-maker himself, Greg Gutcher of Sullivan's Holster Shop.

While I was speaking with Greg in late September, he was able to confirm with his son, who actually made these early "Trailblazer" sheaths. They both verified that the ?TB? stamped sheath was used for a very limited time, less than six months, and that only one or two batches of them were made. Probably between twenty and thirty sheaths were stamped ?TB?, until they switched over to the ?27? stamping.

According to Greg these are the rarest RMK sheaths that Sullivan's have ever made for regular Randall models.

Now that you collectors are aware, it's up to you to search out and find the rest of these modern rarities. 8o

If any of you have also been fortunate enough to have obtained one of these "TB"s, please let us know.

See examples of my sheath and knife below, along with a comparison photo of the "TB" and a "27" side by side.

Cheers!

David