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Old 07-18-2017, 03:26 PM
BoBlade BoBlade is offline
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Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 955
Jack,

Fantastic research and presentation! I dare say Bo would be proud and happy.

Joe,

You make your case based on the fact that the knife in question is a "Commando" as described by Bo in Gaddis' book as follows:

"During the last half of 1942 and into the first couple of months of 1943, Bo experimented with a few combat knife designs besides the Zacharias-Randall style. At first some men had him modify his catalog Models 6 and 7 hunters for combat duty. This consisted of sharpening the blade on the top edge and using a double hilt. The handles were of stag but usually not crown. He adopted the term "Commando" to denote these earliest of his double-hilted combat knives".


One of the problems I have with your claim is that the description of these knives is so general and the "styles" mentioned don't help us:
1: "Zacharias style": No resemblance to the knife in question!
2. Any other "Commando" that was a modified Hunter (Handle material notwithstanding): No resemblance to the knife in question!
You probably have more Commando photos that anyone else. In this thread I've asked you to post any other "Commando" with a likeness and you couldn't do this. If you want to see a likeness of the blade grind, go to Bob's book on page 50 / Photo 43 (Early 40's group of knives) third from the bottom!

Another problem I have is that the spacer set on the knife in question matches no other knives post the first half of '42!. It does, however match up pretty closely with knives from 1939-1941.


The last and biggest problem I have with your assessment is the sheath":


If there is any doubt about it, the sheath is the clincher! However, earlier in this thread you pass it off when you say "I know the style of sheath would make us question the date, but that was the style Moore made for that blade grind, so it would stand to reason he would continue with that pattern in the short term". Would stand to who's reason, Joe? I think yours and yours alone. Saying this sheath was made after (1) The Zacharias sheath in Bob's book and (2) Tune's sheath because of the blade grind difference is stretching the facts to their breaking point.

The sheath to this knife is virtually identical to the sheaths made for earlier ('40 and '41) era knives like mine and Chuck's:




I've made a case that the grind, the spacer stack and the sheath are earlier than the Zacharias and I have offered hard facts.

In this thread you blame me for "The fracture in the Randall knife community" like you were not a contributor! I love Randall knives and everything associated with them to include their history, and when I see actual facts distorted and twisted to be later assimilated into Randall history, I get serious about protecting the brand. Like the early 60's Heiser sheaths. Feel free to re-write Randall history, Joe. But know that it won't go unchallenged.

Ron
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