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  #1  
Old 01-20-2020, 12:25 AM
Stephen B Stephen B is offline
 
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wondering about age of this 1-7

I think is a old (perhaps WW2-vintage) Randal 1-7 and might have been my grandfathers. I found it in a box of stuff while looking for a a 19/32" drill bit (which I couldn't find).

See pictures here: https://imgur.com/gallery/F6QvAm7

I'm wondering when it was made?

Interesting bits I noticed.

The blade is 7 5/16" long.

The stamp appears to have been double-struck -- See the "E" in "MADE".

I can easily feel a depression in the body of the knife where the stamp was struck. The chamfer in the blade above the stamp appears to have been flattened out because of the force used in the stamping.

The leather thong on the handle is threaded through two holes on the cap assembly on the end of the handle. I think I've only seen one image with that threading through holes.

Don't know if the sheath is original -- haven't seen one like it looking at other images. There is no pocket for a sharpening stone. There is a star shape on the back of the sheath -- I'm assuming it was added by a previous owner.

Thanks for any help or ideas!
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  #2  
Old 01-20-2020, 07:49 AM
BoBlade BoBlade is offline
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Hi and welcome, Stephen

Your Grandfather's knife was made circa 1944 based on the thong attached via the butt cap hole and the blade grind. It's a "Model 1 All Purpose Fighting Knife".

The sheath is legit! Not one of the usual sheaths supplied by the Shop at the time (Heiser, Southern Saddlery or Moore), but rather Von Lengerke and Antoine. Here is a write up on those sheaths by the guy who authenticates Randalls for the Shop:

http://www.rmkcollector.com/the-rand...andall-sheaths

I don't know where your head's at in terms of sentiment here, but my father bought a Model 3 when he returned from the European Theater in 1945 and gave it to me in 1965. I used it for 3 decades hunting and fishing then retired it. Running across it again maybe 20 years ago, I decided to do some on line research to see if the company was still in business and a whole new world opened up for me. I have quite a few old Randalls and old Randall friends now.

My Dad's knife will be passed to one of my grandsons some day to be further cherished.



Best, Ron

Last edited by BoBlade; 01-20-2020 at 09:07 AM.
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  #3  
Old 01-20-2020, 09:45 AM
Stephen B Stephen B is offline
 
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Hi Ron,

Thanks so much for the information helping me date the knife. The article about Von Lengerke & Antoine Randall Sheaths was very helpful (lots of other interesting articles there too).

I'm going to try and find out more about where the knife came from. It could also have been my mother-in-laws husband's or perhaps his older brother. She's still around so I can ask her.

Would like to clean it up just a bit without doing any harm to the knife or its collectability. Is there an article you'd recommend I read about how to do that properly. I've restored and repaired all sorts of old tools -- but it's always been to use them and sometimes to make them work even better than original -- never any thought to collectability. That's not the approach I'd take with this knife.
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  #4  
Old 01-20-2020, 10:19 AM
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Moosehead Moosehead is offline
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Hi Stephen and welcome to the Knife Network!

Congratulations on your discovery! It's amazing what one can sometimes find in an "old box of stuff". That is an incredible Randall, with real historical significance!

Thanks Ron for the information!

Stephen, I hope you can trace the owner to someone in your family. As Ron said this will make the knife even more precious to you (unless you discover it belonged to a low down scoundrel... ).

Be very careful when cleaning it up. In fact, maybe you should consider just leaving it as is.

Thanks for posting it here!

Cheers!

David


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  #5  
Old 01-20-2020, 11:12 PM
jimmontg jimmontg is offline
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It takes less effort to smile than to frown !

And it feels better too.
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  #6  
Old 01-21-2020, 07:25 AM
BoBlade BoBlade is offline
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My pleasure, Stephen. I hope you update us if and when you determine the original owner.

As far as cleaning it up: First of all, it's in really great condition! I'm not even sure if it was used or sharpened after it left the shop based on your photos. The only real condition issue is pretty severe oxidation of the aluminum butt cap. It may be possible to remove the nut and clean it up, but I wouldn't recommend it for two reasons:
1. Any significant cleaning would reduce the market value. For example if you sent it in to the Shop for a "cleaning", it will be reground. IMO the value would be cut in half!
2. "As is" condition is the visual representation of the history of the knife, which would be lost forever.

I can tell you what I use for my knives in a similar condition:

1. Leather handle: Lexol leather cleaner and conditioner

https://www.amazon.com/Lexol-Leather...HH5X8YREGDTG6Q

Without some moisturizing, the leather will continue to dry out and shrink.

2. Blade: I lightly remove the 1st layer of rust. Any metal cleaner should work. You don't want the blade shiney! Then I apply a thin layer of a product called
"Renaissance Wax" to prevent further oxidation:

https://www.google.com/search?q=rena...08521791222312

3. Butt cap and retaining nut: I would leave these alone.

Let me know if any...…..

PS: As an aside, I have cleaned up a number of old rusted tools by an "Electrolytic Rust
Removal" technique I found on line quite a while ago:

https://www.wwgoa.com/article/removi...electrolysis/#

The results are pretty amazing.

Last edited by BoBlade; 01-21-2020 at 11:36 PM.
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  #7  
Old 01-29-2020, 04:49 PM
Stephen B Stephen B is offline
 
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Haven't been able to find out much about the previous owners of this Randall 1-7 -- apparently made in 1944.

Very unlikely to have been my grandfathers.

Talked with my mother-in-law and she remembers it being her late second-husbands. He was a quartermaster stateside during the Korean war -- she thinks he may have gotten it from a buddy.

I'm open to selling it if it's collectable but don't really have much of an idea of how to go about that. I know this forum is not about selling ... but maybe folks would have some advice about how to sell it.

I haven't cleaned the knife at all -- just put a little leather conditioner on the sheath.

Thanks for any ideas.
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  #8  
Old 01-29-2020, 06:35 PM
Ta2bill Ta2bill is offline
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I'm certainly interested in it! I' sending you a private message.
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  #9  
Old 02-13-2020, 10:51 AM
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rockhound rockhound is offline
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Hi Bo, I also have a Randall 1-7 that could use dating and thought I'd add to this recent thread rather than start a new one. I acquired it from a friend and collector as a barter for two custom knives that I made for him. He was not sure of the age but guessed it was from the '80s. It's in unused condition and has been stored well. Any help appreciated!
Randall 1-7 1 1200 by GhostCreekMine, on Flickr

Randall 1-7 MM 1200 by GhostCreekMine, on Flickr

Randall 1-7 2 1200 by GhostCreekMine, on Flickr

Randall sheath MM 1200 by GhostCreekMine, on Flickr


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Last edited by rockhound; 02-13-2020 at 10:54 AM.
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  #10  
Old 02-13-2020, 11:56 AM
BoBlade BoBlade is offline
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Hi Chris,

I'm not up on recently made Randalls, but I'm pretty sure it's within the last few decades. Someone else may be able to pin it down more closely.

It's a great knife with some amazing history behind it! Congratulations.

Ron
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  #11  
Old 02-13-2020, 12:17 PM
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Moosehead Moosehead is offline
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Hi Chris!

What you have is fine example of RMK’s basic Model #1 “Fighting Knife”!

I believe it was probably made in the late 90’s. I could be wrong, in which case it’s from the early 2000s.

Cheers!

David


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  #12  
Old 02-13-2020, 02:43 PM
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rockhound rockhound is offline
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Thumbs up

Thank you very much gentlemen! That narrows it down for sure. It will stay in my modest collection for a long time. This is my first Randall, hopefully more in my future. I live just the other side of the mountain and about an hour away from the Spyderco HQ in Golden. Every time I drive down and visit, I end up drooling all over their Randall counter. Fantastic knives.


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