Knives from Randall Made are a collection of the most valued collector's items among true knife aficionados. The company is well known for creating a collection of the best hand-made blades in the world.
History of Randall Made Knives
W.D. "Bo" Randall started constructing blades in his spare time. He quickly learned to hand-fashion exceptional-quality forged knives for different outdoor uses. He started marketing them informally in the years prior to World War II.
During the early stages of WWII, a reporter was introduced to these knives and wrote a story about Bo. This led to overwhelming demand and forced Bo into the knife-manufacturing business full time. This worked out to be lucky for blade lovers!
Randall continued to make each blade by hand, despite the prevalance of more modern massproduction techniques throughout the industry. His publicity and popularity increased during and after World War II, as many war heroes and well known celebrities like Ronald Reagan used his weapons.
After the war, Bo was contacted by NASA to create a survival knife for its infant space program. The end product was one of Randall's most famous works -- The Model #17 also known as the "Astro".
Gary Randall, Bo's son, ran the company following Bo's passing in the year 1989. Currently, Randall Knives are considered one of the best in the industry of hand-crafted knives, and holds a superior reputation. These knives are considered as collectibles and their value increases immediately after they are bought.
The Knives
Randall makes more than fifty styles, some of which have been in production for many years. The models fall into several divisions: Sportsman blades are for hunting, fishing and other outdoor chores. The model 5 and Model 25 "Trapper" are in this category.

Seawater blades are for diving, fishing and general utility use. The Model 10 and Model 16 "Diver" are the most popular items in this category. Survival knives include the famous #17 "Astro" and #18 "Attack And Survival". Combat style knives include the #15 "Airman" and the #14 "Attack". Bowie blades include the #12 "Bear Bowie" and #13 "Arkansas Toothpick".
Knife Construction
Randall has been refining its knife manufacturing process throughout its history. It currently uses a time-intensive, seventeen step process that involves forging a blade of high-carbon steel, hand-crafting the blade to exact specifications and numerous polishings. For complete details on the process, check out Randall's home online.
Where to Buy Randall Knives
You have a couple of possibilities when searching to purchase a Randall Knife. If you're okay getting on a five-year waiting queue, you can go to Randall's website. Or you can look around and find an official Randall distributor. Unfortunately, Randall dealers have a limited allowance of blades that they can buy from Randall, so it's mostly hit or miss. If you want a blade soon, or are browsing for a specific model, the only way to go is eBay.
There are numerous new and pre-owned Randall Made Knives available for sale at eBay. It might require a little surfing around to discover the right type of knife for you, but with a little work you can almost always find the perfect item. Always consult the feedback rating of the vendor before buying, because you want to purchase from a reputable vendor. Usually that means one who possesses a feedback rating of 98% or higher.
Learn More about Randall Knives
Randall Made knives are so popular, there are several books authored about them: an excellent reference book by Sheldon and Edna Wickersham, Robert Hunt's "Randall Military Models" and Robert L. Gaddis' "Randall Made Knives: The History Of The Man And The Blades".
For a quick and dirty overview of the Knives, visit the Wikipedia's site on Randall Made Knives. It's brief, but does offer up a few references to more detailed websites.