I'm wanting to buy this Randall Knife.... "Navy/Marine Aircrew Survival" , made from the early 1970's until....I don't know, maybe mid 1980's. Built on a Model #5-5" platform, I 'borrowed' this image from our friend Sheldon Wickersham's outstanding book..."Randall Knives - A Refrence Book" . If you have one of these Randall's, please email or PM me.

Rex, I have also been looking for this type of knife. Maybe someday. Good luck with your hunt and please post pictures if you find it.

Were they all made with stainless steel?

Thanks Jimmy...I might have good news soon..and Ben, I don't know if they were all stainless blades..I've saw different handle shape's so I'm assuming you could choose SS or 01 tool.

I have found the RMK I was seeking..and I have paid the seller's fee's for him.

I have a question on this model: is there any written information about this model with respect to when the last one was made? I know a guy that says he supposedly has one, but I'm thinking it might just be a model 5 with teeth.

The knife in Sheldon's book is SS, small teeth, double hilt, standard spacers and a radiused butt. Were they all this way? If so, how many were made and through what year?

The one I'm looking at is fitted to a Johnson smoothback with custom spacers -- I'm thinking the black / brass custom spacers would eliminate the possibility of it being a Navy / Marine Aircrew knife.

Any help / information appreciated.

Miles,
I recently bought one of these Model #5-5" variant's, named the 'Navy/Marine Aircrew Survival' knife, from a respected and avid RMK collector.

He told me these variant's were made from the 1970's to the early 90's, and they were configured with a 5" SS blade with fine saw teeth, brass double hilt, brass 'rounded' butt cap with a lanyard, and either a commando shaped or standard shape , black micarta handle.

Here is a portion of HIS email to me concerning HIS effort to define this RMK variant of the Model #5-5" knife:

"The initial reference I found for this variant came buried in an article by either Bob Gaddis or Pete Hamiliton, or Bob speaking with Pete, either in an RKS article (on the Intersquare RKS CD), or in an article Bob wrote for Blade magazine back in the mid 1990's. I'm pretty sure it was on the CD though, or I would've given reference credit. In the article, there was sidenote discussion on the special Model #5 variants - I believe there were four."

Rex,

Can you post a pic of your knife?

So . . . what about the one currently on Ebay??
Just went up today.

Rex,

Thanks. I know RMK stopped putting sawteeth on the model 5 grinds at some point, not sure when. Curious if ALL of the Aircrew Survival's were made with a model 5 grind, or if some are the combat companion grind.

The one on ebay appears to be a combat companion with sawteeth, paired with an older JRB. To me, the knife with custom spacers mated to a JRB do not match up. Anyone, feel free to correct me if I'm wrong -- I will gladly stand corrected.

Here you go TAH...

Rex,

That looks like a 7-5 or model 20 sheath, no?

Miles,

Not sure on the Model 5 not having sawteeth. This knife was received Christmas 2009.

no saw on a 5-5 5-6 is possible

Mike,

Thanks, this helps. More questions: what keeps anyone who owns a knife like this from calling it a Navy / Marine Aircrew Survival knife? Those particular knives must have certain features that distinguishes them as being NMASK's vs. knives like yours that are model 5's with sawteeth.

In short, how do we differentiate the NMASK's from all other knives with similar builds?

Now that you say that Ben, jogged my memory and think Miles was correct on his statement.
No teeth on the shorter blades.

Miles...you're right, it is a Model 20 sheath...I dug out the wrong sheath...oh well.

Miles...I found the correct sheath and posted new image's.