I found my dad's knife in a garage box afer he died. He served in the Phillipines and I just learned that he and his father bought it in Chicago after he got his draft notice (he was drafted two weeks out of high school). His name, Infantry and Comapny (126 Infantry, Company A)are written on the scabbard. Sargeant William M. Dwyer is buried in Joliet, Illinois, Abraham Lincoln National Memorial with his other high school buddies. Does anyone know a shop in Chicago that Randall shipped these to? My mother says it was a well known knife shop. How do I post a photo?
Abercrombie and Fitch in Chicago was an authorized dealer of Randall Knives many years ago. Hope this knife served him well. Thanks for posting the picture.
Don't try to do anything to clean up the blade,(thinking you will increase the sale value). Apparently that is an extremely bad idea on the older WW-II type blades and their value.
It is known that Bo Randall shipped some knives to at least one Midwest retailer during war years without sheathes. The sheath pictured with your knife is exactly what you would expect to see paired with it if supplied by someone other than Bo. When the blade show is over this weekend one of the salty old pros may be able to tell you more. Until then, don't discount the sheath, or do anything to either piece, no matter how tempting! It looks like a great historical find!
Nice article. "One that is clear though, is VL&A did in fact supply sheaths for the vast majority of Randall fighters sold through their store."
The sheath does look like the VL& A sheath in the article but with 3 extra rivits. Same retention system, same knife retainer loop and orientation, same basic footprint.