Mitchell

The bottom knife in the bottom picture, do you think the top quillon came from RMK that way or it was a personal alteration?

It is also interesting to see the differences in thickness and lengths of the hilts.

Rod, I always assumed they came from the shop that way. It shows no signs of being hammered or bent

Thank you. And thanks for posting a couple more RKS newsletters. They are great reading.

Beautiful #1 fighters a real pleasure to see pics of them!

Regards,
marc

Here is a #1 that I bought recently. The seller advertised it as having an ivory micarta handle. When I got the knife, I was puzzled by the nature of the handle material. In the hand, it feels like polished stag, but the butcher paper that came with the knife says it's ivory micarta. (The notations are correct on all other details.) What do you think it is? Also, about when do you think it might have been made? The sheath is a modern one with the Randall logo on the snaps.
- Buckspen

Here's a recent YouTube on a Model 1 that a real soldier made and has some very good suggestions to improve on the "working" Model 1. Check it out-


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZdq8Rk75M8

My guess is he is not a "front line" guy and he even alluded to that by making a "work detail" reference. Doesn't appear to be a callus on his hand.

Also his comment about he isn't worried about the blade being shiny because "when you draw it out on somebody you are already on top of them so it won't matter if it is shiny at that point", well, I am throwing a flag on that one.

Had he done any research or had any knowledge of RMK's, he would have known that the sheath was not compatible with MOLLE and other options are available. Funny is most guys apparently still use the tried and true method of carry or adapt to another form of carry.

On top of that, the "duralumin" buttcap has been around since the 1940's and really not too many complaints to this point. So a guy that is in the rear with the gear is worried about it? I say fix it. Dull it up, blacken it, whatever, but my guess is it will never see anything but opening letters back at HQ so "it wont matter at that point".

Good points on all accounts, thanks.

Pap

I have several gun with antique gold micarta grips.

It seems to be same as mine. Last fine weave linen and modern enough to be epoxy instead of phenol so should keep color better.

Most good stuff no more in US due to EPA and OSHA.

Buckspen, this is an interesting knife in that it is a blade shaped by me, yet I also marked the paper to be shipped! So, since I was no longer shaping blades after 1999, I believe this is an earlier 90's knife with the Ivorite micarta with Mike Wilson finger grooves that had come in for a refinish after then and then shipped back out by me, thus my writing on the paper.

---DW---