#80688 - 09/12/10 04:36 PM
Randall #14 & #15 Solingen, Germany "Kit" blades
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Knife Enthusiast
Registered: 09/14/05
Posts: 12867
Loc: Central Florida
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I promised my buddy, and "authorized" Randall knife dealer (N.C...Near "Bragg"), Buck Buchanon that I would put this thread together as soon as I could. Well: This is as soon as I could. A couple of weeks ago we had someone request some information about Randall (German) "kit" blades. The entire thread went downhill and was removed..."BUT"...(That word again)... shortly afterwards I heard from the man, via my email, along with a message from Buck. It seems as though Buck had an encounter with the man, and his "kit blade" at a local show up in the Carolinas. At any rate, Buck got a chance to snap a couple of quick pics which he has forwarded to me. I have edited them just a bit and I am about to post them up for all to see. Besides these photos...and thanks to Scott, I also took a few shots today of a pair of Solingen blades, a #14 and #15. Perhaps we can all learn something from these unique blades It wasn't a lengthy amount of time that these blades were offered as a "kit" option by the Randall shop. It was long enough that they're are numbers of their examples out there. I don't know exact numbers and it would be irresponsible of me to guess. I do know a little bit about the entire German project, from it's inception and completion by Bo Randall and Eric Christian in Solingen, Germany. It was an interesting time, running from 1954 (beginning of 1955) up and through the 1990's! A lot of different "stuff" was begate from these early Solingen blades. The first Model #16, #17 and #18's were created using Solingen blades for examples...samples, if you will. OK: I'm not going to carry on. I am hoping that Buck will pipe up and share some of his knowledge about these blades as well. Here they are for your viewing pleasure...ENJOY!! Best, Capt. Chris
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#80690 - 09/12/10 04:59 PM
Re: Randall #14 & #15 Solingen, Germany "Kit" blades
[Re: Captain Chris Stanaback]
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Knife Enthusiast
Registered: 09/14/05
Posts: 12867
Loc: Central Florida
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#14 features first. The front of back of the entire blade shown first. The close-up, both front & back shows (if you can strain through my photo attempts) "STAINLESS" etched on the front and "W.GERMANY" on the back. It's easy to see why a good portion on these blades, upon completion were "void" of these markings... Best, Capt. Chris
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#80691 - 09/12/10 05:10 PM
Re: Randall #14 & #15 Solingen, Germany "Kit" blades
[Re: Captain Chris Stanaback]
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Knife Enthusiast
Registered: 09/14/05
Posts: 12867
Loc: Central Florida
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Lastly: The Model #15 shown in the same sequence. Notice that "MADE IN GERMANY" is stamped on the front tang. The back is totally clean?? Just more "puzzle pieces". Hope you enjoyed the "tour"...Comments and informative historical additions are more than welcome. Best, Capt. Chris
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#80698 - 09/12/10 05:43 PM
Re: Randall #14 & #15 Solingen, Germany "Kit" blades
[Re: Captain Chris Stanaback]
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Knife Enthusiast
Registered: 08/17/10
Posts: 290
Loc: New Orleans
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Re: Kit Randalls. I posted these before...found this sold on e-bay a few years ago. I tend to be drawn to things that have a certified military history and have been used in the field. Still, this knife is a little strange... I think these "kit" blades might have been offered in the catalog from Randall circa about 1967. We were all trying to figure how to afford a Randall... but most of us did not know exactly how to finish these blades. This on looks pretty good... "You are bidding on an uncommon kit knife. Randall Models 14 and 15 (Solingen blades only) were available in kit form was Models 16, 17, and 18 were not. Kit knives could be purchased in the 1960s and 1970s but starting in early 1971 kit blades no longer carried the Randall trademark." See: http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://pmimages.worthpoint.com/thumbnails2/1/0907/03/1_416b7e8bcd0cc9b2e872593ba1dcee37.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/vietnam-era-randall-model-14-kit-knife&usg=__XAOwFKPIhaH_yxaeVdgvMV1vHcI=&h=150&w=150&sz=5&hl=en&start=39&zoom=0&itbs=1&tbnid=K9LelQsYBwX4WM:&tbnh=96&tbnw=96&prev=/images%3Fq%3DRandall%2Bmodel%2B14%26start%3D20%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26gbv%3D2%26ndsp%3D20%26tbs%3Disch:1
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Jack Williams
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#80700 - 09/12/10 06:30 PM
Re: Randall #14 & #15 Solingen, Germany "Kit" blades
[Re: Captain Chris Stanaback]
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Knife Enthusiast
Registered: 09/21/09
Posts: 553
Loc: Gulf Coast Texas
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Here's another #14 Solingen "KIT". Sorry my pictures are not up to most of your standards.
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Tom DeHart RKS # 021 SHAG # 002 #4-6-6-SS # 001
Every Day is Margarita Day in Texas
Growing Old is NOT for Sissies
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#80752 - 09/13/10 09:28 PM
Re: Randall #14 & #15 Solingen, Germany "Kit" blades
[Re: Tom_D]
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Knife Enthusiast
Registered: 07/25/10
Posts: 1078
Loc: Fayetteville NC
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I guess I'm the culprit that has brought all of this to light.I was set up at the Greensboro Gun Show on the 28th of August, when a feller came up and asked about Randall Kit Blades. He said he had one, and that it was marked "W-Germany". I explained to him that Randall offered some of the model 14's, 15, & 18's during the Viet-Nam War with blades made in Solingen, Germany.
I asked him to bring it in so I could take some photos. As it is in most auditorium buildings, light fixtures are a "mile away" on the ceiling, and one cannot achieve very good exposure to show grind lines, and blade configuration.
I wasn't able to give him much information, but Tommy, the book dealer from Radford, VA was right across the aisle, so I grabbed Sheldon Wickersham's "RANDALL KNIVES A Reference Book", and showed him the pages related to kit blades.
I suggested that if he wanted more background & possible "street" value, to register with this forum and ask questions.
By the time I got back to Fayetteville and look at the forum, the thread had been removed, AND THE REST IS HISTORY.
So, let's not talk about THAT "history". I just sent the photos to Capt. Chris to put on the forum to present examples of little-known Randall History of the kit blade. I had seen other kit knives on this forum in other threads.
You never stop learning, especially on this Forum.
I always try to sign up new members in the RKS at the shows and I try to interest folks in this very educational Forum.
I hope I didn't get off on the wrong foot, bringin' this kit blade to light. I can only be responsible for myself.
Thanks for listenin'
Buck Buchanan Cumberland Knife & Gun Works, Inc (1972-1999) Fayetteville Arms Room (1999-Present)
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Buck Buchanan, RKCC #CM-16, RKS #1003 NRA LIFE NMLRA LIFE Authorized Randall Dealer buck100_10x@icloud.com
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#134482 - 11/27/15 07:03 PM
Re: Randall #14 & #15 Solingen, Germany "Kit" blades
[Re: Captain Chris Stanaback]
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Knife Enthusiast
Registered: 07/14/15
Posts: 1907
Loc: Spring Hill, Florida
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I just picked this Model 15 Solingen "KIT" blade up.
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Tattoo Bill Spring Hill, FL. Livin On The Edge! ta2bill@yahoo.com
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