I'm no "Big" time collector but I have a few Randalls that are "Special" to me anyway. Yes, I have the Randall Club 4/8 Fighter with the Sheath signed by Mr. Guy Clark himself. What a great person. After he signed the Sheath, he asked "me" if it was okay to take it out and "give 'er a look see" he was seemingly impressed. A Special Fighter, with a few personal touches, a #1 with some "more" special touches and finally one of the Captains NASA "Mission" Memorials. I probably got my first Randall around 1995, having been a big Guy Clark fan since the early 1970's but well they ain't cheap. Over the years, I have owned maybe 4 or 5 others, some just to look at, often to decide if it's a keeper or move on. I like "fighting knives.

Now here is my point, I'm not trying to be insulting but I worked with a Dealer, who pretty much kept me a "slot" so I could get a Randall Knife every year, I could have got more but like I said they are expensive and it was like a yearly surprise. Between 1995 and about 2006 if I didn't want that knife (like the 2 hunters I wanted to check out) or even that big #2 (it's just for killing and probably good at it) and perhaps a Guardian (nice) and a Gambler, I was always able to sell my knives easily for a profit, between $100 and $300 on Ebay.

For almost the last 10 years I can almost always buy a Randall on Ebay for less than from either Randall or a Dealer. I was never in it for the money, making a $100 or so a year was no big deal and for the most part I like my knives. I keep my 3 Fighters under glass, give them a nice polish every month or so, admire them and hang them back on the wall.

Mind you,like all of us I'm getting old and I can't say that any of my younger nephews really have much interest, that's fine. However, I must admit I got that NASA Mission Memorial as a "safe queen" to sell in the future. It's a nice knife and all but really too big and heavy to use. I have kept it in a special temp and humidity controlled lock box, with the assumption it would be worth $1,500 maybe more, there are not many around.

The last one I saw on Ebay sold for less than $700 as I recall they cost around $1,100 and it's a fine knife. Still I really don't want to loose some $400, maybe in another 10 years it will be worth much more but who knows, really?

I just don't see this subject come up much. I like my Randall knives and never needed the money where I was forced to sell one and for the most part, I do love to look at them on the wall in that display case. Still, my safe queen NASA as nice as it is, I would rather get something more like a Combat Companion and maybe a 4/6 or a matching Club 4/8 in leather. Again, rather sit on it untill I can at least not loose money.

Still, fact is, one can go today and get a Randall cheaper on Ebay than through the factory or a dealer. I just wondered how other's feel. Like I said, I'm not big time, it's a small hobby but I've been doing it for over 20 years now, I enjoy it but do to the inability to even break even I have not sold a knife for over 5 years.

I'm sure others will comment but its very much a buyers market right now with the exception of the truly rare or high quality older knives.

Just my $0.02!

this has been discussed on several occasions, but I will revisit.

With the passing of Rhett Stidham and the demise of the RKS, collectors are no longer getting the exposure to the knife collecting hobby in general, and of course RMK's.

Rhett traveled across the country all year long doing shows from California, Oregon, Texas, Vegas, Tennessee, Oklahoma, New York, Georgia, Florida, etc. He always had his ubiquitous RKS sign on his table, was willing to talk to folks, and promoted the hobby every day.

He was regular with the newsletter 4 times a year. He would always get a few recruits at a show. He was the consumate promotor. That is how he made his living so he had a vested interest in keeping interest high.

That is the biggest reason in my opinion and of course the economy comes into play also. Collectibles of many items have fallen out, but if folks aren't getting educated and and there is little promotion of the hobby other than internet sites, you have what you have. As of yet, no one has filled Rhett's shoes.

If you make a living off knives, and you want the hobby to grow, there is no substitute with putting a face to it.

I do not see new Randalls on ebay selling for below MSRP. Maybe the odd guy really hard up or someone trying to turn a fast buck maybe.

But truly new meat and potatoes models generally still are snapped up if offered at MSRP or slightly above. Buyers are more savvy as for the "why wait four years when you can have one now for only 20% higher price" sellers.

But they are not losing money in general. As for "limited collectible" models of new make, they are another story as prices are jacked to start, and you must know somebody who wants it even more, to move it. Think bad stocks or beanie babies.

Edit/late: a big problem is people buying them as speculators rather than knife lovers. Balloons pop. The "my S is lower than your S" means nothing to majority of buyers looking for the true sound purchase of a like-new very early Randall. The pushing of nitnoids such as button color or spacer count is one speculator talking to another in the speculation echo chamber, call it "promotion" if you will, but all about money and not about knives. Likewise all the latest greatest new wunderkind engraved encrusted knives at shows with a walrus penis for a handle. It has degraded to silliness among those with money to burn.

Also, the invention of the internet and the ease of marketing/selling RMKs equals market saturation. I clearly remember the days when it was difficult to find Randalls for sale. This was even back in the mid 90s. Nordic Knives rarely had any RMKs for immediate delivery. Now they regularly stock around 100. Add in all the other websites and the over 1700 RMK related items on eBay and yep, it's a buyer's market for the unforeseen future.

Well, sorry if I'm just rehashing old news. I did a quick look and saw very little. In one sense it is a buyers market and that's good, like I said sure would not mind to get a matched set of the Club 4/8. Still miss the old days, I never bothered to even put a reserve on, just listed it and waited 7 days. Odd thing for me, I think I bought my first Randall in 1994, I did not know anything about dealers or ordering, I just called the shop, they said they had a #1 just sitting there, all standard features and it was mine if I wanted it. I took it, later I found out in general it was like a 3 year wait. Well thank you all for your time.

Agree 100% , buyers market with the exceptions you mentioned.It goes for most collectibles.The coin market is down between 20%-30%.The baseball card market has basically collapsed.

Collectibles are not a very liquid asset to have a bunch of $ in right now.

I know part of it is the economy for sure. But there are not many "New" people getting into any type of collectibles. That also affects for sure.

I mostly collect and sell coins and i can tell you that market was overpriced for a long time. Like the saying goes " all that goes up comes down" .

Everyone needs a roof over their head , not a rare coin or knife.

Your statement about "my S is lower that your S" is wholly inaccurate. To those not in the know, of which there are many, you may be correct. Those folks have not taken the time to educate themselves.

But to the the folks in the know, it can mean everything. Same with your statement about spacers and snaps.

In this climate though, the uneducated don't know any different. That is why prices are low on certain vintage pieces. When you can buy say a mint condition model 3-6 from the mid 60's for less than a new 3-6 of similar build, it is a problem. Often a purveyor gets a knife and can't immediately sell it, they are panicking and letting 'em go cheap so as not to get stuck with it. That low price sets the bar and folks pass up on some good pieces because they want it for what the last one sold for.

If you old collectors are feeling the loss then post your sales and move on
Capt has done a fine job of resurrecting RKS
Weren't for him be nothing

Its kinda like the market
Cry in your beer til ya can drink champagne again

Rick,
Long time....Glad you're still around. I cannot address all of your post's questions, but I can address a couple. "Current value Randall knives in the last 25 years". That is your topic title. OK: Let's go back, not even nearly that far.
This point was brought up, quite well and accurately, by Gary Clinton at this past year's Blade show seminar (which ya'll should attend: They're great!) Here's a good example:
Everyone remembers Sept.11th, 2001. I think nobody can debate that. On that day, a standard, bone stock, Randall Model #1-7" catalog priced for $250.00. Take that knife, put it in a show box under your bed. Take another show box and put $250.00 in it & put it under your bed. Take them both out today...and what do you have? $250.00 in one box and a $390.00 valued knife in the other...and they "sell", rapidly for $390.00! Carry this scenario on to stocks-n-bonds and, in many cases, $250.00 worth of stock from 2001 is fractions less, if not almost worthless!
Point is: It depends on what you are talking about and comparing it to. The NASA project knives that I have re-sold go for $1250.00. A 20% (roughly) increase over 5-7 years. The prices were not inflated at introduction. You had a $600.00 stainless Bowie, A custom cut piece of NASA G-3 or G-10, shop charges of $75.00 to put it on...$35.00 worth of laser-etching...a $135.00 custom sheath, nickel silver hilts, metal spacers, duralumin of NS butt caps (That's another $70)...and 2 years to get 86 knives built! If someone was: A) Stupid enough to sell...or B) Lucky enough to buy one of those 86 for seven bills...Great! But it is, by no means, a credible example of where the market is "going".
Buyer's market? Sure: Absolutely. Goof time to sell? Depends. Good time to buy? Depends....Just the way this financial circle of life goes. Could be worse: You could have owned Volkswagon stock at market price a few months ago!
Glad to see you posting Rick. Take care.
Best, Capt. Chris
PS: RCKK Club knives were offered to RKCC members for 10% "under" catalog price. RKS knives were "always" over-inflated by 20% or better....just sayin'
Capt. Chris