He didn't make fighters then Ron. He made what was in his catalog, field knives, carvers, and handled Case, Henckles, and Northampton factory blades which amounted to over half of his total production through his first three years in 'business". Fighting knives weren't even on the radar yet.

Quoting Gaddis:

"During the last half of 1942 and into the first couple of months of 1943 Bo experimented with a few combat knife designs beside the Zacharias-Randall style. At fist some men had him modify his catalog 6 and 7 hunters for combat duty. This consisted of sharpening the blade on the top edge and using a double hilt. The handles were of stag but usually not crowns. He adopted the term "Commando" to denote this earliest of his double -hilted combat knives.

The Randall Commando knife went on to become a distinct design style, which had a very limited popularity thorough out 1943. This WW II knife can best be described as having an upward -curved blade, similar to the modern Model 4 Big Game and Skinner, went the back of the blade being sharpened over halfway to the double hilt. It was great for slashing but no good at thrusting or for general-purpose duties.

Bo's Journal also contains a couple of other styles from this early WWII period. These short-lived designs are now seen as being part of the transition from the original Zacharias-Randall to the Fighter of WWII and later. The were made in very limited numbers and had been phased out by the end of February 1943. The majority of this design experimentation happened in the last quarter of 1942, commencing shortly after Bo's release fro CAP duties. From this time on, the fabrication of combat-type knives accounted for at least 95 percent of the efforts expended at Randall Made Knives."



The description of a modified catalog hunter blade in the first paragraph sounds eerily like Brian's knife. I believe what is said in the passage above puts this issue to rest.

Not by any stretch, Joe! I'm quoting Gaddis as well:

Pg 57: His willingness to custom-make a knife to someone's expectations was also noted: Over the next 40 odd years, this offer was ably transformed into many hundreds of fine knives, each individually crafted to the customer's requirements"

Also, pg 58: Prior to WWII, the sheath was optional; the first catalog (November 1940) noted three types: 1) Best sheath with hidden belt loop (Type A) 2)Cheaper sheath with ordinary type loop (Pancake style) 3) Special sheath with hone pocket (Type A with stone pocket).

I had never noticed it in the catalog, but it's sure there. I have never seen a stone pouch on sheath that old and would have questioned it's age.....

Here is the 1940 catalog.

http://www.randallmadeknife.com/1939/

Having re-read this thread, it's interesting to me how the timeframe for the fighting knife development correlates with other events of the time. Lt. Zacharias (according to Gaddis) was in the 351st Searchlight Bn. This type of unit supported anti-aircraft batteries protecting the coast. The transition period from "Zach" style fighters to what we call "WW2 fighters" occurs when the 351st Bn. deployed. The entry of Jan 06, 1943, is very possibly the last day of the 351st Battalions' stay in Florida, as they sail out of the New York port of Embarkation on the 15th of Jan. 1943. If Bo had devoted much time to the Zach fighters for this unit, a lull and perhaps a chance for refinements came immediately after their departure.

I don't believe that is the case wally, depending on what we call a Zacharias fighter.

I know of two in existence, the original Zach and Tune's knife. I don't think Bo made more than a handful of this style as it was not practical for utilitarian use with the finger grips on "top" of the handle and the odd hilt.

I believe he moved to a more "traditional" style rather quickly and most definitely with the introduction of leather handles in November of 1942. All of the earliest knives other than the two mentioned that I know of are leather with finger grips. I believe he made the majority of the 28 knives during this period after the introduction of leather.

Brian's knife that was mentioned I believe was made in the latter part of 1942.

Safe to say, Tunes knife came after Lt. Zacharias', and the Lt's last requested knife is completed 6 Jan 1943 ( As I interpret Gaddis), that's what made me think the 6 month time frame between the total of 4 ordered was devoted to that design, of course, as the production of these 4 knives may have occurred over the course of considerably less time, changes could come about simultaneously. Establishing the link between Tunes knife, and the Zacharias, could be the key factor in nailing this down, I suppose

The hilt (quillion?), is, I believe shaped in its "teardrop" fashion, to facilitate the fighting grip, with forefinger over the hilt. We do know for a fact that Lt. Zacharias' last journal entry came one week before his Battalion set sail, and it's easy to think all of the Lt's orders would be delivered appearing similar to each other. Certainly an important time in the development of the APFK, with room for much more learning, investigating, and hopefully, more discovery.

What I am saying is I do not believe the four knives Zacharias ordered were the same style of knife. As I stated with leather eliminating the use of stag for all practical purposes in November 1942, it is reasonable to presume that maybe his third knife and certainly his fourth was markedly different than his first.

This is a similar knife to the 28th knife made with a journal entry of 7 January 1942. Not even close to the Zach

Very intresting, assuming you are correct, Mitchells' knife is the second one, of two. I recall something in Gaddis' book about the difficulty WDR had transitioning to leather, having to acquire a specific tool to punch the circles, then using a chisel to cut the center out to accommodate the tang.

It is the second known to exist, not the second one made. We don't know. The design really wasn't that practical.

Leather may have taken a bit of work but it was a much more suitable handle material.