I've been land-locked all weekend, due to having to work the Tampa show. I just got the first chance to check this out: Ron...Not only thanks for the cool knife photos and story, but thanks for contributing to the "This Old Randall" forum. I appreciate it and urge other folks out there, lurkers as well, to please join us. There is a wealth of knowledge floating around out there we need to see and learn from! Great post Ron!!
Best, Capt. Chris

That's one special knife, Ron. Congrats! Now that you have your Holy Grail, you can finally stop huntin' down old Randalls and start that stamp collection.

Thanks, Guido!



My pleasure, Cap. Glad you enjoyed the post.



Thanks, Tom. I still have a lot of voids to fill in, so it's business as usual. Truth be known, my parents were stamp collectors and I collected between the ages of 8 and 12. I still have that old stamp collection, but I sold my 50 cent Graf Zeppelin to buy a knife when I was about 14

Best,

Here's an oldie, and certainly a goodie.
I just wish it were mine!
This #18 is in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art in NYC.
http://www.moma.org/collection/object.php?object_id=3377

Interesting things about this piece. Notice it has a screw in cap with a pinched tube. This proved problematic for RMK, as the pinched tube even though pinche at the hilt, it tended to deform the remainder of the tube. This rendered threading ineffective by not be able to maintain the orignal round shape.

You will also notice the brazed thong ring on the butt cap. This too was short lived to maybe only a couple of examples made. Hunt has a photo of one such as this in one of his books, showing why it was short lived, but his knife has the round tube all the way to the hilt.

I knew we'd hear from you on this, Crutch! Tony LaPetri posted this photo on another thread. I recognized it, immediately, as a rare combination. I am wondering just how far inside of the tube the end of the #18 blade actually extends. I would venture to say not as far as a good many other examples featuring the Crutch tip, for the reasons you have mentioned.
This is just "me"...but it only makes sense that the longer the tang on the inside of this tube...the more problematic the Randall shop would have had in maintaining a perfectly round end to thread. Have you had a chance to see one like (or nearly like) this one, Joe? If not, I guess we just have to go to the MoMA and check this one out.
Thanks for posting, Crutch! Always good to get your educated spin on things....(well...maybe not "spin")
Best, Capt. Chris

Chris/Joe,

#18 handles are threaded before they are soldered to the hilt. I don't recall ever seeing a pinched tube with a threaded butt.
Long tangs on 18's leave little room for storage.

jason

I agree Jason. It's rare. That was my point. I knew the threading and knurling were done prior to install, but am curious about the long vs. short tang inside on "this knife". Being it is threaded I was thinking it may have a short tang inside. Transitional stuff?? Who knows?? Thanks for posting.
Best, Capt. Chris

That is the point, it probably didn't take but a couple of tries before it was determined that pinching the tube at the hilt as I understand it was done, also deformed it a bit at the threaded end enough to prevent screwing the cap in. This knife may be the only example, it is the only one I recall seeing.

Although the pinched tube and square sided hilt is more attractive for many of us, the practicality of trying to maintain that shape with the threaded cap fell short. I suppose you could have used a mandrel to hold the shape at the threads but probably wasn't an option relative to efficiency at the shop. Changing the shape of hilt killed two birds with one stone. Pinching of the tube was no longer necessary, and threading was unaffected.

I finally found a little time to catch up on some knife porn....

I have added these five in the last few months. There are more pictures and descriptions on my site. www.tunefink.com/RMK.

Mid 40's Model #1 with 7" blade




A 1946 - 47 Model #1 with an 8" blade. Notice the peened tang, no nut.



An early 50's Model #1 with a 7" blade and ivory handle with finger grips!



A mid 60's Model #14 Humpback Solingen with 7-1/2" stainless blade and a filled hole micarta handle.



And a cool little Model #1 with a 6" carbon blade...check out the "S" shaped hilt!