Many individuals often ask how to put a value on a collectible knife, asked second only to the vintage, how old it is. I believe there have been articles written on the subject in the RKS newsletter and a couple of publications and I don’t recall if any actually answered the question, nor do I know if this article will. It is a loaded question, but let’s see if I can help a bit.

I want to give myself a caveat, because I get many emails and calls asking about the value of a knife someone is looking to purchase. First,  I don’t do appraisals unless it is something I am interested in for my own collection. Secondly, me or anyone else that takes it upon themselves to “value” knives, can get in trouble real fast, and can become the focus of a war of words when the estimated value given is perceived as set in stone by the person you gave it to, and he is not realizing offers to his/her liking. Third, more often than not for me, I am asked the value by an interested party of a knife being sold by someone I may know. It is my policy to never get into the ring and price another person’s knives, and again do so only if for my own interest.

The gist of the question that prompted me to write this article was a question of monetary values and I will address that, but I will also address the intrinsic value of a knife that equates to collectability and what makes it such. This can get a bit complicated because much of the appeal of any knife is subjective, and the likes of  individuals can greatly vary. The appeal can affect both desirability and monetary value, and they often  go hand in hand.

First, there are three “eras” we are concerned about regarding vintage Randall’s. The first we’ll call the Golden age, from the beginning of Bo’s knife making in the late 1930’s to the end of WWII in 1945. Second you have the “Silver” age from the end of WWII through the Korean War in 1953. Third is the “Bronze” age from the end of the Korean War through the end of the Viet Nam war in 1973-75, the longest period with the most unique changes in design, with some new models and options available.

You will note that I end the “eras” to coincide with the end of a milestone of history associated with the conclusion of a major conflict involving the USA. This is pertinent because these times of war are the birthing grounds of innovation and design of not only fighting knives, but the field knife as well which often followed suit with development after the wartime period. There is a fourth period of note, from the mid/late 1970’s through the mid-late 1980’s, when the shop was still making customer designed pieces, as well as some shop ‘experimentation” being done. There are quite a few interesting pieces from this period. 

I also want to mention the use or overuse of the word “vintage”, when folks are marketing knives. Anything newer than the 4th period mentioned above, after the mid-1980’s is not “vintage” per se. At this point begins a long period of “standardization” for the most part.  Beyond that, knives have been pretty much the same since, with no real distinguishing characteristics. 

Many collectors’ interests morph over time between eras, models, options, etc., so it is often difficult to pin down any single area of collecting, and they will frequently find themselves coming full circle back to where they began. This is one of the essential elements that makes Randall Made Knife collecting a fun and interesting hobby. This is also why monetary and intrinsic values ebb and flow. After a new collector who for arguments sake we say starts with newer knives, almost across the board he will “graduate” to an earlier vintage that piques his interest. It could be an example of an earlier model of what he currently collects, or it could be a complete departure. Other collectors may settle in with a specific genre to concentrate on and seldom veer from that path.

Some examples are a specific genre are model, handle material, vintage, skinners, general field knives, and all the subsets that follow the examples given. For example, a fellow may collect only model 1’s, and further narrow that down to blade length, vintage, handle material, finger grips, hilt material i.e. nickel silver or brass, etc. It can go on and on with some getting very specific. Sometimes it is simply options that rule the day. 

Others may collect embellished pieces, with  Tom Leschorn and Rick Bowles at the forefront, being the only  artisans authorized by the shop to embellish Randall Knives. I must mention a short period of time after the passing of Tom Leschorn, that David Perdue was authorized to engrave knives, but it was a short lived endeavor due to conflicting work schedules. Gail White was another authorized by the Randall shop to work on knives but his work was limited to installing handles on knives. His pieces are usually marked with an etched “W”. He was a friend of Bo’s to some degree and it was a hobby for him. Tommy Bish also deserves a mention here, as an avid outdoorsman, author, gunsmith,  and Randall fan, Tommy embellished knives in his unique way. Unfortunately, none of these fellows are still with us. There currently are some other folks doing nice work, but remember, this work is not “shop done”, so these pieces should likely reflect a lesser value versus the authorized pieces, often a substantial difference.  

There are always knives that stand out for various reasons, some previously mentioned, and may have broad appeal simply because of the nature of the beast. Thus you will have more folks interested and possibly willing to venture from their “comfort zone”.

I want to address the subject of the internet, which has vastly changed knife collecting, buying, and selling. First of course is ebay, which perhaps not the best place, remains viable and like it or not, can often set a “value” for knives, real or perceived. Of course there are variables involved, but nevertheless, ebay seems to remain quite popular and can be used as a gauge (not an end all) for values.

There are various websites by dealers (secondary market) that offer their wares, and potentially give you the ability to negotiate price for a knife that may interest you. These sites often have decent photos and a brief (too brief most of the time) description of the item being advertised. I have found that the folks I know personally, or have had interactions with that are purveyors of Randall Knives, almost across the board are a good and honest bunch. So there shouldn’t be any consternation if you find yourself dealing with one of these fellows.

Lastly, and as much as I personally do not like it, is facebook. There are several Randall themed groups where fellows of common interest participate and often proffer items for sale. It seems to this point in time to be very active with some of the group’s hosting thousands of members.

Bottom line, do your research prior to squeezing the trigger. Ultimately you need to feel comfortable with your purchase, hopefully resulting in many years of enjoyment collecting Randall Made Knives.