I have always wondered for sure when the switch from thong link to thong hole in the butt method for wrist thong attachment took place. My thought has always been that it, among other things like a more standardized blade grind, took place sometime not too long after Bill Platts arrived at the shop in January 1944.

I have had documented pieces that attest to this time frame of both wrist thong and thong hole usage.

The knife pictured is in the museum and I presume the date it says it was purchased is correct. That being said, it bolsters my opinion that the thong link did carry through the end of the year, 1943, and the switch was made in earlier 1944.

There is a very interesting "back story" to this knife as well Joe. It will be one of the stories in the next "KNIFE KNEWS"! Great knife, for sure!
Best, Capt. Chris

Very interesting info as always crutchtip .

Since i have been collecting early Randall's ( only about 3 years ) IMO and in my experience the WWII #1 Fighters are not that rare at all .

I have seen dozens and dozens for sale on Ebay and on dealers/collectors sites.

But i do notice that in 8" length they are harder to come across . I read somewhere that Mr. Randall did not consider an 8" length as ideal ?

I have seen more thong links for sale than drilled through butt hole ones . So i suspect there were more WWII thong link Randall's produced ?

Man, I am shopping on the wrong sites.... I have 16 WW2 fighters in my collection. And have sold maybe 8 in my 20 years of Randall collecting.

Well they are in fact pretty rare to a certain degree, some more so than others based on characteristics. Often what you see are the same ones that are being "recycled" if you will. Most of us that collect early pieces have owned one or more that currently may reside in another collector's stable. That guy decides to let one go, and it appears a "new" example has surfaced.

Occasionally a "new" one does show up, no doubt, but it really isn't that often.

I don't know what the ratio is, thong link to thong hole, but I would say more knives were made in 1944-45. Again, it depends on when the actual switch took place, AND, the fact that standardization helped improve production.

I have to reread Gaddis, but I think he goes over some order numbers during WWII.

I think total WW2 production was 4400ish. Not counting Springfield’s

Tunefink , many of the auctions the seller ends early . You get interested buyers asking the seller if he has a BIN ( Buy It Now ) price to end listing .

Many times the seller will do this and sell off of eBay avoiding the 10% eBay fee for knives . Ebay has started cracking down on this practice .Issuing warnings to be followed by temporary suspensions .

Ebay now removes the listings that were "Ended Early " . If you had it on your watch list you can still view it but if you do a current search it will not show up .

I see less of them ( WWII #1 Fighter ) now being listed on Ebay . A couple of years ago at any given time there could be 2 or more listed .

I am brand , brand new to vintage Randalls and have no where near the knowledge you guys have but this is what i have noticed .

That does make sense and i have seen it . The same knife being resold .

I have never seen for sale on eBay .....

1.The very early leather finger grip with no thong or drilled through hole at butt cap.
2. Early fighter with metal spacers.
3. Early Stag double pinned fighter

I have only really been following the Early Randall eBay listings for about 3 years .

I know a few ( sure you guys know them too ) collectors that do not post on this forum and have collections with several WWII #1 fighters .

Of the 6,7 and 8 inch WWII #1 Fighters in Brass , Steel thong link and drilled through butt cap , the 1 do not recall seeing for sale is 6" Brass thong link . The 8" drilled through butt cap i saw 1 or 2 . The others i have seen several .

I like the brass link better than the butt hole ones....

Clayton, all I can say is this. I will buy most all WW2 fighters I can find that are even close to a reasonable price. I have 16....

WW2 fighters and tenites are generally the highest price knives in the Randall spectrum. That is based on rarity and availability.

The knives you mention:

1.The very early leather finger grip with no thong or drilled through hole at butt cap.
2. Early fighter with metal spacers.
3. Early Stag double pinned fighter

These knives are CRAZY rare.

I chased a leather finger grip, no thong for 10 years, then paid top dollar. TOP DOLLAR!

I have 3 knives with metal spacers....again, paid top dollar.

I have two double pin stags and sold a third. I have seen pictures of no more than 10.

You seem to be contradicting the dozens and dozens assertion.

I'll tell you what, send me a list of your WW2 fighters and prices. I might surprise you.