Greetings. Offered for sale is a Randall BEARCAMP SPECIAL Type I (Model 5-5") knife. Price is $1500 including shipping to continental USA. Payment may be made by Paypal (F&F only), check (must clear) or MO. Best way to reach me (since I am not on this site every day) is by email to rfcarlin@hotmail.com. Offered for sale here first in light of rarity, desirability and the number of member posts indicating that this knife is on their wish list.

Knife Details:
-Maker: Randall Made Knives (Orlando, FL, USA)
-Model: Model 5-5" Camp and Trail (Bearcamp Special Type 1)
-Blade: 5” stainless steel in a modified drop point profile. Thumb notches on top edge in front of hilt. Fine sawteeth. Top edge sharpened. Stamped “Randall Made Orlando FL” with double scimitar logo and “S”. Reverse is etched “BEARCAMP SPECIAL #24”.
-Handle: White/cream micarta with RH finger grips. Red, white and blue spacers (5 at hilt; 3 at butt cap). Nickel silver single hilt (rounded) and duralumin butt cap. Lanyard/wrist thong hole in butt cap.
-OAL: 9.5”
-Sheath: Randall (Sullivan's) Model A brown leather sheath with plain snaps and hone pocket ("Fine India" stone). Reverse is stamped with RMK logo and "5".
-Notes: Hand forged/crafted. Includes knife, sheath, Fine India stone and green paracord lanyard. The BCS was issued in a limited edition of 50 (this is the total of Type 1 [Model 5] and Type 2 [Combat Companion] BCS). There were 29 Type I and 21 Type 2 issued as per Scott's 8/11/16 posting on this website. As to this particular knife, Scott noted that "...during my research on this topic, I did happen to notice that the #24 BCS was delivered to Kenefick in July of 1993..." (thanks again Scott) BRRL
-Condition: Knife is in near mint condition with a couple of minor marks/scuffs on the blade and hilt. Looks unused. Handle is a pleasing cream color. Sheath is in excellent condition with dark line at throat and a couple of minor storage wear scuffs. I have not used, carried or sharpened the knife.

The History of the BCS (from postings here and other information):

A person by the name of Peter Stebbins owned a small shop, called The BearCamp Sportshop in New Hamsphire, in 1977. In 1982, after ordering/selling some RMK from Doug Kenefick, Stebbins wanted a knife for outdoors, that would be for the civilian outdoorsman, not a military knife. Stebbins called Kenefick and designed/ordered a model 5, with the features you find on a "Bear Camp Special". The first Bear Camp was delivered in June 1982 and cost $240.00.

Stebbins left NH and moved to Massachusetts in 1984. He continued to sell BC Specials for a while. I don't have an exact figure but I believe there were less than 50 Bear Camp Specials made.

Following is Rhett Stidham's KTF posting from 11/27/07:

The Randall Made "BEAR CAMP" special is not a special Randall dealer special. Peter Stebbins has these knives made through Randall dealer, Doug Kenefick.

From an earlier Rhett Stidham internet posting:

Bearcamp Special

I just recently called Doug Kenefick who orders the Bearcamp Special Randalls for Peter Stebbins. #40 will be delivered to Peter next month with knives being ordered every other month in the future. I asked if there was a cutoff number and Doug Kenefick said no. So I guess this is not a limited run. I could not reach Peter Stebbins as the phone number I have is no longer good. Peter wrote the article below for the RKS. The following is from Randall Knife Society newsletter #5, January 1990.

PETE STEBBINS: BEARCAMP SPECIAL

In 1977 my wife, Juggi, and I took over ownership of a small shopping complex in Ossipee, New Hampshire. Among the operations was a small sporting goods store we dubbed "The Bearcamp Sportshop". We sold guns, ammo, fishing gear, in--season tourist items and of course .... knives. My main interest was guns, though I had always been keen on knives. But this soon changed as my inventory of factory and then handcrafted pieces rapidly increased. I became a "knife nut".

In 1982, after selling a number of Randalls purchased from Doug Kenefick, I started thinking about what a small, compact all-purpose survival knife should look like. I really didn't like the appearance of the typical versions with the hollow handles. I had spent enough time in the wild to realize that if you knew you were going to be "out there" you would always carry a lot more valuable "stuff" in your pack and pockets than you could ever cram into a knife handle. Also the knife I envisioned was to be for a civilian outdoorsman, not a military item. You would already have a good compass and a light axe with you. The knife would not need to sub for those.

After playing around with paper and pencil for a long while, off and on, I came up with a knife that looked a lot like a Randall Model 5. 1 wanted: a micarta finger-groove handle - white so you could find it easy on the ground or in the grass, sawteeth on a 5 inch stain resistant blade, wrist thong, duralumin butt cap, nickel silver hilt and some sharp top edge.

I called Doug Kenefick because I knew that the sharpened top edge was not a listed "extra feature" and the first "Bearcamp Special" was in-the-works. It was so etched on the right side of the blade, as were all the subsequent pieces, along with the serial number and in several cases the name of the buyer. The first one arrived in June of 1982. The price at that time was $240.

In 1984 we left Ossipee, returning to 'Taxachusetts" where, in 1986, 1 established ATLANTIC BLADESMITHS. A total of 9 more "Bearcamp Specials" have been made since June of 1982, 9 have been sold and #10 is now available in stock at $395.

The rest of the story. I just talked to Peter Stebbins this morning and he made only 50 of the Bear Camp Specials. There will be no more made by Peter.

No exact numbers here but he said about the first 25 knives they were Model 5's with sawteeth. The second half of the BCS knives were the Combat Companion model as Randall stopped putting sawteeth on the Model 5 -5" and it was necessary to change models to get the sawteeth.

Only three knives were made with natural handle material. Two fossil ivory handled knives were made, one in each model. The last knife had an elephant ivory handle and was delivered about two years ago.

Bob, email sent. Antonio

Those teeny little teeth are interesting...suspect Stevie Johnson did them...and apparently with a new wheel.

Larry

By the way...does anyone have a Combat Companion blade with teeth to show the difference between that blade and the Model 5-5? Seeing the two side-by-side would be informative.

Larry

Here ya' go Larry. Hope this helps.
Stay sharp, Capt. Chris

I know that one. Black Palm and all. Don't have it now, but some lucky person does.

Pap

Thanks, Capt. Chris.

Definite differences in the grinds.

Larry

Larry.Here's you a side by side.5Left ccRight

Not much difference Billy in those two. As time marched on the grinds became very similar, the ones with teeth that is.

The BCS has been sold and payment received.

Thanks to all who inquired. Much appreciated.

Forum seller fee paid today.

Bob