Ross Allen

I can't remember which Randall model Ross Allen carried and what options. As a kid, I once bought a yellow rat snake from him with birthday money.

Pap

Mike

There is a long thread about this subject on this Forum. I looked and found this:http://www.knifetalkforums.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=124293&page=2

I don't know if you can open it or not. If you go to a search engine and type knifetalkforums.com ross allen, it should take you to the thread on this Forum.

It was a Model 3-7, I think.

Here you go: Ross Allen thread

That thread looks to have left things hanging concerning which model or models he owned/used. To be continued ....?

Which knife did Ross Allen own/carry/use? There appear to be two schools of thought. The RMK catalog states that Mr. Allen carried a Model 5. There is, however, also an advertisement for the "Ross Allen Special" which appears to show a photo of a Model 3-7". This RMK or dealer ad is reproduced on page 2 of the "Ross Allen" thread on this site (link above).

I did some digging and found additional information which may help clarify the situation (or not).

As per the RMK catalog, Mr. Allen carried a Model 5. Some folks have commented/opined that it was believed to be a 5-6".

The ad, however, depicts what looks to be a Model 3-7" with stag handle and finger grooves, and describes it as a "Ross Allen Special".

I located some pertinent information on another knife blog (i.e., Blade Forums). Page 27 of the "Show Us Your Randalls" thread features a posting from a woman whose husband worked for Mr. Allen in Silver Springs in the early 1960s. She posted photos of an RMK with sheath and grey stone, seeking an ID of the knife model (sorry, but my photo transfer skills are virtually non-existent, else I'd copy the photos to here). The knife looks to be a Model 3-7" with stag handle and finger grooves. Here are her comments:

"Can anyone help with a model designation for this Randall? Ross Allen gave it to my husband when he worked for Ross at Silver Springs, about 1962 - 1964. He wore it when he presented shows at the 1964 World's Fair, and used it extensively when hunting deer and hogs here in Fl. The blade is 7 inches, overall length is 12 inches. Both the knife and sheath have the Randall logo, the sharpening stone is the original."

The consensus among the forum members was that the knife was a RMK Model 3-7".

She later noted that,

"There were no numbers on either the sheath or on the knife itself, just "Randall Made, Orlando, Florida". I'm thinking you're right about it being a Model 3, but Ross must have had it customized with the finger grooves. He had them made for all the guys who did lecturing for him way back then, and they were all alike."

The knife pictured in the photos certainly looks like the "Ross Allen Special" shown in the RMK ad.

So maybe Mr. Allen owned and used BOTH a Model 3 and a Model 5?
Or maybe the Model 5 was his field knife, and the flashier "Ross Allen Special" Model 3 was his show knife?
Or maybe the Model 5 was his personal knife, and the "Ross Allen Special" Model 3 was used solely to reward his top associates/employees?

It would be interesting to know whether Mr. Allen ordered his knives directly from RMK or through a dealer. If the latter, it is certainly easy to visualize an enterprising dealer, after processing orders for several identical Model 3 RMKs, taking it upon himself to christen the thusly configured Model 3 as the "Ross Allen Special" in an effort to capitalize on Mr. Allen's fame and drum up additional business. Count me in...here's my check for $35!

It would also be interesting to know whether the "Ross Allen Special" advertisement is an RMK ad or a dealer (authorized or not) ad? Has anyone made a determination of this?

Wow, I really appreciate all of your research on the Ross Allen Randall knife. In his day, Ross Allen was a very famous Florida individual that added to the mystery of Florida wilderness and wild life. It looks like you have the Model 3 nailed, but I am still interested in knowing about the Model 5. Any relatives still living with the knife itself?

Pap

Pap, it was fun digging into it. I love a historical mystery. And I loved your posting about buying a yellow rat snake from Mr. Allen, how it was shipped, and how cranky the snake was when it came out of the crate.

There is a great deal written about Mr. Allen, but very little about the specific knife model(s) that he used (though most note that he did use a Randall knife).

Mr. Allen certainly sounds like he was quite a naturalist and showman.

I was at the 1964 World's Fair on many occasions in the summer of '64 and I have a vague memory of seeing a reptile show; just this morning I found a photo on line of the "Ross Allen Reptile Show" at the '64 World's Fair, so maybe I saw Mr. Allen or one of his associates. I was most enthralled by the Sinclair Dinoland display and the little vacu-plastic machine that molded plastic dinosaur figures for you on the spot.

On one of the knife blogs that I read, a member suggested reaching out to Mr. Allen's children and asking about the knife that he used. I didn't see anything written about whether he followed through with it, or what the result was.

If I can dig up anything else, I'll let you know.

Sometime in the 1950's when I was about 13 years old, I traveled by myself via Greyhound bus from Northern Kentucky to Ocala, Florida to visit my uncle, aunt and three cousins. My Uncle Ben (my mother's older brother) managed a Western Auto store there. Uncle Ben was an outdoorsman and we did a lot of fishing and boating. I remember going to Silver Springs and seeing Ross Allen do one of his shows. I was interested in the reptiles but was more interested in the incredibly clear water of Silver Springs which allowed me to see the huge Largemouth Bass that the area was (and maybe still is) known for. Uncle Ben carried and used a sheath knife when we were fishing, but I don't remember what kind it was. I guess the highlight of the trip was finding a coral snake in the vacant lot across the road from my uncle's home!

- - Buckspen

The Captain or maybe Dubie might know something about Ross Allen's kids.

Pap

Bob, Just down the road from me is the Weeki Wachee Springs attraction, and they still have that old plastic dinosaur maker that you recall from the Worlds Fair!

Ross had a son Tom
He was an ex Navy Seal
He had a shop in Gainesville Fl
Allen's Aquatics
He taught us how to dive in Florida Spring holes
(Jenny Springs & Blue Springs)
40 Years ago
Good luck

Scanning your posts, and enjoying running down information like this, I searched Google and came up with the following hit about a recent reunion of Ross Allen's family: http://www.ocala.com/news/20141019/a-family-legacy-relatives-of-local-herpetologist-hold-reunion

Anyone wanting to get more information on Ross might be able to contact family members.

Larry

Bill, thanks for the information on the Dinoland injection mold machine. Next time I'm in FL, I'll have to see if I can check it out. I had those plastic dinosaurs for years. Long gone now, but those are some fun memories.

The last time I was there, it had an "Out Of Order" sign taped to it. I hope it's up and running again!

hey guys can some one post a pic of a 3-7 Ross Allen
the illustration in the catalog looks very thin
almost like a fillet knife

This is a 3-7 I got at Gator Cutlery show 7 spacer
very similar but not sure the same
Thanks
Sharpi

Here are the photos of what looks to be a RMK 3-7", from the other knife website. It was posted by the woman whose husband worked for, and was given the knife by, Ross Allen. Hopefully this photo transfer works.

Here is the second of her photos.

Sharpi, she says no numbers on reverse of sheath; otherwise, it looks pretty close to yours.

Ross Allen at the 1964 World's Fair.

Bob

Thanks
I'm Stoked

I was 10, Grew up in Da Bronx and was there
My older Brother was a large contributor to the Bronx Zoo Reptile House


Sharpi

Sharpi,

Nice!

I grew up in New Hyde Park just over Nassau border from Queens. We had family friends up from Virginia for a couple of weeks and I think that we were at the Fair every day.

The Bronx Zoo was also one of my favorite NYC spots to visit though I'm sure your family was there far more often than mine.

Really cool how many folks met or interacted with or saw Mr. Allen in one way or another. The world was much smaller in the 1960s.

Bob