Randall shop question

Hello all. Please excuse me and direct me in the right direction if this has already been asked. My question is, "Will the Randall shop tighten the gap that has formed between the spacers and the handle?" It is not loose at all and the gap is paper thin. It is just a cosmetic issue that I would like to fix. I do not want to simply tighten the end nut in hopes that it will tighten everything up because I don't want to mark up the nut or scratch any of the hardware. I really enjoy this knife and want it to be fixed right. I have always heard that they will tune up the knife and buff the blade and hardware etc, but wasn't sure if this was something that they would help me with. I will add a few pictures to make the post more interesting and so you can better understand what it is exactly that I am talking about. Thank you!

first picture is the gap I am referring to.


second picture is knife compared to another knife with similar spacer configuration that does not have a gap (my goal).


third picture is just for s&g


Thanks again!

More knowledgeable people (that is, Dirty Water, Tunefink, and others) will see this and chime in to help you.

From the photo, it is hard to see whether there is a gap between the leather and the spacers, or if it is a situation where the leather has shrunk to a smaller diameter than the spacers.

These are nice older knives! The more sophisticated collectors can advise whether to do anything that might affect the current appearance and maybe the value.

Larry

The handle material is wood, not leather. Thank you for your response and I will stay tuned to hear what others suggest!

Nate,
Pretty old knives! Unfortunately the shop cannot "tighten" this up as rust and epoxy have formed and hardened, according to Scott, making it impossible to try and "move" that wooden handle.
That's the bad news. The "good" news is that the shop can fill it. It's a matter of mixing a little black dust of micarta with epoxy and filling the crack. You may notice the slight color variation...or not..."but"...(My favorite interjection)...it'll be
gap-free"!
Hope this helps, Capt. Chris

Thank you Captain! That answers my question. I know this is completely up to me and peoples opinions will vary, but would this de-value this knife if I had the gap filled in at the shop? Since it is not loose at all, would it maybe be better to just leave it the way it is? Thanks.

I would not touch them..... both are very good knives and things are only original once.

Thank you for your opinion. I was hoping they could eliminate the gap by tightening it up, but I don't think I want to have it filled with epoxy. I agree it would probably be best to just let it be.

I had this issue with a wood-handled knife where, at some point prior to when I bought it, the wood shrank and pulled away from the hilt. I showed it to Scott at the Shop (some time last year I believe) and he said that there was nothing they could do to eliminate the gap. He suggested filling the gap with clear glue (such as super glue) just for purposes of keeping the gap from filling with dirt, etc. The knife is solid so it's just a cosmetic issue. I left it as it is since the knife is a user anyway. Based on what the Captain said, it sounds like they can fill a gap in micarta but, if I understood Scott correctly, they cannot fill a gap in a wood handle. Also, my gap was quite a bit wider than yours so that might make a difference. Very nice "low S" knives!

P.S. -- Looking again at your knife, I wouldn't worry at all about that gap. It's so small I personally don't think it really has an affect on the overall appearance.

Thank you for your reply. Very helpful information. I will not be sending the knife off.

Nate,

In the third picture there is a small circle on the flanged butt cap. Is there a pin in it?

That Model 1 is insane, and worth a small fortune just the way it is. It would be a shame to try and mess with it!

No there is no pin that i can see. What you might be seeing is a small blemish/stain on the brass.

Mitchell, it's a wrist thong hole...

Yes the butt cap has a wrist thong hole.. I thought he was talking about the light spot of discoloration where the butt cap meets the red spacer.

Not sure if this would work or not, but what about taping off the wood handle and the spacers on each side of the gap, then filling the gap by rubbing a tiny bit of brown shoe polish into it. A slightly more aggressive approach would be to use a tiny bit of brown wood putty.

Just thinking out loud here...

Not a bad idea, but I'm just going to leave it be. Thanks for the reply.

Here is a close up of the butt cap just to clarify tunefinks question

Wood shrinks bruh. In a humid environment, it could close up. Let it be. I wish some of my knives had that "gap". Makes 'em worth more.

I am not sure I have ever seen a flanged butt cap with a thong hole.... huh.

Ya its pretty neat. I just need to find another one to go with it! The struggles of loving vintage Randall knives.

Those are right up my alley!! Love them as is!
If that gap gets to bothering you, send it my way😎
Awesome pair. I wouldn’t touch them..

I'm with Mitchell (tunefink), I say leave it alone.

Not like you're dealing with a "user". Put it in a display case and leave the crack as part of the history.

(my opinion. That and a buck might get you a cup of coffee)

Gotta get that coffee
Seasonal humor!

Why not just dunk in em some sort of oil, like linseed oil or olive oil, and see if if fills as the wood absorbs it?