What if??

Let's say we lived in the perfect Randall world and could go back in time to the days when unlimited options could prevail. (It's always nice to dream, isn't it?)
What if? What would your "dream knife" be? Let's hear from you!
Best, Capt. Chris
PS: Shown below:A Model #1-7" with "6" options just to not divert "too" far from reality...CCS

OK
I'll play

Model 4 6 inch, model 6 grind, stainless steel, Thumb notches, nickel silver hilt, aluminum and black spacers, CW either ivory or FWI, Nickel silver butt cap, rounded and wrist thong.

This would be a very nice knife

Peter

While not busting at the seems with options.... I'd be in at a Stag #10-4"

I never owned this knife but I always loved the look of it.

I would love a Model 1 with SS blade, sawteeth / no sawteeth grind,
NS FCH, NS collar, a shaped handle, NS radiused butt cap, & choice of handle material.

similar to this model 1

I think I remember that buckeye burl Chief. I may have put that one together but it's not my photo.
Nice knife, indeed,
Capt. Chris

How about a 3-5 with stag, finger grooves, slab side, SS, TH, compass, TN, NSSH, and NE?

That would be a nice knife.

Model 5-5, SS, NS squared hilt, Stag, saw teeth, finger grips, wrist thong, and compass.

Pap

Mike--

Seven options is not too much to ask...at least on the Dealer Specials anymore.

I am still running images through my head...hard to pick a favorite considering all the models.

Larry

I like Pappy's only with a BP handle in Ivory! Chief's is also very nice I want both.

I am with Mike, kind of!!!
Model 5-5, SS, NS Rounded hilt, Bl &Al spacers, FI with finger grips, thong. I only want ST if they can be the small and fine. Picky, picky, I know.

I guess the only thing that I would like to see would be the old thick spacers.

Model 2-5 with nickel silver hilt, black and silver spacers, elephant ivory handle with scrimshaw..... man that would be sexy!

Mines real simple - Model 5 - 4" with stacked leather.

12-6 LBB-stainless blade-nickel silver hilt squared-black/alum sprcs-stag handle-righthand finger grips-nickel silver butt plate-wrist thong-black sheath.

When u say "unlimited option", do u mean what we can add or that we can also modifie all what is proposed for a model knife (even changing the size of the blades)?

Personnaly if it was possible, I will say:

.Model 28 reduced hilt; single finger grip instead of border patrol; white or orange G10/ or micarta; with F sheath.

.Model 25-6 reduced hilt; full handle stag or micarta or leather or white or orange G10 or white micarta handle. Black spacer with F sheath.

.Model Fireman reduced hilt white G10 or Ivorite with F sheath

If it is possible to change the size of the blade

.Model 23 5.5 blade polished stag with grips black spacer F sheath

.Model 3-8; 3/8 stock single; black spacer; 4 grips stag and ... F Sheath

My absolute favorite. Owned it once, but bitterly regret selling it. 10 options if I'm correct. 11 if you count the special sheath.

The handle is Osage orange, guard, collar and pommel all nickel silver.

Great looker, and I especially like the Osage orange handle.

Pap

Guessing about the chargeable options on Gert's knife...I think:
1. Stainless
2. Sawteeth
3. Hilt
4. Collar
5. Customer Wood
6. Finger Grips
7. Buttcap
8. Wrist Thong
(I suspect the Black Liners might not be a charged option?)

The Black Sheath is charged, but does not count against the options on the knife.

Larry

Bringing my Model 7 wish knife over to the proper thread.

Model 7
5-inch blade
Stainless Steel
Model 6 blade grind
NS Hilt
Black and Aluminum Spacers
Wrist Thong
Duralumin Butt Cap.

Larry

Larry,

methinks that the guard is actually 2 options: forward curve and nickel silver. Same goes for the Butt: nickel silver and rounded.

I don't think the buttcap on that knife is NS.

FCH is 1 & NS is another on the hilt for sure, I don't believe for the butt being rounded, however I believe the collar might be.

Why?

I would love to have that knife!!!!

2 reasons...

A. I said so.
2. It's not near as patina'd as the hilt... look closely.
3. Luv ya bro!

Rounded butt caps are usually not charged as options either.

I'd call it 9 options, I think Chiefs correct in FWC and NS are separate options.

Ahhh so your guessing....LOL
Bet ya a coke at Blade that you are wrong!
Luv ya 2 boss!

Bet!

Sorry Cheif, the buttcap is only 3/8" (thin buttcap) instead of 1/2"...RMK does not offer the NS buttcap in the thin option...

I was robbed .....how do you spell collusion? lol

Best 2 out of 3???

LOL your on!

Sorry Gentlemen,

the butt cap of this knife is nickel silver for sure. Owned it once, after buying it from Perry Miller. I may still have the invoice somewhere..

I am currently having my foot for breakfast...

Ordered for Cap in 2004, in fact a NSB...

Sorry Caruso, I tried...&¥%√ computers...

OK! Now we all know we can order "thin" NS But Caps.

Maybe.

I don't have it at hand, but I bought a Model 5-4 from Capt. Chris that "might" have a thin NS Butt Cap. Would have to have it confirmed by somebody who knows for sure. The knife is described as:

"Model 5-4, Stainless, NS Hilt, Black and Aluminum spacers, Stag, NS Butt Cap Rounded, Wrist Thong, Black Sheath."

No photos available.

Found the photo: Is this a "Thin NS Butt Cap"???



Larry

NO-NO-NO-NO...

ain't gonna' happen...(no mo)

uh-uh, no how, no way, no sir...

Lol

Scott,
"Name-Dropper"!
Capt. Chris

I added the 5-4 photo to the above post...not sure if it has a "thin" NS Butt Cap.

(I guess we can all be a PITA for the folks who have to field the questions and steer people who want to order "just so" knives.)

Larry

OK,
I've got a sore ass from riding the fence on all of this so let's do some "record-straightening". "What If" and "What Is" have had, from good times past, an absolute "crossroads" at times. I probably need to explain some of this.
Gert: Your knife has "11" options, "9" of which are chargeable and "1" which is no longer doable. I have, in the past when we were not saddled with the 5-option limit, requested and been granted a thin nickel silver butt cap. I didn't request it just to be, as Larry has stated, a PITY. I did it to balance the knife out properly..."especially" on Larry's Model #5-4"!
As Scott knows, I was fortunate enough to have many..."MANY" one-of-a-kind RMKs made for me in the past, both on Dave's watch (Griffin) and Pete's. Those days are no longer going to be made and we can all see the reasoning why, especially when Gary Randall is striving to eliminate the scheduling backlog!
I also sold a good many of these knives and regret it now..."BUT"...(Now, come on guys: You knew they're be a "but" in this)...at the time I sold them it was still totally probable to get more done...plain & simple!
At any rate: It's nice to see some of these old friends and to see the "what-ifs" again!
Stay sharp, Capt. Chris
PS: Below: One of my personal sets of Perry's (& my) project, The Glades Hunter. How many options folks?
PPS: I later sold this set...but I'm not "out"!
Nice set, regardless of how many...CCS

7 options, 8 if etching multi line is considered separate "options"
6 chargeable

Plus sheaths

How'd you get "6" chargeable?
Capt. Chris
PS: 10 total...

Capt. Chris--

I see: (the X = what I think is not a chargeable option)

SS
6 grind X
Etching
Notches
NS Hilt
Squared X
Black and Aluminum
Customer Wood (actually stag)
Stag (is there an extra charge for stag if it is CW?)

By the way--on the Glades Hunter, did you make 100 straight stag and 100 crown?

Larry

#6 grind is chargeable... why would you think it's not?

Easy Jr... They're "8" chargeables and a host of ways of looking at the rest.
1) #6 blade grind
2) Stainless
3) Thumb notches
4) Nickel silver single hilt (No charge for squared top)
5) Aluminum & black spacers
6) Stag handle
7) Blade etching
8) CW Installation
As for the rest? "BOTH" stags were CW. I bought the crown from GTR. The sheath would be a chargeable option also, as a black sheath is more money..."plus" I bought the Gator and paid Greg Gutcher to make the sheaths. There was also a special blade stamp figured into the mix.
100 knives and some were assigned matching S/Ns, leaving some of the 100 numbers void. I think that may cover everything. Hope this helps.
Stay sharp, Capt. Chris
PS: #6 grind on a carver (#6-9" or a #6-9", Large Filet, #6-4 1/2" steak knife and all Model #10's is non-chargeable so I can see why Larry (and a lot of other people) may question that blade grind as a chargeable option...CCS

Still learning and have a question. Capt you said they charged for stag handle and they also charged for CW installation? Why would they use 2 chargeable options for installing your supplied stag? Just curious.

Capt. Chris--

With so many choices for customers to try and take advantage of, I think that only the shop and guys like you can keep it straight.

Customers will dream and ask, and all of you will keep us straight and help narrow down what we order.

This is informative, and keeps the grey matter whirling a bit.

Thanks you guys for the "challenge" and education.

Larry

My guess knowing the Captain's ways a little.....he got to pick all the material.
I have yet to see a glades hunter in OK stag.

Nate:
For example, on the crown stag, I paid (at the time) $75.00 for each piece and the shop "charged" (at the time) $50.00 to install my handle material! Nowadays you might get to hand-pick crown stag for the same amount but the install price is $80-$85 each!
Hope this helps...and Larry: You're welcome.
Capt. Chris

OOHHH Yeah a coke and 2 sides of Humble pie, I like it!

Okay so to be clear, in today's world of 5 chargeable options, it would only count as 1 of the 5 options?

CW is one option charge and the labor is another..."BUT"...it does not count against the 5 option limit as you can't have one without the other.
Best, Capt. Chris