Ross Allen Knife

While we're at it, does anyone know the configuration of Ross Allen's Model 5? Handle material, blade length, etc.

In this video at 3:14, Allen can be seen wearing a knife, but I can't make out if it's a Randall. Never the less, it's a cool video and a look at a tough, brave man who chose a Randall as his knife. If you're interested, here's a good photo of him that I wasn't able to load.

In this book, Stolen World: A Tale of Reptiles, Smugglers, and Skulduggery, the author mentions Allen's Randall knife and more about the man himself.

When I was 10 years old in 1954, my rich grandfather sent me $10 for my birthday. I had read about Ross Allen in a magazine or book at the school library and I was already catching small snakes and a few black rat snakes. I sent off for a Ross Allen catalog and from that, I ordered a 5 foot yellow rat snake, I think it cost $1/foot plus another $2 shipping. In about 2 weeks a plywood box showed up with small screened holes. It was nailed shut and it took some doing to get it open. Inside was a cloth bag with the snake inside and a note from Ross Allen on what I should do with my new snake. First thing was to have the cage ready and a large bowl of water as the snake would be thirsty. I open up the bag and gently took out my new prize. It immediately bit the crap out of me, I dropped it and it slithered under the couch. My mother went nuts. After putting a bandage on my snake bite, I finally managed to catch the snake and get it into the cage. It did drink alot of water. I had always heard that rat snakes were fairly docile but this one never got very friendly. My Dad would take me down to the local chicken hatchery and they would give me deformed chicks that they were going to destroy and feed the live chicks to the snake. He/She loved 2-3 chicks every month or so. Finally I gave the snake to a friend of mine that had a very large collection and a larger cage. I never saw Ross Allen in person, but read his books and later found out he was a Randall man. Cool dude.

Pap

Great story!

Pappy,
I deal with snakes all the time. I still get bit but try to continue dealing with them. Good tale!
Best, Capt. Chris

Hey Pap ... GREAT STORY!!!!!!!!! I love it!

Cap ... how exactly do you "deal" with snakes all the time ... is that a hobby or sumthin?

laPetri:
Hey man...You outta' know! (No: I'm kidding. I certainly have snakes to deal with...but not you, Gumba!)
Best, Capt. Chris

Funny story Pap, I generally leave snakes alone.

Peter

I saw Ross Allen just one time. Day trip to Silver Springs. As I remember he was in a concrete walled enclosure. The walls were about four feet in height and about one foot thick. Inside the enclosure there were at least 50 snakes. The ground was moving and slivering like the scene from Raiders of the Lost Ark. Rattlesnakes of all sizes from under one foot to six foot monsters. Ross strolls among the den with his knee high boots and his snake stick. He does the balloon trick with one of the Rattlesnakes, then he captures one just behind the head and walks along the wall so we can see the snake up close. Then to the center of the enclosure and milks the Rattlesnake. I could not take my eyes off of Ross Allen. Even in his mid-50's he was in great health and was a striking figure. I believe he had a knife on his right side. Guess I was about 10 years old. Here are two shots from the early years. Low quality scans.

Hey mid 50's are not bad nor are the early 50's.

Amen Ronnie

Abby you goin to the Gun Show in Southaven in the morning? I will be there not as a dealer but just takin some Randall's out for a walk. If you go ask the Promoters to point me out. I would like to meet another local Randall nut. Can't miss me....I'm the handsome one.

Sorry Ronnie I have a photo shoot this morning. I am the photographer at Union University here in Jackson, TN. This is a busy time of the year. But I will drive to Memphis in a heart beat to get some good pork BBQ. I would love to look at local chapters of the Randall Nuts. AKA former RKS Nuts. You know there are clusters of us all over the USA. Getting together at local knife and gun shows is fine with me.

Roger that Abby. One of these days we'll meet up.
Good luck and have a nice weekend.

Thanks Pap and Abby for the stories. Enjoyed both! Now, who could poke around and find out the configuration of Allen's Model 5? Let's put on our thinking CAPs and figure out who could obTAIN this information before CHRIStmas.

These are from the Randall Museum boards.

have always been under the impression that Ross carried a #5-6". I'll see if I can find out.
Best, Capt. Chris

Pappy,

Great story.

My mom wouldn't let me keep snakes. Especially after she found my lost rubber snake in the fridge, where I left it while I was getting a snack. It scared the crap out of her. My Dad laughed about that for years! I think I was 4 or 5 at the time.

Alan Grombacher
RKS#5531

Thanks Captain. I figured if anyone could, it would be you.

OK, would it be nice to pick up five or six Randall's at $35.00 a pop. This was the Ross Allen Special.

So much for what I had heard...and I heard it from "Pete"! Perhaps, when I am at the shop tomorrow, I can find a pic to shoot and bring back to ya'll?
I'll try, Capt. Chris

Pappy, that was a funny story. Thanks.

I don't know much about Ross Allen but I know that Sea Hunt was filmed in Silver Springs for awhile (among other places). Which reminded me, didn't Mike Nelson always carry a fixed blade knife? Was it a Randall?

No, Mike Nelson didn't carry a Randall on the show. If you were old enough to remember it seemed like every time he got his butt in a bind and needed his knife it broke on him. oldguy
P.S So if his knives always broke you know they were not Randalls. And let's not go in to the broken Randall's again. That thread was so much fun I just could not stand a second helping of that.

You are correct, oldguy. Research reveals that Mike carried a USN Mk II Ka-bar with optional kraton handle for the first episodes and then later a U. S. Divers' Vulcan knife.

Now, back to your regularly scheduled Ross Allen Knife thread...

Abby, the Allen knife in the picture don't look like no Model 5 to me.oldguy

That's what I was thinking. Maybe it is what he was using before he settled on the #5. I am thinking this dates back to the late 50's to early 60's.

Come on guys. The catalog picture, stating it is Ross' knife is a Model #3-7". The #5 theory is in the wind...to be continued...
Best, Capt. Chris

How could RMK get it wrong in the catalog description of the Model 5? It is stated that that's the model he carried.

Tom,
"Abby" posted a photo of the Randall #3-7" with a caption underneath of it, stating that it was the knife Ross Allen used? That's what I was referring to. Years ago Pete Hamilton told me the knife was a Model #5...and I'm almost positive he said a Model #5-6". The mystery continues???
Best, Capt. Chris

Captain,

Yes, I know that's what you were referring to and the same reason that I am scratching my head on why RMK would state that Allen's knife was a Model 5 in the catalog. Another Randall mystery...

I know this is going to blow your mind but what if Ross Allen had more then just one Randall and even carried these Randall’s. I am convinced that he may have had a love for more then just the #5. Just saying

Are you suggesting that his profession finally caught up to him and he was bitten by the Randall bug?

Ouch Tom, I get it. I think I hear a rim shot.

You guys are too funny, it was the woman that made the mistake on the correct model, don't forgrt that. Do we have any women Randall participants? Maybe we should give one away in order to entice them to join, like a kitchen model??

Pap

Ok, Not to poke at anyone I checked back I was just repeating what the piece said. The piece says The Ross Allen special. May have been just a ad that Ross was never even asked about. I showed the photo from the Shop not to say or imply that Ross carried the #3-7"., but just to show the image for all to see. Ross may have had many Randall's of different styles. We might be able to find or as his son Tom Allen if he is still living. I too also felt he wore the #5 when he went to work. Always learning thats what makes this forum so much fun.

I asked about any additional information, regarding Ross' knife, yesterday when I stopped by the Randall shop. Scotty & Jason couldn't find any additional "scoop" for me (us) but you have to remember that a huge portion of the museum is in transition. Also, the fact that GTR wasn't there didn't help either. If I hear more...I'll let ya'll know. I feel peronally that Ross' EDC was the Model #5. I've just heard about it for too long to drop that theory. I also believe that the reference to Ross having/using a Model #3-7" would not have been printed if it were not the case.
Having 2 Randall knives to use and endorse would not be ground-shaking. It's just a bit more of the Randall lore. Not unlike the stiletto posted in another thread, these Randall knives cannot be pigeon-holed into a specific date or specific use. ...to be continued...
Best, Capt. Chris

Captain,

Thanks for asking Scotty & Jason about Allen's knife. Even though it was a dead end (for now), I appreciate the follow up.

Sorry to resurrect a 3 year old thread, but it's my thread, so I did it.

Today, I was reading The Story of Buck Knives, which is a book on the history of the company. On page 32, there is a testimonial from Ross Allen after using Buck knives on his expedition of the Okefenokee Swamp in the early 60s. Personally, I was thrilled to discover that Ross Allen was a Buck man as well and I would still like to know the configuration of Allen's Model 5 if anyone has new information.

I am not going to be much help on this thread. I am a serious snake guy and grew up in central Florida. I did see Ross Allen a couple times in the 1960s. I remember that he wore khaki pants (maybe a khaki colored shirt also) with brown boots and had a sheath knife on his hip. At the time I was not really cognizant of Randall Knives and cannot say for sure whether the knife or knives I saw him carrying were Randalls or not.