Limit: five options

Thanks Ron,

That is one of the best responses to the "BACKLOG" issue I have read.

I have sold only one of my Randalls. I sold it back to the collector I bought it from (and you know who you are).
Although I have been collecting Randall Made Knives for a short time, my interest have changed or matured. I have several knives on order. The knives I ordered lately reflect my changing preferences.
I will sell some of my earlier purchases to pay for the knives that will be delivered soon. I am not sure if the "ebay Randall re-sellers" are helping or hurting what I will be able to get for my knives. This week I saw two almost identical #1's sell for $100 difference.

BoBlade,

Even though what you say sounds logical, we've run into a same/different problem...

Instead of 10 people ordering 10 knives per month, we now have 100+ individuals placing an order for one knife every 3rd month! So the wait time is not so much a RMK problem if you will, but a collectors problem because the orders ARE NOT slowing down even with a 58 month backlog!

The 5 option limit to the dealers is meant to hopefully get back on our shipping schedule as the orders are taking excessive time to fill and we keep losing ground with our shipping. As of yet, (this is the first month that the restrictions are taking place for all dealers), we've yet to see this (catching up) take place. But we keep hoping against hope that we can, you can not imagine the determination that the shop is trying to undertake to make this happen. It gets REAL frustrating for us also to not be able to get these knives to their new owners on time!

Please bear with us during these times as we endeavor to improve on the tardiness of the orders. As far as the backlog goes however, as long as the orders keep coming in, we continue to book them! The only suggestion would be to freeze the orders and NOBODY wants that, 5 yr wait or not!!

---DW---

DW,

Thanks for the clarification. I knew there were many new Randall collectors by the new names active on e-bay, but I had no idea it was this many. Double edge sword (or should I say Model 2). Hang in there. You and the guy's efforts are appreciated by all.

Best,

Ron

With such a huge backlog and no end in sight would it be feasible for RMK to expand their facility and hire more suitable craftsmen while maintaining their quality? Or if this is out of the question how about RMK running double shifts at least until they catch up with orders? In spite of an almost 5 year wait there is still an obvious demand for their product. Even with the 1 knife per household every three months and the five option dealer restrictions this backlog would be unacceptable in any other business. The fact that customers accept this waiting period speaks volumes about the demand for RMK knives and I'm one of those who truly love and appreciate them. It just seems to me that there might be another avenue or two to explore, from a business standpoint, to alleviate this backlog without imposing some Draconian measure such as an order freeze.

On the other hand, I may not know what the hell I'm talking about.

Brad

Thanks DW! I wondered if people were managing to find a way around the 1 knife/3 months rule. And it seems they are. I guess this is what you run into when you make one of the most prized and collectible knives in the world.

Brad,
...Today I am a collector. The way I see it is if I can wait four years I can wait five years. I would hate to buy a RMK and then wonder if it had been made without a Randall family member or very long time Randall cutler ever touching it. I think there is a shortage of people with the artistic ability and skills and work ethic required to expand the shop. I do feel for the people who are looking for the best user hunting or camp knife and cannot wait for a Randall but I would not want them getting priority ahead of me to get their knives. IMO the shorter wait for combat knives going to active duty soldiers is the right thing to do. BTW, there are gunsmiths and custom gun makers with similar long waits to either make or modify guns.

Jeff,

Are you sure you're a Gator? You seem like you're not such a bad guy after all, OH!, that's right, you revealed the skeletons in your closet!

Anyhoo, You're right about the lack of craftsman that are able to step in, you see, at RMK we make the knives like Bo taught us to do and down the line. We haven't sacrificed quality for quantity and have no plans to! We can take anyone with eye/hand co-ordination and train them to be a knife-maker, but a true cutler takes YEARS to train to where if they miss time away from the shop that their absence means the rest have to step it up to pick up the slack.

We have a few "newbies" that are currently in "training" and do show promise. In fact, one of our new posters on this forum Gatorhunter (gotta' love that name) is one of them. So, with a little patience and a whole lot of training, the shop will be just fine, in time.

---DW---

Hey Come On Now !!!!! We demands equal time. Your next hire has to be Seminole-Slicer.

It's either that or Al Sharpton will be in the parking lot, and he won't be there to pick oranges,either.

Dubie Baxter

I really hate to bring this thread back on topic but I have a question that has really been bugging me:

If I chose to leave something off that normally comes on a knife, such as ordering a #14 without a wrist thong, does that count as an option?

gary

You mean substituting an option for a non-option?
My bet is no but maybe one of the experienced collectors will chime in.

Hello All...

My input--this is only my point-of-view on the RMK back log, wait time. It is interesting to me because I am currently attempting to purchase my first RMK! I do not own a RMK @ this time and never have before.I have sold some for a friend (private collection) at gun shows hear in FL. This is where I became interested in owing my own RMK. I have always liked knives and RMK's are the best made...so I would love to own one, or many.

As I have done research on the best, most affordable, way to purchase a RMK...with out the huge wait--I have found that:

1.) If you order from a knife dealer (who is not a Randall authorized dealer) you pay well above the catalog price...however you can have a RMK today--no wait!

2.) If you purchase a knife from an authorized Randall dealer (i.e. not directly from the Orlando shop)--the wait can be as little as four months and as long as three years--in some cases...far shorter a period of time that ordering direct from RMK (four plus years)!

In some retail situations manufacturers do not sell customer direct...meaning if you want to purchase their product you must purchase it from an authorized dealer. This is not such a terrible thing and could be a way for RMK to catch up on back orders and maybe decrease the overall wait time for all of the costumers. I am not talking about an order freeze...mentioned previously. With the wait time and the situation with the back log at it's current state...I am only saying that I feel luck that I can still order directly from Randall and do understand what ever measure they use to attempt to catch-up with shipping orders.

This being said, I do also think that that is a unbelievably long time to wait and with luck it will not always be so! I should have started placing order several years ago...I would not have this point-of-view...

Here is how I sees it. Most of us who buy and sell Randalls like them just as much as straight collectors. If we did not then there would be no demand. There is a little collector in every dealer or secondary market seller. I like things just the way they are. And here is my OPINION. Now this is just my view as a collector and seller. Randall knives are for sure not un-obtainable. At knife shows you should see the look on customers faces who have heard of Randall knives and don't have an idea of what they cost. When I tell them that there is a 4 to 5 year wait that makes their jaw drow even further. The playing field is set in their head. "WOW, those must be really good knives". I don't ever want that to change. Because of demand! collectors and sellers spend big money for Randalls. That keeps the secondary market moving. The second that the wait time goes down to a reasonable area then everyone has pretty much what they want or it dosen't seem like a bad idea to wait a year or two and pay less. When collectors and buyers pay top dollar for a knife for a long period of time, then that locks in the price for years to come. Older knives retain their value, cause no one wants to get less for a knife they paid more for 5 years prior. I like things the way they are. It is the American way to buy and sell. In our case buy and sell Randalls. If they were not in demand they would not be as valuable. If they are not as valuable then I am not as interested. I love Randalls. You love it, I love it, It's FUN. Keep up the good work and we will keep on buying. Let them all complain about the wait and in the long run they will still buy a Randall. Remember just my opinion.
Dave Samolis
RKS #4314

Well I could not disagree more!

The issue as I see it is supply—not demand.

The ability for the Randall shop to produce the amount of knives need to supply the market ...is just not possible. I think, as you put it, as a seller you are looking at the profit.

I am neither a collector nor am I a seller. I just have a RMK (that I use in the field) and do not plan to sell it. I would not purchase a RMK for $ xxx.xx and turn around and sell it on line to make a few dollars—get a real job! I am not speaking of an individual who's profession is, selling knives... I am talking about the people that are out to make a buck, on the side and are buying RMK's to sell, but are not knife dealers and are most definitely not authorized RMK dealers.

When I purchase a RMK I do not expect to pay more than I could purchase it from RMK... however this is not the case. Sellers (backyard type) are out to make the buyer pay as much as possible to make money. I also expect to be able to buy directly from Randall without the unreasonable wait time... this is also not the case—for what ever reason!

If you are a collector and out for the one-of-a-kind rare knife then get ready to pay. However if you are looking to purchase new production knives you should be able to purchase them at a reasonable price!

Well I could not disagree more!
The issue as I see it is supply and demand. Without either one their would be neither. I also said I am a seller AND collector and of course I am looking at some sort of profit. RMK gets it, dealers get it, why am I not suppose to get it. I would expect the guy that I sell the knife to, also to get some profit. This is what drives us. Nothing gives me more joy to come home from MY REAL JOB, and spend time with my knives. I enjoy providing the public with quality knives at knife shows. Would you suggest that all Randall knives sold be limited to just the dealers. Like I said before, this is America land of opportunity, if people are willing to by Randall knives I am willing to deal in them because I like them and darnit it's fun. I never said I sell on Ebay to make a buck. I think in the history of my Randall knife collecting I have sold one new Randall on ebay and that was a high end #12-8 bear bowie with elephant ivory and fine silver from Doug at precious metals fabrication. And let me see. Oh yea! The customer had no problem bidding on the knife and paying what he decided to pay. He liked it, I liked it, It's America and darnit it's FUN. It's what drives the world, Buying and selling. I don't feel the basics of economics should be discussed any further.
I do not think one has to be an authorized RMK dealer to sell a Randall knife if he is a knife dealer or not. That is where I started. I was not and now I am, thanks RMK. I sold one knife and made some money. Met some fine people, did it again and met some more fine people. I agree, YOU do not expect to pay more for a Randall than what you could get it for from RMK but there is a whole world of people who love to do it. As far as the backyard type sellers I do not know what you mean. If you mean the guys who charge $100 to $150 over current catalog price well then you got me. I guess I am a backyard seller, and you know what so is the guy at the knife show with the table full of Randalls right next to me, Oh, I almost forgot those guys on ebay that sell those Randalls everyday. Oh, and I almost forgot the RMK Dealer that charges me $75 to $95 over current catalog price. You know what? I will gladly pay that fee, one a week if I could. I will tell you why, DEMAND. I have customers waiting for the next knife I have on order from my Randall dealer. I am not going to stop ordering knives and reduce the DEMAND so you can buy your Randall at your reasonable price.
You said " If you are a collector and out for the one-of-a-kind rare knife then get ready to pay. However if you are looking to purchase new production knives you should be able to purchase them at a reasonable price!" I agree, Get ready to pay, because that guy invested a bunch of money himself and the customer is willing to pay extra for that extra special knife. Both parties are happy. As for purchasing Randalls at a reasonable price. What is reasonable? People are happy everyday to pay $100 to $150 over current. If they were not I guess I would not be selling a thing and they would not keep coming back. They Are, there is a demand and I am selling at a reasonable price. You know what? I think you are a closet Randall collector because why would you care so much and take the time to reply with such effort if you allready have your Randall that you got at a reasonable price.
Look all I am saying is that I would not change a thing. Randall has a good thing going and I could only dream of having a company as successful as Randall made. God bless them for making knives that everyone loves and everyone buys almost reguardless of the price and what they did to get there. Also if the price were to go up again I would still buy the knives and so would my customers because they are in demand and it would still be a reasonable price because everyone would still buy them. People who know Randalls, know they are expensive and guys and gals at the shows who see my Randalls, when I have them, maintain a certain respect for the knives and it is easy and comfortable for me to say " That's a Randall Made Knife and there is a 4 to 5 year wait on those right from the factory". As I put it in their hand they say "wow that's a knife". When they ask the price and I tell them, I have just planted the seed, The seed of respect for the Randall knife. As they walk away, the next time they see a Randall they know it's a good investment to get involved in. If it were not then know one would be doing it. BOHICA, I still respect your opinion and thanks for the reply but I am done here. Well except the guys that are going to ask me about the Randall model 1-8's I just got in stock, you know the ones with more than 5 options.

Man! I knew that this was going to happen when I made that post. WHEW! Thanks for your time.

P.S. Selling knives is just what I do for fun. I have a REAL JOB. Plastic Fabrication and CNC Engraving. Stay Cool
Dave Samolis
RKS# 4314

Dave,well said. I am reluctant to get in this discussion,however with my modest collection there is not a piece that I would sell without the right price set by me. I know I have several one of a kind Randalls and if the right price shows ,I'll sell. Nuff said it is called economics 100 controlled by me. I do respect everyones opinion and I learn a bunch on this forum. I pick and choose what I care to collect and sell.
Life is a great dynamic and so are the beautiful Randall collections, Tom #3081

Hello Everyone,
(Just another opinion…worth what you paid for it.)

It humors me to hear people talk about overpriced Randalls…specifically on eBay. Bottom line Folks, if it sold, then it wasn’t overpriced. I have certainly seen my share of RMKs, as have the rest of you, sell at incredible prices on eBay. I say “Good,” these knives are holding value and a good assumption would be is the RMKs I have are increasing in value too. I go to several knife shows a year and I am here to tell you, I have seen some Real Incredible Prices on RMKs at the shows…by some respectable folks. This quoted “overpricing” isn’t just on eBay folks, its everywhere. Personally, I don’t think it is overpricing. I have sold several Randalls on eBay, a couple to friends, and traded a fair share too. I have so much fun buying, selling, trading…and most of all, collecting!!!! I tell people that I buy some, sell some, and keep way too many . Therefore, to continue my hobby, I must sell some. The ones I do sell, I make a profit on. I am here to tell you, that I have never lost a dime on a Randall…and I don’t intend to start now. I don’t have a storefront, I don’t have a website, I DO HAVE EBAY. I don’t give my money away…never have, never will…nor do I expect anyone else to.

To be analogous, Is anyone out there willing to sell me 1000 shares of common stock of their favorite company… say Toyota at a 10% discount? It’s selling around $130 per share. How ‘bout it folks, anyone out there willing to sell 1000 shares to me for $117 a share? NO? Then why would someone expect me to sell a Randall for “below market price”? I have user RMKs…I have some that I will never use...that being said, all of my RMKs are Investments.

I certainly have my fair share of Randalls on order too. Will I keep all of them? Probably not…I’d be fibbing if I said different. However, I currently am trying to get on order every Skinning/Hunting/Outdoorsman knife (including every blade length) on order with Warther’s Ivory and Silverknife’s silver (no worry, these will not be showing up on eBay when I do start receiving them). A lofty goal some would say. The way I calculate it, ordering one every 3 months and assuming the 5 year wait does not change (not probable), I will take delivery on the last knife in 25 years. Does this discourage me? No…absolutely not.

My biggest fear for Randall is that they would succumb to the long wait time and lower their Standard of Quality, sell through Authorized Dealers only…worst of all, sell out to some corporation who wouldn’t give a crap about RMK as we know:(. That would bring a tear to my eye! Harley Davidson hasn’t done it, Randall Made Knives hasn’t done it…but it seems like everyone else has. I’ll wait 5 years, 10 years, 25 years…time is relative. I’ll be putting my next order in February… Model 23 Warther’s Ivory handle, Silver furniture, and all the options RMK will let me have .

Thx, Brian

P.S. Thanks to everyone at RMK…for not changing a thing…most of all the Quality!!!

Hey Bohica,
I can understand your frustration at not being able to purchase a Randall at the published prices in short time. I have felt that way myself. But what I have to ask is what is a reasonable price? To most people, is spending $350 on a knife to begin with reasonable? If you by a Randall at $xxx dollars, then decide to sell it and get $xxx, or even $xxx+x for it was it reasonable? When I bought precious metals years ago, it was always spot +10% to buy, when I sold it was spot -10%. Was it reasonable? It was the going rate, so yeah I thought so. That's what the dealers were doing.
One good thing I have found about dealing with different dealers(backyard?) is that the good ones will trade you back 100%(what you paid them for it) your equity in one knife for trade into another(ivory upgrade, different model?)
As far as you getting your Randall, there may be another option. You could always set up a table at a gun/knife show and wait for one to come by, maybe. When I travel and set up at a show it only costs $300-$500. You might get someone who has passed the vultures at the front of the show(you know the ones, just sitting there waiting for the little old lady who brings in her dead husband's grafather's old Colt revolver, which they will gladly pay her $100 for). They may even make it to your table and will take a factory price for it. I have found that most people who have Randall knives, know what they are, and what they can get for it on ebay.
I expect dealer prices to stay about the same or slightly increase
I have tried to look into the future for what may cause prices to go down. All indications from the supply side is that things will stay the same. Yes, that could change but not very likely. If I remember correclty from research, the shop makes 5.5-6k knives a year?Divided by an ever increasing collector base? As for the demand side of it, unless Randall collectors start to die off in droves, maybe in 20 years..............
Just an opinion,
James

It appears I am alone in my views...

I am in no way putting down the Randall shop. Neither am I putting down the authorized RMK dealers. Back Yard knife dealer is in my opinion someone that does not have a business license, retail store—or overhead. This guy is part of the problems as I see it.

To address the reasonable price issue... I am aware that an RMK is priced reasonable if at priced @ $150 over MSRP (Manufactured Retail Price), because it is one of the finest knives made. In the bigger picture RMK shop has set a price for it's Model # 14 sold in 2006 and most steelers are inflating this price, that is what is an unreasonable price to me! If a knife dealer (non RMK authorized) purchase a knife from an authorized RMK dealer then turns around the next weekend and adds 150.00 USD to the price... what is acceptable about that, nothing-- he's screwing however purchases the knife. This crap about the American way to Buying and Selling... this is your rational to justifies your price increases. If the seller pays 150.00 over current catalog price for a catalog knife and does not see any thing wrong with that then he may turn out to be your best customer ... a fool and his money will soon part. This is why an authorized RMK dealer sellers at catalog price... because that is the agreements the dealer has with the RMK shop. Why because RMK is looking out for it's customers as they should. The price paid is not based of of another knife manufacture or any other knife it is based on the MSRP.

There is not another retail manufacture – that I am aware of – that is so far behind in production and this is almost supported by dave1417... the inability to keep up with the demands of the product means RMK is losing money. The reason I said it was supply not demand is because if the RMK shop production was able to meet the demand then this would no longer topic!

Hey Brian how about when you sell a knife you add $50 not $200 I am not suggestions anyone lose money on an RMK and I am not talking about someone selling the personal collection... I am talking about the guy that buys an RMK with the idea to re-sell it to make money, get real! Point well made know one wants to see RMK give to the long wait time and start stamping crappy knives!

Let me provide a current, true example:

An authorived RMK dealer ... sold a knife to a non-RMK knife dealer (I know personaly)-- a Model # 16 SP1"Special #1 Fighter".

Brand new production... the timeing was right the dealer I know (non RMK) purchased the knife for 400.00 USD cash. He went to a gun show the following weekend and had it on his table for 600.00 USD.

Where is the justice in that for the regular costomer that wants to by his first RMK(?)

PS; I think this model -- Model # 16 SP1"Special #1 Fighter" might be the best knife ever made!

Corbin,now that you have convinced me,I have a Model # 16 SP1"Special #1 Fighter" that I would part with for $1000.00 for you. Of course I would include the $2.00 listing fee,if you purchase it after all, it is "the best knife ever made" to quote my esteemed associate and collector. Tom #3081
PS. Justice and market price are mutually exclusive ideas, then what do I know.

Keep on collecting that is the real fun in this game.

Corbin,

"Reasonable price" is a subjective term. In a free capitalistic society driven by supply and demand it has no meaning. What does have meaning is "market price". No one is going to throw money away so you can pay what you think is a reasonable price. You have to face reality on this one, Dude.

Edited to add:

Most people "earn" their Randall. By that I mean they work a longer period of time to come up with market price money, or they wait in queue or they sit on e-bay hitting the refresh button for hours and days at a time to catch a low buy-it-now price, or they do a lot of networking or they go to a lot of flea markets and shows. The only other alternatives are dumb luck or a benefactor.

I will put it like this... I purchased my first RMK knife (brand new/unused, catalog knife) for a highly inflated price, from a non-RMK knife dealer.

Never again, I will only purchase an RMK @ catalog pricing from RMK directly or from a authorized RMK dealer.

This is the difference's... must have been sleeping during Economics class!

steelers is a typo, I ment sellers... and I do not quite care if I am welcome or not! This is a place to speak your mind...like it or not!

...”he's screwing however purchases the knife.” That's how I see it and I have heard nothing to make me think differently.

I thought he was talking about the Pittsburgh Steelers.

If he was talking about anyone else, he'd be kinda silly.

Dubie Baxter

I do not care how or what your business is, or how you run it that is non--of my concern!

My views are as I have stated if you would like to engage me in how my views are not as yours are and how your views are more appropriate that mine ... I am all years.

Dubie;

Typing error, thanks!

Bohica,

Relax, I believe that everyone of us have paid "too much" for a knife or knives since we began collecting. Nevertheless, one of two things happened...we paid the "market price"...or we did not do our "homework" on the specific knife prior to purchasing it. You are in good company here. No one forces anyone to pay a high price...but if thats what you want and you just gots'ta have it...then you pay that asking price (or you deal a bit with the seller). My friend, you did not get screwed...I see you as being "One Randall Richer"...congratulations.

Brian

...I don't think I have ever paid too much for a Randall Knife. A couple of them I just bought a little too early. A year or two after I bought them they were worth what I paid for them. This really all is just a matter of time. If I want to get the best price I order from the catalog and 5 years later wil get the knife for catalog price at the time it was ordered. If I want to spend a little more I can order from a dealer and get it at the catalog price when it is bult a year or two later. If I am in a big hurry I can pay a hundred or two over current catalog and buy from one of my fellow collectors either here or at a show or on Ebay or at someone's website. It all seems pretty simple to me. Time is money. If you can wait you can save some money.
...Paying too much for something is just a simple financial mistake. I can think of dozens of things that many people commonly do that are far more costly to them than paying $100 to $200 over catalog price for a Randall Knife.

People selling things for more than they paid is called "business" and "profit" is not yet a dirty word in this capatalist society.

Today many dealerships are selling the Prius and other hybrids substantially above sticker price. That has happened before with other makes of cars. Remember when the Honda Accord first came out? Is that wrong? No. Just good business. Randall Made knives and hybrid automobiles are not life sustaining items. There is nothing immoral about profiting from the law of supply and demand in what are essentially luxury items.

If you want a Randall Made knife because you want to use one for hunting or fishing or camping contact one of the several Randall dealers who sell at shop prices like Rick Ward, or Tom Clinton, or Capt. Chris Stanaback just to name 3 off the top of my head, put in your order, and soon enough you will have your knife. Dave Harvey at Nordic knives is a super guy to do business with as is Doug Kenefeck up in Connecticut jsut to name a few more. If you are willing to pay a slight premium, call A.G. Russell in Arkansas and order from him. Perry Miller at Spaceport Cutlery frequently has nice Randalls which he sells at what I consider to be very fair prices.

If you want to start building a collection of Randalls, the bad news is that you "discovered" Randalls too late if you are on a limited budget and cannot afford the premium you will have to pay to get what you want when you want it in Randall Made knives.

That being said, I too wish that all the people who are ordering knives and having their wives ordering knives, and their kids ordering knives, and their grandchildren ordering knives, and maybe even paying people to use their names and addresses to order knives to get around the 1 knife per household every three months rule so they can sell them on eBay would promptly eat you-know-what and die. However, rarely do any of my wishes come true.

Regards, Doug

Corbin,

Until we retired from the knife circuit this year, my wife and I had been full time professional knife dealers. We are NOT authorized Randall dealers but we do sell Randall knives, along with lots of other brands that are collectable. I take exception to being branded a "screwer."

Allow me to state my case.

For the past twenty years, (without exception) my wife and I have flown to Eugene, Oregon, from our home in South Florida to attend the O.K.C.A. Knife show.(Just one show amongst many) Quite the trek, I assure you. We book three nights (minimum) into a hotel, rent a car, Rent tables at the show, dine out etc. We then display our Randall knives and other "stuff" in the hope that a collector will come along and buy. You're a smart guy, you work out what all of this costs!

Trust me, if our prices are too high, the items WILL NOT sell!

Thankfully, the market for RMK's has never been better. For this, Rhett and Janie must be thanked.

The Randall knives sell better than any other fixed blades because of many reasons; Scarcity and quality being the two imperatives! They also possess that VERY rare essence; ROMANCE!! For the past twenty years this has become evident to anyone with even a cursory interest in the hobby.

Nobody forces anyone to buy or sell their Randall knife. They do this of their own free will. Such dealings have gone on since time began. People fix a price on a commodity, if it doesn't sell then the price is too high and the seller will fall by the wayside. This is all that I have tried to do as a dealer.

For that, you call me a "screwer?" I think not!!

Jim Taylor. RKS#203.

Tune,
EXCELLENT! (Didn't mean to yell)

GOD BLESS OUR TROOPS!!!
JIM

Although not what I had in mind when I started this thread it is more than timely and informative. Seems this has happened with several threads/subjects I have started.

Maybe Rhett should bestow on me the title "Official Opener of Worm Cans"!

Corbin, aka bohica!

Dave1417, Cut Man, hosnpeper, BoBlade, Tunefink, jclarksnakes, silverknife, Jim Taylor and others have taken the time to explain to the many aspects of why Randall knives have such widespread appeal. Perhaps it would be a mistake to dismiss their combined years of RMK experience.

Cheers!

David

I collect Randalls, I sell em to buy more, and I get all I can for em, cause its like pulling teeth to sell a Randall, or any knife I like.

Somebody tells me I'm charging too much and I should sell them My Randall at a price they want to pay cause they don't want to do the work or wait the time I did to get it, well.....guess my response.
I ain't no socialist.
If you want to pay the price I paid, then do what I did to get the knife.

And I buy off ebay, and sometimes pay way more than good sense dictates, and its because I see a knife I just gotta have, and I want it now. And I have never bought a Randall and held it in hand and thought "I paid too much......"

Now I have bought knives, at shows, or on ebay, or from dealers, that I later found out I could have gotten cheaper somewhere else. Particularly when I was very new to collecting. I call that education.
I call it "shoulda done my homework a little better."
It wasn't somebody else's fault.
They didn't make me stupid.
I am self made.

My favorite Randall is one that I bought on ebay.

The second that I saw the knife, I knew two things. It was priced "too high" and that I was going to own it. I never thought about bidding on it. I hit the buy it now button and never looked back.

I have to confess– but not very repentfully- that I am one of those who used to buy a couple of Randalls well over list price: a #3 hunter for my father as a gift on his 65th birthday - for obvious reasons he could not wait 5 years for the knife to arrive.; then a friend of mine asked me to get a bushmaster for him within short time as a reward for himself upon his succesful passing the German hunting license exam (which is a costly and time consuming procedure here), the price ticket was 200 bucks over list price but he was very happy when he received the knife. And I have bought quite a bunch of RMK´s in the past with non standard handle material in the wellknown 4-letter internet auctionhouse: for me it does not make any sense to buy exotic woods at relatively high costs locally, and ship that material at costly overseas airfreight charges to the RMK shop if I can get the finished knife at an upmarked but still reasonable price at once.

My point is : people may have very good reasons to pay over list price; and for those of you who are at a loss for a good pretext , here´s one that works anytime:

LIFE IS TOO SHORT TO BUY CHEAP LOW-QUALITY KNIVES .

Cheers & have a good evening.

Tune,silverknife,chief, and other Randall Lovers. I agree the market is high for Randall Knives. I sell my Randall's for a profit and have no remorse for making a few dollars here and there. The cost of Ebay pricing with paypal, final selling fees, and listing cost is about 12% of final selling price. The time you have in shooting pictures,creating listings,answering questions of potential bidders,packaging for shipment,trip to the carrier for shipment,ect.. Hec, I could make more money at my hourly job but is not near as much FUN! If I sell a knife off line I price it to the customer for a reduced price of what eEbay prices would bring. I have never had one Randall returned and I do post a 3 day return policy. I think this shows that most of the purchasers of Randalls know value of a great knife and are very happy to be able to own one. Yes, I did place orders,but in my name only. I took the risk that Randalls would remain a good investmant over the waiting time and am still waiting on most of my orders to arrive. Investing in a Great product and making a few bucks is the American Dream. Whether it be Randall knives, Parker shotguns, coins,ect. it is an investmant and a RISK. We all started out as collectors then got addicted. We all want to upgrade our Randalls to the Sweet looking high options or the older but goodie knives and must part with the newer knives in our collection to be able to afford to upgrade. I would also like to mention Rick Ward, one of the most honest men I have ever met. If you want a Randall make it to the Blade show and get in line. Rick will sell you a Randall for Dealer cost. Same holds true for Tom Clinton. Both great dealers! Well, raining here in Indiana today so no work. Take care and hope to see you all at the Blade show in Atlanta!

I just finished reading all 6 pages of this... WoW! I have no idea how I could have missed this thread as it has been on here for a long time. Some very good points made throughout... I love this site Rhett!

I too have purchased Randalls at what some would consider a high price,...as one of you stated "I never looked back", and never will. If the price was an issue, I would have never bought it to begin with...the knife is what I wanted and I was darn happy to get it! No one has a gun pointed at are heads forcing us to click the "buy now" button.
~dale