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#186765 - 03/30/20 09:28 PM Parkerized Randall
Kiltabar Offline
Just dropped in

Registered: 03/30/20
Posts: 3
Hello folks! I'm new to this forum and this is my first post. I have a Randall 14 from the widow of a Vietnam-era CIA operator. Interestingly, it is parkerized. Can anyone give me details about this knife - for example, did the government purchase these and have them parkerized? Were they issued to the CIA or military units? How many were made and are known to exist? Thanks for your help.


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Randall 14.jpg (307 downloads)


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#186767 - 03/30/20 10:40 PM Re: Parkerized Randall [Re: Kiltabar]
Captain Chris Stanaback Offline
Knife Enthusiast

Registered: 09/14/05
Posts: 12664
Loc: Central Florida
I doubt this knife was owned by or even made in the VietNam War era, but I'm sure Cruchtip can comment also. Telltale signs of a late 1970's (or newer) vintage are shining through. Also: I believe the finish on the blade is after-market. Welcome to our forums and please stick around.
Stay sharp, Capt. Chris
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#186768 - 03/30/20 11:06 PM Re: Parkerized Randall [Re: Kiltabar]
Buck Buchanan Offline
Knife Enthusiast

Registered: 07/25/10
Posts: 1078
Loc: Fayetteville NC
When we had our store, Cumberland Knife & Gun Works, Inc., on Bragg Blvd, about two miles from Fort Bragg, we, as Authorized Randall Dealers, did quite a bit of recoating on the military models. Back in those days, models were easy to get, about three months wait time, and we carried about fifty Models, mostly the military numbers, on hand all the time.

Since we had a blueing operation going in a backyard building, it was just natural to abide by customers wishes for Desert Shield/Desert Storm. We offered three choices, 1) Beadblast the entire knife, using aluminum beads, then resharpen it; 2) Beadblast and hot blue, then resharpen it; 3) Parkerize it, and resharpen.

Most customers opted for #1 or #2 for the price. I know we did hundreds before closing the store in '99.

But even back in the '70's through the '90's, they, obviously, were relatively expensive as they are today. To the best of my knowledge, at least at Fort Bragg, there were no Government purchases.

However, I handled a number of "group purchases" by various Special Forces A-Teams, specifically from the 3rd SF(A) & 7th SF(A) Groups. I also outfitted Seal Team One with Model 15's, custom-ordered by the C.O. (ST, SFG, Beadblasted & blued (by us), Waxed sheath).


Edited by Buck Buchanan (03/30/20 11:12 PM)
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#186770 - 03/31/20 11:22 AM Re: Parkerized Randall [Re: Buck Buchanan]
Michael_Mason Offline
Knife Enthusiast

Registered: 02/12/06
Posts: 1926
Loc: Orlando, FL.
Pretty cool info Buck, and makes for some good reading. Sounds like these could have been the precursor to Rob Schoening's VST models.
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Michael

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#186782 - 04/01/20 10:36 AM Re: Parkerized Randall [Re: Michael_Mason]
Kiltabar Offline
Just dropped in

Registered: 03/30/20
Posts: 3
Thank you all for your help.
The only information I have about this knife, which I acquired from a well known firearms historian and museum curator is this: The original owner, now deceased, flew for Air America in Vietnam. The widow could provide no other useful information with regard to when or where he acquired it, or when or where it was parkerized. No assumptions on my part will be made.
One other question: what is the significance/ rarity of the size of the eyelet hole; does this provide any clues?

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#186784 - 04/01/20 11:13 AM Re: Parkerized Randall [Re: Kiltabar]
Michael_Mason Offline
Knife Enthusiast

Registered: 02/12/06
Posts: 1926
Loc: Orlando, FL.
Here is your picture:


Attachments
------Randall_14.jpg


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#186793 - 04/02/20 11:33 AM Re: Parkerized Randall [Re: Michael_Mason]
alan_grombacher Offline
Knife Enthusiast

Registered: 08/20/07
Posts: 1011
Loc: Canada
Curious here does anyone parkerize or blue Randall’s anymore like Rob or Buck did?

Cheers,

Alan
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Alan Grombacher
RKCC-CMI-010
RKS#5531

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#186794 - 04/02/20 12:30 PM Re: Parkerized Randall [Re: alan_grombacher]
Michael_Mason Offline
Knife Enthusiast

Registered: 02/12/06
Posts: 1926
Loc: Orlando, FL.
Originally Posted By: alan_grombacher
Curious here does anyone parkerize or blue Randall’s anymore like Rob or Buck did?
Cheers,
Alan

Maybe James Behring ???
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Michael

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#186795 - 04/02/20 03:07 PM Re: Parkerized Randall [Re: Michael_Mason]
Buck Buchanan Offline
Knife Enthusiast

Registered: 07/25/10
Posts: 1078
Loc: Fayetteville NC
Kiltabar,

By "eyelet hole" you are referring to the wrist thong hole, I assume. Early Model 14's did not have a brass liner in the hole as yours. However, when Chris Stanaback tells you that your knife is a later production than the Vietnam years, from the Randall Shop, you can "take that to the bank".

There are about a dozen or so fellers on this forum that can pinpoint the decade, a range of years, or THE year that a knife came out of the Shop, Chris being one of them.

That's why you came on board here to find out what you do and don't have in your Randall. I have been selling Randall Knives since 1979, and I am still learning things about the models and their history over 80 + years of knife production.

I had a good friend of mine who was a former USAF pilot that was hired by Air America, and tragically his plane was shot down over Angola, years after Vietnam. Air America has been around. The widow, likely, would not be privy to her husband's "travels" working for AA.

In our "business" of collecting Randalls, Chris always said, "Buy the knife, not the story.

Hope this helps.


Edited by Buck Buchanan (04/02/20 03:11 PM)
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Buck Buchanan, RKCC #CM-16, RKS #1003
NRA LIFE
NMLRA LIFE
Authorized Randall Dealer
buck100_10x@icloud.com



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#186796 - 04/02/20 04:02 PM Re: Parkerized Randall [Re: alan_grombacher]
Windsor Offline
Knife Enthusiast

Registered: 08/12/15
Posts: 1861
Loc: Texas!
Originally Posted By: alan_grombacher
Curious here does anyone parkerize or blue Randall’s anymore like Rob or Buck did?


On a wide scale? I haven't seen any.

I've seen RMKs that have been parked or powdercoat+cerekote (outside of the shop) but I don't know if those ever made it to >2 knife batches.
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Rob

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