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#38523 - 03/16/08 08:33 AM Knife Of The week Model 23 ***
vklough46 Offline
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Registered: 10/15/05
Posts: 1649
Loc: Boogie Wonderland
Thanks to all who have participated thus far.

From Randall Made Knives: The History of the Man and the Blades, by Robert L. Gaddis, pp.231-232.

Quote:

During late 1971 or early 1972, Bo and Gary decided it was time to add another style of straight-point hunting knife to their expanding selection of field knives. They wanted something between the extremes in size and weight of the small Model 8 Trout and Bird and the heavy-duty Model 19 Bushmaster. Bo had never really liked the looks of the Model 19, even with its revised blade shape. There is better than a 50-50 chance that the original discussion and designing session took place during a trip to the Randall ranch, or maybe while they were on a hunting or fishing outing. When father and son were away from the press of daily business, their minds often turned to the imaginative designing of new and different styles of knives.

They retained the main feature common to both the Model 8 and 19, the straight-point blade with its sharpened top edge. This short but sturdy top cutting edge was popular with many hunters and campers and was to be a major feature of their new knife for big game hunters. The blade length they settled upon was 4 1/2 inches, the same as the Model 19, but the new knife's width would be considerably less. Because this was a full-size big-game knife, they stuck with 1/4-inch forging stock, to avoid the edge-chipping problems encountered in the Model 22 Outdoorsman.

It wasn't long before they took their ideas to the forge and grinder, possibly with Pete Hamilton doing part of the work. Pete remembers talking with Gary about the design and fabrication of the prototype knife and referred to it as a lightened Model 19. Nobody remembers exactly how long it took to arrive at a final blade shape that met all the functional and aesthetic requirements of Bo, Gary, and the senior shop craftsman. It must not have been too long because this new design was the "Gamemaster" and was in production before work was begun on the next catalog, sometime in the late summer or early fall of 1972. This twenty-second printing introduced the Model 23 Gamemaster to prospective purchasers. Part of the original catalog description read: "A variation of Model 19, serving the same purposes, developed because of popular demand for a knife with these characteristics. Top edge is for heavy-duty cutting..."

Bo and Gary's new hunter has turned out to be one of the more popular models in the Randall sporting knife line.




Lady and gentlemen, may we please me some Model 23s?
Kevin
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#38524 - 03/16/08 08:51 AM Re: Knife Of The week Model 23 [Re: vklough46]
tunefink Offline
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Registered: 09/13/05
Posts: 4052
Loc: Bambalam
This is one of the oldest #23's you'll see. It has 7 spacers which were being phased out as the #23 was being developed and added as a standard catalog knife. It's in a model #20 sheath.... again, pointing to a very early #23.



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36483-_DSC2784b(Large).jpg (778 downloads)

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#38525 - 03/16/08 09:01 AM Re: Knife Of The week Model 23 [Re: tunefink]
7033grip Offline
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Registered: 10/10/05
Posts: 5148
Loc: Winter Haven, Florida
Tune, Tanks !!! That is one gorgeous old Randall.

Dubie
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#38526 - 03/16/08 09:12 AM Re: Knife Of The week Model 23 [Re: vklough46]
charliedoyle Offline
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Registered: 12/11/07
Posts: 207
Here is an early 23 5 spacer, JRB and SP-13 white stone and a Modern 23 in Gold Micarta, SS blade, NS hilt and buttcap and all black spacers
.


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36485-Randall046(Medium).jpg (766 downloads)



Edited by charliedoyle (03/16/08 09:14 AM)

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#38527 - 03/16/08 12:17 PM Re: Knife Of The week Model 23 [Re: tunefink]
BoBlade Offline
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Registered: 09/13/05
Posts: 1673
Loc: Kalifornia
Quote:

This is one of the oldest #23's you'll see. It has 7 spacers which were being phased out as the #23 was being developed and added as a standard catalog knife. It's in a model #20 sheath.... again, pointing to a very early #23.





Criminy, Tune. What's the big deal? The shop made TWO of them with 7 spacers!


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RKS No. 4223


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#38528 - 03/16/08 01:15 PM Re: Knife Of The week Model 23 [Re: BoBlade]
Cabinet_Man Offline
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Registered: 03/04/06
Posts: 3107
Many of you have seen pics of this 23 in the past. This is my carry knife for deer season, and I recently posted a pic of it laying on a deer as it was field dressed. This is what it looks like clean. There is a story with this knife too for anyone interested in hearing it again. I got this knife from a friend that bought it in the 70's after returning home from Vietnam. He lives out west and hunts with a bow only. This knife has dressed and skinned many deer and elk for him before it ever came to be my carry knife. I have recently received a model 25 and am thinking of retiring this one from deer season but haven't actually made up my mind yet. I like the blade length a lot, and since it is like a model 8 in shape, I love the design! This really is a great knife that can be used for any purpose a hunter/outdoorsman would need.
~dale





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36501-23-69KB.JPG (880 downloads)

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#38529 - 03/16/08 01:20 PM Re: Knife Of The week Model 23 [Re: Cabinet_Man]
Cabinet_Man Offline
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Registered: 03/04/06
Posts: 3107
a different angle


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36502-23-85KB.JPG (867 downloads)

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Custom Display Cabinets & Stands

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#38530 - 03/16/08 01:40 PM Re: Knife Of The week Model 23 [Re: Cabinet_Man]
Cabinet_Man Offline
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Registered: 03/04/06
Posts: 3107
one more angle, but this time in B&W...




Attachments
36503-23_BW2_98KB.JPG (802 downloads)

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www.DorrisWoodCreations.com
Custom Display Cabinets & Stands

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#38531 - 03/16/08 03:07 PM Re: Knife Of The week Model 23 [Re: tunefink]
Sidney_Redford Offline
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Registered: 10/20/05
Posts: 1621
Loc: Blue Ridge Mtns. Va.
Hey Mitchell I don't suppose you want to get rid of that old beat up 23 with the mismatched sheath. If so I can help you out.
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RKS #84 NRA Life. Shag # 11

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#38532 - 03/16/08 05:46 PM Re: Knife Of The week Model 23 [Re: tunefink]
BigJim Offline
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Registered: 05/03/06
Posts: 1051
Mitchell,
That knife is Special!!
GOD BLESS OUR TROOPS!!!
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The Only Place I want to see a liberal is in a Museum

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