Joshua Sheaffer suggested a Knife Of The Week topic for Randall Knife Society Club Knives.
Talk about not seeing the forest for the trees!
Thanks Joshua. BTW, I like your "jeepsandknives" name.
Let's ask Rhett to put up the introduction when he has a chance to do so. There is a lot of history there.

RKSA1 Club knife (Sold Out)

At the issue time of the first club knife, the RKS was called, The Randall Knife Society of America, therefore the reason for the RKSA1 designation for this first knife.
564 Stag handle knives made, 436 black micarta knives made: total = 1,000 knives made. First knives delivered in 1991.

Description of the knife is as follows: RKSA SPECIAL FIGHTER 5 inch Blade of 01 Swedish tool steel, brass and blue spacers with brass double hilt, black micarta concave handle or stag handle. Smooth brass "coolie-cap" cap butt or on stag a thin brass plate for butt. A black Model A sheath or brown model A sheath for stag knife. Etched on Reverse side: RKSA Serial #/Member # Price: $290 (Sold out as of 1/1/1992)






RKS2 - Second Club knife (Sold Out)

This knife was first offered to the membership in 1995. 338 Micarta handle knives and 298 stag handle knives were made.
Each knife has a 4-1/2 inch blade of 3/16 inch 440B stainless. Each knife will be etched on the back of the blade with "RKS knife number / member number".

The stag version has brass and red spacers and the single hilt will be brass. A round 1/2" diameter brass RKS shield will be inlaid in the butt of the stag handle. A brown Sullivan sheath was included with each stag knife and each sheath had the Society logo on the front. Price: $262.00 (Sold Out)

The black micarta version of the RKS2 club knife has aluminum and black spacers and a border patrol handle with a duralumin crow's beak butt. The single hilt will be nickel silver. A round 1/2 inch diameter RKS silver shield will be inlaid in the front side of the handle. This knife knife came with a black Sullivan sheath with the Society logo on the front. Price $285.00 (Sold out)







RKS3 - Third Club knife (Sold Out)

This knife was first offered to the membership in 1997. 860 knives were made.
The 5-3/4 inch blade is a slightly smaller version of the 1988 issue of the Randall 50th Anniversary Commemorative Knife, which had a 7-1/2 inch blade. Very similar in shape, blade wise, you will once again, see and feel, the strong influence of Bill Scagel on Bo Randall's early knives.

The 5-3/4 inch blade is of imported Swedish .01 tool steel and shows vividly the late 1930's shape of the early Randall blade. The brass guard is much smaller than what you would see, say on a Model 3, again showing an early Randall look.

There are a total of seventeen spacers on this knife. The spacers go from the hilt: 6 regular spacers in a combination of black, brass, red and white; a thick 1/4 inch black micarta spacer; 3 spacers red, aluminum and red; another thick 1/4 inch black micarta spacer; and finally 6 spacers in a combination of black, brass, red and white again. Then comes the stag handle with a 9/16 inch (compass size) Randall Knife Society club medallion in the butt. The knife comes with a natural leather Sullivan sheath.

The price was $320.00 (Sold out)


RKS3 SPECIAL (Sold Out)

During the RKS3 club knife, production run by the Randall shop, there were fourteen (14) knives that had a different spacer arrangement than the standard RKS3 club knife. Prototypes, one of a kinds, or just plain shop mistakes in the spacer arrangement.
As previously mentioned, the main difference between this knife and a standard RKS3 club knife is the spacer arrangement. You have to examine one beside of the other to see the difference.

Each knife is etched RKS3 SPECIAL plus the serial number one through fourteen, i.e., "RKS3 SPECIAL #001" THRU "RKS3 SPECIAL #014".

Each knife has two sheaths. The standard RKS3 Model B, no stone pocket sheath, and a Model A sheath with stone pocket.

The price was $375.00 plus shipping. The 1997 price for the RKS3 club knife was $320.00 but that was with one sheath. All of the applicants for this knife were chosen by a drawing at the Blade Show meeting in June, 1999




RKS3 Membership Drive (Ivory Spacers) (Sold Out)

The knife shown here is one of the last RKS3 club knives made. But this knife is very different in that the 1/4" black micarta spacers have been replaced with two 3/8" genuine ivory spacers. The last four RKS3 club knives have these ivory spacers. The ivory spacer knives are # RKs857, RKS858, RKS859 and RKS860.
Greg Gutcher donated a special alligator sheath for this knife.





RKS4 - Fourth Club knife (Sold Out)

Shown here are the RKS4 club knives, made by Randall Made Knives for the Randall Knife Society. The top knife has a stag handle and nickel silver double hilt. Price: $362.00 The bottom knife has a leather handle and a brass double hilt. Price: $310.00 Available only in imported .01 tool steel, not in stainless. Gary Randall is calling this knife the Model 4, 8 inch Fighter. A customer sent in an old model of this knife for repairs. Gary said he knew this knife existed, after seeing a picture of movie star great, Robert Taylor, wearing one in a World War II, Randall file photo, but had never seen one before. 1,200 knives were sold. 816 stag handle knives and 384 leather.




RKS5 Miniature Drop Point Hunter.

1,500 made. Stainless 3-1/2 inch blade. Black micrarta border patrol handle. Sullivan sheath. Issue price $478.00 plus shipping.

Thanks for the info, Rhett. Are you in Arkansas?
Best, Capt. Chris

We leave for AG Russell's show tomorow, Wednesday. We will be there only on Friday and Saturday. Have to be back home by Monday night.

Regsrds,

Rhett

Drive safe (as they say in the South)...Drive safely (as they say up North). Either way; Have a safe and successful trip. Introduce yourself to Pat and Lynn (Ankrum Exotics). They will be set up (first time for them) selling handle material. They have "all" of Randall's specifications, just in case you are huntin' a special piece of wood. (just sayin'...)
Best, Capt. Chris

This thread needs some attention!

Here’s my RKS 4. Issued in early 2002 and described as a Model 4 – 8” fighter.
Came in two handle types, stag and leather. (See Rhett’s notes above).

One scary looking, badass knife, where “handle with care” truly applies: the top edge is sharpened 4 ½“ back from the upswept point to the hump on the spine and is as razor sharp as the main edge, with its deep belly.

O1 tool steel, leather handle, brass double hilt, duralumin butt cap, RWB spacers. The stacked leather handle has a noticeable curve to it, nicely counterbalancing the blade’s shape.

The blade itself is just over 8” long, as measured straight from hilt to tip. It’s about 1 ½” wide. But in thickness it tapers (flattens) to a very fine, scalpel-like point. It’s an *exceptionally thin* blade from the hump forward, making it lighter and the knife light in the hand. The grind lines speak for themselves.

Has a recessed area for the thumb just in front of the hilt (like a fighter) and a deep notch (choil) on the other side of the ricasso for your finger.

The sheath is pretty cool too, with lines that follow the blade’s humps and a tie down strap. RKS stamp along with Randall Stamp on back of Sullivan’s sheath.

It’s always been one of the coolest looking knives in my Randall collection.

Any other RKS knives?

Thanks for looking, Gary

…

I love that blade that size......Great Knife!

Excellent description, Gary. And an excellent knife. It is bad!
Walker

That knife is some kinda nice!

Gary,

Agreed # 4 is the best of the lot.

Here are all in one display.

Tom Flynn

Super nice display Tom. Great way to show them off.

Tom,

Wow! That's what I'm talking about.

Very cool. Sweet.

Gary

Excellent display, Tom. Thanks for sharing.
Walker

Never thought of that. Helluva good idea!

Great display!

Thanks to All!

Tom Flynn

Just own the RKS2 ....

Is the RKS5 a mini model 28 or just like the old drop point hunter that was made a while back? Any one have a picture of all 3? THANKS

Rhett actually had his choice of the mini, which he chose...or the "Woodsman", Model #28. "I" think he chose the wrong one, personally. The Model #28 is as good as it gets for overall appearance and function...and loaded with standard features,,,BUT,,,it's all history now.
Hope this helps, Capt. Chris

Capt. Chris--

Thinking that maybe Rhett chose the Mini because the RKS had never done a Mini of any sort, and the shop at the time probably did not envision making any more miniature models. That would make the RKS Mini somewhat more collectible.

Having both versions, a collector who bought the Mini from Rhett might like to have the Model 28 numbered like their Mini....

Come to think about it, as a user, the Mini would be similar to the Triatheletes that are sometimes customized by adding handles and guards.

Larry

The Model #28, Woodsman, would have been as close to a Griffon (Nowadays a "drop point" hunter) hunter as there was and been more collectible..."I" believe. You mileage may vary!
Stay Sharp, Capt. Chris

Chris hit the nail on the head. No one knows why Rhett chose the mini, but I suspect he thought they would sell better as a mini. You have to remember, when Rhett made the deal for the 1500 (IIRC) knives, he was obligated to purchase them all.

The 28 is the drop point hunter with a border patrol handle. When Gary decided to bring the model back, he nixed the SFG handle as too time consuming, the same reason RMK quit making it originally back in the early to mid 80's. A four fingergirip handle. the earliest style of handle, was assuredly not gonna happen as it was the sole reason for the Griffin or single finger grip handle design, an effort to save time.

On page 114 of his book Wickersham says someone in the shop, perhaps Dave Griffin, put the axe on the drop point hunter because it looked too much like a Loveless drop point hunter. I don't know where he heard that nonsense, but it is patently false. As I stated above, it simply took too much time to make with the four finger groove and tapered tang, and the same with the SFG.

The only people in that shop that have ever determined what models are made or not, are Bo and/or Gary Randall. Period.

so is the model 28 the same size as the GRIFFIN DP?
(plead for my ignorance since I've never grasp one)
the handle is obviously different, but is blade shape the same?

The drop point hunter got the nickname "Griffin" because Dave Griffin who worked in the shop came up with the handle, the single finger grip handle to replace the 4 finger grip handle. As I outlined above, it came about in an effort to save time versus the original 4 finger groove model.

As you can see from the photo, the bottom knife is one of the earliest DPH models. The subsequent SFG handled models have different shapes from knife to knife. The one in the middle I am uncertain of. I cannot tell if it is stag or not, but the handle looks like polished stag. If it is stag, it was not done at the shop but put on after the fact, probably by Griffin himself.

The blade shapes are relatively the same, but the model 28 has a choil whereas the DPH did not. You will note also, the photo shows the blade grinds of the 5 knives noticeably vary.

Here are the model 28 and the Griffin drop point together

Peter

They are very similar.
The GRIFFIN should be lighter if it has the tapered tang.
I don't really see a ton of characteristics like a LOVELESS in the GRIFFIN.
THANKS CRUTCHTIP.....all those yours?
THANKS PETER......very nice set
THANKS CAPT.

too bad not more options on a model 28

An FYI- Dave Griffin did NOT design the knife, only a replacement handle style for the 4 finger grip version. Basically took 3 finger grips off, simply to reduce fabrication time. People refer to some that have that handle as a "Griffin", but the model is in fact , a Drop Point Hunter, irrespective of handle style.

I just found a nice RKS5 in great shape