Thanks for your response, but other than custom making a stainless hilt, can you explain WHY it's a "no" to leaving OFF an added labor step? (upper false edge grind)

It's LESS work but I'd pay a premium! This makes a stronger upper edge, and doesn't dig into a light baton as readily. (I haven't ruled out the possibility of my grinding off the false edge on my personal Model 28 "user", to widen the surface area and make it less likely of the blade spine to dig into a light wooden baton,... but even that doesn't get me where I'd like to be.

Also, as a practical matter, providing a straight lower, even main grind is LESS effort than all various angles of the usual grind coming together.

I know this can be tricky. On my current Model 28, where the side flat areas meet the main grind, they are "off" in symmetry by about 1/2 inch in length. This seems a bit more than what is probably usual, but of course doesn't affect performance in any way. It does show these are trickier to grind than they need to be.

About the only thing I can think of for all these "no's, is that Randall does not want to create "rarities" in one sense.

If this is the reason, it seems a rather short sighted argument for what are practical improvements in actual field performance capabilities for the woodcraft crowd, not to mention an easier to baton smaller wood pieces with. (I think Randall doesn't approve batoning and voids warranties on such things?) And as a general "survival knife" has added desirability in my view.

YMMV