If you are depending on ordering and acquiring a Randall knife as part of your retirement portfolio, you may want to get a different financial advisor.

That being said, folks order knives for a myriad of reasons.

The reason RMK has a wait is very simple. That have limited production capabilities for a couple of reasons, the most important being to maintain the quality Bo Randall wanted to deliver starting in 1937. That may be the most important "marketing" strategy of all.

The shop historically doesn't "hire and fire" people as say might a fast food restaurant. Historically, folks have made careers out of becoming a cutler working for the company. In other words, there isn't a lot of turnover. It is more of a problem finding folks that are trainable and willing to work that hard.

There aren't too many folks claiming "poor heat treatment", and I haven't called to ask, but I am sure there have been a few, and some may have been legitimate. Ultimately, you would hope that a person that buys a knife would know what they are buying if for, and if to use, would have the common sense to use the knife for that purpose, the reason they chose that specific model in the first place.

All becomes moot when you take a thin bevel skinning knife and use it as a hatchet.