I'm no "Big" time collector but I have a few Randalls that are "Special" to me anyway. Yes, I have the Randall Club 4/8 Fighter with the Sheath signed by Mr. Guy Clark himself. What a great person. After he signed the Sheath, he asked "me" if it was okay to take it out and "give 'er a look see" he was seemingly impressed. A Special Fighter, with a few personal touches, a #1 with some "more" special touches and finally one of the Captains NASA "Mission" Memorials. I probably got my first Randall around 1995, having been a big Guy Clark fan since the early 1970's but well they ain't cheap. Over the years, I have owned maybe 4 or 5 others, some just to look at, often to decide if it's a keeper or move on. I like "fighting knives.

Now here is my point, I'm not trying to be insulting but I worked with a Dealer, who pretty much kept me a "slot" so I could get a Randall Knife every year, I could have got more but like I said they are expensive and it was like a yearly surprise. Between 1995 and about 2006 if I didn't want that knife (like the 2 hunters I wanted to check out) or even that big #2 (it's just for killing and probably good at it) and perhaps a Guardian (nice) and a Gambler, I was always able to sell my knives easily for a profit, between $100 and $300 on Ebay.

For almost the last 10 years I can almost always buy a Randall on Ebay for less than from either Randall or a Dealer. I was never in it for the money, making a $100 or so a year was no big deal and for the most part I like my knives. I keep my 3 Fighters under glass, give them a nice polish every month or so, admire them and hang them back on the wall.

Mind you,like all of us I'm getting old and I can't say that any of my younger nephews really have much interest, that's fine. However, I must admit I got that NASA Mission Memorial as a "safe queen" to sell in the future. It's a nice knife and all but really too big and heavy to use. I have kept it in a special temp and humidity controlled lock box, with the assumption it would be worth $1,500 maybe more, there are not many around.

The last one I saw on Ebay sold for less than $700 as I recall they cost around $1,100 and it's a fine knife. Still I really don't want to loose some $400, maybe in another 10 years it will be worth much more but who knows, really?

I just don't see this subject come up much. I like my Randall knives and never needed the money where I was forced to sell one and for the most part, I do love to look at them on the wall in that display case. Still, my safe queen NASA as nice as it is, I would rather get something more like a Combat Companion and maybe a 4/6 or a matching Club 4/8 in leather. Again, rather sit on it untill I can at least not loose money.

Still, fact is, one can go today and get a Randall cheaper on Ebay than through the factory or a dealer. I just wondered how other's feel. Like I said, I'm not big time, it's a small hobby but I've been doing it for over 20 years now, I enjoy it but do to the inability to even break even I have not sold a knife for over 5 years.
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Rick G.--- RKS #883 Eschew Sesquipedalian Obfuscation