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My 5-6 and I on an overlook, on the way up Boney Mountain (Santa Monica Mountains):
From the peak:
A shot of the 5-6 the day before the climb, being touched up:
Hey, I can see my house from there...
Show us your Randalls
- Thread starter mamun1024
- Start date
Hey, I can see my house from there...
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Came home at lunch to meet Yellow Bear, dangit if the postman wasn't early today. The notice was already in the box. Fortunately, I kinda know their routine in the Village and was able to quickly track him down.
For those that don't know, it's a 12-8 "Bear Bowie" with an O1 blade, Westinghouse "Old Yeller" micarta commando grip, brass guard and butt. Interesting that the blade is 3/16" vice the now available 1/4" stock. Makes it much lighter and quicker in the hand. Brown JRB plain-snap sheath with a white Norton Soft Arkansas stone. No disappointment here, it's a beaut.
Shel, my guide is out at Johnny's, a little help with the dating?
Not quite as yellow as Lil' Sparky, but then it is a bit older.
Color me a happy camper...
For those that don't know, it's a 12-8 "Bear Bowie" with an O1 blade, Westinghouse "Old Yeller" micarta commando grip, brass guard and butt. Interesting that the blade is 3/16" vice the now available 1/4" stock. Makes it much lighter and quicker in the hand. Brown JRB plain-snap sheath with a white Norton Soft Arkansas stone. No disappointment here, it's a beaut.
Shel, my guide is out at Johnny's, a little help with the dating?
Not quite as yellow as Lil' Sparky, but then it is a bit older.
Color me a happy camper...
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- Jan 14, 2001
- Messages
- 18,959
What a gorgeous knife! Does the end cap have the flat brass nut, or inverted nut?
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- Jan 14, 2001
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- 18,959
Alan, your new #12-8 was made on the early side of Early to Mid 1970's; probably around '72. No older, not much newer. Cool knife!
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- Oct 10, 2010
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Just won a charity auction supporting the Navy Seal Foundation;
'70's - '80's Model 14, nicely optioned with a Stainless blade, sawteeth, thumb notches, NS single guard, black micarta Border Patrol grip, thong hole. Brown plain-snap sheath w/orange India stone. All in excellent condition.
Worthy cause, and a very highly rated (100%) charity.
The cool Randall is just icing on the cake...
'70's - '80's Model 14, nicely optioned with a Stainless blade, sawteeth, thumb notches, NS single guard, black micarta Border Patrol grip, thong hole. Brown plain-snap sheath w/orange India stone. All in excellent condition.
Worthy cause, and a very highly rated (100%) charity.
The cool Randall is just icing on the cake...
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- Jan 14, 2001
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- 18,959
Congratulations!
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Or, with similarly optioned variants - 14/16/15... 
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- Jan 14, 2001
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Nice, great choice!
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- Sep 25, 2017
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can anyone helo me identify a real early dave griffin bowie knife?
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- Jan 14, 2001
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Yes, with photos.
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- Jan 14, 2001
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Clean mid 80's Classic Model #1 'All-Purpose Fighting Knife' - cool user.
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- Jan 14, 2001
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Tom, sure, if all-original, it would be made right at about '84 into '86, when the 'all thin' spacer stack was introduced, and the tightly stitched Johnson Roughback Sheath style was being phased out in favor of the looser stitched version. But, with regards to the sheath; older sheaths could languish in sheath bins at the RMK Shop (first in, last out rule), buried under newer arrivals if you will. And, while not (as) commonly used by son Johnnie Johnson, as was by his father, Maurice, the machine that produced the tighter stitch was still used on occasion, such as when the looser stitch producing machine was down for repair. And/or, the sheath might've simply gotten swapped out or mixed up with that of another, older knife, in the past. That's pretty common, too.
The key is almost always the spacers, that indicates when the knife was made, and as such it can't be older than when a feature, in this case, the spacer type, was introduced (spacers, hilt/handle material, blade stamp type, compass, etc.) - that said, as RMK's most popular model, in the most popular blade length, I'd wager not many of that sheath type languished for any length of time; thus the mid 80's date given. Still, exceptions...
The key is almost always the spacers, that indicates when the knife was made, and as such it can't be older than when a feature, in this case, the spacer type, was introduced (spacers, hilt/handle material, blade stamp type, compass, etc.) - that said, as RMK's most popular model, in the most popular blade length, I'd wager not many of that sheath type languished for any length of time; thus the mid 80's date given. Still, exceptions...