IMO Crap Sheath

I

icraker

Joined
Oct 17, 2012
Messages
3
Waited 5 years to get a model 12 - 9 with 14 grind and turns out the black sheath has a significant scuff on the back. Looks like somebody slipped with a tool or something. I contacted Randall and they said I can go through the expense of exchanging it and that many of the sheaths have marks like this.

Has anyone else experienced bad marks on their sheaths only to get a replacement with similar marks?

Thanks

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I have a number of Randall knives. That includes some 12-9's with 14 grind. A very few sheaths show some small defects, and I don't worry about them. If your defect is on the back side, I feel it's no big deal--BUT, if you're concerned, go ahead and pay for the replacement; it will ease your mind.
-Steve
 
I would suggest that you return the knife for a full refund. That should get their attention...
 
By expense ,I took that to mean the shipping back, is that not the case?
 
Wow.
I'm glad I'm not in the same class as Randall knives.
I'd go nuts dealing with customers who demand perfection.

I think Steve gave you the best advice.
 
...I believe I saw in on another forum..or maybe I read it ..can't say for sure, that a lot of the leather comes in with a lot of these mark's already in the leather..from barb wire...or bushes and brush scrapes while the cow was still alive....if it help's any the piece of leather with the mark's was put on the back of the sheath not the front.
 
Personally I love character marks like that.
 
I also have many Randall's with small imperfections in some of the sheaths, remember leather is organic as REB40 has said cows skin is subjected to various cuts and scraps. Once the hide is tanned and especially when dyed black they become more pronounced. I also make sheaths for my custom knives and I constantly find this sort of thing, all you can do is put it on the back, but I tell the customer what I have prior to delivery.

Bottom line is if you are not happy with this sheath I would certainly return it for another.
 
I agree that "range marks" are pretty common on leather sheaths. That said, you can always have a custom maker make a new sheath for you if you don't want to pay to exchange that one. I would assume that you would pay shipping both ways. "Crap sheath" it is not though. IMHO.
 
After paying $500, and waiting 5 yrs, it is easy to be disappointed...after all, these are Randall Made Knives - they must be awesome because everybody wants them and they take forever to get. The unboxing of my purchase around 15 yrs ago was somewhat anticlimactic - I don't know what I was expecting, really; but there was no fanfare, no magical glow emanating from the box as I opened it. Just two knives that, over the course of waiting nearly twice as long as projected, I'd nearly forgotten about.
I can understand the disappointment of seeing the leather marred, especially since you paid extra for it. You've been offered a replacement - but that will mean shipping the knife back, because the sheaths are made to fit the individual knives. (They "could" send you a generically made sheath; but then you might be unhappy with the fit, and they wouldn't want to hear your complaints because you already knew the risk) It is somewhat unclear from what you posted, but I'm guessing that they aren't covering shipping either way on the exchange because they feel the sheath you received is within their tolerances. Is that correct? If so, only you can say whether it's worthwhile. If it's going to be a user, the sheath is going to get marks on it eventually anyway...and they'll be on the front, but those will be "YOUR" marks.
 
Just a point of clarification here - the keeper strap snap is set to the individual knife; that said, sheaths made for any given Randall model should fit all other knives of the same model and age, provided the guard type is also the same...
 
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This is a premium knife that I waited 5 years for. In my opinion their quality control should probably look for things like this and say "Hey, this doesn't seem to meet our standards. Let's take a couple of days and make another one for this guy that doesn't look so bad." They didn't do that. They thought this was OK and moved to the next order figuring if I'm not happy then I can just pay to get another one.

That is the quality we are getting now.
 
REB40 said:
...I believe I saw in on another forum..or maybe I read it ..can't say for sure, that a lot of the leather comes in with a lot of these mark's already in the leather..from barb wire...or bushes and brush scrapes while the cow was still alive....if it help's any the piece of leather with the mark's was put on the back of the sheath not the front.
Click to expand...

Exactly.
IF it is tool mark, then I would call it a faulty sheath.
But if it is natural scar on the leather then it is ok. Sheath is an utility item, not a piece of jewelry, so imperfections in material are ok, as long as they do not decrease durability/function.
 
Even if they are natural marks, he paid alot of money and waited a long time. He's not happy with it and they should make it right.
 
Let me ask another question relevant to the quality and resale value. If I were to sell this knife (including supporting papers) asking for the latest auction sell prices, would you pay it based on the sheath?
 
If you bought the knife to flip for a profit then you should sell it for what you have in it and call it a wash. If you ordered it to use it then use it, I would be more likely to pay for a used Randall that has been used for 10-15 years rather than a mint one that has been wrapped up for 10-15 years. Put your own marks on it and make memories that you can hand down to someone with the knife. The character is what gives it value. But what do I know, I use mine and make my own sheaths.
 
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icraker said:
Let me ask another question relevant to the quality and resale value. If I were to sell this knife (including supporting papers) asking for the latest auction sell prices, would you pay it based on the sheath?
Click to expand...

The state of the sheath, with your knife, would not affect what I would pay for the knife and sheath combo.
 
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