Anybody Else Use A “Pillow Knife”, …..”Just” In Case? Here’s My Vintage Randall Kit Model 1

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I was wondering if anyone else keeps a little something under their pillow at night,….just “in case”?

Maybe it’s just me,…but when I first moved to my home here some 10 years ago,…into a decent neighborhood compared to the “bad” area where I was, …..I had TWO home break-ins within a 6 month period!

Ironically,… I had not been bothered for 8 years previously in a “bad” area,….where there were drug deals going down on the corners every night, and women walking the streets regularly……

During the 1st break-in I came in the back door (as usual), after returning from a 45 minute lunch pick up. It was shown later the perps must have been going out the front door as we came in the back. The front door was left ajar a little that we noticed later,….back door was kicked in. My pug was “found” two hours after the police left hiding under a distant desk,…..and still shaking after more than 4 hours! I originally thought they had taken her, and spend an hour walking the neighborhood looking!

So,…since then I’ve always slept a little sounder with many strategically placed self defense “tools” positioned in easy reach, no matter where I was in my home.

….and under my pillow I keep an old but solid Randall Made “kit” knife model 1 “Fighter, with 7” blade. Even today this is still a popular model with those in the military and civilian’s alike,…. and I believe was Bo Randall’s first model designed and produced.

My example is quite unusual because it has both a Stainless Steel guard and butt cap. Full factory made Randall’s use brass or aluminum in these locations. But this blade was made in the 1970″s when Randall offered “kits” for those wishing to complete their own knives. Someone fashioned the stainless steel guard and butt cap to complete and match the Randall Made stainless steel blade. The grip is fashioned from Micarta washers in an attractive maroon coloration that varies a bit.

Unlike “fully” factory assembled Randall Made knives,….the kit knives sometimes were ordered at a stage without the guard soldered on, as this one was. Considering the owner’s plans to make a SS guard and butt,….that is understandable.

When I received the knife, the handle was still tight as were the guard and butt cap,….BUT there was no cross pin in the butt cap that i thought should have been added. Epoxy alone kept it all together. I soon drilled and added my own cross pin in the butt cap,…with one end of the pin hammered into the cap for an invisible mating,….and the other pin end left visible in case it ever needed to come apart so you know where to pound the pin. Now I KNOW the handle CAN’T ever just fall off!

The knife had seen hard service during the Vietnam war, and I bought it from a guy who’s Uncle had served a few tours there, and had since passed on. I paid $400 + shipping on ebay for those of you curious, which was the opening bid,…..a bargain I think considering how well it all turned out after some TLC.

The blade had several chips into the blade’s edge edge (the worse chips were about 2mm deep), as well as some cosmetic scratch marks along the sides which fortunately were not too deep. It was obvious the knife had been used for such things as opening food ration cans and some prying “duties”,….which is always ill advised for any quality blade! (yet pretty common still!)

I carefully removed the blade edge chips and leveled the cutting edge,….mostly by hand sanding on a machinist’s steel block and sandpaper, and put a keen edge on the blade. I also lightly refinished the blade sides, all the while avoiding the etched in “kit” marking on the blade. The nicks and assorted dings on both the stainless guard and butt cap were also removed and those parts polished up.

She’s now in fine form,……and I sleep sounder knowing she’s in easy reach. My pillow companion,…..Randall Made with some of me in there too. 

Some of the blade Chips before removal…

On a fighting knife which might be called upon to save your life in a war zone,….,….not what a good knife is designed for! That’s what screwdrivers and can openers are for!

Many light hairlines adorned both sides of the blade, but were generally light….

….typical blade edge chips using a cutting tool as a pry bar,…..don’t do this at home!

You can’y see the “Ki ” of the Kit marking from this angle where that scratchy area is just left of the logo. The “t” was missing as they are usually fairly light etchings and can wear away….but you’ll see the Ki ” in another photo

The curve to the single hilt finger guard is super comfortable in hand…..especially since I smoothed off the nicks on the outer tip,……pretty common on a hard working knife….

There are 3 notches carved into 3 positions on the handle,….and I asked the previous owner if his uncle had ever confirmed if these notches meant the same thing as gunfighters putting notches on their pistol grips signifying a “kill”,…but he became irritated and asked me to drop it as his family wouldn’t like discussing such things,…emphatically! Draw your own conclusions….

You can also see the one end of the stainless steel cross pin I installed that I left visible to held future owners locate for any disassembly needs. The other side is blended invisibly.

The old sheath strap has faired the worse compared to the rest of the sheath and stretched,…allowing some movement of the knife,….but it can’t come out so it doesn’t bother me. If given a choice,…..I’d hope the embedded cigarette smoke smell will fade with time! It’s better after about 1-1/2 years,….but I can still smell a faint cigarette smell….

The old 1970’s “Rough Back” sheath……

You can see the “Ki ” of the Kit marking etching……and the blade sides have not yet been lightly refinished……The Guard will be cleaned up also, as well as some nicks in the butt cap.

Closer view of some of the “before” scratches……

….and “after” removal….

….scratches and nick (toward bottom) on butt cap before refinish…..

One of the upper “notches” visable near the finger guard, just prior to the 1st small washer…..

….another notch toward the butt cap….

…..pardon my fingerprint,….was concentrating on getting the “Ki ” to show up…..

I must say the finger grooves are very comfortable……and the finger guard and butt cap are now refinished…..

The blade sides are now smoothed up quite a bit,…..tough to show in photos….

The butt cap cleaned and polished up nicely. I left the short protrusion of the hilt, as if ever needed to remove the cross pin that hilt extension will make a handy mallet point to break the epoxy’s hold! (will probably need some heat applied too…)

Refinished side with the cross pin invisible here……

…..and most of the blade looking GREAT now! I didn’t do any polish work near the “Ki ” etching,….it would have disappeared! The cutting edge is now even and chip free, and super sharp! (“hair shaving” as they say)

….the fine edge closer,,,,….and no chippies…

I didn’t want a 45-50 year old working knife looking “new”,….so some very fine hairlines on the blade sides weren’t fussed with…..mostly near the tip…..

Stainless steel butt cap refinished, on the invisible cross locking pin side……

What a fine “Balance”,…..perfect at just behind the guard!

This Randall Model 1 with 7″ blade comes in at a very reasonable 11.7 ounces! Considering the denser stainless steel guard and butt cap,….still feels like a feather because of the great balance…..

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