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  #1  
Old 02-08-2019, 02:22 PM
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samg samg is offline
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Custom non catalog model 17?!!

Where are these guys coming up with these "Randall's"?

Don't know if I ever saw an Astro with both a round tang end and raised top clip. What do you think?
Don't want to even talk about the sheath!
I guess the seller discloses it as a "custom non catalog model 17...what the heck is that?!!!
Worst part is that it appears that it sold!

RANDALL MADE KNIFE MODEL 17 ASTRO RARE ROUND HILT BROWN MICARTA GUS GRISSOM. Condition is New but does have a few light marks from being played with over the years. This is a custom non-catalog model 17 with the rounded end and brown micarta handles like the one used by Astronaut Gus Grissom. Even the sheath is modeled after the 'as carried' sheath used by Grissom. The tool for handle removal is stored inside the sheath sharpening stone pouch.

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Old 02-08-2019, 02:47 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by samg View Post
Where are these guys coming up with these "Randall's"?
Don't know if I ever saw an Astro with both a round tang end and raised top clip. What do you think?
Don't want to even talk about the sheath!
I guess the seller discloses it as a "custom non catalog model 17...what the heck is that?!!
Since the handle scales are easily removed and different ones easily attached, anyone can make a "custom non-catalog" version. I made my "custom Model #15" out of an older Astro (with less raised top clip) that I got from Perry Miller years ago.

see it here, with both new and original scales: https://www.dropbox.com/s/iqvcjfvpfv...es%20.jpg?dl=0

-Steve

Last edited by cut_n_run; 02-08-2019 at 02:56 PM.
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Old 02-08-2019, 07:22 PM
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Hi Steve,
I remember seeing yours. I thought you did a nice job with it.
Unless I'm wrong, on the Astros as shown in the 27th printing in 1985, you see the pronounced top clip and the butt on the tang is more blunt than the earlier round tang butt.
I think reading between the lines, the seller uses the words "custom" with the knife and "modeled after" on the sheath in the description, but it's kind of vague.
I am looking for Astros that have the rounded butt. Not sure when the shop went from rounded to more square on the end. But I'm thinking the pronounced top clip is associated with the more square butt.
Perhaps the pronounced top clip or "tit" as Ronnie puts it was early enough to be seen with the round butt, maybe someone has info on that.
Either way, brown Micarta was not used on the later version of the Astro.

The catalog isn't much help because they used the same stock photo of the Astro in the catalog from 1965-1985.



The earlier Astro:


Last edited by samg; 02-08-2019 at 07:25 PM.
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Old 02-08-2019, 08:49 PM
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I found a similar "custom Astro" on the Collect Space website from 2014.




Here is the one on eBay with the one from 2014

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Old 02-08-2019, 08:56 PM
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I think I found the source of this knife in a thread from the collect space website from 2014.

http://www.collectspace.com/ubb/Foru...ML/001258.html

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Old 02-08-2019, 10:37 PM
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Here is the evolution of the Astro over the years. If anyone has any fine tuning or would like to add to the Astro evolutionary timeline, it would be appreciated.

Evolution of the Astro first officially offered to the public in 1963.


1) Astro without scales as illustrated in the Randall 16th printing catalog 1963



2) Astro with brown Micarta scales as illustrated in the Randall 17th printing catalog 1965



3) Astro as it appeared mid-late 60's into early 1970's



4) Astro as it appeared between approx 1972-1984



5) Astro as it appears 1985 to present with minor variations

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Old 02-09-2019, 03:36 AM
jimmontg jimmontg is offline
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Thank you for putting all these pictures up of the Grissom Knives. I enjoyed it quite a bit at 1:30 in the morning,
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a, art, ca, custom, handle, handle scales, handles, knife, knives, made, make, micarta, photo, randall, rare, reference, scales, sharpening, sheath, shop, show, stone, tang, tool


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