I love watching restorations on youtube and last night I found this channel. The dude restores a Jet Pilot Knife. You have seen them before, it’s the survival knife issued to the AF since the dawn of time.
After watching this video, now I want to find an old M3 Trench Knife with a rusted blade and rotten leather handle and do a restoration myself. But then again, I’m sure it’s harder than it looks. Either way, I think it will be a fun project so I’ll keep an eye out for an old trashed M3.
Dude I was in the Q Course with told me that when he was in Ranger school he was on a patrol and found a Randall Model 1 laying on the ground. I was like, “Wow! Cool! What’d you do with it?” Sez’ he, “Well I didn’t have a sheath for it so I had it in my hand when we were being exfilled by rotary wing and this pilot says, “Hey-whaddaya got there?” He gave him the knife and said, “I found a Randall!” The pilot reached into his flight bag, pulled out a large bag of peanut M&M’s, and asked, “Wanna trade?” “Fuck yeah!” he replied.
I couldn’t believe somebody would give away a Randall knife for a measly bag of candy, but then I’d never been to Ranger School either, “You traded a Randall for a large bag of M&M’s!?”
“You’re damn right I did-I was so fucking hungry I woulda traded it for a small bag of M&M’s!”
Friend of mine was a SERE instructor “back in the day” when LTC Nick Rowe commanded the school. Rowe, like a lotta old Nam’ guys was fond of carrying his Model 1 Randall taped upside down on his left side of H harness. My buddy cautioned him, “Sir-you’re gonna lose your knife doing that….” Rowe told him, “Hey-I carried it in Vietnam that way.” Which pretty much ended the conversation. I gave the guy credit for having the balls to advise Nick Rowe on tactical fieldcraft cuz’ I mean…..he’s NICK ROWE the only POW ever to escape capture during the Vietnam War.
FYI, someplace in the Uwharrie National Forest lays Nick Rowe’s Model 1 Randall…….
I had a Randall Model 14 with the saw teeth during survival phase of the Q Course. Back when I went thru the Q Course the unofficial motto was, “If ya ain’t cheatin’ ya ain’t tryin’”, cuz’ if you could meet or exceed the course standards, “You’re just the kind of soldier we want!” HOWEVER if you could figure out a way to cheat and not get caught, “You are REALLY the kind of soldier we want because you assessed the situation, formulated a plan, judged the risks, executed the plan, and pulled it off”. To that end I figured out a way to conceal some bullion cubes on me and they weren’t detected in the body search (and to you “Pulp Fiction” fans, no-it wasn’t there). Two days in I started to get hungry and brewed them in my canteen cup along with about two thimbles full of wild onions I found. . I just finished the last swallow and put the cup on my lean to when up walks LTC Rowe who strolls over and picks up the cup. I thought for sure he was on to me cuz’ next he asks, “What was in the cup?” “Wild onions Sir?” He started to bring the cup up towards his face like he was going to sniff it and if he did I was fucking through. Thinking quick I said, “Sir, whaddaya think of Randall knives?” My canteen cup stopped half way up and he said, “What model?” I showed him the knife, he put the cup back on the lean to, and that was that. I’ve carried knives in a lotta places but that was really the only time one ever truly saved my ass.
Unfortunately I found out about the “Weaponsman” not too long before he died. Reading thru his stuff he and I agreed on a whole lotta things. Seemed like a pretty solid guy.
I stand corrected. I knew about Dengler, but not the rest. A former MACV-SOG NCO told me once his team came across a former French Legionnaire in the bush someplace on a mission. Unfortunately he then clammed up and would not say anything further. He was a great guy to talk to and initially when I first met him I thought his war stories were way embellished, then later when I found out he was telling 100% of the truth I felt a little douche baggy for doubting him. But then again I don’t believe anybody anymore when they tell me anything about being in the military.
Dunno. Never did/do Facebook. Last time I saw him was July of 1989 in 10th Group. He did me a big favor at the time. 10th SFG got 47 M-1D’s outa POMCUS war stocks and he let swap a very sanded stock that I had on my personal Garand for one of the stocks on the M-1D’s cuz’ I wanted a stock with some nice cartouches. Years later I discovered that “SA/GHS” stock was kinda rare…
you’d be amazed by how many famous SOG green Berets are on facebook and active, Those guys love it. never would have guessed in a million years. thats how I get all those interviews and pictures from them
Scattered Shots
After watching this video, now I want to find an old M3 Trench Knife with a rusted blade and rotten leather handle and do a restoration myself. But then again, I’m sure it’s harder than it looks. Either way, I think it will be a fun project so I’ll keep an eye out for an old trashed M3.
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same
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Dude I was in the Q Course with told me that when he was in Ranger school he was on a patrol and found a Randall Model 1 laying on the ground. I was like, “Wow! Cool! What’d you do with it?” Sez’ he, “Well I didn’t have a sheath for it so I had it in my hand when we were being exfilled by rotary wing and this pilot says, “Hey-whaddaya got there?” He gave him the knife and said, “I found a Randall!” The pilot reached into his flight bag, pulled out a large bag of peanut M&M’s, and asked, “Wanna trade?” “Fuck yeah!” he replied.
I couldn’t believe somebody would give away a Randall knife for a measly bag of candy, but then I’d never been to Ranger School either, “You traded a Randall for a large bag of M&M’s!?”
“You’re damn right I did-I was so fucking hungry I woulda traded it for a small bag of M&M’s!”
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Gotta give the pilot for being quick with the offer I guess. haha
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credit*
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Friend of mine was a SERE instructor “back in the day” when LTC Nick Rowe commanded the school. Rowe, like a lotta old Nam’ guys was fond of carrying his Model 1 Randall taped upside down on his left side of H harness. My buddy cautioned him, “Sir-you’re gonna lose your knife doing that….” Rowe told him, “Hey-I carried it in Vietnam that way.” Which pretty much ended the conversation. I gave the guy credit for having the balls to advise Nick Rowe on tactical fieldcraft cuz’ I mean…..he’s NICK ROWE the only POW ever to escape capture during the Vietnam War.
FYI, someplace in the Uwharrie National Forest lays Nick Rowe’s Model 1 Randall…….
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LOL, that’s a good one. Would have been too perfect if they ran in to each other after the fact and your friend asked him “hey where’s your Randall?”
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I had a Randall Model 14 with the saw teeth during survival phase of the Q Course. Back when I went thru the Q Course the unofficial motto was, “If ya ain’t cheatin’ ya ain’t tryin’”, cuz’ if you could meet or exceed the course standards, “You’re just the kind of soldier we want!” HOWEVER if you could figure out a way to cheat and not get caught, “You are REALLY the kind of soldier we want because you assessed the situation, formulated a plan, judged the risks, executed the plan, and pulled it off”. To that end I figured out a way to conceal some bullion cubes on me and they weren’t detected in the body search (and to you “Pulp Fiction” fans, no-it wasn’t there). Two days in I started to get hungry and brewed them in my canteen cup along with about two thimbles full of wild onions I found. . I just finished the last swallow and put the cup on my lean to when up walks LTC Rowe who strolls over and picks up the cup. I thought for sure he was on to me cuz’ next he asks, “What was in the cup?” “Wild onions Sir?” He started to bring the cup up towards his face like he was going to sniff it and if he did I was fucking through. Thinking quick I said, “Sir, whaddaya think of Randall knives?” My canteen cup stopped half way up and he said, “What model?” I showed him the knife, he put the cup back on the lean to, and that was that. I’ve carried knives in a lotta places but that was really the only time one ever truly saved my ass.
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Kevin always said if you aint cheating , you aint trying and if you get caught cheating, you’re trying too hard.
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Unfortunately I found out about the “Weaponsman” not too long before he died. Reading thru his stuff he and I agreed on a whole lotta things. Seemed like a pretty solid guy.
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We all miss him. He pissed excellence. Sorry to say Im a poor substitute for those empty jungle boots.
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Dieter Dengler also escaped from being a POW in Laos during the war. In fact about 34 people escaped being POWs in the vietnam war
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I stand corrected. I knew about Dengler, but not the rest. A former MACV-SOG NCO told me once his team came across a former French Legionnaire in the bush someplace on a mission. Unfortunately he then clammed up and would not say anything further. He was a great guy to talk to and initially when I first met him I thought his war stories were way embellished, then later when I found out he was telling 100% of the truth I felt a little douche baggy for doubting him. But then again I don’t believe anybody anymore when they tell me anything about being in the military.
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I think he is a member of the private SOG vet group im a member of on FB, they were talking about that frog just a few days ago
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Dunno. Never did/do Facebook. Last time I saw him was July of 1989 in 10th Group. He did me a big favor at the time. 10th SFG got 47 M-1D’s outa POMCUS war stocks and he let swap a very sanded stock that I had on my personal Garand for one of the stocks on the M-1D’s cuz’ I wanted a stock with some nice cartouches. Years later I discovered that “SA/GHS” stock was kinda rare…
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you’d be amazed by how many famous SOG green Berets are on facebook and active, Those guys love it. never would have guessed in a million years. thats how I get all those interviews and pictures from them
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Is Colonel Diane Schroer on it 😂?
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