This authorized history of Bo Randall and his blades was compiled through meticulous research that included correspondence, original sketches, personal interviews and rare photos - including his never-before-seen first knife. Destined to become the definitive history for collectors, bladesmiths and historians. ?Bo? Randall founded the company in 1938 after making knives for several years as a hobby. Although ?Bo? Randall originally designed his knives for sporting use and sold them at sporting goods stores, customers from the military initially provided his biggest boost in business and launched his company nationally. In the early 1940s, Randall knives significantly increased in popularity after receiving good publicity during WW II. Several noted war heroes and GIs on all fronts carried Randall knives with them into major battles. Air Force Captain Ronald Reagan, future U.S. President also owned a Randall knife in WW II. Shortly after the war, the popularity of Randall knives increased among users outside the military and ?Bo? Randall developed additional models specifically for expanding markets. As the U.S. initiated its space program, NASA turned to Randall for development of a survival knife for its astronauts and Major Gordon Cooper worked with ?Bo? Randall on the design of the Model 17 ?Astro?. These first astronauts carried their Randalls into space. After recovering the Liberty Bell 7 Mercury space capsule from the ocean in 1999, astronaut Gus Grissom's Randall knife was found inside. Despite spending 40 years at a depth of 15,000 feet underwater, the knife was still serviceable after a good cleaning. Photos and illustrations
