Fixed-blade knife, Randall Made Knife Stanaback 25th Anniversary Edition collector’s knife with a stainless steel blade, nickel silver guard, wooden handle and black leather sheath.

Some Randall knives are rare because of their design. Others are rare because of their history. This Stanaback Special 25th Anniversary model combines both.

The Stanaback Special is one of Randall Made Knives’ famous ‘Dealer Specials’: a non-catalogue model developed for Captain Chris Stanaback, a major Randall dealer and a well-known figure amongst collectors of the brand.

The origins of this model date back to the mid-1980s and are said to be linked to a broken Randall blade that Jeff McCartney, a knifemaker at Randall, reworked to create a particularly short, compact and robust knife. Chris Stanaback immediately recognised its potential, and this unusual design gave rise to the Stanaback Special.

The model is instantly recognisable by its unusual proportions: a blade measuring just 4 inches (10.2 cm), crafted from an impressive 1/4-inch thick steel blank – approximately 6.35 mm before shaping.
A small Randall built like a big one!

An anniversary series of just 100 pieces:
To mark roughly 25 years of the Stanaback Special, Chris Stanaback conceived a particularly exclusive anniversary edition; initially planned for around 2010, its production was delayed, notably due to the limited number of production slots available at Randall and the preparation of the selected woods for this series. The first examples are therefore documented from 2011 onwards.

Production of the Stanaback Special 25th Anniversary was limited to a total of 100 knives, across all variants.
The series was offered in four types of wood and with different handle profiles. Most importantly, each knife featured the element that immediately identifies this edition: the small, distinctive ‘25th’ medallion, inlaid into the heel of the handle.

The exact number of knives produced in each of the different configurations is unknown. However, the Lignum Vitae versions appear very rarely on the secondary market and remain sufficiently uncommon that specialist Randall collectors still take note of them whenever they resurface.

Lignum Vitae:
Our example features a superb Lignum Vitae neck, an exotic wood renowned for its extraordinary density, hardness and appearance, which develops a magnificent patina over time.
The choice of this wood also gives rise to a fascinating anecdote concerning the production of the series.

Chris Stanaback himself recounted the difficulties encountered whilst preparing the Lignum Vitae blocks intended for these knives: the wood proved so difficult to cut that it wore out two band saw blades, eventually forcing the use of a specially adapted, expensive carbide blade!
A minor manufacturing anecdote that further enhances the character of this anniversary edition.

On this particular knife, the Lignum Vitae is paired with an elegant nickel silver guard and aluminium/black spacers. The overall effect is far more refined than one might expect given the Stanaback’s particularly robust proportions.
The 25th Anniversary medallion inlaid into the heel naturally completes this design.

Technical specifications for the Randall Made Knives – Stanaback Special 25th Anniversary – Lignum Vitae:
Randall Made Knives – Orlando, Florida, USA
Model: Stanaback Special – 25th Anniversary
Production: approx. 2011
Limited edition: 100 pieces in total, across all configurations
Forged fixed blade in stainless steel
Blade length: 4" / 10.2 cm
Blade thickness: 1/4" (approx. 6.35 mm)
Total knife length: 21.8 cm
Thumb groove on the back of the blade
Guard: Nickel silver
Spacers: Aluminium / black
Custom handle: Lignum Vitae
“25th” medallion inlaid in the heel
Thumb loop hole
Randall black leather No-Hone sheath, without sharpening stone
Supplied in a padded black nylon case with zip fastening

Our verdict:
This is exactly the sort of Randall we love to offer collectors.

The Stanaback Special is already a model in a class of its own in the history of Randall Made Knives. This 25th Anniversary edition adds to its character with a limited production run of just 100 pieces, specially selected materials and an instantly recognisable identity thanks to its anniversary medallion.

And amongst these 100 knives, across all wood types and configurations, the Lignum Vitae examples are now particularly rare on the market.

We also appreciate the contrast offered by this knife: surprisingly compact dimensions, an almost oversized construction with its 1/4" stock, and, at the same time, a particularly elegant finish combining Lignum Vitae and nickel silver.

A rare Randall, historically interesting and instantly recognisable; a collector’s item with a capital C!