If Not For Scagel, There Would Be No Randall
Sure, Randall Made Knives have 30+ models that they have designed over the years, but each of them has a little Scagel DNA in them. All you have to do is look at the handle design and construction as well as some of the blade shapes. It also does not hurt that Randall states that he wanted to make an exact copy of the Scagel. Randall certainly evolved has added his own (as well as others, namely Tommy Thompson and Ward Gay) trademark design elements to the knives, which have in turn been copied by other makers. But it all started with Scagel and the “Boat Scraping Knife”.Did Someone Say Drop Point?
Then there is Bob Loveless. Just describing a knife with a Dropped Point, or as more commonly is referred to as a Drop Point, is a nod to Bob Loveless. The shape of the handle of his hunter is also now so common, makers don’t even credit him with the design. It is considered the standard. Let’s not forget about tapered tangs. How about Loveless Bolts. Gee, how many makers have a part named after them. Only a few. For example, Michael Walker has the liner lock with a ball detent. (Liner locks had been around prior to Michael, but not with ball detents), Chris Reeve created the integral frame lock, which is an adaptation from Michael’s liner, and Rick Hinderer has the overextension stop, which, if not for Michael Walker and Chris Reeve, would never have been spawned because there would not be a frame lock needing an overextension device.Bob Loveless was a great designer. His mind was constantly churning out new ideas for all kinds of products or ways to vastly improve existing products. He designed the mechanism that made Chatty Kathy talk. He made improvements to guns. As for knife making, he revolutionized something as basic as the way a guard is affixed to a knife handle of a knife and then how the handle slabs are attached. These are things that are taken for granted these days. Think about all the knives you have owned or wanted to own. Did it have a full tang? Was that tang tapered? Was there a red (or any color for that matter) liner between the handle and the tang? Was the blade deeply hollow ground? Is it stainless? Is the spine nice and polished, without sharp edges? Is there a nice palm swell in the handle? Is the point of the knife dropped so you don’t pierce the entrails of the deer you are processing? Is the ricasso in direct line with the blade with no fancy choil or finger groove creating a place for the hide of the animal to get caught on? Is your knife perfectly balanced? Do you have a Micarta handle? Is the name of the maker acid etched into the blade rather than stamped? Does the leather sheath hold the knife even when upside down? Does your knife “pop” when it finds “home” in the sheath? Well, if you answered yes to any of those questions, then can I hear a “THANK YOU BOB !!!!
My admiration for Bob does in no way diminish my admiration of Randall Made Knives or Bob Dozier. They both are tremendous talents and have contributed untold benefits to knife making and makers. I’ll touch on their contributions in another article. My focus for this article is on Bob Loveless.
ManGearUSA … A Loveless Dealer?
When I was approached to become a Loveless Dealer, I was thrilled. Just to be associated with that famous name was so exciting. Prior to my first order landing at my door, I’d never owned a Loveless. I’ve owned plenty of incredibly well done Loveless homages. Specifically the W.C. Davis version, but never a real Loveless. I’d touched a few years ago at knife shows. But never took one home. Suddenly, I owned three, and that was just the start.After I received that first batch and took all the pictures to put them on my site, it dawned me that Jim Merritt was in his 80’s. That simple fact, and the fact he was never seen wearing a mask when working, and always had a cigarette in his hands, made me a little nervous as to the longevity of this new relationship. What really made me sad was the realization that there was nobody learning the craft from Jim. Jim was a great maker. His attention to detail, fit, and finish was second to none. That is why Loveless worked hard to convince Jim to work in the Loveless shop. Jim probably made the Loveless you own. He worked for Loveless for 30+ years and continued after Bob’s death in 2010. Bob was an amazing visionary and designer but not the greatest maker. His work was really quite excellent and better than most, but not to the level of a Jim Merritt or in my opinion, Steve Johnson. He also began to tire of life in the shop and wanted to do other things. But, knife making was what put dinner on the table, and with enough orders and notoriety to last a lifetime, he passed the “making” torch to Jim. Now, before some of the Loveless “fanboys” get too worked up, since becoming a Dealer I’ve had the opportunity to examine early examples of Loveless, and also a couple during the height of Bob’s making and then some Jim Merritt knives prior to partnering with Bob. Bob’s early knives were great users, but his fit and finish were not pristine. But, in his defense, as a part-time maker, I realize that skill constantly evolves and improvements in machinery also play a big role. He was also not in the business of making safe queens. His knives were to be used. Sometimes, if something is too pretty, you end up not using it. He also admitted that those first knives were, to a degree, copies of Randall Made Knives. When his own personal designs started selling and changing the knife world, his construction techniques changed and his attention to detail did as well. But, even at his best, his craftsmanship was not that of Jim Merritt. Jim had a good reputation in the knife world and was a regular at the shows with a steady following. But…not like the crowd that would be at the Loveless table. Jim loved to make knives, Bob loved to schmooze with the people and talk knives. It was a match made in heaven.
What’s Next?
On the one hand, I’d love to see another maker, trained by Jim and having apprenticed in the shop for several years, continue the brand. But, on the other hand, is that really practical? Are some era’s supposed to end? Sure, there are Loveless trained makers still doing work of their own. Steve Johnson, mentioned above, Brent Harp who died in 2016, and Koichiro Oda. The only thing about a different maker is that it’s really not a Loveless. There would be no more Loveless mystique. When things are one generation removed, they sort of lose their attraction. Another maker, even if trained by Bob and Jim, would simply just be another maker, trained by Bob and Jim, making Loveless designs. The best example of this is if W.C. Davis was still alive and making knives in the Loveless Shop. He would never be able to command the prices that Bob and Jim “Loveless” knives were fetching. I’ve seen tons of Loveless Homages. W.C. made the best. I have one of his best large dropped hunters. For all intents and purposes, it could have come out of the Loveless shop. But, even at the high price of $700.00, I can’t picture Jim or Bob even getting out of bed for that price.Randall Made Knives is a family business and name. Sure, there are employees at Randall. But their business is a different animal altogether. That topic is for another day.
So, it seems that the era of a great designer and ambassador of the knife making world is truly at an end. I’d really like to see the shop stay intact and be turned into a museum of sorts. I’d pay a nice admission price to walk through the shop. Even if it was in its entirety, moved to the Smithsonian. But, something tells me my wish will not come true. I’m sure all of the shop items will be auctioned off to the highest bidder and parceled away all over the world.
