Really? So Hesier used multiple machines? You are a smart guy too Ron, but this is a new tidbit seemingly created to support your position. Hesier had been consistent for almost two decades to this point with most real changes occurring in the 40's. Now with the second sale of the company in 1958, there could have been changes. Hard to say, but look at the sheath on the left that Jack posted. Pattern looks pretty much the same as a sheath made in the late 40's early 50's save for the stone pouch flap, throat rivets, etc. Fact.

Hieser's leather was not only of finer finish than Johnson's on the whole, they generally maintained that for the same time period.

A footnote here, is that Johnson leather is closer to Moore than Heiser in heft. Just seems thicker. This may have something to do with geography with both makers residing in central Florida and the sourcing of hides. I am going to speculate with my uncanny powers of observation, that back in the day, Johnson did not source hides from the same tanneries as Hesier/HKL.



Ok, let us address this one sheath, which is how this started. First and foremost I will review the points again.

1. Ron you are a smart guy too and have seen many knives, and many Johnson sheaths. Now while you have focused on much earlier pieces, you know better. You mean to tell me that when you look at the #1 sheath that you don't see Johnson leather?!?! Seriously?!? C'mon man, I am losing you.
2. Not the same Ron. You can look at Johnson sheaths from the early 60's thru the 80's and see the exact same mottling as the sheath in question. Exact. Look at the front side of the belt loop. So Johnson. Not saying you won't find a Heiser with mottling, but not like the Johnson. Now I better qualify this by saying of course not all Johnson's have the mottling but it is consistent over the years.
3. I am again gonna go with seriously?!?!? No difference?
4. To use Jack's terminology, it is "Johnson-esque". Guess that means something.
5. So now I gotta look for it.
6. Probably early on Ron from the 40's period, but through the 50's these sheaths were pretty consistent. Edge finishing can slightly alter the appearance from one sheath to another, but not the overall appearance of size and shape where it is a departure from what you consider the "pattern".
7. Again, see the sheath in the photo Jack posted. Plenty of flair there. Doesn't appear it went away in the 50's.



No straws, just looking at a #1 sheath that has all the characteristics of an early Johnson, and like Jack, you are hanging your hat on stamp orientation and snap location.

Let me ask you something Ron. If somebody asked you to make a widgit, and handed you one to use as an example, would you attempt to copy it? Of course you would because more than likely you would have been directed to do so. So when Johnson had Heiser sheaths as an example, did he attempt to copy them? Of course he did, to include snap location, and maybe stamp orientation, at least initially. To think he had some sort of divine vision back in 62 and decided he was gonna relocate the snap towards the edge on his first examples is somewhat of a reach. I highly doubt when he first sat down to make some sheaths a ray of light shown upon him and he said "Oh shit, I need to move the snap!" I don't think it took him long to do so though, as it didn't take him too much longer to suggest the Baby Dot's.



Not re-hashing anything at all. You are using a blanket to cover that every early 60's BB is an HKL sheath. That is what is unbelievable. That is the same premise (it was easier) we used initially 12 -15 years ago considering all sheaths with the RMK stamp a Johnson.

Show me what YOU consider a Johnson, an EARLY Johnson BB. I presented one sheath for discussion, one that fits the bill perfectly for an early Johnson, even supported by the blade grind and stone supplied. So far I haven't seen it from Jack. Perhaps you can come up with an example. Maybe one that may be questionable in your mind. Don't get hung up on stamp orientation and snap placement.

Finally, the black #1 sheath pictured has the same orientation of stamp as the one next to it. Waaaaaaaaaa? It is a LH sheath. What that tells me is that Johnson for the most part laid out his product differently when it was stamped, not some grand decision to be different. Maybe he was left handed. Yeah that is it.