This information is posted on another line. I am posting this study of anomalous split back sheaths here to keep all the sheath studies in one line.
The class of
split-back sheaths studied here poses an anomaly. This was addressed in the original ""Grand Unification throry" by dismissing the anomaly as an accidental mis-stamp. The conclusion was some worker-bee oriented the Randall stamp to the east on a Heiser-made sheath. Other odd-balls were treated as... a-typical odd balls. But now we have a quandary.
We know with assurance that there are split-back Heiser-made sheaths with a typical Randall west stamp orientation and distinctive model numbers (see "sample"). We also have found Heiser-made split-back sheaths with L-T-D snaps, horizontal stamps, with the same distinctive model numbers. And we have concluded that all L-T-Ds with a Randall stamp were made by Heiser.
And as already mention, a couple of L-T-Ds with an east stamp (Johnson orientation) were found with those same distinctive model numbers. But, since we have concluded that all L-T-Ds were made by Heiser, then we decided the stamp must have been misapplied at Heiser.
But now we have two split-back sheaths that have the characteristics of Johnson made. These characteristics include the location of keeper snap, an east-facing stamp, and with the harness/tack rivets at the throat that we have concluded marked the entry of Johnson into the riveted sheath market. But... these two split-backs have the same distinctive model numbers as the known Heisers... and we have concluded that Johnson did not initially stamp model numbers on his brown button sheaths.
To further complicate explaining the anomaly, the knives of all these sheaths are almost all green tenite, early 15s and 14s, and one knife that is knon to be 1961. In other words these knives were probably all 1960-62 era.
So...
(1) either Heiser made some split-back sheaths with harness/tack rivets, AND changed the orientation of the Randall stamp to face east; or
(2) Johnson made some harness rivet sheaths with stamped model numbers on his split-backs that were identical with Heisers, despite NOT using model numbers on his other brown-buttons; and/or
(3) Johnson made some L-T-D sheaths with east facing stamps, and stamped model numbers on the backs that were identical with Heisers, despite not using model numbers on his other brown buttons; or
(4) Someone other than Johnson of Heisesr made these split-back sheaths but somehow acquired the font model number stamps use by Heiser and used them the same way Heiser did and used harness/tack rivets at the throat and positioned the keeper strap just like Johnson did;
(5) Or... ????
To make it easy for everyone, here is some raw data neatly catalogued with a cliff notes summary picture at the end
I'm open to a credible theory... or even a wild guess... as how this strange confusion of markers happened. And I'm glad to be here on this board.