SHMS - date | talon hole | sheath

[Nuker]

I’m hoping to learn the relative age & match them up with the correct sheath. Any help or error correction greatly appreciated.

All MS are pre-fall 2000 (Lean MS came after MS) per this post by a former Busse dealer.

So the bolts came first… Eagle sheaths with cowdex insert. Do bolt handles go with kydex or Eagle?

Anyone know production date range for smooth vs. slotted vs. tube rivet?
i.e.
Smooth: start - end
Slotted: start - end
Rivet: start - end fall 2000

Both bolt handles have small talon hole, A2, smooth earlier than slotted.

Cowdex insert: (sort of fuzzy inside)


Eagle sheaths: Which one goes with smooth or slotted bolt, or with rivet?

Some of the variances noted below may be general differences between each sheath assembler, but there may be a timeline clue.

I’ll go by this one as the “pull the dot” (PTD), snap type.


PTD variance #1: vertical stitch on reverse


PTD Variance #2: wider spaced rivets at the bottom & insert sits shallow.


I’ll go by this one as the “One Way” (OW), snap type.

OW variance #1: no vertical stitch on reverse (like PTD sheath)
OW variance #2: rivets close together & insert sits deeper:


Now for the rivet handle knives… could be INFI, but most likely A2.
One knife has: rough coat, small talon hole (0.145” dia), 0.257” thick.
One knife has: smooth coat, large talon hole (0.211” dia), 0.281” thick.
One sheath has: dimple for tube rivet, smooth texture, folded over belt loop.
One sheath has: no dimple, rough texture, riveted belt loop, drain hole in back side (could have been added by anyone).


Thank you for any help!

 

[resinguy]

I'm not sure how many of the OG Hogs are still active here, unless they are lurking. Good luck!

 

[Nuker]

Ya, it’d be a whopper of a reply if one Hog could rip through all the specifics!

Hoping members with known original (matched) knife/sheath pairs can help piece this puzzle together.

I can think of an OG Hog still participating in the forum (Jerry), but I’m reluctant to tap on his shoulder.

 

[David Brown]

I have been here since 2000 which is longer than most

Here is what I know and sorry for no exact dates

order of production of Original Mean streets

first ones were A2 non textured scales smooth coat

Then INFI
smooth bolt or slotted I am not sure which was first ? or if they were the same time.

smooth coat w/tubes
Crinkle coat w/tubes
lean Mean Streets were during the regular Mean Streets

from what I understand all crinkle coated versions were INFI.

later came Meaner Streets leaner Meaner Streets and so on.

Here is still a great source

Busse Collector Info

 

[Nuker]

Out of the SHMS I own, two looked a little different. One had a polished perimeter (0.274” thick, w/larger talon hole) & one was brushed on top/bottom of handle (0.240” thick, w/smaller talon hole). The brushed one didn’t have the typical remnants of blueing.

I sent them into Jerry for evaluation & I was happy to learn they’re both INFI

 

[Cobalt]

So my original shms were slotted and tube and both were massively thick. Not sure when they started but my slotted was 98 and the tube one was late 99 I think, the box sat for a couple of months cuz I was out of town. But i cant say when they were made or when the transition happened. I would guess the handles and slot/tubes provably followed thd SHBM and the SHSHII. I will say jerry may have been throwing in shms with orders of larger knives for free. Or he made mistakes. Because I didnt pay for mine(or maybe I did and didnt know it). They just showed up in the box with the SHBM and the SHSHII. They were so thick I thought they were climbing pitons. The spines on mine looked bead blasted not satin. Its been a long time ago, so memory sucks and I dumped them quick and cheap. I should not have