I received my RSK Mk3 fixed blade Rittergrip in the mail just hours ago (much to my wife's dismay). It is a beautiful knife!! The larger blade really shows off the cool S30V finish and the texture on the handle is really nice - both need to be seen in person to be appreciated. Also I'm pleased that the handle fits my hand well. I have very large hands and was concerned about that. (I'm one of those "papa bear sized" people that finds the big Becker handles to be "just right".)

My first thoughts on the sheath is that it is much more robust than I thought it would be. I guess I thought it would be more like the Becker BK10 sheath, but it feels much heavier (thicker fabric) and stiffer, and the blade fits in the kydex sleeve with absolutely no wiggle. I also like that the back-side of the kydex runs a bit above the opening so that it would be easier to insert the blade without catching the tip of the blade between the kydex and the sheath material.

But ... I flip over the sheath and (as I'd read about in an earlier post) I find a bizare assortment of Velcro/snap flaps, loops and cords. Let's see ....

A - There is a large 3.25" high and 2.75" wide flap that clearly acts as an "openable" belt loop. The flap is attached at the top and has hook Velcro on the back. Underneath that flap there is another smaller 1.5" wide flap that is attached at the bottom and has pile Velcro on the front (faced the back of the sheath). When on a belt, the belt would run between the smaller flap and the back of the sheath.

B - At the top of the sheath - on top of the large flap - there is a 2"x2" Velcroed flap that flips up from the bottom (attached at the top) and appears to be able to hang the knife from horizontal paracord or similar.

C - Just below flap B there is a 1"x1" double flap that opens side-to-side. It is much like the strap that goes around the knife handle on the front side, but fastens using Velcro instead of a button and is not nearly as large around - maybe 3/8" or 1/2" or so. It seems it would be used to wrap around a veritical cord or rod.

D - Just below below strap C, at the end of the larger 2"x2" flap is a horizontal loop of webbing that is 1" wide and 3/4" top-to-bottom, and sewn to flap A at the top of the loop. It looks like I could run 1/4" cord horizontally through it.

E - Along the bottom length of the back of the sheath, running vertically, there is a 4" long and 1" wide Velcro flap with a snap at the top end and a square metal loop at the bottom end. The Velcro runs the entire length of the flap (no non-Velcroed area along the flap) It seems like this could be fastened to a horizontal strap up to 2.5" wide. Underneath that strap there is a vertical opening that looks like it would accomidate a 1.5" wide horizontal strap.

F - At the very bottom of the sheath there are two grommets set side-by-side through which a length of black 1/8" cord is looped. The cord is about 30" long in total, but looped back on itself to make a 15" long loop with the ends tied with a simple doubled-up overhand knot. As shipped, this loop is run along the back of the sheath, looped over the ridge formed by the top of the 2"x2" flap (B), and then the end with the double-overhand knot is tucked inside the largest belt flap (A). The picture of the sheath shown on equipped.org does show a bit of the cord.

Like I said - a very complicated array of Velcro flaps and loops. I wish I could provide a picture.

Can Doug or anyone who has seen the back of the RSK Mk3 fixed Rittergrip sheath provide some kind of description of what each of the flaps and loops on the back of the sheath are intended for?

Just to be clear, I'm not complaining about the flaps - they look like they could be used for a bunch of things, but I'm guessing someone had specific uses in mind when the flaps were designed in, and I'm wondering what those uses are.

Thanks,

Ken K.

If of interest I found a picture of what I assume is the standard sheath that ships with the fixed blade Griptilian. It is nothing like the sheath that ships with Doug's RSK Mk3. The picture is at http://www.knife-depot.com/images/product/4_38224.jpg .

Ken K.

Thanks for the compliments.

Don't feel bad that you don't know what the heck all that stuff is for. I didn't either and I'm not convinced I really know what it all does even now. <img src="/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />

Here's the short answer. If you don't know what it's there for and what it fits, you likely don't need it. <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> That sounds like a wise-ass remark, but it really true. Most of that stuff is designed for tactical or military use use for attachment to military or tactical systems like PALS, drop leg gear and the like. I didn't ask for it, but... I just did up a knife for a client and sliced off most of the excess. A lighter fused the cut edges and he's good to go with just the basic belt attachment.

The standard sheath was not up to my standards, and besides, I didn't much like the way it looks. . <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />