Recently, I was reviewing some of my postings on iKC when I noticed that, by and large, I tend to neglect posting text that informs the reader about the respective knife's sheath.

As it so happens, I recently bought a leather sheath for folding knives from AG Russell. That sheath is shown in this picture...along with one of my Buck 110 folders.

I suppose that the epiphany that I'm having in regards to sheaths is largely driven by the outstanding sheathwork on the custom knives that I've purchased from JW Smith & Sons Custom Knives and Randy Haas/HHH Knives. The sheathes that came with those knives served to remind me that hand-crafted leather sheaths are a marvel to behold.

Normally, I don't use sheaths with my folding knives (unless they require it, as does the Buck 110). So, sometimes I tend to lack a sheath when I need it. Such was the case when I purchased the AG Russel sheath shown in the photo. So...how about the low-down on it already?! OK!

* Bought it straight out of the AG Russell catalog. They offer a couple of different sizes...so you can get one to fit a variety of knives.

* The leatherwork, stitching and overall quality of this sheath is excellent.

* The design of the sheath...with the brass pin and leather slip-strap are intriguing. It looks and feels very "old school"...which I like. Leather sheaths, at least for me, feel very organic. I like how quiet and supple they are. No plastic or metal to rattle around. Of course, the downside is that they don't handle water very well, regardless of how many times you treat them with a water-proof compound.

* The inside of the sheath, for the most part, is finished "smooth" with very few rough spots. I like this. Comparatively, I have a leather sheath from Kershaw that, while decently made, is rather rough.

* The embossing of AG's logo is very cool!!!

* Decent sized belt loop. Sometimes...at least with several different sheath designs...getting a sheath that accommodates a couple of different belt sizes without riding "sloppy" can be a challenge. The AG Russel sheath works "just right".

So...sometimes "old school" is just great!!! The combination of this sheath with the Buck 110 works perfectly. Yeah, both designs lack the slick whiz-bang of the new age stuff. Yeah, deployment is slower. However, it's certainly "fast enough" for the great majority of things that I do. Some designs really are quite "timeless"!