[BoBlade]

BH,

The middle black spacer in the early 50's was "typically" thick, but not always. Mid 50's to early seventies were "typically" thinner, but not always. There is no hard and fast rule because there was usually both thick and thinner black stock in the bin during those times. You have to compare "all" features of the knife, sheath and stone in order to have the best chance of assigning a correct era, knowing that you can still be thrown a turd in the form of a replacement sheath or stone. Without having the knife in hand or seeing better pics, I would venture it's either an early 50's knife in a replacement sheath (stone pocket flap is too narrow for early 50's, but at the same time it was in the early 50's when Heiser or the shop intermittanly ran out of brown buttons. The retainer strap could be a replacement - see how complicated this can get?) or a mid 50's package with a thick black spacer. Looks like there is a compass in the butt. If so, what is the diameter? That will help some.

Ron