HJ w/Leather scabbard

[Demianthedog]

I recently purchased this HJ knife with motto, not my specialty (I just liked it), but it has a leather covered metal scabbard which I've haven't seen before. It is maker marked K. and Co. Solingen with back to back deer heads. The diamond doesn't rattle but displays slight damage and doesn't align perfectly with the checkering of the handle. My question, are leather covered scabbards fantasy, reality, early, late war or private purchase? I've searched the forum but haven't found any examples....

Your opinions are appreciated.

[Demianthedog]

Maker Mark

Gesh. Geschutzt.

[Demianthedog]

Motto

Blade has been cleaned.

[Demianthedog]

Scabbard

Reverse

[Demianthedog]

Diamond

Sorry for the blurry pic, only one I have for now...

[tobau]

The knife is 100% genuine , maker is knecht , i have the same.Very fine ribbs on the grip-plates.

May be , the leather scabbard can be postwar added .

[britpc]

Nice original knife. Never seen a leather covered scabbard before.

Regards
Irv

[Demianthedog]

Maker

Thank you for your comments and especially clueing me in on the maker!

[schönbeck]

simple answer would be that the metal beneath the leather was heavily worn, maybe a leathercover was easier to make than to paint it.

[Colorado]

The backstrap looks correct. Can you see the metal scabbard underneath? Is it magnetic and with no lip on the throat? Is it painted still?

[Demianthedog]

Addt'l Info

The paint on the magnetic metal scabbard with no lip is difficult to discern as the leather appears to unremoveable. The small viewable surface around the top edge has some corrosion but resembles the surface of a K98 scabbard.

[Richard]

These knives were often abused. Picture boy scouts with their knives. It is quite possible that the scabbard is so worn/rusted or has dents and dings so that the original owner decided that it needed to be prettied up. Best way to do that if the original scabbard was not restorable to a visually appealing one, would be to provide it with some kind of covering. Highly unlikely this was done for any other purpose than utilitarian or aesthetic. Could have been done at any time by any of the previous owners.
Richard V

[Demianthedog]

True

That's a possibility. There are no detectable dents in the scabbard. There's one spot in the leather seam were it has come off (?) and the metal appears clean, almost new. The quality of the leather work is very good, IMO doesn't seem homemade, but perhaps done by a leather craftsman.