Great pics and write up! I too have heard about the lack of quality in the molle sheaths, but only having the one from my MUT, I found it a bit hard to believe. That one is a high quality sheath, and I can't really see it costing all that much more to make compared to the new smaller ones.Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Similar thoughts here, with just one correction. The one you call "old" is actually the new one. Old one came with the logo only and no embroided text.So for once a new LM product is better that the previous version. As for the OHT, you have 2 options there, standard China-made 4" Molle sheath (like the one you already have) or the US-made 4" Molle sheath. These are mid-size ones, not XL, so the same size of the sheaths you posted above. US-made one is recognizable by the small tab sporting a US flag, installed close to the bottom of the sheath. This one adds about $10-20 extra to the tool cost, over the Chinese made one. However, the US-made sheath is even worse that the Chinese one, in this case. I have both and can attest to that. It's flimsy, poorly stitched, made of paper-thin webbing and way too wide for the OHT. So much so that I don't use it anymore.My advice to you would be to skip the US-made sheath and go with the Chinese...then upgrade later if you don't find it fit for your OHT.
Qick and easy, just watch out for ones with the plasticky rim. Those have paper-thin fabric with plastic coating on the inside. They will get ripped in no time. When I sold a few LM tools, I got rid of most of them in my collection as well. Not just fabric, recent LM leather sheaths are inferior as well. They use some sort of bonded/ coated leather or something. which is separated in "layers" if you happen to buy old ones, even NIB. LM should learn from SOG, and offer sheaths in full grain leather.
As of today, how hard/easy is it to find the sheath with large grommet and lettering ?... Was it available in tan or just black ?...
When buying the molle sheaths, buy the one for the MUT (with wrench slot in back and thicker material) and not the st300/OHT sheath. The MUT sheath seems like it is made to mil-spec, while the 300/OHT versions seem like something made in a toy factory with little regard to longevity.