huskytim2008

Art, After spending many painstaking hours drilling all those 1/16" holes, hand stitching and using a flashlight to pull the needles in the inside where both hands have to reach in the bottom of a 5" wide leather carrier, I can see why only one prototype was ever made! A short pair of needle nose pliers is what is used to grasp the 2" long needle and pull it through two layers of heavy leather (10 ounce). The stitching thread is one piece with two needles, often 8-10 feet long and sometimes creates a bird nest which you carefully have to unravel and not break! Once you are committed to the task there is no turning back. This will be the only one I will make. I am going back to making my knives ..... it is far more sane! ---Tim

Hi , the 1941 Johnson LMG, Spare Mag Carrier is finished. I made all the suspension, load bearing straps and swivels so it can be used with a web belt. I am aging the leather and will apply a satin finish when I am satisfied with a even patina on all the surfaces. I will be making a insert that will separate the 20 round magazines and keep them from slapping around in the compartment. The last picture shows a magazine and a 1943 Springfield, Randall, 8" knife for a scale comparison. Here are some pictures! I will update the carrier backpack when I am finished with the magazine separation rack I am fabricating. ---Tim

Hi , the 1941 Johnson LMG, Spare Mag Carrier is finished. I made all the suspension, load bearing straps and swivels so it can be used with a web belt. I am aging the leather and will apply a satin finish when I am satisfied with a even patina on all the surfaces. I will be making a insert that will separate the 20 round magazines and keep them from slapping around in the compartment. The last picture shows a magazine and a 1943 Springfield, Randall, 8" knife for a scale comparison. Here are some pictures! I will update the carrier backpack when I am finished with the magazine separation rack I am fabricating. ---Tim

I have done just that on some Johnson semi-auto conversions in the past. The lower receiver will require 0.040 removed on the right side, or the depth of the lettering. This is done using a magnetic base surface grinder by a machine shop, or gunsmith licensed to perform the job. The words SAFE and FIRE will need to be engraved in their respective locations using a Hermes Engraver with the correct font and sized exactly as the original lettering. The sear, trigger and other pins will require a lathe to remove 0.040 from the right side and match the amount removed on the receiver. After re-parkerizing the rifle it is impossible to distinguish it from the original. This is the same way my Johnson Auto-Carbine was done and it looks correct in every way. I will have to drag them out and submit a photo.

The replica that you see above is a very rare WW2 Randall, "Commando" knife. If you Google, Errol Flynn Knives, there are a couple of photos of him with his Commando knife aboard his boat, "The Zacca". I made the next knife, a Randall model 17, Astro shortly after the passing of Neil Armstrong. It was patterned and made for the astronauts as part of their survival training. It has the two line lettering and their name on the obverse side. I don't do any commission knife work and make them for my own gratification. Again, these are replica knives, not sold because of copyright implications. My mentor is Mike Silvey, author and friend who has published many books on historical and collectable knives.

It will be as close to the original as it was. I will use #5 Fiebings Dye-Prep, a special leather cleaner that will remove oil and grime. Next it will receive a Wyo-Sheen, Leather Finish from Sheridan Leather, no longer in business. That is a satin clear and water resistant finish. I also have the exact fomula for reproducing Randall Knives, waxed finish. Here is an example. I make and sell custom knives and have been doing that for over 20 years. The leather will naturally age and become more golden brown.

Quite a while ago I was determined to find an original canvas Johnson spare magazine carrier. After some twenty years and many gunshows, I just concluded that there are none left! So, I made a reverse engineered set of drawings from the prototype, leather backpack from pictures from Bruce Canfield's book and my magazines that I have purchased over many years of collecting. I am currently making progress and should have it finished once I can buy some more leather. My Tandy's store is closed under orders of the California Governor, Gavin Nuisance. My version is all hand stitched, I don't own a sewing machine and have spent many hours stitching by hand. It will have a magazine holder for 12 mags inside to keep them from banging around. I don't go to the rifle range dressed like a wannabe Hollywood actor in Marine, frogskin camp and for you that do, my shoulder straps and brass hardware are made for my likes. I don't wear a web belt , sidearm, canteen and knife at the range. Here are a couple of pics.

OK, here's what one looks like!

OK! Here is what they are.......

I have two Johnson Automatics , Indoor Target guns. The surgical tubing has disintegrated but, still attached. The blued finish is fine on one but freckled on the other. They are not rusted up and both are complete. I haven't found any for sale and would like to know what they might be worth. There is an unused target that is folded up that came with one that I believe is original. Any help would be appreciated.

I have collected 5 Employee - WAR INDUSTRY - Johnson Automatics triangular pins over the many years. All are marked Serling, some are pin back and two are screw back. Very interesting with a Johnson rifle on one side and a Johnson LMG on the obverse side. JOHNSON AUTOMATICS and a red, white and blue circle in the center smaller triangle. I am curious what these are worth, I would imagine that they are very difficult to find and most are lost in time. Any appraisal would be appreciated.

    Joe, I live in Sacramento.....I bought a barrel from you a couple of years ago! I have 3- LMG front sights I would like to trade. Thanks! ---Tim

    Joe, I live in Sacramento.....I bought a barrel from you a couple of years ago! I have 3- LMG front sights I would like to trade. Thanks! ---Tim

Hi, Joe! I would be interested in the fore arm if you still have it. Thanks! Huskytim2008

Hi, Joe! I would be interested in the fore arm if you still have it. Thanks! Huskytim2008