Knife sheath

[capnwilliam]

Can anyone recommend a good book or video about making a knife sheath? Also, what type / thickness of leather is recommended? We'd be talking knives here with 5 - 7 inch blades.

Capt. William

 

[strongarm]

Tandy Leather Company has lots of info and so does Boy Scouts of America. The most basic is to use 4 or 5 ounce leather. One trick I've learned is to add an additional strip on the sharp blade side of the sheath so the blade doesn't cut the sewing.

 

[shmrck1]

Capt_William,
most major towns have at least one leather shop. you miight want to check with one in your area.
snake-eyes eace: :thumbsup:

 

[brushbuster]

Tandy Leather Company has lots of info and so does Boy Scouts of America. The most basic is to use 4 or 5 ounce leather. One trick I've learned is to add an additional strip on the sharp blade side of the sheath so the blade doesn't cut the sewing.

i have even made a few sheaths out of thick buckskin rolled over the back of the knife with a 4oz thick spacer and sewed or laced through the spacer then copper riveted the point middle and top of the sheath.quiet,quick,and simple
the friend i made that sheath for still has it after 10 years :shocking: :results:

 

[sneakon]

Here is a link that may be helpful:

http://www.homestead.com/beknivessite2/pouchsheath.html

 

[musketman]

Here is a link that may be helpful:

http://www.homestead.com/beknivessite2/pouchsheath.html

Great link, I'll add it to our general reading link section... :thumbsup:

 

[Charles/NM]

The instructions in the link are pretty good. I've made over 600 sheaths for the custom knives I make and I have only one suggestion:
Make the spacer (that fits between the two sides of the sheath when they are folded together) closer to the knife and make it so that it rises up just a little behind the guard. The guard will have to pass over a slightly tight spot when you pull the knife and will keep it from falling out of the sheath while your walking thru the woods. If you don't have a guard,as in the case of a primative time period piece, you can make the spacer up tight behind the blade if the blade drops down a little before the handle. Making the sheath fit up tight around the knife handle will also keep leaves and other trash from falling into the sheath. Use contact cement, not rubber cement to glue up the joints before you sew them. I use a drill in a dril press to make the sewing holes and don't groove a sewing channel. I hammer the artificial sinew I use flat after the sewing is completed. I use a broad headed shoe makers hammer for that. Looks good.
I wet form my sheaths and belt loops before I sew 'em up. Just need to make sure it's fully dry before you sew it up.
I've seen the finishing method described in the link in other sheath making instructions. Haven't tried it myself. Bob Loveless uses that method to finish his sheaths so it must work.

 

[crockett]

The name escapes me but the book is "Making Knives" or something like that. There are three authors, one is Loveless who does a lot of custom knife making. I think Bill Moran is another author. There are several designs of sheaths. Try Texas Knifemaker's Supply for more information. They also sell bar steel and can temper air quenchable steels for blades you make.

 

[musketman]

How to Make Knives
by Richard Barney, Bob Loveless

 

[Deadeye]

I wet form my sheaths and belt loops before I sew 'em up. Just need to make sure it's fully dry before you sew it up.

Not saying that won't work but I've also made hundreds of sheaths, holsters, cases of all sorts , bags, etc. and I always sew with the leather wet. This lets the thread pull down tighter in the leather, you don't have to groove it or
pound it with a hammer, it will be flush or below the surface. Also after sewing is the time to wet form the leather to the knife, gun, whatever then let dry.
Try it both ways then decide. :imo:

 

[Charles/NM]

I wet form my sheaths and belt loops before I sew 'em up. Just need to make sure it's fully dry before you sew it up.

Not saying that won't work but I've also made hundreds of sheaths, holsters, cases of all sorts , bags, etc. and I always sew with the leather wet. This lets the thread pull down tighter in the leather, you don't have to groove it or
pound it with a hammer, it will be flush or below the surface. Also after sewing is the time to wet form the leather to the knife, gun, whatever then let dry.
Try it both ways then decide. :imo:

Sewing wet or at least very damp does make for a nice seam. I dry mine before sewing mostly because it lets me finish the sheath faster. I have found that wetting, drying and dyeing can seriously over dry leather making it stiff and prone to crack the hair side surface where it's folded. Kinda depends on the particular hide - some are worse than others. I do my remolding the sheath around the knife after I've dyed it and it's still wet from the dye. My freference if for undyed, natural leather sheaths, but my customers prefer dyed sheaths by a wide margin. IMHO natural undyed leather has a much nicer feel and look to it.

 

[Huntinfool]

Here is a link that may be helpful:

http://www.homestead.com/beknivessite2/pouchsheath.html

That's the method I use the most but never saw the site or one like it. Just come up with it on my own. It's seems like a common sense thing to build to me. I sometimes use different variations of belt loops.

Good basic design easy to make. :redthumb:
YMH&OS,
Chuck

 

[brushbuster]

one of the things i do after sewing up my sheiths is wipe the wet shith down with a heavy coat of saddle soap or murphys oil soap .neatsfoot oil works real well also.this causes the leather to dry slowly while the oil stays in the leather keeping it soft and reduces cracking

 

[sse]

I just sewed and item and it turned out well enough for my first effort, but, after it dried from dunking (to shape), and it was oiled and conditioned, I notice that when I look into the pouch, I see daylight in places from where the front/back/welt seperated a bit. The stitching is still strong and intact. Any ideas why that happened?

Thanks, sse

 

SSE,.... Thet often happens when you sew thick leather "dry", then wet it to shape it afterwards.

I always "sew" my thick leather fairly "damp" then shape it and let it dry!!

YMHS
rolling

 

[sse]

THANKS, rollingb!! Could have something to do with it. I'm itchin to do more stitchin.

Regards, sse

 

THANKS, rollingb!! Could have something to do with it. I'm itchin to do more stitchin.

Regards, sse

Then quit yore "scritchin", and git'ta "stitchin"!! :crackup: :crackup:

YMHS
rollingb