Tighten a strap on a leather sheath?

[d.weglarz13]

This has also been bothering me since I got my GB axe.....the sheath is too damn loose, and wobbles so much it almost wants to slide off. I didn't think this mattered, but after carrying it camping a couple times, it seems to be a real nuisance. Anything I can do? It seems to really be the strap, but I don't really want to lose the rivet that matches the other rivets and snap from GB.

maybe I can shrink the strap by soaking it?
Thanks for any advice.

Dave

[Square_peg]

....maybe I can shrink the strap by soaking it?

You can shrink it a little bit by dipping the strap in boiling water for a minute or two. It will shrink as it dries over the course of a couple days. It will also harden to some degree. You may need to loosen it up with some boot grease to keep it pliable. I always like to test this out on a piece of scrap first but if you don't have a scrap of the same leather then you're gonna have to wing it.

[Bufford]

Thicken up the inside of the keeper strap by gluing a strip of leather on the inside using contact cement. First try fit everything so that the thickness of the leather makes a snug fit. Glue the leather on and snap the keeper strap closed tight against the handle until glue is set.

[M3mphis]

I suppose you could also try wrapping the strap to take up the slack space. Maybe you could whip it with rawhide or hemp cord or something...

[Alberta Ed]

Replace it with a leather thong.

[d.weglarz13]

okay, i might try soaking it, if it doesn't work then maybe a extra piece of strap on the inside should tighten it up. Thanks for the ideas...

dave

[Whynacht]

Thicken up the inside of the keeper strap by gluing a strip of leather on the inside using contact cement. First try fit everything so that the thickness of the leather makes a snug fit. Glue the leather on and snap the keeper strap closed tight against the handle until glue is set.

That's my advice too. If you choose the right cement it'll make a bond you could almost hang from, and being under compression whenever in use, it will hold. I'd probably stitch it too, but that's the way I roll.

[d.weglarz13]

Yea, was thinking about stitching it too.....thanks