wooden sheath trick

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

Last night I decided to work on an ivory sheath for a knife. It was to be fairly thin walled. I used and old woodworking trick that I hadn't thought of using on sheathes....and I though to pass it along.

It would be real easy if you could shape the sheath first and then hollow out the blade recess.The only problem is how to hollow out the recess after the sheath is made? Take the piece of wood (or ivory) and sand the mating surfaces flat. Apply a very light coating of Elmer's glue to both surfaces and place them together with a piece of paper (plain white paper) between them. Align them, clamp and let dry. Trim the excess paper and shape the laminated blank as you wish. When it is 90% done,split it apart by inserting a thin blade in the joint from the throat end. They will pop apart fairly easily. Sand the paper/glue off and you have two halves,ready to hollow out to fit your blade.When the inletting is done, glue up properly ,finish and you can have as thin a sheath as you wish.....with little chance of grinding through into the blade channel.
The same technique will work for mortised handles.This could make silver wire inlay easier,since the handle scales could be completely shaped,then split apart to do the inlay.
Stacy

BTW, the old woodworking trick was for turning hollow objects (wooden Christmas ornaments with .1" walls)and for making hollow carvings and other objects (hollow wooden lamp bases,vases,etc.).

 

[indian george]

COOOOOL!!!:thumbup: Thanks Bubba

 

[Phydeaux]

Thanks for jogging my memory. I forgot about that one. I used to do that in a high school woodshop class except we were really cheap and used newspaper.

 

[J.Marsillo]

That is kind of what I did on my last mortised handle except I didnt use paper Just a little "tack weld" with glue. Thanks Stacy,Ya know I was thinking of you last night as I tried to get the kids pictures in my wifes locket.You goldsmiths must have the patience of a saint

 

[Deweyknives]

That's some great information. Thanks for sharing that with us,Stacy. I have thought about making a wooden sheath but was unsure of a good way to go about it. Next time I get the urge,I'll do it!!

 

[Dan Gray]

thanks Stacy
I added that to the knife making site

It will be there as soon as I update the site,,:thumbup:

 

[the possum]

Thanks. I'll have to keep that trick in mind.

The last couple wooden sheaths I made, I carved out the recess for the blade first, and then shaped down the outside with a pocket knife to nearly the finished shape before gluing them together permanently.

 

[jdm61]

Last night I decided to work on an ivory sheath for a knife. It was to be fairly thin walled. I used and old woodworking trick that I hadn't thought of using on sheathes....and I though to pass it along.

It would be real easy if you could shape the sheath first and then hollow out the blade recess.The only problem is how to hollow out the recess after the sheath is made? Take the piece of wood (or ivory) and sand the mating surfaces flat. Apply a very light coating of Elmer's glue to both surfaces and place them together with a piece of paper (plain white paper) between them. Align them, clamp and let dry. Trim the excess paper and shape the laminated blank as you wish. When it is 90% done,split it apart by inserting a thin blade in the joint from the throat end. They will pop apart fairly easily. Sand the paper/glue off and you have two halves,ready to hollow out to fit your blade.When the inletting is done, glue up properly ,finish and you can have as thin a sheath as you wish.....with little chance of grinding through into the blade channel.
The same technique will work for mortised handles.This could make silver wire inlay easier,since the handle scales could be completely shaped,then split apart to do the inlay.
Stacy

BTW, the old woodworking trick was for turning hollow objects (wooden Christmas ornaments with .1" walls)and for making hollow carvings and other objects (hollow wooden lamp bases,vases,etc.).

Good catch on the wire inlay. They could be done side by side so you don't have to flip the handle over all the time to make sure the sides are matching...lol,

 

[Nowicki]

Great trick...it's filed for when I get the urge....If I couild only find it again?????????