4th knife 1st Sheath

[RyanW]

Alright I have been working hard on improving my knives, and decided they were too naked so I took a trip to the leather shop and made my first Sheath... I welcome any comments on the knife and Sheath.

Knife:
Steel: 01 1/8" Precision Ground
OAL: 8.5"
Blade: 4.75"
Handle: Ebony & Leopard Wood
Pins: SS

Thanks for looking, More thanks for Input!

 

[Fox Creek]

looking good. The sheath looks like you wet molded it very strongly to the blade. I dont see a welt though. Wet molding has it place, but its a last touch to an other wise well proportioned sheath with a proper welt. These pouch type sheathes work very well, but need a real welt in the seam to keep the blade from cutting the stitches. Also adding three or so copper rivets just oustside the sewing will add a big margin of safety, plus look cool.:up right. Keep notes and take note of the difference in the leather. It takes some experience to lay out and cut a sheath to stitch up nicely. Use a gauge of some sort to lay out the stitiching so it is even, use a stitch=wheel (pouncing wheel) to mark the holes so they are even, etc. It is all about doing everything smoothly and regularly, everything else is icing. Once you can reliably make a well fitting sheath, all the decorative details will fall in place. When you have done this ten times, you will be amazed.

 

[RyanW]

Thanks for the advice Fox Creek... It actually does have a Welt, 3 layers of leather Top, Bottom, and Welt. Yeah I agree about the wet molding, I wanted to see quick results. I will work on my fit and finish.

 

[hellgap]

When I mold the knife I put saran wrap around the knife it just keeps all the moisture off the knife /dye and what ever but also gives the knife the little extra space needed. I ruined a sheath tonight cuzz I made it fit to tight and the knife is razor sharp and went through the side

 

[P. Nelson]

That's an attractive looking knife, and your sheath is nicer than my first one.

 

[RyanW]

Thanks HG I actually have a knife (Made by a local guy) that I put through the side of the sheath and about put a hole in me in the process...thanks P. Nelson, I hope that some day I will be happy with the F&F of one of my knives. I am guessing that day may never come, but it should be fun trying.

 

[PIndelicato]

Looks nice and I really like that leopard wood...don't remember seeing that before. I would prefer the pins to be more evenly spaced along the centerline of the tang, but that part is up to you as to how you like them. I'd also like the grind line to come quite a bit higher up the blade if not all the way to the spine.

Nice work.

 

[okzj]

Good knife. I like.

Go get yourself a groover, oversticher, and a 4 hole diamond punch. It will make your sheathmaking a joy. Dye and tool it, glue it up oversized, shape the edges up nice on a 60 grit belt, groove, hole punch, run the overstitcher, stitch, then run it again, burnish your edges, wipe on some sheen and you're done. Simple, right?

In all seriousness, the groover, oversticher, and punch were the best sheathmaking investment I ever made.

Here's one, and it's not a standard to go by, but it's one I'm proud of:

 

[RyanW]

PJ 234 I saw the Leopard wood and thought it was neat and unique, there is a bit of it out there to be had. and I agree on the pins the center one should have been moved back the same distance from the Leopard/Ebony line as the front pin...

okzj I do have a groover and 4 hole punch, I will have to look into an oversticher. your sheath looks nice is there a Welk in there?

 

[okzj]

PJ 234 I saw the Leopard wood and thought it was neat and unique, there is a bit of it out there to be had. and I agree on the pins the center one should have been moved back the same distance from the Leopard/Ebony line as the front pin...

okzj I do have a groover and 4 hole punch, I will have to look into an oversticher. your sheath looks nice is there a Welk in there?

Yep. Sure is. It ends before you can see it. One thing I think you could do is make sure all of your edges are done up and finished before you cut your groove. Your glue will hold it together fine, so finish up those edges so you have a nice smooth surface for your groover to ride against.