A leather maker question

[Bang*Bang**]

I feel like this sheath section is oddly low trafficked. Is there another place where the sheath makers go to powow on ideas/techniques/designs?

I've got some pipe dreams I'm surprised haven't seem to have been done, or are difficult to find images of.

Plus the more I look into attempting a first build, the more I realize leather working is yet another fascinating pit hole of time and money... both which seem to evade me as of late.

Thoughts/suggestions?

 

[sheathmaker]

I'm kind of at a loss about how to respond to your post. We are generally fairly quick to respond to actual questions about leather work, techniques and other advice.

Based on your last statement I feel like it would probably be a good idea for you to walk away from leather work until and unless your attitude toward the time and money pit thing changes.

With respect,

Paul

 

[JasonJ]

Plus the more I look into attempting a first build, the more I realize leather working is yet another fascinating pit hole of time and money... both which seem to evade me as of late.

Thoughts/suggestions?

Bull honkey dude. I just completed my first leather sheath, total cost was about $25 including the tools I needed to buy to complete it properly. That included a thread hole punch/chisel, rotary hole punch, thread, needles, snaps, rivets and eyelets and the pliers to install them, as well as a hobby knife set to cut the leather more cleanly.

It can be as cheap or as expensive as you want it to be. You don't need to pay $100 for a sheet of premium veg tanned leather to get started, nor buy $200 in tools and make your own stitching pony either. Maybe you and leather crafting are not suited for each other.

 

[Bang*Bang**]

You're both right. I was a little grumpy during that first post. Let me try again.

I'm new. I'm considering a sheath build for a CS Master Hunter and am overwhelmed by the multitude of tools, dyes and design concepts and need a little guidance.

The more I look into leather making, the more fascinating I find it. It's like no two sheaths are the same and each is it's own work of art.

I have a couple of ideas I want to integrate but I'm not sure how.

Sorry for typing like a jerk earlier.

A few actual questions:
How hard is it to integrate a kydex retention system into a leather sheath?
Is it worth it or even necessary?

I need the sheath to be black. What's the easiest way I could turn the dirt cheap shoulder leather (tan colour) black?

I live in a very rainy climate, would hot wax dipping be my best bet for hardening/resilience?

Here are some of the beautiful sheaths I've been ogling for inspiration:
http://vault.sfu.ca/index.php/s/O4c7f4ZwKcFz89c
http://vault.sfu.ca/index.php/s/5ungJZrKg468ifX
http://vault.sfu.ca/index.php/s/XUXikB0tPI3AjJc
http://vault.sfu.ca/index.php/s/yT0YUBglq6hhXSU
http://vault.sfu.ca/index.php/s/lASyBE2CVzzTEsT
http://vault.sfu.ca/index.php/s/AGdnLcsp6z80MIL
Here's the knife and sheath that came with it.

 

[sheathmaker]

Style aside, for hard wear and utility in a humid climate, you'd be hard pressed to beat the sheath that comes with the knife.
The Kydex/leather thing starts with literally a index sheath either finished or almost finished and then wrapping it with leather. Not a job for the inexperienced in Kydex or leather. It would be like a 6 year old starting school as a high school senior.

Your knife would do well in a simple deep seat pouch sheath which would be in bounds for even the most novice maker.
intro-and-some-questions.1518993
As for color you would cut out the pattern and then dye that much smaller piece Black with leather dye brand of your choice.
Good luck.

Paul

 

[Horsewright]

Welcome to sheaths and such. There is lots of help here for the asking.

I can't answer your question on integrating kydex into leather as I've never done that and have no experience to relate. However I have made many thousands of leather sheaths that are used in harsh, very active conditions and retention is not a problem if constructed correctly. This thread has a tutorial/wip from the sickies at the top of the page and shows how I do the welt on the interior of the sheath to provide good retention.

http://www.bladeforums.com/threads/pancake-sheaths-and-how-i-go-about-them-pic-heavy.1262927/

I've always found the rubber handled knives like you pictured a little tricky to fit in leather. But it is doable. Awful lot of gription on that handle. So a pouch sheath like Paul mentioned might be the type to look at.

Here's one of my pancakes I did for a Buck dive knife, with a rubber handle a short time ago. Took me two tries to get it right.

While I dislike dyeing leather, when I do, I prefer Fiebings Pro Oil Dye. It is available in small bottles so not too expensive. Dyeing leather in my experience dries it out and shortens its life span. When I do dye a sheath or holster I will oil it with neatsfoot oil after dyeing (VERY LIGHTLY) and then once the oil has absorbed in I will put a conditioner on it, either Skidmores or Oakwood. I let dry overnight and then buff and put on my leather finish.

I have that knife's SRK cousin. It sits in the cool drawer ( where lots of cool stuff is) in the nightstand. Many years ago we use to go to bad places together. I carried it in its original sheath which was a forerunner of the one you show. It was camo duct taped upside down to the left side of my LBE. The sheath still has the duct tape on it. That knife if its like its older cousin won't let ya down. I've never made a new sheath. Course if a guy wants to that's a whole different story.

 

[JasonJ]

I feel like this sheath section is oddly low trafficked. Is there another place where the sheath makers go to powow on ideas/techniques/designs?

I've got some pipe dreams I'm surprised haven't seem to have been done, or are difficult to find images of.

Plus the more I look into attempting a first build, the more I realize leather working is yet another fascinating pit hole of time and money... both which seem to evade me as of late.

Thoughts/suggestions?

Bang, I can't reply or PM you from the profile post, so hopefully you see an alert that I've quoted you and check here. I was able to make my first leather sheath by starting with a bag of leather scraps from Hobby Lobby... I did not buy a lot of higher quality tools, but ones that got the job done. I have a pretty good thread on my sub-$30 sheath here at bushcraftusa.com:

https://bushcraftusa.com/forum/threads/first-leather-sheath-from-hobby-lobby-scraps.205666/

I got my 4 hole chisel form Hobby Lobby also, as well as the waxed cotton thread and stitching needles. My knees were a makeshift stitching pony- which sucked, aint gonna lie. I already had a small hammer, and used a piece of plywood on the back patio as a surface to pound on; I placed a thick piece of scrap leather under my workpiece so as to not drive the chisel into the wood or concrete. The rotary hole punch and snap setter came from Home Depot; and the hobby knife set to cut and trim I bought for $4 at Harbor Freight. I made an edge burnishing tool from the leg of an old wooden chair I was throwing out. Just had to sand off the poly from the wood - and it even already had the grooves lathed into it.

Good luck.. once you get one done, the other projects get easier and you know what tools to spend the money on and which you don't really need. As for humid climates, the sheath that came with that knife is more than adequate, as was said.