- Joined
- May 16, 2002
- Messages
- 4,437
Howdy Yall. Just did a neat and quick fix to my Ak Bowie sheath.
The problem: Most AK Bowie sheaths include a strap to go round the handle to hold the knife in place for carry. Problem is, the sheath for mine had the strap at the middle of the handle, where it is widest. This is evident in this pic (which is another AK bowie entriely):
Thr problem is that the method of retention is not effectively placed on the sheath. The knife can ride up outta the sheath about 3-4 inches, exposing a portion of the blade (and thus the wearer to cut hazards).
FIX-- Due to the design of the AK Bowie, the part that protects the hand from sliding onto the blade is a big chunky angled section between the cho and handle. It would also seem that this is the area that cannot come through the retention strap on the sheath while it is closed. So, you just cut the thread that holds the retention strap, then make a slit in the belt loop part of the frog (just on the inside loop, the one that rests against the knife)that is wide enough to accept the strap. Make sure the slit in the frog is as close to the throat of the scabbard as possible. The slit should be made nearest to the bottom of the handle (ie, the handle side that is the blade side). Then, take the loose strap, slide one end thru the slit, and the other around and between the belt loop part of the frog, and thats it. If you have a short strap, just make two parallel slits in the loop of the frog, and run the strap thru both.
Result - The strap is now much closer to the throat of the scabbard, and the knife is held securely and has a limited range of motion while in the sheath. The mod had made a reliable sheath that is a wonderful companion to such a reliable knife.
I'll try to dig up some illustrations or a digi pic of the modification, as the simple mods are the hardest to explain.
Oh! Here we go:
Note that the brown sheath has the retention strap waay up on the belt loop (an integral part of the frog on the HI Bowie sheath), riveted in place. Then note that the Black sheath on the right has the strap further down, held in place by two small slits in the belt loop. well, the Brown sheath is the "Before" pic, and the black sheath the "after" pic of my mod. Except that I took the retaining strap all the way down to the scabbard throat, for minimal blade motion while in the sheath.
P.S. I've really fallen in love with this AK bowie. I appreciate is relative compactness when viewed side-by-side with my YCS and 18 AK. I did an etch to it as well,...anybody feel like posting some pix of it fer me?
Keit
The problem: Most AK Bowie sheaths include a strap to go round the handle to hold the knife in place for carry. Problem is, the sheath for mine had the strap at the middle of the handle, where it is widest. This is evident in this pic (which is another AK bowie entriely):
Thr problem is that the method of retention is not effectively placed on the sheath. The knife can ride up outta the sheath about 3-4 inches, exposing a portion of the blade (and thus the wearer to cut hazards).
FIX-- Due to the design of the AK Bowie, the part that protects the hand from sliding onto the blade is a big chunky angled section between the cho and handle. It would also seem that this is the area that cannot come through the retention strap on the sheath while it is closed. So, you just cut the thread that holds the retention strap, then make a slit in the belt loop part of the frog (just on the inside loop, the one that rests against the knife)that is wide enough to accept the strap. Make sure the slit in the frog is as close to the throat of the scabbard as possible. The slit should be made nearest to the bottom of the handle (ie, the handle side that is the blade side). Then, take the loose strap, slide one end thru the slit, and the other around and between the belt loop part of the frog, and thats it. If you have a short strap, just make two parallel slits in the loop of the frog, and run the strap thru both.
Result - The strap is now much closer to the throat of the scabbard, and the knife is held securely and has a limited range of motion while in the sheath. The mod had made a reliable sheath that is a wonderful companion to such a reliable knife.
I'll try to dig up some illustrations or a digi pic of the modification, as the simple mods are the hardest to explain.
Oh! Here we go:
Note that the brown sheath has the retention strap waay up on the belt loop (an integral part of the frog on the HI Bowie sheath), riveted in place. Then note that the Black sheath on the right has the strap further down, held in place by two small slits in the belt loop. well, the Brown sheath is the "Before" pic, and the black sheath the "after" pic of my mod. Except that I took the retaining strap all the way down to the scabbard throat, for minimal blade motion while in the sheath.
P.S. I've really fallen in love with this AK bowie. I appreciate is relative compactness when viewed side-by-side with my YCS and 18 AK. I did an etch to it as well,...anybody feel like posting some pix of it fer me?
Keit
