Advanced scabbard loosening...

BruiseLeee

BruiseLeee

Joined
Sep 7, 2001
Messages
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I have a tight scabbard for one of my khuks. I tried using the wet wedge of wood in the throat of the sheath and that loosened the thing a little. However, the lower half of the scabbard is still tight.

How do I remedy this? :confused:
 
Hi Bruise,
Have you tried soaking the whole sheath and then putting in the wedge? Leaveing it sit overnight to dry? I had to do that once, it seemed to work okay for me.
By the way...how's the wound management going? Is it healing okay? Any problems? Hope not.
Mike
 
That might work. I just have to find a wedge that's long enough. It probably failed the first time because I used a short piece of wood.

To this point, the cut has healed up with no infection. I'm massaging it as Kismet suggested as to minimise the lumpiness.

Now to find a piece of wedge shaped wood. Unfortunately there aren't any wedge trees growing in the area.

:rolleyes:
 
I'm sure others know much more than I do, but you might consider filling the sheath with warm water for a few minutes, then emptying it out.

Then take some dowel rod, or even skinny straight branches, whittled to a very long wedge shape. Make two or three of them before wetting the inside of the sheath. GENTLY slide them in, slowly letting them push the moistened sheath wood out. If they get stuck, add more warm water for a few minutes. If they are still stuck, whittle them down more. Let them sit and dry in there. Be very careful NOT to snap them off inside.

In fact, try not to stress any part, but rather "persuade" it to accomodate you.

Try not to let the water saturate the wood fully, although the buffalo skin can always be moisturized again. But you don't want to melt the glue holding the sides together.

As an alternate, find a thin piece of wood, a bit wider and thicker than your khuk. Shave it down to shape, moisten IT fully, and slide it in to the sheath. Let it sit and dry. Then move it out slowly. (Actually, you could moisten the sheath interior with warm water, oil up your khukuri, and use that. It's not going to hurt the blade if you dry it off afterwards.)

Basically, you are making the wood more supple, then reforming it gently.


(One last severe alternative? Take out the khuk, cut the bottom half of the sheath off.)

Good luck.
 
In Afghanistan I used the bucket of water and long skinny wooden wedge to loosen up the scabbard on a big Shop 2 Sirupati (Berk, remember that one?). Only thing I can add that hasn't been mentioned is to make sure and let the scabbard dry slowly in the shade. Anything that accelerates the drying process will be counterproductive to your goal.

Had another young firebreather scared to carry his 20" Kobra, because any movement on his part resulted in the dang thing jumping out of the scabbard looking for something to bite. I soaked the scabbard and wrapped it tightly with strips of cloth, followed by a tightly wrapped Ace bandage from the first aid kit. After the scabbard had dried thoroughly, and the wrappings removed, the Kobra fit in it snug as a bug, but could still be drawn smoothly. Since the outward appearance of the scabbard had not been altered, the kid was sure I'd used scorcery.

Sarge
 
Posted by Sarge:
Since the outward appearance of the scabbard had not been altered, the kid was sure I'd used scorcery.
Click to expand...


Bruise? Hell, Try Sarge's sorcery method first, be neat to have puffs of smoke and wizards and stuff.
 
Kis, scorcery can be dangerous if mishandled. I nowadays limit mine to making pints of beer disappear, while at the same time temporarily transforming unattractive women into ravishing beauties.

Sarge
 
Raggy, them kind of scabbards ain't nothing but trouble, some of 'em worth it, most of 'em not. One thing's for certain, they'll rust a good blade if it ain't well oiled.

Sarge
 
Kis just remember these words:

Theres no place like home
Theres no place like home
Theres no place like home
Theres no place like home
Theres no place like home
Theres no place like home
Theres no place like home
Theres no place like home

:eek: :confused: :p
 
Aw come on Kis, we're just talking about scabbards. Personally, I'd rather they be a little too snug than a little too loose. Had a knife fall out of a scabbard one night in the field, spent a full hour backtracking with a red filtered flashlight to find it. Wasn't as concerned about losing the knife as I was about the potential of one of the troops finding it the hard way. Should have wired it in, that's a trick I learned from some old hands. A twist of solder wire will keep a knife put, even low crawling. In an emergency, you just give the handle a firm yank and the soft solder wire will bust free.

Sarge
 
I've tried the techniques for loosening a scabbard listed here. Worked once, failed once. The failure just got tight again. I asked Walosi what to do and he said to get a dowel or flat stick with some sandpaper on it and take a little material off the part of the scabbard that sticks, with trial and error.

munk
 
Originally posted by Sylvrfalcn

I soaked the scabbard and wrapped it tightly with strips of cloth, followed by a tightly wrapped Ace bandage from the first aid kit.
Click to expand...


This may be a "Duh?" question but is that with the knife in or out?
Scabbard on the Gelbu could use a little tightening up.


Rag, no.....you weren't going to go there, were you?!:rolleyes: ;)
 
I leave it out.

I'd start with a little water (enough to moisten the leather) and see how much the scabbard shrunk after it dried. Personally I wouldn't soak the wood unless the whole thing was really loose.

If that didn't work I'd add more water trying not to soak the wood.

I lack skill so I do things slow as not to make things worse.
 
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