An east meets west style........

Wild Rose

Wild Rose

Joined
Aug 23, 2002
Messages
1,398
A beautiful east meets west knife by ABS mastersmith Bill Burke gets an east meets west sheath by yours truly......

montgomery-burke-1.jpg


montgomery-burke-2.jpg


montgomery-burke-3.jpg


The lower section carving was inspired by the carving on an original Japanses sword - the upper section is a rayskin overlay wrapped with black silk cord ala a Katana. The belt loop has a rayskin inlay.......

Anyone note the "surprise".......
 
That's a great looking sheath, where did you hide the stitching on the front? Love the Ray skin , love the whole package.

regards
Robin
 
Chuck that is a great looking combo!!!
Thanks for sharing.
Mitch
 
Pipeman said:
That's a great looking sheath, where did you hide the stitching on the front? Love the Ray skin , love the whole package.

regards
Robin
Click to expand...

Robin you win the kewpie doll for being th first to notice that! It's an old leather crafter's technique called hidden stitching. You VEWY VEWY CAREFULLY cut a 45° angled slot along the edge and separate the two pieces. They used to make a specialized knife to do do it with, but I just do it by hand and eye. Then using a curved awl and needle you sew it all up along the bottom of the slot. After it's sewn you glue things back together and voila! Much easier said than done though. In this case it's a variation on the original technique wherein BOTH sides of the thread are hidden - I developed this style and call it half hidden. When I used to do shows it would really get the folks to scratching their heads! Lots of double takes....

And Keith you're right it's not an inlay - just a natural part of the rayskin.

FWIW - this is one of, if not the most challenging sheaths I've ever made in my 45 years of leather crafting - the enclosed double guard really complicated things, a "standard" style sheath with a retention device would have messed up the lines I was after and the wrap was completely new to me. I thought about taking in the works pics but I just didn't have the time.
 
Okay, so you glue the pieces together first then cut and separate at a 45? Very beautiful work, Chuck!
 
Thanks Chuck, very interesting technique, i'll put it on my list of things to learn. Thanks again, this place is the best.

Regards

Robin






Wild Rose said:
Robin you win the kewpie doll for being th first to notice that! It's an old leather crafter's technique called hidden stitching. You VEWY VEWY CAREFULLY cut a 45° angled slot along the edge and separate the two pieces. They used to make a specialized knife to do do it with, but I just do it by hand and eye. Then using a curved awl and needle you sew it all up along the bottom of the slot. After it's sewn you glue things back together and voila! Much easier said than done though. In this case it's a variation on the original technique wherein BOTH sides of the thread are hidden - I developed this style and call it half hidden. When I used to do shows it would really get the folks to scratching their heads! Lots of double takes....

And Keith you're right it's not an inlay - just a natural part of the rayskin.

FWIW - this is one of, if not the most challenging sheaths I've ever made in my 45 years of leather crafting - the enclosed double guard really complicated things, a "standard" style sheath with a retention device would have messed up the lines I was after and the wrap was completely new to me. I thought about taking in the works pics but I just didn't have the time.
Click to expand...
 
Glad ya'll enjoyed the look see...

Robin and all others for that matter - I REALLY recommend the book "Art of Handsewing Leather" by Al Stohlman, available at most leather craft stores. It shows this technique plus a bunch of other stuff, even after 40+ years since I first read it I still refer back to it at times....
 
Thanks again Chuck
I like Stohlmans books and Love his tools for the most part. I've been doing leather work for 45 years (trained as a sailmaker) but i've learned many new techniques right here in the sheath thread from yourself and the other "greats" who frequent this board.
Best regards

Robin
 
I got my Bill Burke fighter and Wild Rose sheath yesterday. As far as I am concerned, nobody makes a better sheath then Chuck. The talent shown in this sheath amazes me.
 
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