This is a bowie-style sheath I made for a kujang. The kujang is a radically curved knife of Indonesian origin. I made this for my silat instructor, as this knife is a traditional silat weapon.
I usually use craft foam to ascertain dimensions. This particular knife has an unconventional design, making welt construction challenging.
The welt is cut so the draw is smooth, even though the knife does not move laterally in the sheath.
The basic pieces (3) are cut. The welt is seven-ounce leather and the major pieces are eight.
My tooling options are currently limited. I used a star stamp to make a diffusing outline of the unique kujang blade into the leather.
A bowie-style pin is counter-sunk into the leather to prevent scratching the blade.
I currently do all hole drilling by hand. I use a dremel for this. Fiebing's tan dye is applied for color.
I prefer to use artificial sinew for stitches. In this case, I did not use a colored variant and the contrast of stitch and dye is pleasant.
The edges are sanded and partially burnished.
I then dye the edge, burnish it, and apply beeswax to seal it.
The completed project. I used small rivets to further strengthen the sheath. Overbuilding is usually a good thing, in my opinion.
If you have any questions or criticisms, please let me know.
I usually use craft foam to ascertain dimensions. This particular knife has an unconventional design, making welt construction challenging.
The welt is cut so the draw is smooth, even though the knife does not move laterally in the sheath.
The basic pieces (3) are cut. The welt is seven-ounce leather and the major pieces are eight.
My tooling options are currently limited. I used a star stamp to make a diffusing outline of the unique kujang blade into the leather.
A bowie-style pin is counter-sunk into the leather to prevent scratching the blade.
I currently do all hole drilling by hand. I use a dremel for this. Fiebing's tan dye is applied for color.
I prefer to use artificial sinew for stitches. In this case, I did not use a colored variant and the contrast of stitch and dye is pleasant.
The edges are sanded and partially burnished.
I then dye the edge, burnish it, and apply beeswax to seal it.
The completed project. I used small rivets to further strengthen the sheath. Overbuilding is usually a good thing, in my opinion.
If you have any questions or criticisms, please let me know.
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