CAK Sheath

jdk1

jdk1

Gold Member
Joined
Apr 21, 2010
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As some of you know, I picked up a CAK a short while back. I started to make a new sheath and had it about finished when Oldschool45 (I believe) posted his sheaths. Anyway, here is my utility sheath. It will hold my CAK and my Murali x-tra thick WW II equally well. It has plenty of D-rings for the popular Baldric carry or pack lashing. It's not fancy, but I like it.:D I hope you do also.

CAKSheath002.jpg


CAKSheath001.jpg


caksheath005.jpg


It's lined with pig leather. Too strechy to use again, but I had it laying around. It's nice and comfy for the CAKS anyway.
 
Nice job! Good clean stitching. Did you make baldric staps too?

Bill
Virginia
 
Thanks LiveitLoud. It's my first sheath. I've done holsters before, but no sheaths. Unfortunately, I only make "utility" grade. Maybe I'll call it "villager fit and finish". I love the CAK. If anyone holds off on purchasing khuks which come without pants, never fear. It's pretty easy. On second thought, avoid them like the plague. I'll be swimming fast in those waters! I've got a special order M43 coming without a sheath right now. I can't wait!
 
You have talent. I have been on a sheath mission lately. I have a camp hatchet that came with this awful looking sheath that falls off because it was made for a larger axe. Then, I just bought a 14 inch Tramontina bolo machete and they didn't have anything decent for a sheath for it.

I have been looking high and low and the production sheaths are basically crap and I can't find anything for the hatchet. That just doesn't look like something I would be good at making. Really nice!!
 
Bill, no straps yet. I did, however, pick up a "farmers bunch" of leather at a feed and supply this weekend for $6. It looks like it should be good for 3 or 4 straps. Thanks for the kind words. That stitching isn't easy on the fingers, but it should last as long as the CAK. Take care.
 
LiveitLoud, thanks again. It really isn't hard. If I can do it, so can you. Buy some leather, I prefer blemished/on sale/etc., some stitching needles and thread. Tandy's can get you going. You don't need any of the fancy tools, though some do help. Like in keeping your stitching from looking like you were drunk! I do recommend using a drill. I used a hand drill and it worked fine. Give it a try. You'll be happy.
 
jdk1 nice looking:thumbup: can you pull off a picture of the back side and of the welt? That really makes me want to change to a "more delicate" style of stitching using canvas thread instead of waxed artificial sinew. I usually stitch using a pair of needle nosed pliers which explains why I chew through needles:p
Liveitloud Tandy sells a stitch grooving tool for about $7 that sets the groove an adjustable distance from the edge of the leather or you could use a cheap 99cent Walmart geometry compass to make a line and use s drill. Use small pieces of leather till you find a weight you like then catch it on sale and but a half or whole shoulder.
 
nice.

what are those locking pins called?


Bladite
 
I've really been dying to try making my own sheaths - oldschool just about made me break down and now jdk tossed on the proverbial back-breaking straw... what sort of leather do you guys recommend off Tandys? I'm guessing 8-9oz, but what kind? Also, will I really need anything aside from canvas stitching, needles, a couple button/washers, a couple rivets and said leather? I figure I can just use a compass and eyeballing to mark the stitching and a thick needle+dremel or drill to make the holes. Oh and whereabouts can I get some of those snazzy D-rings?

Sorry for all the questions - the thought of a new project to take on is a tad exciting :p
 
what are those locking pins called?

They're actually not the Sam Browne pins. They're called "Button Posts" or something like that. The Sam Browne pins have a tapered shaft and it didn't seem it would be as secure. I wanted the strap locked down. They also have a Chicago screw back, while the Sam Brownes had some sort of friction fit. I used super glue to hold this one together. They're very similiar otherwise and serve the same purpose.
 
jdk1 the non-threaded ones have a bushing like anvil that slips over the post just a few hammer hits and you essentially rivet the post/button to the leather. I agree go with the biggest one you can find and don't make the hole that goes over it too large the leather will stretch in time.
 
Mods, feel free to move this to the cantina.

Oldschool, here are the requested photos:

The back. You see where I tied the stitching, including where I broke the thread while lacing. The back is not as nice as the front, but that's where the work is!
CAKSheath009.jpg


The welt. I really didn't know how to do this part, other than stack leather. I didn't have any thick stuff available. I just kept stacking what I had. This photo also shows how the pig skin lining doesn't want to stick to the edge.

caksheath008.jpg


Dan, since this is my first sheath, I started like this:

Traced the blade on poster board, used the $.99 compass (which didn't work very well) to give space for the welt and stitching, cut the paper "models", traced the shape onto leather with a pencil, cut the two sheath halves, cut the welt from the "model", traced the welt onto leather repeatedly and cut them out, glued the welt in place, glued the two halves together, used the compass to make a line from the sheath edge about where I figured the middle of the welt was, used this new fangled four punch thingy to set the spacing (four marks at a time), drilled the holes, then stitched it together. then I sewed the D-ring straps in place. That's it in a nutshell!:) Before I connected the two pieces, I sewed the belt loop and retaining strap, but it's really that simple. I probably missed a step and I'm sure others can fill in the gaps. Just go slow and check everything often. I thought it would be very loose, but it is actually very snug. Much better than I expected. My next one might not even hold the khuk in! I'm learning this sheath business slowly, but it's fun to make something. Also, look at what others have done. I based this loosely off of a CS LTC sheath I have and added some ideas from Mr. Paul Long, who is actually just up the road from me and makes stunning sheaths. Thanks and take care everyone.
 
jdk1, thanks for the photo's your stitching will get better as time goes on. I've been slowly kicking at this for a few years and every time I find ways to improve my stitching or something else. Keep plugging:thumbup: If Paul Long is up the road by all means go an offer to sweep the floors you'll learn more in 2 hours with him then 2 years of reading here. I have a pic, on my desktop, of the back of one of Paul's sheaths that I will shamelessly use on my next Khukuri sheath.
I usually trace the blade shape directly from the blade onto the leather and keep using the blade for reference. And I tend to make the retention strap integral out of one of the side pieces, sometimes it works sometimes it just not doable. Your spine welt ended up being a 6 piece stack the 2 sheaths I made were 5 layer stacks. On my next go around I'm going to try and wrap a single piece around the spine then wet form and just welt the blade edge.
Again looks GREAT:thumbup:
 
wish I could do stuff like this but it would simply be too painful with my neuropathy. :(

That is a nice sheath and I love all the little hook ups on it. Makes a great pack sheath that way.
Exactly what I am wanting to get myself eventually, something I can use to hook one of my Khuks to a pack.
Likely wind up on a saddle pack since I would have to use a horse's back as mine is shot but a pack's a pack. ;)
Like a sheath for my favorite machete too but that is another story.
 
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