Critique my sheaths!

[Isaacherring]

Hello all, I have done some posting on here a few times but mainly reading and have learned a lot and I have decided it is time to get some feedback on my sheaths, constructive criticism is welcome and appreciated! I don't claim to be an expert or anything but I do know a thing or two about putting sheaths together and am at the point where I would like to sell some of my work. I am considering upgrading my membership to craftsman/service provider in the near future but wanted to get some feedback first. Thanks!

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[sheathmaker]

Regarding the quality of your work and potentially selling that work, your most important critic is YOU!! If you look at your work and think I would pay hard earned dollars for that, and you would, then you might be on your way.

Now for the critique, that you asked for based on my experience and selling background.

You need to pay a lot more attention to your edges. ALL edges, sheath, straps, everything should have good polished edges. First impressions are important and you only get one chance at a first impression.

Quality of you materials, and leather, The first photo you show indicates that less than great grade leather was used by the interior of the belt loop. Lots of fuzzes!! Not good.

Your exotic sheath and the Bear sheath are probably the two most saleable of the bunch. Appears to be a little better leather and attention to detail is better also.

Having said all that, you are well on your way and the attention to detail will grow with each sheath you make. Experience comes one week, one month, one year at a time and I don't really have any magic recipe to speed that up. Look back at when you first started, now imagine where you will be a year from now at your present rate of development.

One last thing don't lock yourself into low prices by starting to sell too early in your development.

I think the Craftsman membership is a good idea, because that represents commitment and that's good for you now and in the future.

Good Luck

Paul

 

[grogimus]

Paul is the man and as far as I'm concerned his word is gospel, I'll just add my $.02. The very first pic makes me ask two questions..

1. Why didn't you finish those edges cleaner? I think most people start examining something from top to bottom and the first thing I see is the rough edges on the belt loop. I think people overcomplicate edge burnishing. A little bit of saddle soap, water, and elbow grease has given me much better results than a lot of sanding and gum tragacanth, though I still use the gum trag as a finisher sometimes on the edges. No need to get crazy with it, a roughly sanded edge takes a finish quickly this way.

2. How do you do your pattern? It looks like it's fit absolutely perfect. I like the friction fit of pouch sheaths so much I don't really look at too many other styles but that looks like an exceptionally well fit sheath.

Ok, I lied. 3 questions. What did you use to texture your sheath in that second from last picture? I love it!

Which leads to another lie.. 4 questions. What dye were you using in the last sheath?

As to the Craftsman upgrade, I'm still slow as hell to make a sheath and have probably given away more than I've sold but it definitely gets me motivated, I think it's a great idea.

 

[harronek]

I think people overcomplicate edge burnishing. A little bit of saddle soap, water, and elbow grease has given me much better results than a lot of sanding and gum tragacanth, though I still use the gum trag as a finisher sometimes on the edges. No need to get crazy with it, a roughly sanded edge takes a finish quickly this way.

I gave up on Gum ??? ( what ever its called ) after about the third time I used it .
What properties does it actually possess that makes it a viable , useful , acceptable tool ?
In my experience it actually dulls down and hinders my ability to burnish an edge , maybe I used it wrong .

Ken

 

[grogimus]

I gave up on Gum ??? ( what ever its called ) after about the third time I used it .
What properties does it actually possess that makes it a viable , useful , acceptable tool ?
In my experience it actually dulls down and hinders my ability to burnish an edge , maybe I used it wrong .

Ken

I don't know a single thing about it's chemical properties, just what I've seen in use. If I use it early it just gunks things up. Much better to just use sandpaper to true the edges up. Once they're lined up I hit the edge with some dry then wet sandpaper at about 180-220 grit. Not looking for shine, just evenness. Then I dip my mitts in a saddle soap container that has some water in it and rub the edges down. Once it's nicely slicked down I use my fingers and a piece of antler to rub in and burnish the edges with a bit of gum tragacanth. I've definitely thrown the gum tragacanth on too soon and it just made a mess of things.

 

[Macan]

I am still learning but aside all that is said before here, yours stitching looks little uneven to me. I wold use thicker thread and bigger spacing between stitching holes so its harder to make mistake and if you do make mistake on the bigger space its harder to see that, on the small space when you move hole a bit left- right its easy to spot uneveness. Also i would use thicker thread because it fills better space in the groove.

 

[Isaacherring]

Thanks for all the replies, your opinions are very much appreciated!

 

[Isaacherring]

Paul is the man and as far as I'm concerned his word is gospel, I'll just add my $.02. The very first pic makes me ask two questions..

1. Why didn't you finish those edges cleaner? I think most people start examining something from top to bottom and the first thing I see is the rough edges on the belt loop. I think people overcomplicate edge burnishing. A little bit of saddle soap, water, and elbow grease has given me much better results than a lot of sanding and gum tragacanth, though I still use the gum trag as a finisher sometimes on the edges. No need to get crazy with it, a roughly sanded edge takes a finish quickly this way.

2. How do you do your pattern? It looks like it's fit absolutely perfect. I like the friction fit of pouch sheaths so much I don't really look at too many other styles but that looks like an exceptionally well fit sheath.

Ok, I lied. 3 questions. What did you use to texture your sheath in that second from last picture? I love it!

Which leads to another lie.. 4 questions. What dye were you using in the last sheath?

As to the Craftsman upgrade, I'm still slow as hell to make a sheath and have probably given away more than I've sold but it definitely gets me motivated, I think it's a great idea.

I pattern mine out on graph paper and then transfer all the individual pieces of the sheath onto tracing film so I can save the pattern, I have always made all my own patterns so I guess I just have plenty of practice, but you are right it is a nice fit, I put the knife in and held it upside down without using the strap and it didn't fall out. The front piece on the second to last sheath is shark so that's what the texture is. All of these sheaths were done with fiebings pro oil dyes, buffed by hand, and finished with a resolene/water mixture. The last sheath is walnut, as is the first.

 

[Dr Heelhook]

Bro.... Do you even stitch?

(Sorry, I've been looking for an excuse to make that joke. )
Great stuff, but I agree with the comment about edges. It seems to me that the basic technique of cutting out the pieces is something you can often improve upon, getting the cuts even and the curved lines right. I'm looking to get into this business myself, but I'm nowhere near your level yet. Rock on.