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The BladeForums.com 2024 Traditional Knife is ready to order! See this thread for details: https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/bladeforums-2024-traditional-knife.2003187/
Price is$300$250 ea (shipped within CONUS). If you live outside the US, I will contact you after your order for extra shipping charges.
Order here: https://www.bladeforums.com/help/2024-traditional/ - Order as many as you like, we have plenty.
Custom knife arrived, small problem...
- Thread starter Carl64
- Start date
- Joined
- Dec 15, 2003
- Messages
- 3,154
Thanks for the info Carl. I ordered 1 on 11-17, and the other on 11-29. I guess they'll both be Christmas gifts for me. 
I'm glad you like yours. I got one in a trade recently (oak/brass/BG-42), and I'm very impressed with it.
I'm wondering whether the blade replacement program is a completely separate operation or at least runs on a different schedule. Buck got my 560 for a blade swap on Monday, and Joe Houser emailed me and said it would probably ship by the end of the week. That's quick turnaround!
I'm glad you like yours. I got one in a trade recently (oak/brass/BG-42), and I'm very impressed with it.
I'm wondering whether the blade replacement program is a completely separate operation or at least runs on a different schedule. Buck got my 560 for a blade swap on Monday, and Joe Houser emailed me and said it would probably ship by the end of the week. That's quick turnaround!
- Joined
- Dec 30, 2000
- Messages
- 3,805
Carl64 said:
Instead of that, you might try what we do for tight leather (pistol) holsters. Put the knife in a plastic bag and slide it into the sheath as far as it will go. Then leave it that way for a couple of days.
You can still try the wetting and remolding if it doesn't work.
I emailed Joe Houser about the sheaths a while ago. Just checked and he replied that he forwarded my email to Sarah Buck, who is head of the Custom Dept. He said she would get back with me.
Carl, you might try stuffing an Alpha Folder into the 110 sheath to stretch it out. I just checked and it will go in. I used the Alpha with the rosewood handles so it would slide in easier.
I have also used neatsfoot oil to treat and preserve leather things. I wonder if stuffing one of those new sheaths with an alpha folder and then oiling it down would work.
Also, the Alpha burgundy colored leather sheath will hold a 110, but is a bit of stretch to snap it.
I am really, really sad that they will discontinue the tan sheath I posted above.
Carl, you might try stuffing an Alpha Folder into the 110 sheath to stretch it out. I just checked and it will go in. I used the Alpha with the rosewood handles so it would slide in easier.
I have also used neatsfoot oil to treat and preserve leather things. I wonder if stuffing one of those new sheaths with an alpha folder and then oiling it down would work.
Also, the Alpha burgundy colored leather sheath will hold a 110, but is a bit of stretch to snap it.
I am really, really sad that they will discontinue the tan sheath I posted above.
KeithAM said:
Cool! I should send mine off. I am waiting a day or two to see how the BG42 holds up and how easy it sharpens so I know what to get for the titanium handles. Buck's ATS34 is pretty good stuff too. If they work equally well I will still go for BG42 just because it's American (not against Japanese steel, but since a Buck 110 is like the most American of all things, why not go all the way?).
LFH said:
I don't actually have one of those. I do have the mini fixed blade (whichever alpha-something-something that is), but that won't help.
I am still going straight for the soaking. I think I can wet just the front part of the sheath to shape it, so the back will remain perfectly flat. That should make it look more like an intentional fit rather than just jammed in.
LFH said:
Will do. I won't be home until late, then I need to let the leather dry, so probably tomorrow sometime it will be done.
Orvet-
Water seems to work, but I would like to find out if that neatsfoot oil does better. What is it and where does one get it?
Get the Neatsfoot oil at nearly any hardware. Maybe Home Depot, or a leather supply store..
Dad put it on my baseball glove as a kid.
Get as small a container as you can, unless you think you will use a lot of it. I have had mine around here for years and is only 8 oz.
Neats foot oil could turn light colored leather darker. Test on a hidden spot if you need to.
Dad put it on my baseball glove as a kid.
Get as small a container as you can, unless you think you will use a lot of it. I have had mine around here for years and is only 8 oz.
Neats foot oil could turn light colored leather darker. Test on a hidden spot if you need to.
I also ordered a Custom 110 with the tan sheath pictured above and was really disappointed when the knife arrived to receive a 112 black sheath! I e-mailed Sarah to exchange the sheath and when I didn't receive a reply I called and had to leave a message for her. I never heard back from Sarah. 
Since I could use the sheath for my 112 and had a black sheath for another Custom Shop 110 already I just sort of gave up. I will say this however, the felt backing on the newest 110 sheath I have leaves a sticky residue on my knives. Not crazy about the gummy black goo on my nickle bolsters.
Since I could use the sheath for my 112 and had a black sheath for another Custom Shop 110 already I just sort of gave up. I will say this however, the felt backing on the newest 110 sheath I have leaves a sticky residue on my knives. Not crazy about the gummy black goo on my nickle bolsters.
Bummer on getting a totally wrong sheath.
Email Joe Houser! He will get it right for you. Might just send you another sheath without having to send the 112 one back. Not worth the postage. Iwouldn't just let it go. If they have a quality control problem they need to know about it.
I experienced the adhesive from my own felt stickies on my ns bolsters also. Haven't figured out a solution as yet.
Email Joe Houser! He will get it right for you. Might just send you another sheath without having to send the 112 one back. Not worth the postage. Iwouldn't just let it go. If they have a quality control problem they need to know about it.
I experienced the adhesive from my own felt stickies on my ns bolsters also. Haven't figured out a solution as yet.
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- Nov 14, 2004
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The only solution I can think of as far as the sticky felt is for Buck to shift to a permanent glue specifically made for gluing felt to leather. (yes, they make it) If they can't do it, a pint of the stuff can be had online for $6.95, which should last you and your army a lifetime. Simply buy felt, cut out a nice little circle, apply the glue to the back, press in place and WALA!! You'll never have to worry about the felt coming loose again.
- Joined
- Oct 11, 2005
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- 1,771
Carl64 said:
You can get it at a good shoe store, shoe repair shop, leather store, etc. It doesn't take a lot. Another way to temporarily stretch leather is wet it with a solution of water & alcohol, about 1/2 to 1/2, but the leather will return to it's original shape/size.
Let us know how it works.
Half because it isn't dry yet. (Edit: Oops, cancel that sentence. It's dry)
Before soaking, I was wondering if I should remove the pad over the snap. It's held on by some kind of jelly stuff. It squishes around. I took it off for the shaping.
The leather softened up OK with water. It took longer than my other sheaths, but it worked. I used a toothbrush handle for a tool. It was tougher to work than the last two I did, so I had to push harder.
I put the knife in pivot-down and with the blade facing left (for right-handed pistol draw).
First order of business, the leather did stretch enough to get the knife in the sheath, but it's REALLY close. I had to push it in with a lot of force to get it.
The problem is the leather on this sheath has already been shaped, pretty severely too.
The right side needed minor shaping, since it was already the same shape as the spine of the handle. Mainly I had to curve the bottom portion inward. The bottom corner required some time pressing it in.
The very bottom was similar.
The left side was the problem. The existing fold at the front of the pouch was very close to what part of theleather had to be folded the opposite direction to form the shape of where the blade and handle meet. This fold would not go away or reverse. I think there is a crack on the inside along that line, maybe from when it was first pressed. I don't think that's the problem though, because the original fold won't go away, so it's not weak.
The end result is a bulge along the length of the sheath right down between the spine of the blade and the handle. It just so happens this is where one of the front corners of the handle push along when the knife is inserted, so that part keeps getting pushed out a little. This would be less severe if the whole thing were not so tight.
It works, but the nice outline of the blade next to the handle is not so good. If you don't need it to look perfect, it works. This is only my third attempt at shaping leather, so maybe someone who has more experience, or just more natural skill, can make it work better. But perfection on this one is not a sure thing. I would not recommend this route if you absolutely have to have a leather sheath for the knife and might settle for the black one.
On the other hand, if you already have the tan sheath and are not getting any use out of it, it's worth a shot.
Before soaking, I was wondering if I should remove the pad over the snap. It's held on by some kind of jelly stuff. It squishes around. I took it off for the shaping.
The leather softened up OK with water. It took longer than my other sheaths, but it worked. I used a toothbrush handle for a tool. It was tougher to work than the last two I did, so I had to push harder.
I put the knife in pivot-down and with the blade facing left (for right-handed pistol draw).
First order of business, the leather did stretch enough to get the knife in the sheath, but it's REALLY close. I had to push it in with a lot of force to get it.
The problem is the leather on this sheath has already been shaped, pretty severely too.
The right side needed minor shaping, since it was already the same shape as the spine of the handle. Mainly I had to curve the bottom portion inward. The bottom corner required some time pressing it in.
The very bottom was similar.
The left side was the problem. The existing fold at the front of the pouch was very close to what part of theleather had to be folded the opposite direction to form the shape of where the blade and handle meet. This fold would not go away or reverse. I think there is a crack on the inside along that line, maybe from when it was first pressed. I don't think that's the problem though, because the original fold won't go away, so it's not weak.
The end result is a bulge along the length of the sheath right down between the spine of the blade and the handle. It just so happens this is where one of the front corners of the handle push along when the knife is inserted, so that part keeps getting pushed out a little. This would be less severe if the whole thing were not so tight.
It works, but the nice outline of the blade next to the handle is not so good. If you don't need it to look perfect, it works. This is only my third attempt at shaping leather, so maybe someone who has more experience, or just more natural skill, can make it work better. But perfection on this one is not a sure thing. I would not recommend this route if you absolutely have to have a leather sheath for the knife and might settle for the black one.
On the other hand, if you already have the tan sheath and are not getting any use out of it, it's worth a shot.