Emergency Sheath Tutorial?

Tyrkon Lawson

Tyrkon Lawson

Joined
Oct 31, 2003
Messages
8,583
Well the ASH 1 continues to amaze me in its fit and feel. Especially when using it. So I chopped/batonned some wood for a quick fire about 30 min. ago. It batonned the wood like it was going through budda! :thumbup:

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Then I just kicked back with a hot cup o' coffee in one hand and my ASH in the other. And enjoyed the fire. But then I decided to insert the ASH back into its sheath on my side. Only to remember that it has no sheath. :(

Soooooo. While our makers are getting things ready for making some ASH sheaths does any one have a decent tutorial on how to make an emergency/temporary one? Perhaps out of duct tape or something. I think I recall Andy Wayne posting something like that but I haven't found anything yet.

If someone could point me in the right direction that would be great. I'd love to be able to make a temp. sheath for my ASH and be able to throw it in my pack on outings.

Thanks for any help Hogs and Hoggetts! :thumbup:
 
Hey man... you wouldn't believe how easy it is to work with Kydex. I recently started making my own sheaths, and if I can do it, trust me... anyone can! They are not all that pretty, but then again, it is black plastic... it isn't supposed to be pretty. It is kinda fun too. There are lots of tutorials on BF http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=438215, and the materials are pretty cheap. Check out www.knifekits.com for supplies.
 
I got one that may work. If you got a piece of PVC pipe laying of the aprox blade length you can heat that up on that there fire in front of you( I wouldnt actually advise open flame but it could work if your very careful) preferably on top of a cinderblock or brick. Once its nice and mushy insert blade and press down with a 2x4 or another brick. Let set and your ready to go. This is perhaps a VERY simplified discription of the process but you probably get the gist of it. Ive used the tecnique for machete sheaths in the past.
 
My grandfather made all his own sheaths, usually they were just boiled leather pouches but he also made a bunch of them out of wood, fishing line and a small strip of leather. He would take two planks of flat wood and drill some holes down the outer sides of each of the planks run the fishing line (300 pound line for jigging) through the holes and lash them tight enough to hold the blade. Then he would cut the leather strip in half and put both strips into the sheath on either side to prevent the knife from cutting its way loose from the sheath! The leather directly on the edge tended to dull the knives a bit but he had sharpening skill that I will never have.
 
kdstrick: awesome link. I have some reading to do!

shigawire4sure: Well I do have PVC pipe. Lots actually. I'll have to give this a shot. Maybe even tonight.

aeinfantry: Our elders were so resourcful. That is awesome. And gives me some ideas.

Thanks guys. :)
 
lol

I made my own cardboard sheath for the FBM. I just got some cardboard, folded it over the blade, then gaffa taped the back where the spine was, I was a little short so I got another piece and folded it over the tip and taped that on.

I'm buying kydex this week from an Aussie supplier to make one for the FBM and Swamp Warden, plus a couple for mates.


cheers for the links guys
 
Waldganger said:
lol

I made my own cardboard sheath for the FBM. I just got some cardboard, folded it over the blade, then gaffa taped the back where the spine was, I was a little short so I got another piece and folded it over the tip and taped that on.

I'm buying kydex this week from an Aussie supplier to make one for the FBM and Swamp Warden, plus a couple for mates.


cheers for the links guys
Click to expand...

You will enjoy working with kydex. :thumbup: When it is heated it is very pliable, much like rubber. It can be cut with scissors. Drill some holes for rivets/eyelets, hammer them in place, then just sand or file it to shape. Nothing to it! ;) After making a couple of them, I couldn't believe I actually paid for someone else to make them for me (although, some of the guys that make them do a truly amazing job that I could never duplicate).

I'll post some pics tomorrow... gotta take the woman dancin' tonight ;).
 
and for a kydex press I use old mattress foam, that I glued to bits of pine (long enough for the entire length of the FBM) and then put the piece in and stand on it.

very low tech, but it works well, and I've had this one sheath from Rainwalker that kinda lost its grab from excessive use, so I reformed it, then again for a different knife, and have just reformed it again for my AD.
 
I love trying new things and until I get some kydex I really wanted to try shigawire4sure's PVC method. I am still looking for a piece big enough to use for my ASH but I did find one for my Swamp Warden. I had to do this quickly but here it is.

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I started with a piece of PVS and cut a section a little longer than the blade on the SW.

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Next I heated it over an open flame until it was soft and ready to press. Notice the discoloration. I wil use black for my ASH so hopefully that's not an issue. But I could always sand it to clean it up.

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Lastly I wraped it in some para-cord.

It aint purdy but it fits snug and was easy to make. What a great little way to make a temp. sheath in a pinch while you wait for the real deal!

Thanks again shigawire4sure! Very cool. :)
 
Well I could not find any PVC that would fit my ASH. And the hardware stores are all closed. But I did find an old sprinkler head. So....
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Dang this thing is fugly. But it fits real snug. Blade retention. I'll try to get some standard PVC tomorrow so I can make it smoother as the sprinkler head hand some bumps and holes. At least I can carry it or throw it into my pack while I wait for a real sheath for it. ;)

But it works. :D
 
That looks good to me. The PVC ones arent gonna look much better. The paracord is a nice touch. Good job!!
Edit:Just saw the SW that looks just like the ones Ive made.
 
I'm liking this temporary idea. I just inadvertently sliced through my temporary cardboard sheath (bummer too because i was just getting ready to do some relief carving and really dress it up :) )

So you just laid the blade in there and press the PVC to shape around it? I've never heated PVC - wonder if an old toaster oven would work?... or heat gun.
 
Toaster oven or heat gun will work as well. Id do it outside if I were you though. I cant exactly take full credit for this idea though. My older brother has been doing this for years.He usually fashions some type of shoulder rig as well with some rope and duct tape. Ive also seen variations of the idea on differant survival type forums. Thats just the way Ive done it. Im sure there are others. If you like you dont have to use a press. A pair of sturdy gloves and some weight will work as well. Just make sure the pvc doesnt stick to your hands. Once again nice job Tyrkon.
 
shigawire4sure: I like how you flare the end that touches the handle. I'll have to try that. Mine go just past the chuil. Very snug blade retention. However, your variation seems more secure. Very cool. Have you tried boiling water to soften the PVC? Just curious.

Well I am off to grab some PVC. Just a small section to do a more even ASH sheath. The sprinkler head was a pain due to all the wierd bumbs and such. But it fits real snug.

The para-cord helps cover up some of the fugliness and, of course, gives you a nice length of para-cord to work with for emergencies.

shigawire4sure: If you do not mind, I'd like to throw this link on our knife blog. Your PVC idea, and the others mentioned here, would really be helpful to people. I might have to make a short video tutrial of one. Something so easy that really works.

:D
 
Go right ahead.Share the knowledge. I havent tried boling water, maybe give it a try when my ASH-1's come in, I dont really have any sheathless knives left. I would have done a video of the process but my camera only has about a min of video. The paracord is a great idea. I was tossing between that or gorilla tape. To actually flare the ends I inserted the blade in till it covered the coil. Then a put the pressure on the blade with the handle hanging off the 2x4 and pressed the flare around the coil. When it was molded with tension on the hilt I wiggled the blade some in the tube so the blade isnt actaully touching any PVC. Its actually very secure. I can hold it upside down and bounce it around and it wont fall out. Ill take another pic for you, but Im no photographer. So by all means put something together for your blog.
 

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