First Sheath

E

Eaglestroker

Joined
Mar 7, 2011
Messages
199
Hey guys, this is my first post as a friend turned me onto this forum. I've been playing with leather work (mainly holsters) for friends and had a request for a sheath. This was my first attempt and criticism is welcome and appreciated - I'd like to be able to make the nicest piece I can!

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Nice work! One thing that popped out to me is the retention strap on the handle. It looks like the knife could be pulled out an inch or so until that strap grabs the choil area- possibly exposing some blade. This could easily happen if you're running or a lanyard gets snagged on brush, etc.

I would play with a strap and the handle shape to find a more positive position. Just lowering the strap until it is inside the narrow part of the handle could work (orange in photo). I've always liked a strap that comes around at an angle and snaps in front (lighter color).

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crktm1612m said:
Nice work! One thing that popped out to me is the retention strap on the handle. It looks like the knife could be pulled out an inch or so until that strap grabs the choil area- possibly exposing some blade. This could easily happen if you're running or a lanyard gets snagged on brush, etc.

I would play with a strap and the handle shape to find a more positive position. Just lowering the strap until it is inside the narrow part of the handle could work (orange in photo). I've always liked a strap that comes around at an angle and snaps in front (lighter color).
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Thank you sir. The strap is something I wasn't very happy with, I was thinking that I could take one across the body like you suggest which would also allow me to bring the knife further up on my side. It also gets in the way when I draw and I know over time the blade will put some nice gauges into it. I was lucky enough that the retention in it is so good the knife really doesn't have any play, this will change over time and use though. Thank you for taking the time go over it and edit that picture! :)
 
Hey, no problem- just a thought. It can get kind of tricky to keep the strap from getting in the way of the draw/ being cut. Using thicker leather should help it rebound out of the way when unsnapped.
 
Very small thing, but the retention strap snaps backwards. This way it could snag on brush or just about anything else and pop open. If direction of snap is reversed then this little problem is eliminated.

Another small point....final visual inspection of a for sale or gift piece is important. It appears that your walking needle stitcher mis-stepped about 10 stitches up from the toe on the right side. I would have pulled those stitches and stitch it again very, very slowly. The eye is drawn to small things like this because they are out of the norm. A customer will see this also.

Very good work over all.:thumbup:

Paul
 
Good work on the stitching, nice and straight. Stamping looks great too. Would a wide belt fit through? That pancake holster is awesome.
 
crktm1612m said:
Hey, no problem- just a thought. It can get kind of tricky to keep the strap from getting in the way of the draw/ being cut. Using thicker leather should help it rebound out of the way when unsnapped.
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Live and learn right? I am using 7/8 oz Wickett and Craig, think I will step up to 8/9 for the next attempt.

sheathmaker said:
Very small thing, but the retention strap snaps backwards. This way it could snag on brush or just about anything else and pop open. If direction of snap is reversed then this little problem is eliminated.

Another small point....final visual inspection of a for sale or gift piece is important. It appears that your walking needle stitcher mis-stepped about 10 stitches up from the toe on the right side. I would have pulled those stitches and stitch it again very, very slowly. The eye is drawn to small things like this because they are out of the norm. A customer will see this also.

Very good work over all.:thumbup:

Paul
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Hey Paul,

Thanks for the criticism. That stitch is in fact driving me crazy as well. I will most likely pull them and do it again - it was on my last pass of a 'prototype' I was playing with for myself so I wasn't to worried about it. The machine didn't actually skip the thread, there was evidently some grime build up and it pulled the thread back through black.

A friend pointed out the snap to me, which I had never thought of. The plus side is I wear it on my left hand side so it works out!

-Robert

M3mphis said:
Good work on the stitching, nice and straight. Stamping looks great too. Would a wide belt fit through? That pancake holster is awesome.
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When I was first started attempting to stitch with that machine I thought it was from the devil! Then I hand stitched a few dozen holsters and decided to give it another try :D The holster and the sheath are made for a 1.5" belt - if I were making a sheath for someone I would make it more accommodating but it was a mute point for me.

Thank you for the compliments on the pancake - I've spent a lot of time (and leather) designing and redesigning until I found the perfect mix of the original and my personal spin. As it turns out after I finished it a fellow holster maker pointed out two large companies produce a version very similar so I guess I hit on a pretty good design! The double stitch is really what added a lot to it in my inexperienced opinion!
 
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