First sheaths

[Maelstrom78]

First off thanks to the folks in this board for helping a newbie out. 2 knives done for family members as gifts for the annual family fishing trip. Crummy cell pics!

The stamping got a little crazy on the one. The deeper sheath has 5 layers of welt at the top and it was tough to use the drill press and needle and keep straight.

Consequently no need for a closeup of the backs...

Eh why not. It's like a jigsaw puzzle.

Man that's a rough pic of the knives. They actually look much nicer. Interesting that the pins tarnished differently than the bolster.

 

[Salolan]

If ever you need a longer punch for your leather you can cut a length of your pin stock of desired size and sharpen it to a point. I think you'll likely find yourself having better luck however if you allow the mouth of the sheath more room and keep just the single welt. There is definitely a learning curve on how much more room is needed, and I'm still working that out myself.

Fine effort on the sheaths and the knives look really nice.

Chris

 

[Maelstrom78]

Thanks much. I can tell that with each one I will learn more and more.

The 5 layers is pretty thick. Next time I'll definitely make it wider.

Retention with size and welts is an art I can tell.

 

[leatherman]

Well done!

 

[Horsewright]

Good job! Yep just keep working at it. You'll get that. And that fitting of the welt really is an art. 5 layers wow. The different rates of tarnishing are probably due to slightly different brass alloys. Real common. Thats the main reason I went to using mosaic pins on all my bolsters, (except ones that are engraved). You can do your job right and get those bolster pins to go completely away and then some years later they show up again because thyey are tarnishing at a different rate than the rest of the bolster material. I've experineced it with brass, nickel silverand stainless. My thought was if the pins are gonna show up, go big or go home, so went with the mosaic.

 

[Omega Leather Works]

I've used the same needle for the last year. If you have a Walmart near, they sell a 5(i think) pack of "doll needles" in the sewing department. I use the largest one for 1mm thread, and you have the others for smaller thread. The key is to cut them down. If you make the needle around 1.5" you'll have enough to chuck and enough to go through thick leather while having plenty of stability.

If you touch the needle while punching your holes you might notice it getting fairly hot. I keep a little chunk of beeswax next to the press and run it over the needle every now and then. I'm not positive that this step does much, but it does make me feel better.

Lastly, one of the best pieces of advice I got about using the drill press is to cut a piece of wood to use as a table. I cut out a section for a belt loop (or other obstruction) to fit into.

Really nice work on your first pieces. I love the knives too. Great job!

 

[IVANKERLEY]

they look great, and for first sheaths wow!
I definitely wouldn't wanna try punch through a welt that thick better man than me
keep at it my first few were all over on the backside too, ya get better with time and practice and all the knowledge on the forum
gene

 

[Maelstrom78]

I've used the same needle for the last year. If you have a Walmart near, they sell a 5(i think) pack of "doll needles" in the sewing department. I use the largest one for 1mm thread, and you have the others for smaller thread. The key is to cut them down. If you make the needle around 1.5" you'll have enough to chuck and enough to go through thick leather while having plenty of stability.

If you touch the needle while punching your holes you might notice it getting fairly hot. I keep a little chunk of beeswax next to the press and run it over the needle every now and then. I'm not positive that this step does much, but it does make me feel better.

Lastly, one of the best pieces of advice I got about using the drill press is to cut a piece of wood to use as a table. I cut out a section for a belt loop (or other obstruction) to fit into.

Really nice work on your first pieces. I love the knives too. Great job!

Hey thanks you have helped me a lot. I try to read as much as I can before attempting something. Some call it procrastination, I call it preparation. I might re-do the sheath for the hunter and get it more like this that was recently posted here by a member:

I like those sweeping lines and I think I can do a much better job at the stamping. For the bigger stamp I'm going to use my drill press to press it instead of a hammer. I think adding in the pro-carv really helped with stamping btw Horsewright thanks.

For a next one I might try inlaying a silver dollar or something!

 

[Maelstrom78]

they look great, and for first sheaths wow!
I definitely wouldn't wanna try punch through a welt that thick better man than me
keep at it my first few were all over on the backside too, ya get better with time and practice and all the knowledge on the forum
gene

Thanks! I figured out that if I saw the needle wandering I could move the piece and if I kept the needle straight it would come out better in the back. Anyway, I guess when they are wearing it the backside is covered up anyway.:thumbup:

 

[IVANKERLEY]

Thanks! I figured out that if I saw the needle wandering I could move the piece and if I kept the needle straight it would come out better in the back. Anyway, I guess when they are wearing it the backside is covered up anyway.:thumbup:

yep!
Gene

 

[harronek]

The first thing I do when I pick up a sheath is turn it over and look at the back .
The back tells me everything about the sheaths quality , makers ability and their OCD level


Ken

 

[Maelstrom78]

The first thing I do when I pick up a sheath is turn it over and look at the back .
The back tells me everything about the sheaths quality , makers ability and their OCD level


Ken

Dagnabit that makes too much sense! Like immediately looking at the plunge lines on a custom knife.

Well that one with the "wandering" stitches is the one that I was thinking of redoing anyway. My wife said the stitching is crazy and the stamping looks too busy and amateurish....She's sweet like that haha.


Really she knows that I will redo it anyway

 

[Omega Leather Works]

Dagnabit that makes too much sense! Like immediately looking at the plunge lines on a custom knife.

Well that one with the "wandering" stitches is the one that I was thinking of redoing anyway. My wife said the stitching is crazy and the stamping looks too busy and amateurish....She's sweet like that haha.


Really she knows that I will redo it anyway

Dude my wife is my biggest critic. It's cool having this place to learn and getting an experienced critical eye to look at your work, but it's nice to also have the opinion of someone outside the realm. Becky can't tell good stamping from bad (in terms of depth) or excellent burnishing from so-so work, but she has a critical eye for creative aspects and how something performs when worn.

I think any of us can use angles, light and photography skill to improve the look of our work (not that I think any of us do), but having someone actually handle and try out your work is a great way to improve. :thumbup:

 

[harronek]

I think any of us can use angles, light and photography skill to improve the look of our work (not that I think any of us do)

If I didn't have photoshop and full use of photographic voodoo all you guys would just laugh at my work , and no one here would talk to me .
I would be exposed for the fraud I really am

Ken

 

[Horsewright]

Thats funny Ken! OP don't throw the old one out. Use it and abuse it to death See how tough it is and if there was anything you could of done to make the construction stronger.

 

[KG4ULR]

I've used the same needle for the last year. If you have a Walmart near, they sell a 5(i think) pack of "doll needles" in the sewing department. I use the largest one for 1mm thread, and you have the others for smaller thread. The key is to cut them down. If you make the needle around 1.5" you'll have enough to chuck and enough to go through thick leather while having plenty of stability.

If you touch the needle while punching your holes you might notice it getting fairly hot. I keep a little chunk of beeswax next to the press and run it over the needle every now and then. I'm not positive that this step does much, but it does make me feel better.

Lastly, one of the best pieces of advice I got about using the drill press is to cut a piece of wood to use as a table. I cut out a section for a belt loop (or other obstruction) to fit into.

Really nice work on your first pieces. I love the knives too. Great job!

I use a Dremel with a 1/16 bit to drill holes. Quilting needles are then used to sew with. Still making "Old School" sheaths.

 

[Maelstrom78]

Dude my wife is my biggest critic. It's cool having this place to learn and getting an experienced critical eye to look at your work, but it's nice to also have the opinion of someone outside the realm. Becky can't tell good stamping from bad (in terms of depth) or excellent burnishing from so-so work, but she has a critical eye for creative aspects and how something performs when worn.

I think any of us can use angles, light and photography skill to improve the look of our work (not that I think any of us do), but having someone actually handle and try out your work is a great way to improve. :thumbup:

Makes sense to me. Second opinion.

 

[Maelstrom78]

Thats funny Ken! OP don't throw the old one out. Use it and abuse it to death See how tough it is and if there was anything you could of done to make the construction stronger.

I'll give him both. That way he can have a"dress" sheath and a "beater" sheath.

 

[Horsewright]

Good idea. I have a lot of customers that order that way. 2 sheaths ranch sheath and town sheath.

 

[Maelstrom78]

Well I think I'm getting faster at this...

A couple zigs and zags but better. It's wet forming as we speak.