first timer sheath making, first time posting!

Falch

Falch

Joined
Dec 24, 2006
Messages
106
hey all!

been a reader on this forum for a while now, mostly hanging out in W&SS, knife maker, and spyderco manufacturer forums (yeah, im one of those spyderknuts) :)

im a wildlife person, whom realy, REALY enjoys the outdoor life, and i feel lucky too have this "hobby" and live in Norway. Currently im studying a course at the university here that can be translated ruffly into a wildlife training/wildlife guide study. we learn how to behave in nature, both survial and security wise, and how to present and well, guide tourist and people into the wilderness and show them a good time!.

Anyways, as the wilderness (viking) i am, i constantly like to perfect and tweak my gear, and here comes the actual point in this post!

i own a beauty of a knife, at least for me, a spyderco forager, that came with one of those plastic kydex sheats. while nothing wrong with it, it dont get the "wildife" feeling dragging it into the wild, and so i have now ventured into the unknown, in search and production of a lovly leather sheat :D.


my sweet knife


a little view of the knife


the usual way i cary them, very functional :) shock cord through the holes, so i can strap stuff to the sheat.


The project has been on it's way for a little way, and all the ideas i got is almost down on paper.
the rough idea is to make a layered sheat, while never worked with leather in this way before, i thank the internet and these forums for loads of nice reading and guidelines.



the "rough" outlines of my idea.
a 5/6 layer construction of 2mm thick halftanned leather.



2 bottom layers, constructed from one layer and i am planning on folding them over at the top, forming a belt loop. not shure yet, but maby leaving two slithers of leather from the bottom most layer, to form a way of securing the knife.
 


the middle layers, spacing/making room for the knife so it fits snuggly. one layer at the edge, and 2 layers at the spine (mainly because of the thickness of the blade/spine)



and finaly the topmost layers. constrcuted from 2 layers. currently in the process of making loops (on the sketch) so i can fasten the little salt, and maby a ferrorod in some way.


i have also been reading up on stamping the leather. been thinking on marking the sheat up with maby the japanese sign for my name (wich is falcon), well ruffly enough, the kanji hayabusa. also been plundering around with a styelized version of a falcons head. we will se as it comes along:)

Please comment stuff you se should be done other ways, i need feedback :)

Falch
 
I am certainly not a sheath maker, but I do have and have seen many older production sheaths and what happens to them over time. Odd projections tend to curl and wear faster than smooth radiused liner. Such projections also can cause "hotspots" to the wearer of the sheath. My own suggestion is to not try to copy the exact shape of the knife handle, but to make the backing in that area larger and more gradually rounded than the handle.

You might practice with thin cardboard like posterboard. You can just staple it into shape. And when you hit upon a design you really like, it is easy to pull the staples and transfer the pattern to leather.

A good project and a nice knife! I agree about the asthetics of plastic sheaths!

Codger
 
Looks good, I like the general design. The rivets at the mouth of the sheath are a good idea for such a large knife, I would add one near the tip, on the edge side of the knife to prevent overinsertion.

Don't forget to plan in a drain hole at the bottom so water can drain out of the sheath.

Beware too much leather... if the design is good, you use good quality leather, and your stitching is good, several layers of leather usually is overkill, making the sheath bulky and heavy.

I would use two pieces of medium weight leather (7-8 oz.) for the front and back pieces. Heavy thread for the stitching, and a good welt all the way around, or at least on the edge side of the sheath.

I would hot wax it too. This not only waterproofs the leather, but also stiffens it so it provides better support for the knife.

Andy
 
looks good to me....:thumbup: great design.. nice and simple...:)

welcome to the forums...:D
 
Andrew Colglazier said:
Looks good, I like the general design. The rivets at the mouth of the sheath are a good idea for such a large knife, I would add one near the tip, on the edge side of the knife to prevent overinsertion.

Don't forget to plan in a drain hole at the bottom so water can drain out of the sheath.

Beware too much leather... if the design is good, you use good quality leather, and your stitching is good, several layers of leather usually is overkill, making the sheath bulky and heavy.

I would use two pieces of medium weight leather (7-8 oz.) for the front and back pieces. Heavy thread for the stitching, and a good welt all the way around, or at least on the edge side of the sheath.

I would hot wax it too. This not only waterproofs the leather, but also stiffens it so it provides better support for the knife.

Andy
Click to expand...

hm, made me think there.
being from the metric side of the world, 7-8 oz leather dont tell me much. i have obtanied, and ordered, enough leather for the sheat. but since it being 2mm thick i thought i needed double layers. ( the leather https://www.brisa.fi/portal/index.p...osMod=product_info&cPath=93_66&products_id=56) do you think one layer (top/bottom), hotwaxed will be enough? was planning to hotwax to start with, but you're mention of overkilling it, and adding too much weight is a good point!
 
i just finished my own first sheath a couple days ago. i followed chuddybear's tutorial (can be found around in this section somewhere (page 7-9 maybe). anyway it turned out better than i ever could have expected. its a heavy design, but i am using it mainly to keep in my pack although i put a belt loop on is just in case i need it. i used a high ride design. check out tandyleatherfactory.com they have some decent stencils and ANYTHING you will need.
 
Looks great. How do you like the Spyder fixed blade?
 
gunknifenut said:
Looks great. How do you like the Spyder fixed blade?
Click to expand...

well, considering i dont have much experience with many other big fixed blades, i can't compare. but for what it's worth, i LOVE it! :)

(other big blades i have use are the traditional same knife (the " natives" of norway/sweeden/finland ) a big blad with wooden handle, made by the "natives" http://www.samekniv.com/ and a cheap gurka bu cold steel.)
the cold steel was thin, and soso made..did it's job..the same knife, well its hand made, so its like using a custom. good quality.

im constantly being suprised by the spydie fb, great edge retention, good weight for deep cuts, and a versatile design that can be used for anything!

i can recomend it!

Falch
 
Hi Falch Welcome to the forums. I just made a sheath not two weeks ago for my Grohmann # 4 survival it is a deep pouch style with a few addtions to it for some suvival goodies. It is rough. But It is my second one. Here is a few pics front and back and the suvival goodies.

101_0386.jpg


101_0387.jpg


101_0388.jpg


101_0389.jpg


I really do not have much advise but to try making it and if it does not work the way you want it to try again. I used a drill for making the holes and fishing line for the stiching.
Bryan
 
here is my first complete for my rat-5. i did as much research as i could online first. luckily i went to tandy leather and the manager was a big help just telling me the basics of leather working. i made a test sheath that i never completed just to see what would happen, drilling holes, staining, size fit, etc. i found out read fast that the dremel is a great tool to have. good for sanding edges (inside and out) and drilling holes (real small bit). anyway here she is. ladies and gents: large marge.

firstsheathRAT5004.jpg


firstsheathRAT5007.jpg


firstsheathRAT5009.jpg

dont worry, just leather dye.
 
Hey Falch, welcome to BF! :)

if you need any materials, or advice on sheath-makeing, talk to the people at Jørn Jensen Lærhandel (http://www.jjensen.no)
They have lots of experience, and are verry helpful. They are also the best store in norway for leather-/knife-makeing equipment.:thumbup:

-jontok

ps: my parents live in Birkeland, so maybe we could go fishing or something when I wisit them this summer. :)
 
jontok said:
Hey Falch, welcome to BF! :)

if you need any materials, or advice on sheath-makeing, talk to the people at Jørn Jensen Lærhandel (http://www.jjensen.no)
They have lots of experience, and are verry helpful. They are also the best store in norway for leather-/knife-makeing equipment.:thumbup:

-jontok

ps: my parents live in Birkeland, so maybe we could go fishing or something when I wisit them this summer. :)
Click to expand...

hey! nice to see a fellow contryman on the forums! thanks for the advice for the jjensen page! very helpfull!
you know, i might take you up on that offer! would be great fun!

Falch
 
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