FNG checking in (and showing off a Kukri sheath)

W

WhiteKnuckle

Joined
Mar 9, 2016
Messages
95
Hi S&S, been lurking for a while now but finally decided to register. Can't say I'm the biggest knife enthusiast (I have a tendency to loose them, so my tastes trend towards the cheap side) but a knife was what got me into leatherworking which has turned into a pretty serious hobby for me, so I guess that's something :)

About a year and a half ago I bought this to use as a general purpose camp knife:

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The only problem is it came with the world's worst sheath:

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So I started watching youtube videos and buying tools (any credit for my abilities should go to Ian Atkinson and his excellent youtube channel) and about a month later I had this:

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Obviously not the easiest project for a newbie, but I'm glad I tackled it. Came out really nice and is still holding up just fine.

Since then I've made several "...and Such" projects, and I'm currently helping a friend make his first sheath so I might have some new pics in the next month or so. But mainly I'm just here to soak up knowledge from people who have been doing this longer than I have (i.e. everyone) So thanks for looking, and constructive criticism is always welcome.

-John
 
Thanks guys. I did make plenty of mistakes (don't want anyone thinking their first project has to come out perfect) but thankfully most of the mistakes were on the back of the sheath. You can see in the last picture the stitching is far from straight, and I screwed up something when applying a coat of Sno-shield that led to some streaks in the finish.

You can also see that between the pictures taken on the table and the ones outside I redid the upper belt loop portion to have a nicer belt-end cut that also covered the stitching.
 
Nice job! Sometimes sitting in the sun will take away that mottling, or a little time with a hair dryer. But not always. On the strap why is your stitch line so far in? I'd probably done it closer to the edge si that the edge doesn't lift with use. Ambitious project even for #10 good job.
 
Thanks again guys!

Horsewright said:
Nice job! Sometimes sitting in the sun will take away that mottling, or a little time with a hair dryer. But not always. On the strap why is your stitch line so far in? I'd probably done it closer to the edge si that the edge doesn't lift with use. Ambitious project even for #10 good job.
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Every time I tried applying heat it seemed to make the streaking worse not better so I just left it alone.

The stitching line was dictated purely by aesthetic reasons. I wanted the line to disappear under the snap caps because I was having a lot of trouble making a grove that followed the curve of the belt-end tip (still am, should probably get a nicer grover than the cheap Tandy one I have). The nice thing about using a dangle is that I can replace the upper section as often as needed, but yeah if the lower part starts to pull up I'm outta luck. Thankfully I don't think it's a terribly high-stress area, but we'll see.

And to be honest, I've moved away from using a stitching grove unless there's a legitimate reason to use one (protecting the threads on the inside of the sheath where the knife might contact them for example) All my newer stuff I'm using a stitching chisel which I haven't had any issues with going around curves.

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Good deal thought there might be a reason so thats why I asked. Your other work is pretty darn nice too. The idea behind the stitching groover is it inlays the stitching some to help prevent abrasion. So anything used outside should have it. Maybe even the watchband? The notebook I wouldn't worry about. I wouldn't bother with a more expensive groover honestly. I've got two Tandy ones that I just keep set where I want em. Ya might try starting at the tip on oneside and then coming back to make it around.
 
Horsewright said:
Your other work is pretty darn nice too.
Click to expand...

:o

Thanks Dave, that means a lot coming from someone of your caliber.

The idea behind the stitching groover is it inlays the stitching some to help prevent abrasion. So anything used outside should have it. Maybe even the watchband?
Click to expand...

Yeah for the sheath I'm happy I went that way, and would again. But I've kinda fallen in love with the zig-zag of a nice saddle stitch, so anywhere that I can I leave it out on the surface. With the watchband I figure anything that would abrade through the stitching would also have beaten the leather up to the point it'd be time to replace it. And anything that could actually break the band completely would probably take my hand off first (it's one beefy watchband, really should have used thinner leather but it's what I had lying around)

I wouldn't bother with a more expensive groover honestly. I've got two Tandy ones that I just keep set where I want em. Ya might try starting at the tip on oneside and then coming back to make it around.
Click to expand...

Well there goes the "blame-the-tools" excuse. Time for more practice I guess.
 
Not so. They don't always come off. Sometimes it just dangles from the broken bones and the nice watch gets scattered around the roundpen and that snorty Peppy San/ Bueno Chex (case Paul is reading) stud horse that kicked ya in the first place and broke the arm just stomped on some of the big pieces of the watch. Ask me how I know this. Only time I've ever had a really nice watch. To this day 25 -30 years later still don't have a nice watch and no plans to get one. Heck I'm good if I know what day it is. Usually don't care what time it is. never enough hours in a day anyhoo.

Yep really thats it just practice with em. I've found if you have a consistent problem approach it differently like I suggested on the groove around the tip.
 
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