Golok Scabbard

S

SGP

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Jan 3, 2009
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I posted a couple days ago in Sheaths n' Such, but not much luck over there... my apologies if its out of line to double-post here, feel free to move or delete.
So I've got a Condor Golok, and i'm building a wooden scabbard for it. What i'd like to hear is some thoughts on a carry system. I'm planning on a detachable frog for belt or baldric carry, and some method of pack carry. Do you guys prefer, vertical, canted, tucked in a sash, on a dangler, et cetera? I'm trying to decide what sort of attachment hardware should be on the sheath... a recessed channel, a clip, a brass stud, a horn block like on a japanese saya? any and all thoughts will be appreciated!
 
You posted this in Sheaths & Such and I missed it!?

I prefer my machetes "drop-leg" style. Hung from the belt enough that the handle won't poke me when I sit down, with something strapping the blade to my leg to keep it from bouncing all over creation. As far as how to attach it as a frog, I would go for the recessed channel for the leather to sit in, as long as you don't want to remove the frog. I will grant that I'm not big on wooden sheaths, so I may not be much help :P

~Noah
 
A saya-styled scabbard would be fun, providing you think you can do the appropriate dovetailing for the kurikata. That being said I'm a big fan of high-wearing baldric-styled suspensions with a stabilization strap. The chopper hangs high under the arm allowing for longer blades to be carries easily, and yet still be drawn. :)

Sorry for the example (a bit silly I know!) but the setup is much like the one Link has in the The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, only instead of having the scabbard on your back (which is stupid--you can't draw a long blade from there on account of your arms not being long enough) have it suspended under the arm.

Example image :foot::
link.jpg

In this image, picture the sheath being attached to the baldric behind where the rim of his shield covers the strap.

I don't have a dedicated suspension like this, but instead run the stabilization strap of my Maxpedition Lunada through the belt loop of my machete sheaths. If you don't have a swivel of some kind (like on a Condor sheath in my instance, or a ring or dangler in a custom sheath) then you'd want to affix the sheath at a slight cant so that you could comfortably draw.

Perhaps a little hard to read the image (because I was taking it myself while wearing the pack) but here are my Condor Viking and Bush Knife choppers on my stabilization strap. They're very comfortable there and don't get in the way.
CIMG8343.jpg
 
don't try a baldric setup if you plan to carry any type of pack. It will probably just get in the way if you choose to have a pack on or any other type of carry system. I personally don't like baldrics because I've had machetes fall out of sheaths while running. A good idea is to have it set up for belt carry, then have two more loops about 3/4 of an inch from the bottom for pack carry. That way you can secure it so that you don't have the mass dangling to and fro when you are actually hiking. These forward and backward motion, however slight, can drive you bonkers after about a mile or so. Another tip is to make the sheath as thin as possible. Sounds simple, but there are many packs that have a hydration pouch on the back. You can slip the machete into this handy hydration pouch for a behind the back/ on the backpack setup. The side straps on many nylon packs such as the camelbak hawk can also hold a thin sheath quite snuggly. I used that setup for the golok in Peru. The other added advantage to a thin sheath is that you can sandwhich it between the backpack and your back if you are in a hurry. You would be surprised how easily this works.

On a belt system, make sure that your loop is big enough to take in large belts such as a pack belt, or if you live in a northern area, a belt over your coat if you roll that way. The larger choppers, on my belt, go back a little further than my normal knife. They'll hit your butt too if you don't have them secure, but you may have to just get used to it.
 
That idea with the hydration bladder pouch is quite excellent! The baldric-type arrangement works for me, but I think that it's having it ride high that minimizes flopping or any likelihood of the machete falling out. If it was low then I would definitely have an issue with it. But we all do what works for us, so YMMV. :)
 
Thanks for the ideas guys, lots of good stuff! I'm gonna go with the kurikata, probably out of micarta, as that seems most aesthetically pleasing and low-profile, and make up a couple frogs and whatnot to experiment with. I'll certainly post pics when its done. Thanks alot!
 
Is there a good sheath out there for the Condor? Any makers here making them? I am thinking of doing one up, but if I could get one for short money, I wouldnt spend the time making one. Gene
 
Condor makes a nice leather sheath for it. It's just a separate purchase item. Machete Specialist had them in stock last I checked. :)
 
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