- Joined
- Mar 19, 2007
- Messages
- 7,443
I LONG while back I saw Mykle doing awesome stuff for little Hanna. I have never owned a JK blade myself (although I have made sheaths for plenty - and I need to rectify that) - and asked if I could help. Mykle M did not hesitate and sent me an awesome specimen of a knife:
(Quick cell phone picture - sorry).
I thought I would have this wrapped up in a few weeks. And then life...
I have to say. Mykle M was the most gracious giver. It took me something like 5 months to finish this and even then I had delays simply gluing up the firesteel (how one breaks a blank on a firesteel - I will never know - but I did it).
Anyway. I wanted to take the time to put together a small step by step on how I made this sheath and show you all the finished product. This is going to the man himself (Dropped off at USPS Saturday) and should be seen on this board very soon.
First:
Use the blade to make a template of the kind of sheath you want and trace it (upside down) on a manilla folder. Make any adjustments you need to and carry that over to the leather (be sure to ensure you have the right side out - or you will make a lefty sheath while trying to make a righty - and vice versa).
Cut around the tracing leaving some room. This works much better when cutting out the actually leather sheath - because you can move the scrap around and make precise cuts.
Second:
Cut out the blank carefully and then sand the belt loop and openings to the sheath. There is no reason to sand the edges, just make sure that they are even.
I used a French Strap cutter for the end of the belt loop. This is not necessary - a careful tracing of what you want and cutting out looks just fine.
I use a fine ball point pen to trace where I want the blade to rest when completed. Red pen, if you are careful, will never show, even with brown dye. Uni-ball works well here.
Third: Because the scales are thick and the blade is not, relatively, I like to take a little material away where the blade is going to rest so that it contours to the blade.
I used a V Groover to do this.
Fourth:
I begin wetforming by taping up the knife with blue painters tape (so that no water will find its way to the knife), using a spray bottle filled simply with water - spritzing it and then putting it where I traced it to be - and simply use my thumbs to mold the leather to the knife - and let it dry some. I still keep working the knife on other steps to make sure the wetforming stays - but this step shows the process at least.
Fifth:
If you want to - or have one - now is the time to put your makers mark in. Be sure it does not go where your stitching will, or where a large bend will be. It will look like poo poo then. Damned the area intended and then give the makers mark one firm WHACK with your tooling hammer. Because I do not use a heavy tooling hammer - I actually use a framing hammer for this part. I am sure that is not correct - but it is what I do.
(Quick cell phone picture - sorry).
I thought I would have this wrapped up in a few weeks. And then life...
I have to say. Mykle M was the most gracious giver. It took me something like 5 months to finish this and even then I had delays simply gluing up the firesteel (how one breaks a blank on a firesteel - I will never know - but I did it).
Anyway. I wanted to take the time to put together a small step by step on how I made this sheath and show you all the finished product. This is going to the man himself (Dropped off at USPS Saturday) and should be seen on this board very soon.
First:
Use the blade to make a template of the kind of sheath you want and trace it (upside down) on a manilla folder. Make any adjustments you need to and carry that over to the leather (be sure to ensure you have the right side out - or you will make a lefty sheath while trying to make a righty - and vice versa).
Cut around the tracing leaving some room. This works much better when cutting out the actually leather sheath - because you can move the scrap around and make precise cuts.
Second:
Cut out the blank carefully and then sand the belt loop and openings to the sheath. There is no reason to sand the edges, just make sure that they are even.
I used a French Strap cutter for the end of the belt loop. This is not necessary - a careful tracing of what you want and cutting out looks just fine.
I use a fine ball point pen to trace where I want the blade to rest when completed. Red pen, if you are careful, will never show, even with brown dye. Uni-ball works well here.
Third: Because the scales are thick and the blade is not, relatively, I like to take a little material away where the blade is going to rest so that it contours to the blade.
I used a V Groover to do this.
Fourth:
I begin wetforming by taping up the knife with blue painters tape (so that no water will find its way to the knife), using a spray bottle filled simply with water - spritzing it and then putting it where I traced it to be - and simply use my thumbs to mold the leather to the knife - and let it dry some. I still keep working the knife on other steps to make sure the wetforming stays - but this step shows the process at least.
Fifth:
If you want to - or have one - now is the time to put your makers mark in. Be sure it does not go where your stitching will, or where a large bend will be. It will look like poo poo then. Damned the area intended and then give the makers mark one firm WHACK with your tooling hammer. Because I do not use a heavy tooling hammer - I actually use a framing hammer for this part. I am sure that is not correct - but it is what I do.
