Hawk sheath WIP/tutorial photo heavy

[Pipeman]

Hi folks
Finally got some time to do this tutorial. I used the CS frontier hawk because of it's nice simple shape and thin blade. The process I show here can be used for any hawk or axe pretty much. This one is a nice basic cover that really doesn't need a closer like a strap and snap type but can be easily altered in the pattern to include a closer strap or a belt loop.
I'll do the description of what I'm doing under each of the pictures.
Hope this helps the doit yourself folks.


Best regards

Robin

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The tools I use.

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Lay the head on your pattern paper and draw around its exact perimeter. The bendy thing is a flexible curve.

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The basic outline pattern.

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Adding the welt to the pattern using the flexible curve.

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Adding the bottom welt to the pattern.

 

[Pipeman]

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Transfer the pattern to the leather, I do it on the skin side. At this point I cut the welt off the pattern and transfer it to the leather, see next pic.

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Welt transfered to leather. Cut the welt off the pattern carefully, on the line ;-))
you'll see why shortly.

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Cut out the pieces. I use a little knife I made with very thin sharp blade. Notice that I over cut slightly on the blade edge but Not the top and back straight edges. I also over cut the outside edges of the welts BUT right on the line on the inside edges, that is important.

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This is a pretty important step for this type of sheath and getting a nice tight well fitting sheath.
Lay the pattern without the welt on the back of the leather (inside)))) lining up the straight edges exactly and draw around the cutout off welt with pen. This is the glue and placement line for the welt.

 

[Pipeman]

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Check the blade against the pattern line on the leather.

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The parts with contact cement applied. I sand the skin side of the welt before applying the glue.

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Here it is glued up. Notice the welt sticking out a bit. It also sticks out on the balde edge. With the back and front and the welt slightly over cut it allows you to sand back to the lines and get nice smooth edges.

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Here is the sheath sanded back to the pattern lines. The tool is an adjustable edge marker. Most people use a gouger that cuts away a slot of leather. IMO cutting away the skin weakens the leather (very slightly) so I don't do it. My stitches are sunken. At this point I wet the leather for edge marking.

 

[Pipeman]

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After wetting the leather you set the edger at about 1/2 the width of the welt. One of the sides of the edger rests over the edge of the sheath, the other marks the leather.
A fork can be bent to do this edging groove. Go slowly and after you get a basic line press harder to make the stitching groove deeper. This pic shows it being marked with a fork for stitch spacing. The other tool is a tiny ball stylus that I use to deepen the stitch marks for drilling.

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Remarked with the ball stylus. I do this to make sure the line of stitching is straight and also to make a dent deep enough to guide the drill bit into the hole. One of the dents is off a bit but because of these "Guide dents" I was able to drill it nice and straight.

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Dyed and drilled for stitching. I use a drill press and a tiny bit 3/64ths.

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Starting the stitching. For no knots I start 3 or 4 holes from the end, sow to the end and do a wrap stitch then start back. leave a tail on the start side as seen in the next pic.

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Showing the tail.

 

[Pipeman]

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Here is a blurry pic (sorry)) of the sheath stitched together.
To get to this point you stitch from the start and then back. I stitch the leather damp which sinks the stitching nicely, feel the tension and try to match it on each stitch. You can see if they are sinking to the same depth so watch that after each one.
At the haft end I punch holes at the back edge the fold it forward and mark with an awl to transfer the distance.

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Sorry, another blurred pic, showing the edge before using gum trag and burnishing. I use two or three coats of gum trag on all raw edges. To cut down on pics there is one shot of the burnished bottom edge farther along.

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Taking the edges off with one of my 150 year old harness makers tools.

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An almost burnished bottom edge and my antler burnisher.

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Finished and hung.

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That's all folks, hope you enjoy.

Best regards

Robin

 

[Steve Tall]

Thanks much.:thumbup:

 

[Loosearrow]

Thanks for the tutorial Robin. Did you restain after the stitching? With your unique system of holding the cover on the hawk, does the blade roll out of the cover somewhat? Regards

 

[CA_DUDE]

Beautiful work Robin. You make it almost seem easy enough for me to attempt Can I as how you finished the haft on the Frontier Hawk?

 

[Pipeman]

Thanks for the tutorial Robin. Did you restain after the stitching? With your unique system of holding the cover on the hawk, does the blade roll out of the cover somewhat? Regards

Hi LA
The way the tie thong is tied you have to draw it straight up through the lower loop that wraps the haft, but yes, it sort of pivots on the back end of the bottom welt. I like them to fit snug but a tab and snap or a tie and button can be added to this style very easily. Yes, I dyed over tha stitching, I actually meant to leave it white but my hand got away from me.

Best regards

Robin

 

[Pipeman]

Beautiful work Robin. You make it almost seem easy enough for me to attempt Can I as how you finished the haft on the Frontier Hawk?

Hey CA DUDE
You can do it, no problem ;-)) The haft is dyed with Fiebings leather dye and
a coat or two of linsead oil. I think that one is medium brown oil dye.

Best regards

Robin

 

[church&son]

Robin, great job, a couple of questions for the gallery, is that waxed linen, or do you wax it, and also do you use "harness" needles or "sharps"? Neat tutorial .....Randy

 

[Pipeman]

Robin, great job, a couple of questions for the gallery, is that waxed linen, or do you wax it, and also do you use "harness" needles or "sharps"? Neat tutorial .....Randy

Hey Randy
That is waxed synthetic "sinue" better know as polyester and is waxed with no twist. I use linen for the purists and do hand wax it. I was trained as a traditional sailmaker a LONG time ago, we had to wax all our thread in those days. I usually use blunts but for this one I used a sailmakers type needle, three sided point.


Best regards

Robin

 

[BRab]

Great job on the tutorial. It was easy to follow with all of the pictures and explanations. My sheath skills are certainly lacking and this should help a lot. Thanks.

 

[Drummertist]

I'm glad I wasn't too far off when I did my Trail Hawk sheath. GREAT TUTORIAL!

 

[Pipeman]

Great job on the tutorial. It was easy to follow with all of the pictures and explanations. My sheath skills are certainly lacking and this should help a lot. Thanks.

Thanks Brab, hope it helps.

Best regards

Robin

 

[Pipeman]

I'm glad I wasn't too far off when I did my Trail Hawk sheath. GREAT TUTORIAL!

Your first sheath was very good, yur a natural. ;-))

Best regards

Robin

 

[PDE]

Thanks Robin, really appreciated.

I have a couple tools that are itching for new sheaths.....

Thanks again, Damian.

 

[wnease]

Thanks Robin, that was great.... and I agree with you %100 on not using a gouge to make the stitches sit flush though I must have made dozens that way in the past.

 

[Pipeman]

Thanks Robin, really appreciated.

I have a couple tools that are itching for new sheaths.....

Thanks again, Damian.

Hi there Damian
If you need any help with the welt for a hatchet or axe just message me and I'll send you some other photos.

Best regards

Robin

 

[Pipeman]

Thanks Robin, that was great.... and I agree with you %100 on not using a gouge to make the stitches sit flush though I must have made dozens that way in the past.

Hey William, how are things going? Will you be moving back to Haliburton in the near future? Thanks for your comments.

Best regards

Robin