- Joined
- Mar 25, 2005
- Messages
- 143
Ok, I finally made my first leather sheath; its for my Game Warden. My hands have been aching for days. Everyone who owns a knife should at least once make a leather sheath to greater appreciate the work involved. While this was a lot of work, it was a kinda fun thing to do. It took me many hours to make. But, now Ive finally able to carry my only Busse. The retention is very tight, and I hope it loosens up some after it stretches a bit.
I looked in several stores for brown leather dye, (to match my Muddy GW) but I couldnt find any. So instead, I scalped one of my Moms broken purses that she was going to throw away and planned to use it for the outside layer of my sheath. I thought it matched the muddy colors and the rivets nicely. For those unfamiliar with the pattern, it is a Louis Vuitton pattern, which is an expensive French designer company.
I later compared the waxed thread I used (from Hobby Lobby) to my other professional made sheaths, and mine is MUCH thicker, so it should be VERY strong.
The green stuff on the edge is from the old green cotton washcloth that I used to apply Ren Wax with to the leather edge. I can buff it out later. I also Ren Waxed the outside of the sheath, and the inside before I sewed it shut.
Here it is on my pants I wore it on today after I made it. The light is a AAx2 3 watt LED Maglite, and the leather case for it I got new in the package for $.50 at Goodwill. The folder is a new 4th gen Spyderco Endura (my first Spyderco) with SS scales that I got recently ($41 new) that I love.
It would have been a lot easier to make this at home and use a drill to make the holes for sewing, and a vise to hold the sheath while I sew it. I had to improvise the cheap easy way, and it was hard but it worked great. Instead, I used a nail of the proper size to make the holes, and used my hatchet for a hammer. So I didnt damage my kitchen table that I was doing it on, I did my work on a large stack of old newspapers. I could hammer the nail all the way through, and the papers were so thick it couldnt hurt anything. The newspaper also gave with pressure, so it made a good impact absorption from the blows.
I choose to make a pouch sheath, because its the easiest kind to make for a beginner. I glued the LV covering on, then I sewed it all around the edge to make sure it wouldnt come apart. The nail I used was a little too small. I found the leather hole would quickly shrink when I took the nail out. It was very difficult to sew a saddle stitch through a small hole. My hands ached and weakened from the work. A little way through I thought to use pliers to both hold the nail so I would drive it straight and not hit my fingers when the small slippery hatchet head missed the nail. I also thought to use it to help pull the needle through when it was too tight. I broke 4 needles. I later learned to gentle pull, wiggle, and rotate to not break them as easily.
I made the loop so it fits my belt exactly.
Here you can see the welt I cut for it so it wouldnt cut through the stitches. I glued it in place and clamped it until it was dry.
Then I folded it over and glued the other side, and clamped it until it was dry. Then I hammered the nail through to make holes, and then sewed it together.
I think its pretty neat, and not too bad for a 1st sheath. Next Id like to try making a Shaker or Swamp Warden pocket sheath, and a heavy-duty sling (rock throwing kind) with 550 cord for string.
I looked in several stores for brown leather dye, (to match my Muddy GW) but I couldnt find any. So instead, I scalped one of my Moms broken purses that she was going to throw away and planned to use it for the outside layer of my sheath. I thought it matched the muddy colors and the rivets nicely. For those unfamiliar with the pattern, it is a Louis Vuitton pattern, which is an expensive French designer company.
I later compared the waxed thread I used (from Hobby Lobby) to my other professional made sheaths, and mine is MUCH thicker, so it should be VERY strong.
The green stuff on the edge is from the old green cotton washcloth that I used to apply Ren Wax with to the leather edge. I can buff it out later. I also Ren Waxed the outside of the sheath, and the inside before I sewed it shut.
Here it is on my pants I wore it on today after I made it. The light is a AAx2 3 watt LED Maglite, and the leather case for it I got new in the package for $.50 at Goodwill. The folder is a new 4th gen Spyderco Endura (my first Spyderco) with SS scales that I got recently ($41 new) that I love.
It would have been a lot easier to make this at home and use a drill to make the holes for sewing, and a vise to hold the sheath while I sew it. I had to improvise the cheap easy way, and it was hard but it worked great. Instead, I used a nail of the proper size to make the holes, and used my hatchet for a hammer. So I didnt damage my kitchen table that I was doing it on, I did my work on a large stack of old newspapers. I could hammer the nail all the way through, and the papers were so thick it couldnt hurt anything. The newspaper also gave with pressure, so it made a good impact absorption from the blows.
I choose to make a pouch sheath, because its the easiest kind to make for a beginner. I glued the LV covering on, then I sewed it all around the edge to make sure it wouldnt come apart. The nail I used was a little too small. I found the leather hole would quickly shrink when I took the nail out. It was very difficult to sew a saddle stitch through a small hole. My hands ached and weakened from the work. A little way through I thought to use pliers to both hold the nail so I would drive it straight and not hit my fingers when the small slippery hatchet head missed the nail. I also thought to use it to help pull the needle through when it was too tight. I broke 4 needles. I later learned to gentle pull, wiggle, and rotate to not break them as easily.
I made the loop so it fits my belt exactly.
Here you can see the welt I cut for it so it wouldnt cut through the stitches. I glued it in place and clamped it until it was dry.
Then I folded it over and glued the other side, and clamped it until it was dry. Then I hammered the nail through to make holes, and then sewed it together.
I think its pretty neat, and not too bad for a 1st sheath. Next Id like to try making a Shaker or Swamp Warden pocket sheath, and a heavy-duty sling (rock throwing kind) with 550 cord for string.
. I like the endura pic as well, my new favorite EDC since I got it a day or two ago. The SS handles make it feel like a tank.