I tried making a pattern

KYenglish

KYenglish

Joined
Nov 26, 2010
Messages
7,567
hey all,

I'm not a great sheath maker, luckily I only really make them for myself, still I decided to try and do it "properly" and started form the beginning by sketching out a pattern and placing that pattern on cardboard and then that cardboard onto leather.



I know I still have a lot to learn and practice in other areas but i was a little disappointed in my pattern attempt because for me it make a sheath just a touch to big for the knife, it fits and hold the knife but I'ma fan of "only as big as it needs to be" and I seem to have overestimated how much of a margin I needed around the Jk iris knife.



Maybe I'm just being a little picky because I like the knife a lot and was hoping to put it into rotation already, i may wait till I have the time to really make a carry system I like first though :(



On thing i have learned form having sheaths made by actually sheath makers around here is that the carry system really can make or break a knife for me now.

Anyway, thought I'd post it here, seemed to be the right place, thanks for looking
 
I don't know...it doesn't look too bad to me. How is the fit for the knife? Does the knife have a good retention in the sheath? It looks like there is a sufficient amount of handle to grab the knife by.

I like it!
 
Thanks Glennbad!

Like I say, it's as good as my fit and finish ever egts so far and it fits the knife snuggly, I just feel it could be smaller, there is a large space between the edge of the knife and the edge fo the sheath, in otehr words, like I said, picky, but I sometimes feeel like it "downs the knife"
 
I struggled a lot with my first and only sheath. I really didn't want to waste leather. I must have made more than half a dozen actual patterns out of bubble plastic lined envelops. In the end I did cut the piece slightly large and had to trim it. What helped me get it waaaay down was drawing the welt about 1/8" from the blade edge, then making the welt itself about 3/8" wide. Next time I'll make it about 1/4". The point is that the welt itself helped me dictate the size of the body of the sheath. Hopefully that makes sense.

I like the sheath. I totally understand where you're coming from. I'll probably buy into Kydex sheath making but not for the bushcraft knives that I'm currently making sheaths for.
 
Well there's nothing else to do but make another one , and another one , and another one :)
Then after a while you will realise that the sheaths mean more to you than the knives .
When that realisation takes place you are condemned and sentenced to a life of enjoyment and creativity .

Nice sheath by the way . I don't make fixed blade sheaths but I would think the position and shape of the welt determines the fit ?

Ken
 
I think it isn't a bad sheath, but it needs to make you happy. I was unhappy with my work for a long time.

Lets hear about the specifics on how you are making your pattern? Do you have a pic of the original pattern? That way we can help you in the right direction.

I had a really hard time fitting sheaths when I started, and I still have to make an extra sheath every now and then when I have a different shaped handle, like the knife I am working on now...

I could have some pointers because I struggled with this so much and had to think about it for a while, but I would need to hear how you go about making the original pattern.
 
1. start with 1/4" graph paper (Wal-Mart) and put horizontal line down the middle.
this will become the vertical center of your sheath.

2./3. Lay your knife along the line about +/- 1/2" to 3/4" per photo. Trace very accurately all the way around the knife.

4. Determine the depth you want knife into the sheath, Draw line across sheath pattern at this point.

5. Determine the inner margin of the welt as shown. Generally about 1/8" clearance.

6. Determine the outer margin of the sheath as shown. I use a standard 1/2" for welt width and carry that all the way around. It can narrow some as you start up the spine of the knife.

7. Fold the pattern in half on the vertical line. Be exact!!! Trace the other side of the sheath to come up with the results in photo 8.

9. Determine location of belt loop. Count the 1/4" squares from the horizontal depth line up the loop. About 4" is what I use generally.

10. Put in the two curves of the loop, blending into the body of the sheath.

11. Determine inlay window if there is to be an inlay. Also note position of welt wedge if there needs to be one.

12. This pattern contains all the parts and pieces and other information you will need to make this sheath, and since you know exactly where you started you can adjust if there happened to be a mistake.

All this is covered in real time with live demonstration in my "Basic Pouch Sheaths" DVD.

I hope this will be of some help to you!


Edit to add: There are supposed to be 8 photos with this, that did not copy (or I'm not smart enough to copy) If you have sufficient interest, email me and I will forward it to you with the photos. I hope you are not on dial up!





Paul Long
108 Briarwood Ln. W
Kerrville, TX 78028-9311
830 367 5536 pfl@cebridge.net
 
Last edited:
harronek said:
Well there's nothing else to do but make another one , and another one , and another one :)
Then after a while you will realise that the sheaths mean more to you than the knives .
When that realisation takes place you are condemned and sentenced to a life of enjoyment and creativity .

Nice sheath by the way . I don't make fixed blade sheaths but I would think the position and shape of the welt determines the fit ?

Ken
Click to expand...
thanks harronek, like the welt matters, and is thick enough to mae the knife snug, I just think I could have made it thinner and thus the sheath thinner.

TheWeatherman said:
I think it isn't a bad sheath, but it needs to make you happy. I was unhappy with my work for a long time.

Lets hear about the specifics on how you are making your pattern? Do you have a pic of the original pattern? That way we can help you in the right direction.

I had a really hard time fitting sheaths when I started, and I still have to make an extra sheath every now and then when I have a different shaped handle, like the knife I am working on now...

I could have some pointers because I struggled with this so much and had to think about it for a while, but I would need to hear how you go about making the original pattern.
Click to expand...

I'll get on taking some picture, I traced the knife, and drew a pattern around that, then used that paper pattern to make a cardboard pattern, basically. :)


sheathmaker said:
1. start with 1/4" graph paper (Wal-Mart) and put horizontal line down the middle.
this will become the vertical center of your sheath.

2./3. Lay your knife along the line about +/- 12" per photo. Trace very accurately all the way around the knife.

4. Determine the depth you want knife into the sheath, Draw line across sheath pattern at this point.

5. Determine the inner margin of the welt as shown. Generally about 1/8" clearance.

6. Determine the outer margin of the sheath as shown. I use a standard 1/2" for welt width and carry that all the way around. It can narrow some as you start up the spine of the knife.

7. Fold the pattern in half on the vertical line. Be exact!!! Trace the other side of the sheath to come up with the results in photo 8.

9. Determine location of belt loop. Count the 1/4" squares from the horizontal depth line up the loop. That's what I use generally.

10. Put in the two curves of the loop, blending into the body of the sheath.

11. Determine inlay window if there is to be an inlay. Also note position of welt wedge if there needs to be one.

12. This pattern contains all the parts and pieces and other information you will need to make this sheath, and since you know exactly where you started you can adjust if there happened to be a mistake.

All this is covered in real time with live demonstration in my "Basic Pouch Sheaths" DVD.

I hope this will be of some help to you!


Edit to add: There are supposed to be 8 photos with this, that did not copy (or I'm not smart enough to copy) If you have sufficient interest, email me and I will forward it to you with the photos. I hope you are not on dial up!


Paul Long
108 Briarwood Ln. W
Kerrville, TX 78028-9311
830 367 5536 pfl@cebridge.net
Click to expand...

no dial up :) although we are on satellite on account of we're far enough out the lines dont' reach us :mad:

I'll send you an email for sure, thanks!
 
Update: I have been able to carry this one around the last few days and I really like the way it sits on the belt and against me as well. While it is a touch larger then I'd like it does hold the knife well and since it's a smaller knife the sheath is pretty small on the belt as well.

i'm going to be using this one A while before trying to make another at elast :)

thanks everyone for the help
 
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