KABAR sheath for friend at work

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Apr 27, 2008
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A friend at work has his father's KABAR fighting knife. The sheath he says, is pretty shot. Made this one for him so he can enjoy the blade while fishing. Still a work in progress:


Used white leather. dying it dark brown:




























 
Nice work. I really like the front pocket /tin holder and the retention strap.
 
Wow, that's pretty sweet! Your friend should be VERY happy... I'm jealous I don't have any friends like you where I work!

Question for the leather workers out there: how do you prevent the dye from coming off the leather after it's applied? I've heard/seen of people using beeswax but was just curious about the process.

Stitching looks very professional, by the way.
 
:thumbup:

borat-very-nice.jpg
 
Thanks all.

Wow, that's pretty sweet! Your friend should be VERY happy... I'm jealous I don't have any friends like you where I work!

Question for the leather workers out there: how do you prevent the dye from coming off the leather after it's applied? I've heard/seen of people using beeswax but was just curious about the process.

Stitching looks very professional, by the way.

There are a few ways to accomplish that. You can use the topcoat 'sheens' found here: http://www.tandyleather.com/en-usd/home/department/leather-dye/leather-finish/leather-finish.aspx or use plain beeswax. I use a beeswax/boiled linseed oil/turpentine mixture as my topcoat as a waterproofer. It goes on like chapstick and I use a heat gun on LOW to melt it into the leather. Use a polishing cloth afterward to remove excess and "drips." Never had the dye 'rub off' after applying it.

As to the stitching, thanks. I use a stitch groove and then a pricking iron [aka thonging chisel] to space and line up the holes.

stitch groove
http://www.tandyleather.com/en-usd/search/searchresults/88081-00.aspx

chisel
http://www.tandyleather.com/en-usd/search/searchresults/88040-04.aspx

Also...

The "thread" isn't thread at all. It's the thinnest diameter of tarred bank line I could find.
 
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Good work. I like the retention strap on that one. :thumbup:

thanks. I hate a retention strap on the edge-side of the sheath. I always end up cutting it while drawing or seating the blade. That's why I mounted it on the spine side.
 
Great job. I'm sure your friend will love it.

On another note, those photos drove me NUTS when I saw how you're treating that beautiful old quarter sawn oak table! If I lived closer to PA I'd break in and rescue it and replace it with some practical, soulless, particle board number from Ikea! Seriously man, cover that top with glass or something. Please!
 
Great job. I'm sure your friend will love it.

On another note, those photos drove me NUTS when I saw how you're treating that beautiful old quarter sawn oak table! If I lived closer to PA I'd break in and rescue it and replace it with some practical, soulless, particle board number from Ikea! Seriously man, cover that top with glass or something. Please!

LOL. thanks and the table isn't exactly made how you think. It's actually veneered [original] and while you are correct that it is very old, it was also ruined many years ago by my sister. She took a chunk right out of the side...that and...my father did an impressively moronic move....

He stored the 4...yes four...2' x 4' leaves in the basement along an uncoated cement wall......that wept when it rained....and all 4 leaves were rotted to the core when I went to find them after I got the table. The table alone is 4' x 4' and with the leaves, became a 4' x 12' banquet table with a 5th leg in the center. To make you even more sick to your stomach, the castors on the legs are wooden rollers riveted into the metal braces.

If I think of it, I'll get pics of the table, legs and castors later on.
 
Ah man you're killing me. I guess if the table is destroyed then at least you're still getting some use out of it rather than sending it to the dump. Thanks for the backstory.
 
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