leather and carbon steel together?

G

GRapp

Joined
Nov 14, 2022
Messages
197
Please correct me if I'm wrong but I recall reading here once that a leather sheath is not recommended for a carbon blade such as 1084, yea or nay?
 
Here is from cpirtle cpirtle / one of our best sheath makers, on the subject. In a nutshell, you can safely use leather for high carbon steel, but for long term storage, both Kydex and leather are bad.

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Cool & thanks. I'm buying a few leather sheaths then. The knife in question is one of my first and I intend to use it whittling deer and hogs into something edible. It will sit many months at a time in a bag that goes to the woods with me, so almost entirely indoors/climate controlled. I always give my knives a light oil after a gutting/processing session because I thoroughly wash them after with soap and warm water. I think I'll be ok using leather.
 
Besides condensation and the sheath absorbing sweat and rain, ... the leather itself is the culprit.

Leather is hygroscopic. Unless treated/sealed with an oil or other moisture repelling material it will absorb moisture from the air to some degree. This is why a leather apron hung on the wall in a shop may grow mildew.
Applying a finish to the outside of the sheath won't coat the inside unless the sheath is fully immersed in the protectant. Some folks do exactly that for knives that will be used in areas of high water/moisture risk. If you only finish the outside of the sheath the leather inside may slowly absorb moisture and lead to rust spots. The vast majority of sheaths have no inner treatment of the leather. This creates a place where moisture can be absorbed but can't evaporate through the sheath and leave from the outside. The moisture is trapped between the blade and the sealed outside of the sheath.

Another source of moisture and rust is our own fault. After dressing or gutting game, how many of us have washed a blade off in a stream or pan of water, wiped it off on our pants leg, and stuck it back in the sheath. Maybe you didn't even wash it off and just wiped it off and stuck it back in the sheath. The small amount of water and blood left on the blade surface will almost surely come back to visit you as a rust spot or two.

The type and quality of leather used to make the sheath also matters a lot. Good quality veg tanned leather from a known source is the way to assure best results. A fellow like Horsewright could save thousands a year buying cheaper leather, but he buys from a source he knows and relies on their quality.
Chrome tanning and other chemical processes may leave chemicals in the leather that will form acids when moisture gets in the leather and make corrosion spots on the blade.

So, how do you store a blade for a longer time (moths)? - In a zippered knife pouch. Good pouches have two elastic straps on one outer side to hold the sheath while the pouch safely and securely stores the knife.

Also, you have to consider the conditions of where the knife is stored and used.
In the Pacific Northwest the humidity and rainfall make for a tough time on carbon steel knives and leather sheaths. If not cleaned and oiled and stored out of the sheath in a dry location, a carbon steel knife may rust badly in a short time, especially if left sheathed.
The Southwest desert areas are dryer and warmer and a knife might be found in a barn that has sat in the sheath for decades and still has a shine on the blade.
 
Stacy is absolutely right. Quality of leather matters greatly. As a simple rule of thumb carry in a sheath and store, not in the sheath. I have cowboy/rancher customers in areas where it literally rains everyday. They won't carry anything but high carbon steel in a leather sheath. In fact I tried to talk one of them into AEB-L. The answer : "No Mr Dave."
 
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GRapp said:
Cool & thanks. I'm buying a few leather sheaths then. The knife in question is one of my first and I intend to use it whittling deer and hogs into something edible. It will sit many months at a time in a bag that goes to the woods with me, so almost entirely indoors/climate controlled. I always give my knives a light oil after a gutting/processing session because I thoroughly wash them after with soap and warm water. I think I'll be ok using leather.
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There is lots of info on building leather sheaths here on BF. Check out Sheaths and Such.
 
Mr. Dave, you're correct about making sheaths, obviously we've all seen your top notch work. However, I'm still getting my feet under me making knives and don't want to take on another craft just yet. I would if my full time job didn't crowd my schedule so badly, and my wife is adamant about me keeping it. Would you expect the leather sheaths sold by McMaster (made in USA) to be veg or chrome tanned, or is it impossible to guess?
 
GRapp said:
Mr. Dave, you're correct about making sheaths, obviously we've all seen your top notch work. However, I'm still getting my feet under me making knives and don't want to take on another craft just yet. I would if my full time job didn't crowd my schedule so badly, and my wife is adamant about me keeping it. Would you expect the leather sheaths sold by McMaster (made in USA) to be veg or chrome tanned, or is it impossible to guess?
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Gotcha and understand. Just out of the shop for three days myself. That's like a round the world cruise for me. Life definitely gets in the way sometimes. I went on their website (where I get my drill bits), and looked. I would guess, cause they sure as heck don't give ya much info or even a decent pic, that they are very inexpensive veg tan. What we often joke about being compressed leather fibers. Ya might check Jantz Knife Supply, they have a larger selection too. Made in the USA and veg tan according to the description.
 
The two major USA tanneries are Wickett and Craig as well as Herman Oak. I prefer the W&C for a variety of reasons. There are numerous suppliers. The Hide House carries both as does Maker’s Leather Supply. Maker’s will sell smaller pieces and the Hide House has sides which is the cheapest way of buying leather.
 
there's nothing I'd rather have against my carbon steel blade than a leather sheath I've made, except maybe a little camelia oil
 
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