Leather sheath question...

[El_Toro]

I'm making a sheath for my ZTBM and I was wondering what type of glue/adhesive all of you leather workers use? Rubber cement, crazy glue, something else? I know that Tandy Leather has different adhesives they sell for this task, but are they just relabeled products that I can pick up cheaper at my local hardware store?

Thanks in advance and now for the gratuitous knife pic!

 

[Ken C.]

Nothing beats Barge Cement. I have been using it since I started making sheaths 4 years ago. I won't use anything else.

 

[El_Toro]

Does barge cement dry pretty quick, or is it best to let it sit overnight?

 

[Ken C.]

It dries pretty quick. To get the best adhesion you have to coat both sides thinly and let it dry up for about 30 seconds before attaching them together. I once made a whole sheath using just Barge cement. No stiching in it at all. It held up very well and it is still in use after 3 years.

 

[El_Toro]

Thanks for your help! I'm off tomorrow, so hopefully my local hardware store of Home Depot carries it.

 

[leatherman]

I use contact cement, the stuff in the can in the adhesives dept at Wally World. Its basically the same stuff as Barge without the high cost, but with a higher smell content. Dont use it in a small room, it will knock you flat out. I think the brand is Weldwood.

 

[El_Toro]

Ok, now I have a couple more questions . This is the first sheath that I am using dye on. After the dye has dried, will it bleed when I wet mold the sheath? I am using a green leather leather dye that I picked up from Tandy. After applying it, the color is very dark, almost black. Will the color lighten up a bit after drying?

 

[Cutshaw]

I use contact cement, the stuff in the can in the adhesives dept at Wally World. Its basically the same stuff as Barge without the high cost, but with a higher smell content.

That is the same thing I use... you probably told me to in the first place.

Dont use it in a small room, it will knock you flat out. I think the brand is Weldwood.

I thought that was an enhanced feature, not something to warn others about??

 

[Ken C.]

Rule #1: Wet mold first then dye! It is possible that the colors could run and cause uneven streaks in your sheath.

 

[El_Toro]

Do you dye the inside of the sheath as well? Should have posted here first, I already dyed it!

 

[Ken C.]

Do you dye the inside of the sheath as well? Should have posted here first, I already dyed it!

After my sheath is molded and dried I dip the whole sheath in a metal pan that I keep the dye in. This allows the inside to get dyed. I let the sheath dry for 24 hours before I glue and stitch.

 

[Progunner]

I use Barge cement as well. I have heard you can use Gorilla Glue, but I like Barge myself. When I run out, I might try that stuff you're talking about Dwayne, no wait I boycott Wally World so I guess I'll have to look elsewhere. Should we tell El Toro about the sheath making forum you know where?

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