Leather Sheath Workflow / SOP Thread

[J. Keeton]

So I've made two leather pouch sheaths so far... The major thing I've learned is that leather work was harder than I thought it was! And I spent the last few nights lying in bed thinking though what a proper workflow would look like... which resulted in more questions than answers (since I'm a total NOOB).

I'd like to use this thread to compile workflows or standard operating procedures for making leather sheaths. Step by step bullet-ed. For bonus points you can post a picture of the finished outcome of your workflow! (Edit after typing mine out and realizing the time involved... If you don't want to go though the time to type it all out; please feel free to critique mine! Any tips would be great!)

To start us off... This is the workflow I used to make my first two sheathes:

1. Design leather pouch template based on knife template.
   • Allowed for 1/8'' clearance between the spine of the knife and the center of the leather template
   • Allowed for 1/8'' clearance between the edge of the knife and the inside of the welt
2. Print template and trace out onto leather with either a pencil or an awl
3. Cut out template with a razor/knife
   • Also cut out welt, but leave the outer portion of the welt with extra meat on it
4. Use edging tool to round all the edges of the template.
5. Groove out the center of the inside of the sheath to help with folding
6. Reduce thickness with a knife of the "back end" of the tip of the belt loop
   • In an effort for it to lay flatter once affixed
   • The "back end" = end that will lay against the body of the sheath
7. Dampen the sheath and perform any stamping or tooling
8. Dye the sheath inside and out (but don't dye where you'll be gluing?)
   • On my first sheaths I used an alcohol based dye... I've since ordered Fiebing's Professional Oil Dye
9. Burnish the edges of the sheath
10. Use DAP WoodWeld contact cement to glue the belt loop tip to the body of the sheath then clamp it.
11. Once dry use a pricking iron and a ruler to mark out the hole placement of the belt loop
    • My stitching pattern was in the shape of a triangle
12. Once marked head on over to the drill press and drill out the holes.
13. Saddle stitch the belt loop tip to the body of the sheath
14. Use DAP WoodWeld contact cement to glue in welt to one side of the pouch sheath
    • Utilize a ton of little clamps with leather jaws to prevent marks
15. Once the contact cement is dry; wet the inside of the sheath with water to allow folding.
16. Fold the sheath and glue the free side to the welt with contact cement. Then Clamp
17. Mark stitch line with offset grooving tool
18. Use pricking iron to lay out holes then drill the holes out with the drill press
19. Make sure the holes are grove'd down (trenched) with the grooving tool so that the stitch sits low on both the back end and front of the sheath
20. Saddle stitch the holes and knot off at the bottom of the sheath on the inside.
21. Cut the excess welt martial and sand the profile with the belt sander
22. Wrap knife in cling wrap and masking tape
23. Wet the sheath in warm water then insert the knife
24. Press around the knife with your hand to wet form then leave to dry
25. Remove the knife then dye the exposed welt
26. Then burnish the edge with some wax
27. Then coat with Neatsfoot oil followed by Fiebing's Bag Kote Neutral

*Second sheath drying after wet forming:



*First sheath and second sheath


*Template:




Some questions that arose for me during the process:

• Do any of yall use the natural veg tan material without any dying for your sheath work?
• How long do yall leave the knife in the sheath while wet forming?
• When wet forming do yall just use your hands to press around the knife or do you utilize clamps?
  
• Will contact cement work just as well on dyed surfaces?
• Should the leather be 100% dry before applying any dyes?
• How long do yall normally wait to handle the sheath after dying?
• What would be the proper timing (and dry times) for applying neatsfoot oil and Bag Kote?
• Do any of yall dip dye the whole sheath after completion?

Cheers!
JKeeton

 

[Jrmysell]

I wait a full 24 hours between each coat of everything (wetting for the tooling, dye, sealant, etc...) You can glue to dyed leather. Just scuff both sides with sandpaper first.

 

[12345678910]

Paul Long videos

 

[Hengelo_77]

Use a folding bone and leave the knife in for a night. Let the sheath dry a bit more without the knife in it after that.

Have a look here:
https://bladeforums.com/forums/sheaths-such.820/

 

[Jrmysell]

Here are the steps I have I have printed this out and follow it on each sheath I do.

Leather Steps:

1. Case
2. Tool
3. Neetsfoot Oil
a. Let dry 24 hrs
4. Dye (cut 50/50 w/ dye reducer)
a. Let dry 24 hrs
5. Buff when dry with clean rag
6. Glue together
7. Slick flesh side with saddle soap (if needed)
8. Punch belt loops
9. Form sheath to knife
10. Edge Work
a. Sand
b. Edger
c. Wet
d. Glycerin Bar Soap
e. Hand Burnish
f. Saddle Soap
g. Machine Burnish
11. Dye Edges (cut 50/50 w/ dye reducer) (if needs it/if different color)
a. Let dry 24hrs
12. Resolene (cut 50/50 w/ DI water)
a. Let dry 24 hrs
13. Antique (cut 50/50 w/ Tan Kote)
a. Wipe off high spots immediately
b. Let dry 24 hrs
14. Resolene (cut 50/50 w/ DI water)
a. Let dry 24 hrs
15. Finish
a. Carnauba Crème
b. Paraffin wax on edges
c. Let dry overnight
16. Punch stitching holes
17. Stitch
a. Dye thread
b. Wax with “sticky wax”

Sticky wax:
2 parts beeswax, 1 part rosin, small bit neetsfoot oil

 

[Horsewright]

https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/pancake-sheaths-and-how-i-go-about-them-pic-heavy.1262927/

Kinda how I go about it.

So I've made two leather pouch sheaths so far... The major thing I've learned is that leather work was harder than I thought it was! And I spent the last few nights lying in bed thinking though what a proper workflow would look like... which resulted in more questions than answers (since I'm a total NOOB).

I'd like to use this thread to compile workflows or standard operating procedures for making leather sheaths. Step by step bullet-ed. For bonus points you can post a picture of the finished outcome of your workflow! (Edit after typing mine out and realizing the time involved... If you don't want to go though the time to type it all out; please feel free to critique mine! Any tips would be great!)

To start us off... This is the workflow I used to make my first two sheathes:

1. Design leather pouch template based on knife template.
   • Allowed for 1/8'' clearance between the spine of the knife and the center of the leather template
   • Allowed for 1/8'' clearance between the edge of the knife and the inside of the welt
2. Print template and trace out onto leather with either a pencil or an awl
3. Cut out template with a razor/knife
   • Also cut out welt, but leave the outer portion of the welt with extra meat on it
4. Use edging tool to round all the edges of the template.
5. Groove out the center of the inside of the sheath to help with folding
6. Reduce thickness with a knife of the "back end" of the tip of the belt loop
   • In an effort for it to lay flatter once affixed
   • The "back end" = end that will lay against the body of the sheath
7. Dampen the sheath and perform any stamping or tooling
8. Dye the sheath inside and out (but don't dye where you'll be gluing?)
   • On my first sheaths I used an alcohol based dye... I've since ordered Fiebing's Professional Oil Dye
9. Burnish the edges of the sheath
10. Use DAP WoodWeld contact cement to glue the belt loop tip to the body of the sheath then clamp it.
11. Once dry use a pricking iron and a ruler to mark out the hole placement of the belt loop
    • My stitching pattern was in the shape of a triangle
12. Once marked head on over to the drill press and drill out the holes.
13. Saddle stitch the belt loop tip to the body of the sheath
14. Use DAP WoodWeld contact cement to glue in welt to one side of the pouch sheath
    • Utilize a ton of little clamps with leather jaws to prevent marks
15. Once the contact cement is dry; wet the inside of the sheath with water to allow folding.
16. Fold the sheath and glue the free side to the welt with contact cement. Then Clamp
17. Mark stitch line with offset grooving tool
18. Use pricking iron to lay out holes then drill the holes out with the drill press
19. Make sure the holes are grove'd down (trenched) with the grooving tool so that the stitch sits low on both the back end and front of the sheath
20. Saddle stitch the holes and knot off at the bottom of the sheath on the inside.
21. Cut the excess welt martial and sand the profile with the belt sander
22. Wrap knife in cling wrap and masking tape
23. Wet the sheath in warm water then insert the knife
24. Press around the knife with your hand to wet form then leave to dry
25. Remove the knife then dye the exposed welt
26. Then burnish the edge with some wax
27. Then coat with Neatsfoot oil followed by Fiebing's Bag Kote Neutral

*Second sheath drying after wet forming:



*First sheath and second sheath


*Template:




Some questions that arose for me during the process:

• Do any of yall use the natural veg tan material without any dying for your sheath work?
• How long do yall leave the knife in the sheath while wet forming?
• When wet forming do yall just use your hands to press around the knife or do you utilize clamps?
  
• Will contact cement work just as well on dyed surfaces?
• Should the leather be 100% dry before applying any dyes?
• How long do yall normally wait to handle the sheath after dying?
• What would be the proper timing (and dry times) for applying neatsfoot oil and Bag Kote?
• Do any of yall dip dye the whole sheath after completion?

Cheers!
JKeeton

Step 6 is called skiving. Literally just built a new skiver. Made one for our own shop and am shipping this one to a fellow BF member.

https://www.instagram.com/p/ByG368alGVn/

 

[J. Keeton]

Use a folding bone and leave the knife in for a night. Let the sheath dry a bit more without the knife in it after that.
Have a look here:
https://bladeforums.com/forums/sheaths-such.820/

Son of a gun... didn't know this forum existed. Thanks!

Here are the steps I have I have printed this out and follow it on each sheath I do.

Thanks for this!

https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/pancake-sheaths-and-how-i-go-about-them-pic-heavy.1262927/
Kinda how I go about it.
Step 6 is called skiving. Literally just built a new skiver. Made one for our own shop and am shipping this one to a fellow BF member.
https://www.instagram.com/p/ByG368alGVn/

Thanks Horsewright , really love your work!

 

[Horsewright]

So I've made two leather pouch sheaths so far... The major thing I've learned is that leather work was harder than I thought it was! And I spent the last few nights lying in bed thinking though what a proper workflow would look like... which resulted in more questions than answers (since I'm a total NOOB).

I'd like to use this thread to compile workflows or standard operating procedures for making leather sheaths. Step by step bullet-ed. For bonus points you can post a picture of the finished outcome of your workflow! (Edit after typing mine out and realizing the time involved... If you don't want to go though the time to type it all out; please feel free to critique mine! Any tips would be great!)

To start us off... This is the workflow I used to make my first two sheathes:

1. Design leather pouch template based on knife template.
   • Allowed for 1/8'' clearance between the spine of the knife and the center of the leather template
   • Allowed for 1/8'' clearance between the edge of the knife and the inside of the welt
2. Print template and trace out onto leather with either a pencil or an awl
3. Cut out template with a razor/knife
   • Also cut out welt, but leave the outer portion of the welt with extra meat on it
4. Use edging tool to round all the edges of the template.
5. Groove out the center of the inside of the sheath to help with folding
6. Reduce thickness with a knife of the "back end" of the tip of the belt loop
   • In an effort for it to lay flatter once affixed
   • The "back end" = end that will lay against the body of the sheath
7. Dampen the sheath and perform any stamping or tooling
8. Dye the sheath inside and out (but don't dye where you'll be gluing?)
   • On my first sheaths I used an alcohol based dye... I've since ordered Fiebing's Professional Oil Dye
9. Burnish the edges of the sheath
10. Use DAP WoodWeld contact cement to glue the belt loop tip to the body of the sheath then clamp it.
11. Once dry use a pricking iron and a ruler to mark out the hole placement of the belt loop
    • My stitching pattern was in the shape of a triangle
12. Once marked head on over to the drill press and drill out the holes.
13. Saddle stitch the belt loop tip to the body of the sheath
14. Use DAP WoodWeld contact cement to glue in welt to one side of the pouch sheath
    • Utilize a ton of little clamps with leather jaws to prevent marks
15. Once the contact cement is dry; wet the inside of the sheath with water to allow folding.
16. Fold the sheath and glue the free side to the welt with contact cement. Then Clamp
17. Mark stitch line with offset grooving tool
18. Use pricking iron to lay out holes then drill the holes out with the drill press
19. Make sure the holes are grove'd down (trenched) with the grooving tool so that the stitch sits low on both the back end and front of the sheath
20. Saddle stitch the holes and knot off at the bottom of the sheath on the inside.
21. Cut the excess welt martial and sand the profile with the belt sander
22. Wrap knife in cling wrap and masking tape
23. Wet the sheath in warm water then insert the knife
24. Press around the knife with your hand to wet form then leave to dry
25. Remove the knife then dye the exposed welt
26. Then burnish the edge with some wax
27. Then coat with Neatsfoot oil followed by Fiebing's Bag Kote Neutral

*Second sheath drying after wet forming:



*First sheath and second sheath


*Template:




Some questions that arose for me during the process:

• Do any of yall use the natural veg tan material without any dying for your sheath work?
• How long do yall leave the knife in the sheath while wet forming?
• When wet forming do yall just use your hands to press around the knife or do you utilize clamps?
  
• Will contact cement work just as well on dyed surfaces?
• Should the leather be 100% dry before applying any dyes?
• How long do yall normally wait to handle the sheath after dying?
• What would be the proper timing (and dry times) for applying neatsfoot oil and Bag Kote?
• Do any of yall dip dye the whole sheath after completion?

Cheers!
JKeeton

I'm sorry got so dazed on the SOP (my mind doesn't work that way) that I didn't see the questions at the bottom.

1) Yes I only use natural veg tan on sheaths. And I almost won't dye a sheath. The darker ones in this pic are Wicket and Craig russet saddle leather the lighter ones are Herman Oak. All have just been oiled with warm neatsfoot oil.

I almost won't dye a sheath. This is so known around my hood that this guy (a retired judge who helps us on the ranch) wanted a black sheath for this knife for dress up:

He literally dropped off the knife, a check for the sheath and a bottle of Laphroaig single malt whiskey as a bribe to get me to dye the sheath. I use to dye sheaths but after some thousands out there, getting used hard, I noticed that dyed sheaths had approximately half the life span as oiled sheaths. Dyed sheaths will crack. I've got an old one on my workbench right now for an old knife with a cracked handle that I'm repairing. The leather is about worn through from use, abrasion, cowboying and life. But its not cracked. A dyed one would be. I've just seen too many. If you want a darker color do what Paul Long does (Sheathmaker here on BF). You can buy drum dyed, at the tannery, veg tan leather, in black, brown, chestnut mahogany and other colors. Both Herman Oak and Wicket and Craig offer these. These leathers will make you a great sheath, work and tool just like regular veg tan and you have the color without the dye problems. Springfield will sell you small pieces of this in Herman Oak so ya don't have to buy a side. Paul keeps several sides in several colors on hand all the time.

2) Wet forming just a couple of minutes. Just enough to do the forming.

3) I use a stick of ligum vitae that I've rounded the corners off and sanded smooth. These two sheaths are both oak carved so I only wet from the back.

On tooled sheaths ya don't want to do any wet forming on the front or you will squish your tooling:

4) Yes. I use Weldwood (green can not the red can), from Home Depot and it will stick to dyed leather.

5) Opinions vary here. But I dye stuff after its dried. I will still dye holsters on occasion and spur straps. They don't crack for some reason like a sheath will go figure, cause I don't know why.

6) Couple hours and another advantage of getting the pre dyed veg tan is no dye transfer. I recently threw away two brand new holsters from our stock that we have for shows. It was actually three holsters that were affected. A black one had done some dye transfer to two others while in its storage bin. Tossed the black one, gave one of the regular ones away and tossed the other. Two of these guys:

I'm really, really, close to not dyeing anything. And I tossed the black one out of pure spite.

7) I oil all my sheaths LIGHTLY (did I mention lightly) after they come out of the oven. I know heresy, but I bake all my sheaths in the oven for 3 hours on 178 degrees. No I really do.

The recipe is very specific and if you don't follow it you will get sheath jerky. Don't make sheath jerky. I start out on 4 sheets of card stock face of the sheath up. I set a timer and flip at one hour, set a timer again and flip back at the start of the third hour. Set a timer again and pull the sheaths and oil them with warm pure neatsfoot oil (not the compound) that I've preheated in a dedicated crockpot. After oiling:

They are set on the kitchen counter overnight. This allows the oil to "set".

Next morning I'll rub edges and apply finish.

8) if you are gonna dye, thats the best method. However a lot of folks like contrasting stitching not the same color as the sheath. So dipping doesn't work if thats the look you are going for.

 

[J. Keeton]

I'm sorry got so dazed on the SOP (my mind doesn't work that way) that I didn't see the questions at the bottom.

Horsewright ... you're DA MAN. thanks for the wealth of information in this post! Really helps the raw beginner like myself! Your photography is also 100% on point.

 

[Horsewright]

Horsewright ... you're DA MAN. thanks for the wealth of information in this post! Really helps the raw beginner like myself! Your photography is also 100% on point.

Ya bet and thanks for the kind words.