Lefty or Righty?

U

unky_gumbi

Joined
Aug 28, 2009
Messages
7,951
Being one of the minority lefties in this great big world, I find that right now everything I make has a left handed sheath and if I sell it I need to make a right handed sheath.

How do you cope with this, do you just make the knife and wait till its sold to make the sheath or do you make all your sheaths right handed? The only time I haven't come up against this is for the knife I gave away for my 1000th post and the one I am working on right now. The giveaway knife was easy I made two with the same profile and I new one was for me so I made one left handed sheath and waited to find out if the other was going to a righty or a lefty. And the one I am working on now is pre sold so I know that person is right handed, I am also making an ambidextrous kydex sheath for it so even if they back out of the sale I can still carry the knife.
 
Most of the time I try to wait untill I find out before I make a sheath.It helps if you have some example pictures though even if they are for the wrong side.
 
Cater to right handed people until you have somebody specifically request something for the left.

In the last 14 years I've only had 1 person ask for something different because they were left handed. It was an elk antler handled hunter made so the natural curve of the antler cradled into the left hand.

And actually... that was on my recommendation since I'm left handed. ;) :)

Oh, and don't forget--- Left handed people are smarter. ;) :D And better looking.
 
Most the time unless I screw up and make the sheath left handed I go with the right. Since most left hander's have had to deal with most things being made for right hander's I feel most have adapted to the right handed world. On a few orders I have made left handed sheaths for right hander's.
 
I used to wait until the piece was sold to make the sheath.... then I wised up.. ;) I found that if a lefty was interested in one, but the sheath or handle config was wrong, I could get another order out of it. Nothing crooked about it, of course. Folks like it when you offer to make something specifically for them. That way I can keep my righty up for sale and go about making a lefty without rushing or the pressure of a sale resting on it.

All these knives without sheaths would drive me crazy.... then you make a sale and have to drop everything to make a sheath... no thanks.

Rick
 
I don't have a sheath ready for sale with my knives. I found like you that many wanted a lefty or did not want one at all. I have probably had 5 people walk away from a deal when I do not have the sheath on the table. If they want one I will gladly facilitate getting it to a reputable sheath maker to have one made.
 
I know we are a minority out there, but up until recently I have only been making knives for myself hence everything being left handed. I had a couple people look at my knives and walk away because they had left handed sheaths:(. I guess that I am going to have to make a conscious effort to think wrong handed for the next little bit till I get some knives built for the rest of the world.

Oh, and don't forget--- Left handed people are smarter. And better looking.
Click to expand...

Not only that left handed people are usually more artistic:p
 
I'm left handed and when I made a lot of sheath knives as Nick said, I catered to the right handed people and made special orders for the left.
Ken.
 
I make Kydex sheaths for mine and the loop can be mounted for left, right, or cross draw. It maybe not be a nice as leather but sure is flexible and fast to draw. Also you don't have to worry about the blade being tarnished from a owner storing it in leather. Kydex is fast and easy to mold and only about $6 per sq foot.
 
If you make a right hand sheath it could be called a cross draw for a lefty, a left hand sheath could be a right hand cross draw. Or is it...uh..uh, oh, forget it!:)

Dave
 
David Stifle said:
If you make a right hand sheath it could be called a cross draw for a lefty, a left hand sheath could be a right hand cross draw. Or is it...uh..uh, oh, forget it!:)

Dave
Click to expand...

It takes the same handed sheath to make for a cross draw, I tried just to make sure, unless you want to draw with the edge up
 
My solution in a bouth.
shortbush1.jpg
 
Well, being a lefty myself I find that I'm getting tired of adapting to a right handed world and will not buy a knife that is set up for right handed carry only. I either buy if the sheath isn't made yet or if it's a lefty or ambi carry, period.
 
It's heartening to see so many left-handed makers. :) It's tough being a southpaw and I'll check out some of your work right now!
 
I am obviously a newbie at this, but so far I've generally held off on a sheath. I make it on request and bias it to match what they want. So far that has been all right handed designs, but one included the consideration for carry as a neck knife and another was setup for horizontal carry as a right hander's cross draw. That one would easily have adapted to a traditional right hand setup or right hand cross draw if the buyer changed the loop type.

Since I only do kydex for now it is not a big delay to make a sheath after the purchase. I'm still not as good at it as I'd like, but the process itself is not terribly time consuming and it isn't like leather work where there are enforced delays for glues, dyes and wet forming. I'd really like to get into leather work, but for now it has to wait.
 
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