Loose scabbards

L

Longtime

Joined
Apr 27, 2001
Messages
69
(No, this is not a medical question !)
Does anybody know a good remedy for loose scabbards ? I have a number of khuks where the scabbard has grown loose with time, and one or two that were just made that way.
I'm not happy taking a knife out into the field unless it sits nice and tight in the scabbard when you turn it upside down.

Rich
 
Rich, they say you can soak the scabbards in water and the leather will draw up as it dries. I'm not 100% sold on this being the case. I think the quick and dirty (and pretty fool-proof) way is to take a piece of leather and glue it into the mouth of the scabbard as a shim. Other's probably have a lot better methods than that, but it works for me.

Jake
 
I like loose scabbards. When I am hiking and clearing brush I like the one handed operation that a loose fit in a scabbard achieves. The weight of the blade alone will hold it in there most of the time unless you are standing on your head.
 
I've some loose ones as well. I'm not happy with a too tight scabbard, though. I don't like the delay in pulling the blade out.

I've never been upside down in the wilderness with a khuk on. The curve of the blade will hold them in during most circumstances.

I've tried the water soak and it never lasted. I wonder if there is a paint one might apply inside the scabbard?

The scabbards I've seen recently were great, except for the bad run of Sher Special scabbards which were too darn tight.


munk
 
Yep, there is certainly a happy balance - i don't like them too tight either. Quite happy wet-forming sheaths, but always figured that soaking one of these might lead to the wrong parts of the wood to tighten up and snag the blade.
Jake - i recon the quick & dirty leather strip will do for me - as i say, this is a fix for users not PRECIOUS knives.
Thanks all.

Rich
 
personally, if was was really worried, i'd tie some paracord around the frog, and leave the ends to dangle when not used, but you could flip them up and around the handle, and tie a slip know/bow as you like.

another method, harder to describe, but you'll figure it out: take a piece of cord or leater, fold in half, place the half way point on the outside of the handle while sheathed, pull the loose ends around and to the back to see where they should go, now loosen the frog, drop the ends through, and tighten back up some. got it? to free the knife, pull up on the loop, voila, to tighten, grab the loose ends and pull down. feel free to make them just long enough to have plenty of play, and put a figure eight stopper knot on the end of each, so they don't pull out. you can tighten the frog down more or less to adjust the tension. "jump ready" ;)

bladite
 
I have not gotten my scabbards wet. It would make me very nervous to do so. I've heard you guys talking about it before, but haven't tried it. I'd rather loose anyway.
 
Bladite - sounds ingenious. Don't have a knife to hand at the moment to try it on, but think i can picture what you're describing. Will give it a try and get back to you. Thanks.

Rich
 
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