Making a Mask for an Axe - Final.

[Diomedes Industries]

Purpose:

In this tutorial I will show you how I made an axe mask (some call it a sheath). for a Swedish made Boy's Axe that I refurbished. I chose this axe because the boys pattern is very common, the head pattern on this axe (Dayton) is very common, and the grind is from the factory (thus the radius of the axe blade as well as the thicknesses should be very common to similar axes). It would be very easy to use this basic mask for any axe that you would like to build a mask for.

Caveats:

There are many many ways to skin an axe - so please take all the advice and ideas in this thread as simply that - one way to make a mask. You can supplement nearly every step in this process with another way or another tool that will get you similar results.

I will give a list of everything I used to make this mask. It will seem daunting - but you do not need all of this stuff. I use it because it makes my life easier and I make quite a few leather goods for myself and others - and - frankly - I enjoy it. All of the stuff on this list cost me about 400 dollars (Leather included) but I could easily make 40 sheaths, masks, and other small leather projects with the amount of leather and materials listed. If you just want to make stuff for you - take a careful look at the tools you see me using once - and the tools you see me using a lot. Make your list from there.

Also - I give lists from Tandy - but they make hobbyist quality tools. If you are thinking this is something you would like to do - you may want to invest in better tooling from the beginning. Again, watch to see what tool I use a lot, and maybe invest in a better tool for that one. If you only use it a little (like a snap setter or something) then buy the cheaper model. Just wanted to state that I have no fealty to Tandy - nor do I think they are the only kid in town. They are a little more ubiquitous and so you could get your hands on some of their tools a little more easily than others. Just something to think about.

Resources to read or watch:

a) Two Books: How to Make Leather Cases Vol. 1 and The Art of Hand Sewing Leather by Al Stohlman

Although neither cover how to make an Axe Mask in particular they cover hand sewing and how to make all many cases from beginning to end. Many of these techniques will be used in the making an mask.


Leather and liquids: (Use all of this stuff in a well ventilated area).

a) 8-10 ounce Leather is what I used - I wish now it would have been thinner. Perhaps 6-8 ounces. I use quality leather from Wicket & Craig. It is worth buying the good stuff. They usually sell economy sides of leather for about 100 dollars - this would make about 40 or so sheaths - so going in with someone on leather might be a great idea. If not - get the BEST double shoulder of leather you can get from Tandy. However, if you are going to splurge on anything - let it be the leather.

b) I used Brown Leather Dye Feibing's - but you can use any color you would like - just use QUALITY dye whether it be oil based or spirit based.

c) Some sort of sealant. This is totally up to you - but I use my sheaths in the woods - so I want them to have as much water protection as I can get - without hindering the leather. I have found the best stuff to use is Montana Pitch Blend - Leather Dressing. This stuff is awesome for all leather sheaths. When conditioning and re-conditioning your other sheaths - this is a great choice. All natural and the 4 ounce tub has lasted me about 2 years.

d) Gum Tragacanth: This is a natural gum compound generally used in edging. I find with the Montana Pitch Blend it is not necessary - but it makes your edging SO shiny when done right. Get the smallest amount of this you can - a little goes a LONG way when edging.

e) Contact Cement. I use Weldwood Original Contact Cement.

f) Contact Cement Thinner DAP makes their own - if you cannot find it - get thinner with Toulene.

g) Some sort of Brush to brush on the contact cement. I would get two small bottles of Dap Contact cement and use one until it runs out - clean it - and use the brush in the cap of the empty bottle, half filled with cement thinner. This keeps your brush clean and able to be used when you need it. Simply clean off the thinner before you use the cement. I learned this trick from Chuck Burrows DVD (he can be found on Blade Forums as well).

h) Blue painters masking tape. This is used for the axe while I am test fitting or doing wet forming of any kind. As we all know a quality axe LOVES to rust - so if you leather is even a little damp (from dying or sealing) protect the edge. Get 3M and it will come off easy while protecting the blade.

Tools I used:

a) #2 or #1 Edger If you are going to buy one - get a #1.

b) Strap edge punch - I use a English Strap end - but you can use whatever you want (and this is not necessary). A simple tracing of the leather strap and a careful knife will produce the same result.

c) Safety Beveler (also known as a safety skiver)

d) A 13/64 hole punch - or you can buy a Maxi Punch set - so that you have a few extra holes you can choose from.

e) 000 Harness needle and 0 harness needles - you need one 000 and a bag of 0 Harness needles. .

f) Waxed Sewing awl thread. I used Natural thread to give it the sinew look.

g) A Drill Press. I use a inexpensive Asian drill press - I think it was 60 dollars new - it was donated to me by a buddy.

h) Adjustable Stitchgroover

i) Overstich Wheel - I am using a 5 Stitches Per Inch Wheel.

j) Bone Folder - This is not really necessary - as a bone or brass rod would allow you to do the same - but I use the bone folder for the straps a little more.

k) A bit of Antler for edging.

l) I use an automatic burnisher as well - this is a dowel made of hard wood (Cocobolo) that has been put to a lathe for specific strap sizes. This is certainly not necessary - but allows me to chuck it up in my Drill press and finish the edges quickly - but does not do a BETTER job than a bit of horn or the bone folder.

m) Any D-Ring's or other fitments you plan on adding to the mask. I often use removable D-Ring's on my sheath projects. (These can be purchased from www.hardwareelf.com)

n) 1/4 inch Chicago Screws (I use Nickle Plated)

o) Wool Daubers: Again - not necessary - you can 'dip' your sheaths in dye with the use of a tub of dye - but with these small sheaths - and done right - you can use these.

p) Freehand Groover: You could use just this instead of the guided one - but having both is nice.

q) Adjustable Strap Cutter. You don't need this - but it makes straps whatever size you want VERY easily. When you are making the strap's to hold the mask on the axe or belt loops for the mask - you simply cut a length of 1" strap and then use what you need. However, you can simply use a metal ruler and use a sharp knife to cut out 1" strapping.

r) A Sharp Nimble Knife. You need a good knife to make your initial cuts. I use a Bark River Mikro TUSK. However, I have seen Chuck Burrow's use simple utility knife for most of his cuts. And if you know Chuck's work - well it speaks for itself.

s) Granite Surface Plate. This is great for doing small tooling as well as setting your makers mark or any other work. I used it here for Skiving and other things.

t) Some sort of cutting surface. I use a plastic cutting board from a grocery store

u) Rivet Setter and #12 Rivets and #12 Rivets . You could use shorter rivets (I cut mine where I need them for multiple projects - so I buy them long. You could also use thicker rivets - but these rivets are not being used to hold the mask together, per se' (the stitching will do that) - they are being used to protect anyone who bumps the mask with the axe inside. A good axe will easily slice through a mask - the rivets protect others.

v) Two Spray bottles. One filled with Water - one filled with isopropyl alcohol

w) Adjustable V Gouge.

x) Metal straight edge ruler - 18 inches.

y) Needle nose pliers

z) A clean shoe buffing brush

The Pattern:

The first thing to do when making an axe mask is to decide on what type of mask to make. As I understand it, a mask is simply a cover for the edge of the axe blade whereas an axe sheath would have some type of attachment for that mask to attach to the user. This will be a mask. It will be a fairly simple mask - but I will be adding a design element that will hold the strap when closed - but this is not necessary and only here to show an option and a method for adding elements to your axe mask.

I use a manilla folder to make my sheaths (this is a process I learned from Chuck Burrows and his excellent video on making knife sheaths). I use the fold in the center to start all of my sheaths that will be mirrored front to back. In this case, the axe mask will be mostly mirrored so starting in the middle makes sense. If you are rehanging an axe, it would not be a bad idea to trace the head before you put it on the haft. It will be easier to work with. It isn't necessary however.

First, trace the spine of the axe completely, being sure to trace the head accurately in terms of width (don't let the tip of the pencil trace under the axe or the pattern will be too thin when cut out).

Rotate the head to the side - trace the axe and haft to show where those are. If you will note - I am giving ample room at the top. This will mean that you will likely have to adjust the pattern later - but it has to be remembered that manilla folder material is much thinner than the leather you will be using. In my case I am using 8-10 ounce leather which is about 8 times thicker than manilla. Personally, I would rather adjust later - even in the leather phase - than to have a piece too small to use.

Rotate the head and trace the other side. This gives you a full look at what the axe will be like from the mask's perspective and how it wraps all four sides of the axe head.

It is time to consider the welt of the mask. A good idea would be around a 1/2 inch welt. This gives enough room for stitching and rivets if you want them. I am doing a double stitch and rivets so I added a bit of width to my welt to make sure I had room.

Deciding on how you want the axe to look once you have the bit protected is merely a matter of taste. I wanted this to look at least a bit like it would have looked in Sweden if someone made a leather mask for it when it was made - so I copied the rough outline of the Gransfors Bruks mask I have.

I added the design element at the top of the axe bit. Remember - this is certainly not necessary.

I then use a sharp knife to cut out the front side of the pattern - and flip it over at the fold of the manilla folder to mirror it for the back:

Flip, trace, and cut - and you have a complete pattern for a mask.

Here is the test portion of the mask. As you can see - it looks VERY large - but manilla folder is much thinner than leather. The thicker the leather - the more room needed when cutting the leather. I adjusted my pattern a little - but mostly left it alone.

 

[Diomedes Industries]

Cutting out the leather:

When cutting out the leather it is a good idea to make a rough cut of a portion of leather slightly larger than you need. This allows you to rotate the leather with the final cut and make a more clean and accurate cut. It has a little more scrap to it - but it has saved me from bodging an entire piece while cutting it out.

Be sure to cut out the welt as well. I show in the picture below where some skiving will need to be done to thin the leather some and make for a mask that is form fitted to the head of the axe:

I used a strap cutter to cut out a portion of strap large enough for the two masks I was making.

Working the Leather:

I move the leather to my work bench, being careful to make sure everything is clean of dust and dirt (metal, including metal dust will turn leather black when wet (as you will see later) and so your leather working area should be totally clean.

I skive the inside portion of the mask as noted above:

I also skived the top of the welt so that it is thin enough to allow for the mask to be glued easily:

To do this I used a V-Cutter and a Skive. Make sure both are sharp.

I then case (dampen) the leather and do an initial wet forming to the mask. I add a layer of protection to the head of the axe to ensure it does not turn my mask black - nor caused the head of the axe to rust.

It was at this point that I realized that my bottom welt was too thin and that I needed an additional thickness to the welt to match the axe as it gets thicker toward the haft.

Gluing the Welt:

In order to secure the leather to each other we use contact cement. I put multiple layers of glue to the mask where the welt will be (I make a thin outline) letting each coat dry until I have both pieces glossy and totally dry. Any time you are gluing the grain side of leather - be sure to rough up the leather with rough sand paper. You can see in the picture below that the welt is half sanded - and the glue is not glossy.

Here the welt is glued in:

An alternative to this full welt is to use multiple pieces of leather to make a single welt. I show how to add a weep hole for water to the mask to help keep the head dry.

Once the mask is cut - the welt does not need to be exact on the front - only the inside where it meets the blade. You can trim off the outside of the welt at any time:

This shows the welt with the second layer added to match the thickness of the axe head. Note how it is skived as well:

I did not take a picture of this - but when making a mask that goes this far back toward the haft - make sure you can get the axe head out easily. In my case I needed to modify (make less wide) the welt at the back of the mask to allow the axe to rotate out cleanly. Be sure to dry fit your axe head multiple times and practice inserting it and taking out to make sure everything is working like you want it to.

Tooling:

If you are going to do any tooling - now is the time.

Setting the stitch grooves:

On this mask I decided to only do one stitch groove and no rivets - to keep it simple. I will show you an alternative below.

Set your stitch groover to 1/8th in and slowly move it around the outside. Dampen the leather as needed.

Use your stitchmarker/overstitcher to make the marks where you will put the holes (as above) and adjust as needed:

Here is the alternative for a double stitch line with rivets:

Here I am showing a 1/8th stitch grove on the inside. I am checking this to ensure the rivet will have enough room.

Here are the two grooves cut. Take time and care when doing this with your stitch groover. This is for an axe mask that is not putting on the top strap keeper element. As this keeper element is added over top of the mask - you do not need to have the grooves cut all the way to the top.

This part shows the added element and both pieces having had the hole marks set with the stitch marker / overstitcher'. I start at the top with the overstitcher and carefully roll it down the grove - SLOWLY - turning the wheel around the corner and ended at the end of the grove. Some times these do not meet up and you need to adjust the stitch marks with a needle (I use a stylus to move the holes slightly and adjust them if necessary). In this case they all lined up - so I left them.

This may be too much for some - which is just fine - so I will go back to the first mask for now - but show the second to show an option or two.

Stitching the Strap:

Okay - now that we know where all our stitches are going to go - we need to stitch in the strap before gluing and stitching the mask shut. I chuck up the larger needle in the list above in my drill press and begin to use the marks made by the overstitcher to begin making holes. Do not use a drill bit - you don't want to remove material - just make holes in it. An alternative, and one used for a LONG time was a hand awl. It is diamond shaped and punches holes as you sew (See more in the book by Al Stohlman on this process).

If you are punching in a straight line - the first and last holes should be a bit smaller (use the smaller needle) as the thread only goes in and back out the way it came. In this application - the thread goes through each hole and back on to the next. So I use the same sized needle for all of them.

The inside of the mask will look like this now:

If left like this - you will tend to cut your own thread with the axe bit when inserting it. Bad JuJu. So - we use a freehand groover to make room for it to sit flush:

Here is what you will need to start stitching:

You take a length of thread (generally 7 times longer than the groove being stitched) and put a needle on each end. As this is a loop - it doesn't matter where you start - you will end at the same spot - but because this is how I make my sheaths - I start here:

Insert one needle and pull it through to 1/2 way of the thread.

Backstitch one or two holes (to start - always):

Put the other needle in and go the opposite way of the first needle (this is called a Saddle Stitch).

One stitch and one back stitch complete. When not back stitching - you can go a few stitches at a time with one needle - then catch up with the other - to make the process more efficient:

So - we stitch all the way around - and enter the same hole we started at:

Once I have done that - I back stitch at least two stitches - and cut the thread on the INSIDE of the mask for both threads (This hides it).

I use cuticle scissors to cut my threads - the small scissors in SAK knives work great too. You do not need to tie, burn, or glue the thread. It will stay just like it is - backstitched and waxed.

Once you are done stitching - you use the overstitcher (NOW we know why they call it that AND a stitch marker) to make the stitches look clean. Tap them down with a light mallet when done - and they are seated:

Edging:

Before we close up the sheath - we need to edge the strap and the opening of the mask. It is easier to do so now. You can use a bit of bone, a smooth antler - a pair of jeans - some duck cloth - 1000 grit sand paper... whatever works for you.

Essentially what you are trying to do is smooth the leather, compress the fibers, and burn them to being a strong edge. Burnishing is something you can do a little of - or a LOT of. Working longer generally produces better results.

This is an axe mask - not a show piece - so I am doing the basics. I dampen the edge with a wet finger - rub it with 1000 grit sandpaper until dry - and then rub it vigorously with the edge of a smooth hard (non steel) object. In my case I use bone or horn. I rub for a time - wet it a bit - rub a little more - then finish with the jean material. This prepares the edge - but we will do this again after we dye it.

After this - I punched the holes for the mask edge - and glued it up.

As you can see - when punching the holes on the front - you get a back of holes with no stitch groove. As long as you were careful and the piece was flat - it should be the same distance from the edge as the front side:

Freehand the marks and chase them with your overstitcher / stitch marker:

Now that we have it glued up (follow the procedure outlined above) we are ready to dye (yes we do that before we stitch).

On a sheath, because I can't reach the bottom (pouch sheath) I actually dye the leather before I glue up. But given the depth (or lack thereof) of the axe mask - I dye it closed.

 

[Diomedes Industries]

Dying:

This was impossible for me to show - but the steps are simple enough. You dampen the leather to open up the pours. This is done by using a diluted spray bottle of Isopropyl alcohol - and then water. Dampen - not soak - and clean the surface one more time with a clean rag. This is where you should take some time and make sure that the surface of the leather is clean and any drops of contact cement or other thing that will resist dye is removed.

Then - use a dauber in a circular motion - dip it fully in the dye - and quickly go over the surface of the mask until it is even and as dark as you like. It will lighten some - but no worries.

As soon as it is covered - take a disposable rag and wipe off the excess - even out any spots missed - and wipe off the excess again. This is especially important with dyes that are spirit based. This dye needs to be wiped off well as the rag will take up some of the excess dye on the surface.

Let this dry some.

While it is still damp - I tend to add the Montana Pitch Blend as a sealer. I rub it in until well coated - wipe off the excess (this usually takes a little dye with it) and then reapply an even thin coat. You do not need to do this and can certainly seal the mask when it is complete. If this is your choice then let simply move on to the next step

Let this dry - usually over night.

Setting Snaps.

We made our hole before for the snap - if not - drill out a hole the size of the stem of your snap (in this case it was 1/8th) where you want it - and push the snap back through from the inside. Put the outer portion on the outside and set on a firm surface (I used the block of granite I had - but a dead anvil of some sort is needed. You don't want it to mark the other side of the leather.

The setter is shown here on the right. It flares the tube of the center of the snap over and secures it. I tap lightly on the setter going in a circle to assist in flaring out the snap tube evenly - and then drive it home with a few harder hits.

The same is done for the crown portion of the snap - only it has a domed anvil to hold the button top and not crush it flat.

Cut off the strap to the right length - and dye the end of the strap (I used a q-tip):

Stitch up the outside edge:

Start about four holes down from the top:

Backstitch four - to here:

Stitch to the bottom hole of the sheath:

Then back stitch four holes back - cutting the thread on the BACK of the mask:

Finishing the Mask:

Once you have finished sewing - you only have to edge and burnish the edge of the mask. Generally - the edge looks very ragged but can be trued up with a sharp knife, sand paper, a barrel sander, or in my case - an inexpensive belt sander. Even one that is used for the hand can be put upside down in a vise and held temporarily so that you can sand the edge of the mask. I use VERY worn 400 grit belts so that as it sands it burnishes the edge of the mask some.

After I have trued up the edges - I use my edger and go through the burnishing steps outlined above.

At this point I usually put one more coat of Montana Pitch Blend on the whole thing and do a final fitting on the mask. In my case, the welt was a bit large and not rounded at the bottom (I used a small barrel sander on my dremel to clean it up - and restained and sealed it. The mask was also a little tight. So while it was drying - and with tape on the head of my axe - I put on the mask and inserted a pen on the top to stretch the leather a little and get some give in the fit. By morning it was fitting great.

Here is this final product:

An Alternate - Setting Rivets:

For the second Axe Mask I wanted to add rivets and demonstrate how to set them. This process is actually very straight forward - and for those that have money for rivets but don't want to go through the stitching process can make a very decent mask with just contact cement for the welt and rivets for protection.

Here is that process.

First select where the rivets will go and use a 3/16th punch or drill bit to put a hole in the mask. If using a drill bit you will likely need to trim off a little splay on the back side of the leather with a sharp knife.

Once the rivet is put through - slide the burr (washer) over the rivet until it stops. Use a rivet set (drilling out the base of a bolt until you have one inch drilled out also works) and a mallet to tap the burr flat to the leather. Don't over do this as you will smash the burr and crush the leather some.

Once you have the burr set - use a pair of end or side cutters to trim the rivet off at 1/8th inch from the burr. I then rotate the end cutter 90 degrees and trim the rivet to a point. This seems to help with setting the rivet. Use the concave portion of the rivet set and tap down on the rivet stump until you have rounded over the rivet and the rivet set is flat on the burr.

An alternative to using the rivet set is to simply use a ball peen hammer and peen over the rivet.

I show both methods here. The rivet on the left was using the domed portion of the rivet set and the right a ball peen.

Final product of Alternative Mask:

I hope you liked this tutorial. Feel free to ask any questions on this process that I didn't cover.

TF

 

[Deoje]

I can't wait for you to fill in those future posts.

Get to it. No one likes a tease.

 

[Diomedes Industries]

Okay - Update #1. Almost there...

TF

 

[filedog]

The hardest part for me so far is figuring how much "extra" to leave on my pattern,
to account for the thickness of the leather. Tracing the top of the head as well
looks like a good idea, so far I just "eyeball" it, then adjust a bit at the end.

 

[Diomedes Industries]

Updated again. Only one more update to go. Mask finishing.

TF

 

[Deoje]

Really good info.

 

[Square_peg]

Great thread. Much appreciated.

 

[halfaxe]

Awesome tutorial, Thanks.

 

[panzertroop]

Awesome tutorial! Thank you!!!!

 

[Diomedes Industries]

Final updates have been made.

Hope you get something out of it.

TF

 

[schmittie]

That keeper for the strap is pure genius. Well done!

 

[Diomedes Industries]

Someone else had already posted this design on this forum. I... well.... borrowed it..


TF

 

[Lethal289]

Final updates have been made.

Hope you get something out of it.

TF

Truly a work of art. Thank you very much for this tutorial as I am about to start a similar project. I only wish you went into a little more detail on the stippling and tooling. It looks great.

 

[Diomedes Industries]

Lethal -

Here is what I did.

I used a Craftool C453 Camoflage Stamp as a border stamp (I simply connected the tips of the half moon as I went around).

and a Craftool M882 Matting Stamp for the random effect in the background.

First - case the leather. You want the surface of the leather damp - but not wet - and not mushy. I use a spray bottle to spritz on the water - let it dry a little and test a stamp. If it makes a clean mark without going too deep - I keep going - trying to keep a wet edge.

I used the Camo stamp around the border of the leather keeping it as close to equadistant to the border without going too close and losing where I was going to make the stitching groove. I just eyeballed this. I am not very good at stamping and made some mistakes on this one - but with a little practice - you will find how easy this is. You simply put the stamp where you want it - and with a rawhide mallet (or wooden is just fine) give it a whack. You will soon be able to gauge how hard you have to hit it to make the mark you want.

After that - I used the matte tool. Now, instead of laying this on the leather and hitting it - I hover the tool over the leather about 1/16th of an inch and begin hitting the stamp tool with my mallet - pulling the tool up every time and moving it slightly (being sure to rotate the tool a little each time) and then hitting it again. If you overlap these marks over and over and move the tool about you will be able to see a general background pattern emerging. I simply let my eye guide me about and put marks where I thought they should go - connecting some of the tendrils I was making and leaving some places blank.

I then went back over the camoflaging stamps (this is generally a no-no - so be very careful here) to make sure they were clear - and set it aside to dry.

I hope that helps - in Chuck Burrows Sheath video I referenced above he goes into much greater detail on how to use stamps. HIs pictures are worth a TON of words.

One word of advice. Find a scrap bin at your leather place and grab a bunch of practice stamping pieces. You will either love stamping and want to read more (Al Stohlman books are awesome) or you will hate it and only do it when you want a certain effect.

The person to look up who does this VERY well on his sheaths (with a lot more effect) is Jared Oeser. Great knife maker and not too bad a leather bender.

Good luck bro - ask away if you have anything else.

TF

 

[garry3]

Good stuff TF. I have a favorite hunting knife that must have a sheath before hunting season or I risk a nasty cut. I might give it a go.

 

[Diomedes Industries]

Garry - have you seen my sheath making how to?

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/903109-How-I-make-a-pouch-sheath-(tutorial)

That would be better made for your purpose I think.

TF

 

[garry3]

Garry - have you seen my sheath making how to?

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/903109-How-I-make-a-pouch-sheath-(tutorial)

That would be better made for your purpose I think.

TF

I had not. I am not much of a leather worker nor do I enjoy it. Its forced labor for me but that link might get me to turn out a decent sheath.
Thank You!

 

[Simple Jumper]

Very impressive! Thanks for taking the time to stop at each step and taking pictures, it's very much appreciated!