Most production knife sheaths plain suck

[Quiet Storm]

I have noticed that I seldomly find a production knife with a really good sheath.

Of course I can understand the manufacturers who need to cut costs. A sheath is not the primary thing in a knife a customer´s looking for, so they keep it inexpensive.
And yas, there are many great makers of after-market sheaths, but I don´t want to order a custom sheath even for my cheap fixed blades.

The usual problem IMO is that many sheaths are made too bulky and with too few carry options.

Anyone encountered similar problems with production knife sheaths?

 

[Warthog]

I guess for folders, it's harder to go wrong...but my plain leather sheath for my Wave is top notch...I love leather. My only wish is that SOG would put some effort into making their own sheaths for the Tomcat II (already had to repair the generic nylon it came with ).

Warthog

 

[rev_jch]

the first sheath to my 180 outbounder really sucked!!! but benchmade did replace it for a non-defective one!!!
I did buy a kabar once that the usmc embossed on the sheath was printed only half way on.

everyone needs to understand though that most coompanies contract for their sheaths, and it can get expensive (no excuse though for bad quality).
Leather prices have gone up to. I make my own sheaths, and unless I have an order for a few knives that will need sheaths, i really "bite the bullet" on the costs involved (when buying less than a half hide).

 

[Jazzman]

I really like the sheath on my Emerson La Griffe...holds the knife well, very thin, and has 4 grommets to lash the knife if needed.
Matt

 

[burtzolotar]

Actually, with a fixed blade, a good sheath is critical in my decision on whether to purchase the knife or not purchase it. In production knives, I love the Kabar/Eagle sheath that came with one of their new knives. Yesterday, I recieved a SwampRat Camp Tramp and while I haven't tested it yet, the sheath looks very similar (but obviously much larger) and should work great. Personally, I like the nylon sheaths with a plastic insert for survival/hiking knives. It also helps for the knife to carrry low enough that I can fit another belt (for a fanny pack) around my waste. In these two cases, the fanny pack belt actually serves to better hold the sheath in place. I do agree that many (but not all) production fixed blades come with pretty lousy sheaths.

 

[Ming65]

SRK and BK7 both come with excellent sheaths I reckon.

 

[Buzzbait]

What's up with those new Marbles sheaths? Are they supposed to double as sleeping bags? They are HUGE!!!!

 

[Steven Roos]

The one that came with my CS Recon Tanto was pure crap!

But the new one I got from On/Scene Tactical is amazing!

 

[Mike990]

My Chris Reeve fixed blades came with perfectly good sheaths, so did the doziers I have, the newt livesay knives and even the sheath for the sog seal pup was not that bad for field use anyway. I look at the sheaths hard before buying a fixed blade and if it just will not work for me, then I dont buy the knife. I don't use sheaths for my folders.

 

[rev_jch]

thats to bad buzzbait!!!

last year it was the opposite!!! I bought a woodcraft last year and the knife came separate, in a carboard sleeve, from the sheath. i noticed that the sheath looked a little small. I attemtped to put the knife into the sheath to find that the blade was too wide for it!! the blade cut right through the sides of the sheath (stitching!!)!!!