Need help with first sheath :-)

[vaguy]

New guy here........I've mostly been posting in the General Knife Discussion and Becker forums. I'm over here because I need some advice on my first sheath.

As you can see I'm building a stacked style dagger sheath.....fun project, I've learned cool things like swedges and spit burnishing, I like it. I knew I would mess up my new project somehow, and I did.

I left a water stain when I did the fold for the belt loop. I routed a small channel right on the fold line and wet the fold moderately and the whole back piece of leather lightly. Well as you can see from the pics I left a nice water line.

What are my options at this point? Can I just wet the whole belt loop section and it will even out?

I had not planned to dye this sheath I was just going to add a wax based leather treatment. Am I going to have to dye it now?

Thanks!

-vaguy

 

[sheathmaker]

Nope, chances are very good if you re-wet the whole thing evenly the line will disappear as it dries the second time. Also, I assume you are going to treat it with neats foot oil or similar which will darken the whole sheath slightly and cause the line to disappear even further if there was any line left after the re-wetting.

Paul

 

[leatherman]

I like the look of what you have there so far! I wish my first sheath would have been as nice.

Paul is right on the money, you should be able to wet it down. Water spots are the bane of most all leather workers, drips are the worst as they always fall in the middle of the leather where it shows the most. I've never been able to make a drop spot disappear. Its always there, even on a black dyed sheath in relief.

please do post pics of your progress!

 

[vaguy]

Thank you both. Should I wet just the belt loop or the whole sheath?

Warm or cool water make any difference?

 

[sheathmaker]

Unless you want still another line, you should wet the entire sheath. Water temperature makes little difference, just not really hot.

Paul

 

[Horsewright]

If I might make a suggestion too. Edge and burnish your fold over belt loop before you continue on. Even if it means pulling it apart. It will be worth it as you will get a much better job done on it than after everything is put together. Looks like you did a great job on burnishing the edge of the throat. On the water mark as mentioned, wet the whole sheath and oil afterwards when it is dry. That line will go a way.

 

[vaguy]

You guys were right (of course), wetting entire sheath a couple of times and stain blended in.

Sheath is complete now and I will post up some work in progress and finished pics shortly, first I must show to my BK&T buddies

-vaguy

 

[vaguy]

Here are some pics I took while building the sheath. No original ideas, I am but a clever copyist. The sheath was designed and constructed all from stuff I ripped off right from the Interwebs.

I did however reach my goal of having a custom sheath for my Becker BK16 and learned a lot along the way so I am quite pleased. Open to any comments constructive criticism, helpful hints, etc. I have learned so much on bladeforums in the last year or so I just want to pay back. Maybe someone else can use some of this.

First, here is what my 16 has been riding in for the last couple of months.....not bad for $5 at the Shenandoah knife show.

Anyway...I started with a pattern I made from my knife blade and handle, was easy with a Becker because the handle scales come off.

And some 8/9oz Hermann Oak leather.

The knife will sit something like this.

Next I worked on the fold over belt loop part. I used my Dremel and a round grinding bit to relieve a bit of the leather right at the fold line. In the picture it looks like I took off more than I really did. I used my Harbor Freight 1x30 belt sander to skive down the part that will be glued after being folded over.

Here are the back piece / belt loop and the part of the sheath that holds the blade before being glued together with Barges.

And with everything glued up. It isn't coming apart!

Next up was grooving for a stitch line, marking the stitches with overstitch wheel then I drilled the holes with a couple of new 1/16" drill bits and my drill press. For the most part it worked out well. The back looks ok, only a little off but hey I was going through 5 pieces of leather.

Then I went ahead and cut the slot for the retaining strap before moving onto the stitching. I used a sharpened K&S brass tubing and a single edge razor blade as a backing plate so I didn't punch all the way through.

I learned quickly that 8/9 oz leather was too thick for a retaining strap so I had to scramble to find something thinner and I eventually did.

Oh and I got so excited during the gluing up part I forgot that I wanted a place for a ferro rod!! Left this piece out. I will be making another sheath for this knife soon because it was a must have for me.

After the construction it was time for some finish. I applied two coats of Neatsfoot oil and just as I was told it really darkened the leather, in some pictures it looks died or painted the brown is so rich. The other part of that is the two coats of Montana Pitch Blend leather dressing I applied.

This picture is before the Montana treatment.

Added some felt to the strap so as not to have the back of the metal snap grinding on the handle.

And the finished product.

Thanks for looking!

-vaguy

 

[Horsewright]

A BIG step up from the old sheath for sure. Whats next?

 

[Omega Leather Works]

Very nice! Looks like you took your time and did everything right. Btw, you're not alone forgetting the ferro loop. I've done it twice.

Are you cutting your strap ends freehand, or using a punch, or template maybe? They look nice.

 

[leatherman]

Speaking of strap end punches, they are well worth the price. I went with one for my snap straps, those black coated steel models at Tandy and have never regretted it. I later found one of those Stohlman fancy ones on sale that was 1" and its great for anything from 3/4" straps up to 1". I've also found that slot punches are fantastic, but avoid those stamped tubular models. I bent one the very first punch.

 

[vaguy]

Are you cutting your strap ends freehand, or using a punch, or template maybe? They look nice.

Thanks man.

Freehand for the shape, another smaller piece of brass tubing for the snap hole.

 

[Omega Leather Works]

Speaking of strap end punches, they are well worth the price. I went with one for my snap straps, those black coated steel models at Tandy and have never regretted it. I later found one of those Stohlman fancy ones on sale that was 1" and its great for anything from 3/4" straps up to 1". I've also found that slot punches are fantastic, but avoid those stamped tubular models. I bent one the very first punch.

I haven't done a lot of strap ends. Honestly, I thought of the punches as a luxury tool, but I'm finding that it sure would be nice to have one. I've been using a medicine bottle cap, demitasse (espresso cup), or anything with a small radius, and it's definitely a pain to get perfect. I always end up with something that needs sanded to get right.

I guess I'm one of those people that have trouble trying to draw a perfect circle too.

Haven't had to cut a slot yet but I'm sure it would be a piece of cake.

 

[vaguy]

I've been using a medicine bottle cap, demitasse (espresso cup), or anything with a small radius, and it's definitely a pain to get perfect. I always end up with something that needs sanded to get right.

Coins work well for this because they are shallow and its easier to see as you use a blade to cut around the radius.

 

[Omega Leather Works]

Coins work well for this because they are shallow and its easier to see as you use a blade to cut around the radius.

Good idea. I haven't been cutting around the cap. I've been using them to make a light impression and use that as the template. I'll try a coin.

 

[americasaddle]

If you get anymore mineral stains from the water
just use the juice from a yellow lemon or oxalic acid
crystals diluted in water but be careful they are toxic
handle with care. Nice sheath!