Odd Request

S

Salolan

Joined
Feb 27, 2013
Messages
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Met a gentleman the other day who is interested in one of my paring/utility knives. He wants the knife but doesn't care for the kydex blade cover I made. He has requested me make a sheath for it which is not a problem. However, he wants it made from the tops of an old pair a cowboy boots. I can't recall what he said they were made of as my major focus was on the discussion with him and his daughter about potentially making knives for them. Would I be correct in assuming the boot material would be chrome tanned? One way or the other I imagine I will need to line the sheath with some lighter veg tanned leather.
I'll know better about the project once I get the material in hand in a few days.
Anyone else ever had a request that struck them as odd?

Chris
 
Chris, I'm sure it might be any of a few different tannages.

One way (I wouldn't call it foolproof) to tell if it's chrome tanned is to burn a scrap. If the ashes smear with a green tinge (especially if it's not dyed green I presume) it is likely chrome tanned. If it can be wet formed or hold a good stamp impression it's probably veg.

Odd requests happen. I had a nice gentleman contact me recently asking if I'd work with a couple of beaver tails. I told him no problem as long as they were professionally tanned. He responded that they were fresh frozen. I offered to source a couple of tails but we decided to forgo the tails although and just stamp the sheaths. :)
 
Boot leather, for the most part is "double tanned" First chrome then Vegetable tanned. This gives the leather the required water resistance plus the advantage of the somewhat stiffer result from "veggie" tanning.

For the most part its safe for use in sheaths that wont see a whole lot of dampness.

Boot tops also have the built in advantage in that most have really nice stitching. I have a couple pair I want to work into some personal stuff. One pair from high school in particular that I cant wear anymore are getting cut up soon.
 
Sounds like an overlay or inlay project. Most boot tops are double ply and even then very thin stuff. Designed to be flexible so not exactly what a guy would want in a sheath. But a lot are very colorful and would make a cool inlay or overlay. Very intriguing idea though. I get "weird" requests all the time. Some pan out, most not so much. The propane delivery guy wants me to build him one of those old folding GI can openers he can carry on his key chain out of damascus. I'd sell a millilion I'm assured. The other one I get once in a while is the "perfect" knife design. The one they'd been working on in their head for years now. Did have a guy have me a build a horizontal sheath and a belt. They each had a corresponding hole so that he could lock the belt loop of the sheath in place on the belt with a chigago screw. This deal worked out very well for him but I don't see a lot of futre in that as I needed him, the belt and the sheath all in the same place at the same time to do that. I'm kind of intrigued with the boot top deal and look forward to seeing what you come up with.
 
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The best way to accomplish your task is to make a sheath using boot top technique, which is really just a lined sheath with boot top stitching. You could use all veg. tanned leather. Boot tops are generally lined with natural color goat skin (very thin and pliable). You could substitute very thin veg. tan cowhide.

If you try to cut a boot top up for the project you will necessarily have to cut through some of the existing stitch lines which will not yield a really good looking end result.

Often the casual customer "designer" just doesn't know what will work and what won't.

Paul
 
I buy a lot of those GI can openers, the US made Shelby ones. I attach them to the lanyard on the ferro rods I make for a striker/opener/sacrificial blade. Damascus ones would be killer for special projects, but the blade would have to be hardened and the hinge might be difficult.

I agree Paul. My best customers are the ones who give the most "leash".
 
Yep hadn't thought that through. The existing stitching would be a problem. Maybe suggest a more typical cow coutry use for those old boots. You could make em a fencing staple pouch or a medicine bag they could attach to their saddle. I've got a friend down the road that is not really a cowboy, more of a trail rider. He's haunting the second hand stores for the right pair of boots. He wants me to make him a water bottle pouch to carry along when he rides. Something like that might work out better for ya Chris.

Yeah the whole thing would have to be heat treated Strig. Damascus don't etch worth a darn if it ain't hard. I think the hinge would be very difficult, probably quite past my meager forging skills.
 
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