Pouch Sheath looseness

F

Flambeau

Joined
Jun 26, 2021
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I have an older Marbles Woodcraft fixed blade knife (blade is about 3 3/4"). The carry sheath for it is a pouch style and the knife will slide out if/when the sheath is canted or oriented in a more down position.
I'm looking for suggestions for way better retention of the knife.
Thanks....
 
Flambeau said:
I'm not set up with imgur for posting pics, otherwise I would.
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OK. Give some details, if you can. Blade steel and handle material, how high the sheath goes up the handle, whether it has a guard, whether it has a sheath insert (AKA a last), etc. If you know the model or can post a link to a pic already on line, that would help, too. Then we could help give you a suggestion.

The Marbles Woodcraft knives I see online are in flat sheaths with snap retention loops. They wouldn't be amenable to wet forming. Most do not have a pronounced guard, but the ones that do might be a challenge.

I think it can be done, but I just need to know what you're starting with.
 
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You are confusing a Woodcraft with a Fieldcraft. Yes, my 4 1/2" Fieldcraft has a flat sheath.
My Woodcraft has a carbon steel blade (3 3/4"), leather grommet handle.
When snugged into the sheath, about half of the handle is showing.
 
If the handle partially goes into the sheath and it’s loose something I’ve done before with gun holsters is soak the sheath in water pretty good, then put it in an oven at 160 degrees, flip it over every half hour and keep doing this until the leather is pretty dry and has hardened up. Then take it out and let it air dry completely for a day. This shrinks the leather and firms it up. It might work for what you’re looking to accomplish. Good luck.
 
Flambeau said:
You are confusing a Woodcraft with a Fieldcraft. Yes, my 4 1/2" Fieldcraft has a flat sheath.
My Woodcraft has a carbon steel blade (3 3/4"), leather grommet handle.
When snugged into the sheath, about half of the handle is showing.
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Gotcha! bladegrinder bladegrinder is right, the soaking and warming will shrink the leather up, but for a knife I would do it a bit differently. Since the handle is stacked leather, you'll want to wrap it as tightly as possible with a single layer of plastic wrap. You probably don't want to soak the leather handle but you also want as tight a fit as possible (if you don't mind the leather handle getting wet, then skip the plastic wrap). Soak the sheath in hot water until it is pliable. Slide the knife in and form the sheath with your fingers to the shape of the knife. If there are contours you want to form with great precision, or if you want a very tight fit, use a hard pointed object like an antler tip, the end of a wooden spoon, a capped Sharpie pen, etc. to accentuate the shape of the knife while it's in the sheath. When you're happy with the shape, leave the whole thing, in the sheath, in a warm place: Sunny windowsill, heating vent, near a woodburning stove, what have you, and wait. If you have a dog, keep it out of reach as a smelly wet sheath is a tempting toy! After it is thoroughly dry (I'm in dry Colorado and have forced air heating, so I only have to wait a few hours, your mileage will vary), pull the blade out and see how you like the retention.

If it is too tight, you can wrap the whole knife in plastic wrap and start over. The plastic wrap will create a slightly thicker profile and the knife will slide out more easily. You can also draw the knife out while the sheath is still damp or otherwise not completely done with the drying process and you'll loosen up the fit a bit. I've been able to do this repeatedly until I'm happy with my results. I did a Buck 110 sheath this way just last month. With a stainless blade and brass bolsters and Dymondwood slabs, it was just fine in the wet sheath for 24 hours.
 
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I just put the leather in the oven without the knife or gun in it. It will for sure tighten up that sheath. The only forming I do where I wrap the knife or gun with Saran Wrap is if I soak the leather and do a vacuum forming on them. After you do the bake process you might say holy smokes this thing really shrunk and it might take some working to get the knife back in but this usually seems to work pretty good for me.
 
I bake all my wet molded sheaths and holsters too. I run them in the oven for 3 hours and 45 minutes at 178 degrees. I set a timer at 1 hour and 15 minutes and flip them and then 1 hour and 15 again I flip them back and go another hour and 15 minutes.
I use four pages of card stock between the sheath and the oven rack. I do not have the knife in the sheath while it is in the oven. I wet form it to the knife or pistol and then remove the item and bake. Lot of folks get things too wet when they wet mold. I put it in warm water but not so hot ya can't put your hand in. As soon as it sinks I remove it and let is sit on a towel for a bit. I'm looking for the sheath to just about to start to get its color back. Too much of the wet color and it's too wet, too much of its original color coming back and it's a lil dry. If when rubbing it to mold it you start to burnish the leather you are too dry. Kinda looking for the Goldilocks just right deal. Hope this helps. You've received some excellent advice here from folks. All right on.
 
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bladegrinder said:
In order to give credit where it’s due…I learned about the wet leather- oven process from your past post Dave! :D
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Good deal. It sure works!

Meant to add that a lil judicial use of a pair of needle nose pliers can often loosen up a spot just right if the sheath gets too tight. You use em in reverse.
 
Horsewright said:
Aw shucks my friend! Thank you for the kind words. Just been playing in this sandbox a long time.
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If a pouch sheath is a little loose, but has been treated with Snow-seal, can I still try these methods to try and snug it up?
 
Probably not. The Snow Seal will kinda reek havoc with your water absorption, particularly if its been treated on the inside as well. Then not sure what would happen with it in the oven either. I have another idea that might work for you. Has the sheath been treated on the inside as well?
 
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