Providing sheath with your knives?

A simple included sheath is a boon. I've bought both ways, and while the sheath was extremely simple (on the only one that came with one), it was greatly appreciated. I would have expected to pay a premium for an elaborate sheath, but that's not what I was buying.

Some of the knives I've bought didn't come with anything other than a blade sleeve. They stayed on my dresser until I finally decided to start making my own. This ended up being a great thing because I'm loving working with leather (again), but I'd venture to guess that most buyers won't do that.

Basically, I have knives that didn't come with sheaths because the makers work was valuable enough to stand on its own. From a lesser maker (name, not quality), I may have looked elsewhere.

Your work is beautiful.
 
Brian, this is an excellent thread. I have been asking myself the same thing. I myself have decided that it is dependent on the knife. Some knives I make I feel I have to make a sheath for. Others, I will offer for the same price, with or without a sheath. If they opt for a sheath, they just have to wait a few extra days for shipping. If they don't want to wait, I don't have to make a sheath. Since it is time consuming making a really nice sheath, I am ok with not doing one if the customer is ok without it. Leaves me more time to make knives.
 
As a buyer I would expect and greatly appreciate a sheath with the knife. I don't need fancy. In fact I prefer simple, clean well designed and executed sheaths. I have production knives some of which have decent sheaths and some which are absolute garbage. If I were ordering a knife from a custom maker I am primarily interested in the knife but I expect the sheath to be made with the same pride and attention to detail as the knife. Again, simple is perfect as long as it isn't an after thought. As a maker I design the knife and sheath as a package. That is why the sheaths that accompany my knives are serial numbered to the knife. I think it is added value as well as allowing immediate use of the set upon delivery. I am just getting started as a knife maker and as a sheath maker. As my knives get better so will my sheaths. Hopefully they will never look mismatched. You do fine work both with the knives and the sheaths so no worries there. I would say, for knives made on spec include a simple well made sheath. For knives made to order have the discussion with the buyer.
 
Thanks for the compliments guys.

I am just trying to figure out where I stand, stay on course and provide what I have been providing, or do I really need to change. I make sheaths the way I do because I like them that way, I don't like plain sheaths.

Good thoughts.
 
I have always included a sheath and always will. On my popular models, you can request a left handed sheath and I'll whip one up. I think I have only ever made under a dozen lefties.

To me, the sheath is just as important as the knife.
 
I have had both extremes. I have some to the decision not to provide a sheath on 90% of my knives for many reasons. I used to try and get some done but hate leather-work. I can make a good functional sheath but would rather work on a knife. I have probably lost 5 sales in the last 23 years due to not providing a sheath. I have found the customer many times is not willing to pay the extra cost of the sheath. I would rather work out a deal to send the knife off to Kenny Rowe or Paul Long or ... I do not charge for my time I just charge my cost if I facilitate a sheath. Also it just happened this weekend where I had a sheath made by a local maker. Good user sheath with some nice tooling. The knife sold but the customer did not want the sheath. So now I have a sheath that I have to fit to another knife. Luckily I just happen to have one that fits perfectly. The left handed issue has already come up and I have had it happen more often that one might think. Cost for me was an issue. I can hardly get all the materials together for making a quality sheath for what I can get one made for. Then the time, well it takes me way too long to put one together so I would rather pay to get one done. And finally I am usually working on knives right up until the last day. I would rather put the final touches on my primary product and get things just that much better.

I think Michael said it best. If you like making sheaths and your good at it then go for it. If not offer a service to get the knife to a good sheath maker of the customers choice for a set of clothes fitting the knife at hand.
 
TheWeatherman said:
Do you think that providing a sheath is a selling point for most customers? I would think and have experienced that people don't really want to buy a knife that doesn't have a sheath for it.
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For a user knife, they're definitely gonna want a sheath. My clients typically want to take the knife immediately into the woods or whatever and put it to work, not play around for another few weeks having a sheath made for it.

For a collector/art knife, they may have no problem at all waiting to have a custom sheath made by someone else entirely.

I've sent sold knives to a kydex sheath maker on request a few times, just because I currently only work with leather and the client wanted kydex. That works out fine if it's all planned out ahead of time.

As Rick said, be willing to make a lefty or ambidextrous sheath on request. It's not any more difficult than a "normal" one. It's not called for very often, but neglecting ten percent (or whatever) of the market isn't a good plan.
 
TheWeatherman said:
Thanks for the compliments guys.

I am just trying to figure out where I stand, stay on course and provide what I have been providing, or do I really need to change. I make sheaths the way I do because I like them that way, I don't like plain sheaths.

Good thoughts.
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Brian,
From what I can see on FB you make a handsome sheath that compliments your knives.
i don't really like leather work and currently make mostly Kitchen cutters.
Over the 15 or so years I would have some plain Jane but very functional sheaths made for my field grade knives and some fancy pants sheaths made for my more elaborate and dressed up camp & hunters.

One thing I have done when I do a batch of say five hunters is to get two basic sheaths for the two field grade, one field grade with no sheath, one Fancy with dressed sheath and one fancy with none.
I price all accordingly and have done fine over the years cause I have one in that pattern for most every buyer.

One thing thing I like to relate to all other knife makers is that there are always two reasons why someone says no to purchasing any item. One that sounds good, "Oh, It doesn't have a sheath." and then there is the real reason that most of us will never admit.
So 99% of the time when we hear NO, Cause, on a sale. That's not really the reason and you probaly don't have to rethink everything cause someone says no, cause there is no, this, or that, or it's too long , or two short or I hate that color handle! LOL

But at the end of the day, They are your knives and sheaths and if you want to make dress sheaths for all of your knives? Then go for it and don't look back!
 
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Partnering with established (or up and coming) sheath makers is a valid option. I know this doesn't address your question, Brian, but it's still worth reiterating for others.

I have received knives that didn't come with a sheath, but the maker partners with a leather bender that keeps inventory, or custom makes the sheath for knives that the sheath maker already has patterns for. It streamlines the process (both items can be ordered at the same time), keeps the price down for the buyer who chooses another option, and opens up a lot of custom possibilities for the buyer.

I'm not sure that I often see a maker that seems to nail it with both the knife, and the sheath (in terms of matched f&f, quality, etc...). I don't want a sheath figured into the price of the knife if it isn't perfect, or if it doesn't match my expectations.

I can't see myself ever being a full time maker, but if I were, it seems like a partnership would be the best option.
 
Strig - I think discussion is good, no worries.

My goal is still to make great knives and sheaths.
 
I think that depending on the knife whether it be a total custom or not makes a big difference. If I'm buying a blade to use and use hard I want a good, strongly built sheath that matches the knife. Nothing over the top, but functional. It might be kydex or not, unless if the leather represents the knife better. As far as a custom knife I would want a somewhat custom sheath also with some of the extras I like and a few that the maker recommends. From The makers point of view if you got the skills and enjoy making sheaths go for it. One last piece of advice on the sheaths. You've got to charge what they are worth. Don't cheat yourself buy just including it with the knife for nothing. The price should be fair but also let you make money.Give then a few choices and instruct that the prices vary according to the type of knife sheath ,the materials used,and time its takes to make. Always try to be full service if you can swing it, like it, and last but not least be good at it and MAKE MONEY!
 
How do you guys decide how to mount the sheath to a belt? What are some do's and donts with making a belt loop?
 
For me it is the intended use. I backpack hunt. I don't have a knife on my belt but in my pocket. I am trying to have a horizontal knife on my belt for edc though,

After that it is personal preference to the customer. Most guys want a drop belt loop style.
 
I was a leather guy before I started making knives(for real). I can't imagine selling a bush knife without a sheath. That said, I have dabbled in what some folks call "art knives" and on a few occasions played with outsourcing a sheath.
 
JZknives said:
How do you guys decide how to mount the sheath to a belt? What are some do's and donts with making a belt loop?
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Here is part of your question.
When looking at many pre WWII sheaths, you will find far more lefties than the 10% of the pop that's left handed.

Reason is many carried a side arm, Pistol or Revolver along with a knife and if you are right handed you want that side arm on your strong side and a knife is secondary. So about half of the sheaths I have made are for lefties and when people ask. I say, do you carry a side arm when you hunt or are in the field? That;s why!

So a righty can use a leftie sheath most of the time.
 
I don't think a knife that comes with a sheath is a selling point, but one that does not come with a sheath could be a deal breaker to some people. As cheap as it sound, thats one reason i never bought a scrap yard syko
 
Just wanted to make my compliments to your sheets, Brian.
If you ask me, I'd say you should make sheets with your knives, because you make very atractive sheets.
 
I think Harry just wanted us to know that they say "sheet" in Germany and not "sheath." ;)

We mean something totally different when we say SHEET over here! :foot: :D

Brian- This is a great question for you to be looking into.

IMHO, a lot of it has to do with the style and price-point of a knife. If I make a $200-400 hunter/utility type knife, then selling it without a sheath has always taken longer. If we're talking about a $1000+ fighter/bowie, then most of the time the customers want to send the knife to Paul or Kenny...so in those situations, not providing a sheath doesn't seem to matter.

However, there are guys like Rick and Burt Foster that have always provided a quality sheath with EVERY knife, and that has become a part of their reputation. From what I have seen, your leather work is right on par with your knives, so you can certainly build that same reputation of providing a sheath of equal quality to every knife.


I actually enjoy making sheaths now (usually! LOL) but from a business standpoint it isn't the smartest choice for me. I can get halfway through building another knife in the time it takes me to do a "fancy" tooled sheath. I just keep hoping that with practice I'll get faster and efficient enough that it does make $$$ sense for me to do them. ;) :)
 
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