Quick question

Cody Hofsommer

Cody Hofsommer

Joined
Dec 2, 2011
Messages
913
How do you guys handle the Issue of the guard thickness on a Bowie or the like? If the blade is, say 1/4", and the guard thickness is 1/4" each side of the blade, do you make the welts extra thick, make the leather bend around, a little of both? Need to see some of the big dogs sheaths.
Thanks for any help you may have.
Cody
 
Two things taught to me so long ago for issues like Bowies:

Wedge welt- Start off your welt at the mouth of the sheath slightly, no more than 1/8ths inch thicker than the knife and wedge that down to a little less than the thickness of the knife toward the tip. The easiest way to do this is layers, skiving down each one. You can make your wedge any length you want, anywhere from a couple of inches to three or four depending on the length of the knife and your taste.

Have a shelf attached to the rear of the opening for the guard to sit on, I never make these thicker than 10oz leather and skive down fairly quickly, mine are about three to four inches long.

This makes for a wedge shaped sheath, but the effect is rather sleek when the tip of the sheath is nice and thin.

This was taught to me by the late Dave Cole and Sandy Morissey, the two most influential master craftsmen in my life. I dont have pics, but can take them in my next bowie or Busse build, they both have rather thick handles and will chew up a nice sheath quickly if you try to bend the leather around them.

Hope this helps a little :)
 
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