Scabbard rework project

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Fiddleback

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Recently I've decided to try more work on the scabbards. For the most part I don't see the necessity of the accessory knives. I have two knives where they were just poorly done or didn't seat properly in the scabbard too. So, I decided to rework the scabbard to remove the accessory knife area, thereby thinning the rig, and then make a new frog. Here are the results.

The next scabbards I do will be carved out of curly maple and left exposed with pins and shrunk tight leather or rawhide. Then a frog too. I think those will turn out really thin too. I'm fighting the bulkiness of the khuk rig.
 
Andy, Didn't you just start leatherwork a few weeks ago? Dawgone son, I'm impressed. You certainly have a can-do attitude! I think you and Sarge must be distantly related. I can't think of a better compliment.

Steve
 
Hi Andy:

Are those HI sheaths that you have modified?

How did you remove the pockets?

Would you mind a bit of typing and describe your process?

They look good.
 
ferguson said:
Andy, Didn't you just start leatherwork a few weeks ago? Dawgone son, I'm impressed. You certainly have a can-do attitude! I think you and Sarge must be distantly related. I can't think of a better compliment.

Steve
Click to expand...

Neither can I Steve. You guys have kinda lit a fire in me. ;)

One is an HI scabbard, the other, brand X. The process. Well as I said the knives both had reasons to take liberties with the scabbards. So I pulled off the old frog and began taking the back of the scabbard apart. There is a nail in the wedge of leather covering the top of the rear seam. Remove it and work that wedge of wood it covers out too. There a couple more nails holding that wedge in. I had to be rather rough to get it out. Then I could get to the rings that hold the acc knives. I tore those off with pliars. There were a few nails in each. Then I dampened the whole area a little with water and gorilla glued that wooden wedge and the leather flaps and the wedge of leather back together on the back and clamped it up. Be sure to clean the area with mineral spirits so that dang gorilla glue don't get everything all nasty. I could have restitched the back leather, but I didn't see a reason, and that gorilla glue is holding like nobodies business. Plus the whole thing looks neat and you can't really tell its not original. That slimmed out the rig significantly. Then I made a frog and finished it with balistol. Beauty of the frog is that its ajustable (laces) so it doesn't have to be perfect. Actually both frogs took me one night in front of the tv to complete. The comfort level walking with these hanging on my belt is greatly improved.

Again, thanks guys.
 
Nice rig. But the frogs you made are freaking me out. It's like they're looking right at me.
 
That's an excellent idea Andy, and frankly I'm amazed that no one else, especially me! thought of that solution before. It's pretty easy to see how the karda and chakmak pouches are attached to the main scabbard, so I'm sure I could get them off OK. That is where most of the bulk on these scabbards comes from.

As to the new frogs, I wouldn't have a clue! What are you using for a stitcher? Do you drill small holes for the thread first? I have to give this a try. I love the new frogs. Can you buy leather stock already dyed black?

Thanks,

Norm
 
Yea you can get black leather scraps on ebay. I used 8-9 oz. Mine is veg tanned, but for this part of the application, which doesn't contact the blade, I don't think it would matter. I can make a pattern with some measurements if you'd like. Its not a hard project. Once you cut it out you glue the strap in, drill the holes and make a depression for the thread to sink into, and sew it up. I use a scalpel to make the depressions. I also have a groover for that purpose, but I find it doesn't give me enough relief, so for out of sight areas I use a scalpel.

I do the face in the back to annoy my wife mainly. She says its dumb.;)
 
:) thinning scabbard
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showpost.php?p=2297733&postcount=5

I know it's been mentioned in passing other times.
Usually people replace the scabbard
rather than reworking it.

Times & thinking change.
Goes around, Comes around :)
I usually tend toward keeping more traditional.
But everythings good.

<:)> THEY call me 'Dean' <>
dean-sp-sm.jpg

<:eek:> Caution: Not all ideas vented from this brain are entirely based on empirical data. JMO-M2C-fWiW-iIRC-YMMV-fYI-TiA-YW-GL
<:D> Noobee <> Tips <> Baha'i Prayers Links --A--T--H--D
 
I did another frog last night, this time on a traditional scabbard with the accessory knives left in. This time I did some tooling to the leather too. Lemme know what you think.
 
thanks for posting this. I've been trying to figure out a good way to slim down my 15" Pen rig and this looks like it should do the trick.
 
That's real nice, Andy.

What did you use for the eyelets the lacing goes through? Maybe I missed a post.
 
The eyelets I used I got from Tandy. They were like 4 dollars and then 3 dollars for a little setter. I think the brass is good there.
 
I concur. Very nice work. Makes me want to get into leather. Well, making scabbards out of leather at least. You know what I meant.

Shao
 
Andy,
I dont even LIKE traditional scabbards and I love that one!!!! You got the touch bro...


Shao...As long as ya dont try to make living at it, you will love learning about leather...Trust me on this!
 
Thanks guys. No chance trying to make a living at it. Maybe a chance of making one on the side every once in a while, but not full time. I would like to have my sheath making skills pretty far along when I start making real custom knives.
 
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