- Joined
- Apr 11, 2011
- Messages
- 45
****Please remember to use safety equipment and a RESPIRATOR with proper filter cartridges. Particulate from this type of material is hazardous.****
As requested, I am posting a few photos of the progress of a sheath I put together for my Fiddleback Forge Pygmy using Shadetree Composites Oatmeal Burlap and black phenolic pins. I made the sheath using a bench drill press, Dremel rotary tool, files and sandpaper. I only took a few photos during the process but I'm happy to share what I have. If a photo is worth a thousand words, due to the lack of photos, here are a thousand words. This is my first sheath and first time working with this material.
Here, I have already measured for the knife on both sides of the Shadetree scales and removed most of the material. I also marked the ends where the blade would enter the sheath. I bored out the material using the Dremel and files, removing just enough material on each half of the sheath so the blade would fit as snugly as possible. I used a dremel cut-out guide and bit as a router and removed the bulk of the material. I finished using carving bits, grinding stones and files that I had on hand. I filed bevels into the receiving end of the sheath to accomodate the bevels of the knife scales. It doesn't match perfectly, but it's pretty close and I didn't want to push my luck! I also glued a small, thin strip of leather on the inside of the sheath using Goop contact adhesive to secure the knife when sheathed.
At this point, I decided to epoxy(5 minute) the halves together and drill for the phenolic pins later. I marked the halves in several places along the edges to assist in alignment during epoxying and clamping. I roughed the mating sides to help bond and utilized wax paper to prevent the epoxy from sticking to anything else during curing.
I marked pin placement using a micrometer. I measured the distance between the pins on the knife to maintain some symmetry. I clamped the now joined sheath to the drill press and slowly drilled, allowing the material to cool before completely penetrating through. I did this for each pin hole. My concern was melting the cured epoxy joining the sheath.
In this photo, the pins are set with 5 min. epoxy. After curing, I trimmed the pins and cut off excess material from the sheath using the dremel. I then used sanding bits and hand sanded.
I roughly have a completed sheath. There are a few high points I will address and finish using 220 and 400 grit. I rubbed the sheath using the oil from my hands for an hour or two to help match the shade of the oatmeal on the Pygmy. I will repeat this process again after finish sanding.
Thanks for the interest. I'll try to post up more photos after I get around to finish sanding.
As requested, I am posting a few photos of the progress of a sheath I put together for my Fiddleback Forge Pygmy using Shadetree Composites Oatmeal Burlap and black phenolic pins. I made the sheath using a bench drill press, Dremel rotary tool, files and sandpaper. I only took a few photos during the process but I'm happy to share what I have. If a photo is worth a thousand words, due to the lack of photos, here are a thousand words. This is my first sheath and first time working with this material.
Here, I have already measured for the knife on both sides of the Shadetree scales and removed most of the material. I also marked the ends where the blade would enter the sheath. I bored out the material using the Dremel and files, removing just enough material on each half of the sheath so the blade would fit as snugly as possible. I used a dremel cut-out guide and bit as a router and removed the bulk of the material. I finished using carving bits, grinding stones and files that I had on hand. I filed bevels into the receiving end of the sheath to accomodate the bevels of the knife scales. It doesn't match perfectly, but it's pretty close and I didn't want to push my luck! I also glued a small, thin strip of leather on the inside of the sheath using Goop contact adhesive to secure the knife when sheathed.
At this point, I decided to epoxy(5 minute) the halves together and drill for the phenolic pins later. I marked the halves in several places along the edges to assist in alignment during epoxying and clamping. I roughed the mating sides to help bond and utilized wax paper to prevent the epoxy from sticking to anything else during curing.
I marked pin placement using a micrometer. I measured the distance between the pins on the knife to maintain some symmetry. I clamped the now joined sheath to the drill press and slowly drilled, allowing the material to cool before completely penetrating through. I did this for each pin hole. My concern was melting the cured epoxy joining the sheath.
In this photo, the pins are set with 5 min. epoxy. After curing, I trimmed the pins and cut off excess material from the sheath using the dremel. I then used sanding bits and hand sanded.
I roughly have a completed sheath. There are a few high points I will address and finish using 220 and 400 grit. I rubbed the sheath using the oil from my hands for an hour or two to help match the shade of the oatmeal on the Pygmy. I will repeat this process again after finish sanding.
Thanks for the interest. I'll try to post up more photos after I get around to finish sanding.
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