Sheath Experimentation (pic heavy)

xaman

xaman

Joined
Nov 27, 2005
Messages
9,574
Hey fellas,

Did a little sheathwork this week in my free time for an oldie but goodie:

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I'm trying out some interchangeable sheath components for multiple carry options. This is the first I've fooled with this idea, and was hoping for some feedback and ideas from some of you.


Here's a string of pics showing the basic idea:


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Backside pics, first with the shoulder sling:

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Drop belt carry with tec-lock on bottom:


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Tec-lock on top, malice clip on bottom:

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Tec-lock on top and bottom:

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Malice clips on top, tec-lock on bottom:

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And here's a last one of it shouldered. I'm really pleased with this carry option, it feels way better than the "dundee" carry I've tried before with large blades. Mfaster7 posted a pic of a mojo sheath he did this was and I wanted to give it a try. This style just lays flat and carrys unobtrusively. I like it for when you keep the blade in a backpack or BOB, and need to just "throw it over your shoulder" to go check something out...

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I used chicago screws instead of snaps because i was afraid to attach a blade to the exterior of a pack with snaps.

The negative side to chicago screws is that it takes alittle time and a screwdriver to make a switch in the field (plus dealing with so many parts and screws.)

Does anyone know of a way to attach these parts that:
1. is durable
2. impossible to unintentionally fall off,
3. and has less loose parts?
 
Nice work. Good clean lines and good attention to detail. I like the detachable leather belt loop. I like studs more than screws cause I'm always worried they will loosen if I don't use thread lock. But studs would not hold the tek-lok. I tried a new style, experimental sheath with less than wonderful results. One of these days I will post the story with pics. Anyway great work!!
But I think if you want something more versatile than screws you may have to invent it.
 
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Eli, I don't know the answer to your question, but I would like to add that you've taken "interchangeable" to a whole new level. Nice work.
 
I dont know the answer to your question either Eli but I your sheath work is outstanding.

I really like the over the shoulder carry too.

Great work bro!!
 
:thumbup:Nicely done!:thumbup:

You gotta try new stuff whenever you can. I find that a lot of the enjoyment I get out of sheathmaking is desiging and trying new stuff.
 
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yeah, i also can't think of a better solution, but i like it as is. very nice. a rig like that might pull me away from kydex
 
Great looking work! Where does one even find the knowledge and materials to get into sheath making? Very nice indeed...as are all the sheaths people around here seem to make themselves.
 
Great sheath :cool::thumbup

For all the versatility that bad boy has I don't think their's anything but chicago screws that would work.

Always had good luck with them anyway.

Thanks for sharing
Helle
 
Eli, outstanding Bro!!! I have seen several in the over the shoulder x-body and the idea is wearing on me. I like it a lot...
 
First, really excellent work both in innovation and in execution. Clean lines and great attention to detail. Very impressive.

I have thought about a similar system for larger knives but I didn't take into account tek-locs and malice clips. I was thinking that rather than deal with hardware you flare the sheath at the top near the guard (if there was one) and make a series of frogs. One with a belt loop, one with a shoulder strap, one with a tecloc, one with malice clips. To be sure it won't slip you would likely only need one snap at the top so you could slide the frog on, line up the snap and snap it secure. Make the frogs tight enough and there should be very little force against the snap in the direction of opening it so I imagine it would be super secure.

Now for the bottom half... I'm still trying to figure this out.

PS.. Forgive my ignorance but I haven't used Chicago screws before. How do you secure the half to the sheath so that it doesn't rotate when you tighten the outside half?
 
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Thanks for the comliments everyone :)


Steve, I had similiar ideas about a frog set-up. It would work perfect for the shoulder sling, but just not sure how to secure it to a pack, etc... Maybe I'm trying too hard to make one sheath do it all, Lol.


SBranson said:
PS.. Forgive my ignorance but I haven't used Chicago screws before. How do you secure the half to the sheath so that it doesn't rotate when you tighten the outside half?
Click to expand...


The chicago screw has a very wide head on the female end, so I just sandwiched it between two pieces of 10-12 leather, with lots of contact cement (contact cement between both the iside of the head and the inside leather, and the outside of the head and that piece of leather.)

It would definitely be possible to overtighten and inadvertantly spin the female end. The best scenario is to use a drop of non-permanent loc-tite and not tighten overly tight. However, even if you were to spin the female ends, they would still function, but only with the aid of loc-tite from that point on. Unscrewing is still possible with the correct amount of downward pressure :D

Another idea I am trying out is to use rubber washers to keep enough backpressure on the screws to help prevent them from unscrewing on their own. It'll take a lot of field time to know if this is reliable.

So the reality is that this set-up is not as useful for quick changes in the field (unless someone threw a tube of loc-tite in their bag?). It's more designed to set up for a specific duty, like a weekend trip, or a day-long hike, or a hot weather set-up, and a cold weather set-up, etc.

I may do another with snaps, and try to do my own extensive field testing to see if I could trust them...
 
I like rubber grommets somewhere in the mix to keep chicago screws tight. They don't seem to "rattle" loose like they will occasionally in their natural state. I still like to check my screws from time to time, but it seems to work pretty well, I like the thicker ones...maybe it's my imagination but I envision them absorbing more of the rattle. This is from a kydex point of view...maybe they don't rattle as much on the leather...?

Great looking sheath BTW!
 
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