Sheath Making Contest

You guys are making some awesome and inspiring sheaths! I love it!

Twangyone: 8 of Diamonds
Why Walts: Q of Diamonds

I'm looking forward to seeing a few more entries. I've asked Phil at Fiddleback if we can get a picture of the prize knife up soon.
 
Congrats to Rotte for putting this together and from what it looks like starting a whole new hobby/craft to several folks. I would also like to thank him for allowing us to be part of this great thread.
We were given a couple models to choose from with the final decision being left up to Andy.
Here is what Fiddleback Forge has come up as the prize to the winner.
Specs.
Arete w/ black bolstered afzelia burl, SFT (Skeletonized Full Tang),
convex ground on spalted 1/8" A2.

IMG_3385-vi.jpg


I'm looking forward to seeing the pants the winner makes for it!

Thanks everyone
 
That is fantastic! Thanks, Phil. I have a great affection for the Arete. I really appreciate Fiddleback helping with the contest.
 
I'm potentially tossing my hat into the ring. I'm not sure if I'll have the time to complete anything, and if I do, it will be totally different than anything I've seen here. It may turn out hideous, or it may turn out "pretty good". As I've never done anything like this, it will be an interesting project for me regardless. You'll know if it turns out "pretty good" or better once I post pix. If I can't get to it, or is hideous, I'll keep it to myself.

I'm going a different direction w/it in my head already.

very cool idea, and thanks for putting the legwork into such a great contest! fun to look at these creations even if one does not enter!!
 
With that rogue pin placement, it looks like the Cindy Crawford of Fiddy Knives... sexy...

essence_110407_01.jpg
 
The Arete is a great choice for this contest since it was originally a special request from sheath-maker Talfuchre (Diomedes Industries) and then designed by Andy Roy. It ties it all together.
 
muphasta said:
You'll know if it turns out "pretty good" or better once I post pix. If I can't get to it, or is hideous, I'll keep it to myself.
Click to expand...


Dude, we definitely want to see it if it turns out hideous. We can all learn from some trial and error. :D Hey, you've got a month, you can definitely make one.
 
Rick Marchand said:
With that rogue pin placement, it looks like the Cindy Crawford of Fiddy Knives... sexy...

essence_110407_01.jpg
Click to expand...
:thumbup:
ahhh yes
our ninjalike way of hiding the 4 others in the bolster to complete the traditional Fiddleback 5 pin layout.....

see if your knives make it to Blade this year:p
 
muphasta don`t be afraid about sharing what you make. Lord knows I have made a few and thought to myself that it was just better to keep them in the drawer rather than having it in plain sight. After all the best way to learn from your mistakes is to try. If the project takes a turn for the worst then you will remember to do something different on the next one. If you stick with it you can learn a lot from the fine folks in the Sheaths and Such category in the forums. There is a wealth of knowledge over there.
 
Ok, here is my pic w/my materials. As I mentioned, I'm going about this another way. I'm going from the position of being out in the wilderness, and I have limited materials from which to make my sheath. "Old" pants, paracord, my pocket knife, leatherman, some beads, and a needle.
IMG_1501_zpsslbg2s8m.jpg
 
I'm going to be strictly amateur hour compared to most of what I've seen here, but I do believe I can get a sheath done before the end of Jan.

I started playing around a few months ago, but when the holidays came up I got busy and dropped it. I completed one simple pouch sheath for my Mora (forgot the belt loop :/), and got halfway done on a crossdraw sheath for my bk15. That one was started before the contest, so I'll have to start anew.

I got a bk16 that is begging for a new sheath, so my entry will be using that knife. I'll try to get plans up for it within the week.

This is very generous, and is great motivation to get started again. Thanks!
 
For those wondering if their sheath will be good enough to post ... relief is in sight - because here's mine :D
Thanks, Rotte, for this motivating thread and Fiddleback Forge for offering such a desirable and beautiful knife as the prize!

Please withhold my card from the prize draw, though - the motivation to sew together some useful leather pieces is all the reward I need.

When I first posted early on, I managed to get a grab bag of remnants and found an old leather welding apron in the shop ... and I have been playing at stitching on and off since then. The Sheath forum and all the great tips here have been so encouraging.

Using the welding apron for a template - more tactile than paper for me. Stitch marker by "Bent Fork". I found the two-by-four tip most helpful and added a kerf to the drilled holes so I could place the stitch line visually over it for use with the awl. At this stage, the sheath appearance is secondary to just learning ... so I did not buy the stitch groover ... but do see how it would improve the work. I tried and liked using a stitching awl that I use for canvas. I also used simply a leathercraft needle with pliers. No welt to protect stitches ... maybe next project. Where's the muscleman smiley ***

Now, I know lots more about what I do not know and need to learn - like the difference between left and right handed sheaths! :eek: Thanks again all.


The grab bag




The welding apron template - fold, cut ...







Transfer to finish piece, glue side




Glued and clamped




Power outage turned this into a lantern session to finish up




Stitches on back aren't quite as pretty as on the front ... I'll spare your eyes.




It's been fun.
 
Great post, taldesta. The "Bent Fork" stitch marker is too cool. You sure you don't want a card?
 
I agree with Rotte, good work. You do have to be careful about one thing though. Leather working can be addictive!! Just keep at it. The best way to get better is by learning from your mistakes. I am proof of that. Thanks for posting.
 
I got my BK16 sheath finished up earlier today. Looking at it after the fact I made numerous mistakes, and didn't end up taking as many photos as many here. I'm lucky that this contest is more of a random drawing than it is a "finished product" contest, or I'd be way, way at the back of the pack methinks. Some great stuff in here.

I ran into problems getting the top wet formed and sized correctly, as it seemed a bit like a "chicken and the egg" problem. It seems like to make the top sized correctly, it needs to be wet formed already. However, its really hard to wet form it without it in place :/. Is there some secret way to make this easier?

Also, unlike my first time, I remember to add a method of holding it onto the belt :). Its not perfect, but it carries very well crossdraw, and works fine (although rides a bit high) on the right hip like "normal".

I used a bunch of scrap that I got from Hobby Lobby/Michaels (can't recall which), that I picked up for a few dollars. That's why some of the leather doesn't match, and why some things are sized a bit strange... its just what came in the bag :).

Started it this last Saturday. Not pictured is the artificial Sinew I used for thread, the needles (just basic stuff), a groover I bought a few months back, the fork I used for stick spacing. My fork wasn't fancy and bent and whatnot... just a small fork from the kitchen that has since been returned.
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Here is the rough cardboard pattern I used.
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Really awful low light photo of the welt glued in place, but the top waiting to be formed.
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Finished front view of sheath.
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Finished rear view of sheath.
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Retention is pretty good. I can shake it like this quite vigorously, and it doesn't move more than an 1/8th of an inch.
WP_20160118_004_zpswh4eeoki.jpg


Thanks for the great contest/GAW. Looks like it got a lot of us to go ahead and finally make something.

Thanks!
 
Rotte said:
Great post, taldesta. The "Bent Fork" stitch marker is too cool. You sure you don't want a card?
Click to expand...

Rotte, thanks for the chance to change my mind, but that's my story .... sticking to it! As for that remarkable knife by Fiddleback Forge - good luck to all.


ocnLogan said:
Retention is pretty good. I can shake it like this quite vigorously, and it doesn't move more than an 1/8th of an inch.
WP_20160118_004_zpswh4eeoki.jpg
Click to expand...

:thumbup:
 
Let me say that I did not think I would be able to be in this contest. I started out months ago with extremely high hopes and then life got in the way and I struggled to have the correct materials and then I looked up and realized I had sold the knives I was going to make a sheath for. Plus, for some reason I thought it ended January 1st. Well 2 days ago I popped on here to see who had won and much to my surprise it was still going! So I drew up a design and looked to see what I could use. I ended up scavenging some rubber lined Cordura material from a torn up vintage hunting vest, a roll of waxed heavy duty thread, and a button from an old jacket and set out to make it. It's not the prettiest, but it's stout, and I'd trust it with my gear. I made it with my Schrade 225h in mind, but decided to make it wider so that I could actually keep a small survival kit with it, just as a secondary type of thing. It's just big enough to hold the knife, a lighter and some charcloth or I could just put an altoid can kit inside it. Thank you to Rotte for this contest. I have never sewn before in my life before last night, but I think I learned well enough to use in a pinch! My card was the Ace of Spades if you find my entry satisfactory:)
Pics below!
 
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