Silly question on stock knife sheaths

[DangerZone98]

Fixed blade talk. When you rate your fixed blades, do you factor in the accompanying sheaths on how much you like or enjoy the knife? Or should judging the knife just focus on, well, the knife itself?

It’s a silly question because I know that 99% of the time, you can just get a different sheath for a knife you really like. But I must admit that the stock sheath also partly colors my first impressions of any knife. If the stock sheath is too tight or too dangerously loose, I tend to enjoy the knife itself a little less.

 

[Mr. Tettnanger]

Sheaths make or break a fixed blade for me. If the sheath irks me for any reason, I usually sell the knife off and move on. Recently did that with a Carothers EDC. Great knife....hate the pocket sheath. SOLD IT!

Sure I could pay more for an aftermarket sheath or have one made to my liking.....but I'm never in the mood to pay more and pay to have the knife shipped for custom sheath to be made.

 

[DangerZone98]

Sheaths make or break a fixed blade for me. If the sheath irks me for any reason, I usually sell the knife off and move on. Recently did that with a Carothers EDC. Great knife....hate the pocket sheath. SOLD IT!

Sure I could pay more for an aftermarket sheath or have one made to my liking.....but I'm never in the mood to pay more and pay to have the knife shipped for custom sheath to be made.

My thoughts too! I’m a bit more tolerant of less than perfect sheaths, but terrible sheaths are a no go for me.

 

[David Mary]

I don’t buy fixed blades much any more for obvious reasons. But when I did within the last few years, they all got new sheaths. Since I have the materials always on hand it’s just a matter of finding half an hour to get it done. So if and when I find another fixed blade I want to buy, that’s all it will really cost me to resheath it if needed.

 

[JPD1998]

Not a silly question at all and I've been going through this same problem for a while now.
You buy a knife with all the qualities you're looking for and then get a sheath that's really bad.

Sure, you can shop for a replacement sheath, but that's trial and error too.

I recently saw a Cold Steel Master Tanto on sale, but the reviews for the sheath were so bad that I passed on it.

 

[tltt]

It's not a total deciding factor, but I'd give it 25-30% of my overall opinion of the knife. Decent leather or kydex is expensive, so if I see a good knife with a bad or mediocre sheath, I always think about if I could live with it or I add in the price of what I think a good sheath would cost. If It raises the cost of the knife a good bit, then it usually gets put on the back burner, and I wait till I see a good sale or nice second hand example.

 

[David Mary]

Decent leather or kydex is expensive

I don’t think that’s true. Outstanding next level kydex is expensive. In my realistic appraisal of my own sheath work, I’d call it decent for most styles of knives. And I don’t ask much for it. I’d make a super functional slim taco sheath for something like say a 5” knife for maybe $45 plus shipping.

But yeah most people are going to have to factor in shipping the knife and being without it a while.

Maybe I should start a fixed blade collection of all the knives with the worst sheaths.

 

[David Mary]

Problem there would be I’d need two. One to make sheaths with and another to regrind.

 

[Wolverine666]

I’m all about a good , quality sheath for fixed blades. LionSteels I’ve owned came with outstanding leather sheaths. Very high quality.

 

[tltt]

I don’t think that’s true. Outstanding next level kydex is expensive. In my realistic appraisal of my own sheath work, I’d call it decent for most styles of knives. And I don’t ask much for it. I’d make a super functional slim taco sheath for something like say a 5” knife for maybe $45 plus shipping.

But yeah most people are going to have to factor in shipping the knife and being without it a while.

Maybe I should start a fixed blade collection of all the knives with the worst sheaths.

Sure, but it's relative. On a custom knife it's not a big deal, but on a less than say, $200 factory knife, it's a decent expense.

 

[scorpnsnake]

I don’t think that’s true. Outstanding next level kydex is expensive. In my realistic appraisal of my own sheath work, I’d call it decent for most styles of knives. And I don’t ask much for it. I’d make a super functional slim taco sheath for something like say a 5” knife for maybe $45 plus shipping.

But yeah most people are going to have to factor in shipping the knife and being without it a while.

Maybe I should start a fixed blade collection of all the knives with the worst sheaths.

I've yet to handle a kydex sheath that's as well done as your tacos. Smallest possible footprint, nice and tight with no rattles, substantial sheath nuts. Bravo good Sir!

 

[Dergyll]

I don’t buy fixed blades much any more for obvious reasons. But when I did within the last few years, they all got new sheaths. Since I have the materials always on hand it’s just a matter of finding half an hour to get it done. So if and when I find another fixed blade I want to buy, that’s all it will really cost me to resheath it if needed.

It takes David 30m to make a sheath....noted.
I shall adjust your salary accordingly

I almost always prefer a kydex-ish sheath for me knife, so I ask the above guy to make em for me. It doesn't make or break a knife, I just weigh the price before making the purchase.

 

[David Mary]

It takes David 30m to make a sheath....noted.
I shall adjust your salary accordingly

Let's not get too carried away. The price I mentioned there is if someone sends me a knife of the size I mentioned to put a sheath on. If I'm already making a knife for someone, I charge even less for the sheath. For example, Samurai Pierre doesn't come with a sheath, but if a customer wants one with it.... it is $45 more. But that is a 2" tall and 9" blade chef knife...

 

[killgar]

Despite my self-imposed prohibition on buying anymore knives, there is a fixed-blade that I noticed awhile back that has tested my resolve, the Giant Mouse GMF4 (pictured below). I was thinking about it just last night.

But I HATE the sheath. And I really hate buying a knife knowing that I'm just going to throw the sheath away. So the bad sheath actually helps me fight the temptation to buy the knife.

Now if it had a really nice kydex sheath, damn, that would be tough to resist.

I know that I could have a custom kydex sheath made, and I can make my own leather sheaths in a style that I like, but the extra cost and hassle of having a kydex sheath made, or having to make a sheath myself, would be a drag.

I'm torn between hoping they won't offer the option of a kydex sheath (so I can continue to resist the temptation), and kinda wishing they would (because I really like the knife).

It ain't easy being a knife addict.

 

[Danke42]

For a functional knife the sheath matters. And a maker that puts in the effort to build a high quality sheath is also going to put that attention to detail into the blade itself.

And as for knives that come without a sheath, just no.

 

[The Hawk]

That is not a silly question at all. The sheath is part of the purchase. A few years ago, I bought a Cold Steel Warcraft Tanto. The sheath was too tight. I ended up having a custom sheath made for it. Several other folks have had the same problem. I am happy with the knife now.

 

[Roamad]

I don’t consider the sheath when I rate a knife purchase. Because a sheath can be replaced/modified, and my sheath needs might be different from what the manufacturer intended. Kinda like judging a car based on the tires. I wouldn’t do that either.

 

[jbmonkey]

I'm not that picky on sheaths, but it has to work. I'm gonna pick on the svord bowie 280b and hunter 280h. both use generic sheath that fits neither properly or safely. the snap strap is too loose, and too high and allows the blade to come out a few inches askin for an injury. terrible design. also the secure x sheath issues I won't rehash here again. so things like that, big safety and actual use issues, I dislike on sheaths.

most of the complaints I hear on sheaths, don't bother me.

 

[Dragon_Man]

I buy fixed blades to use them as is. The sheath is important because I use it every time I use the knife. I prefer leather sheaths. I think that Kydex and the like cheapen the look. And are too stiff.

 

[sgt1372]

For me, a fixed blade MUST come w/a sheath or I won't buy it. I don't want to be bothered finding/buying/making a sheath.

I prefer kydex to leather so that I can store the knife in it. Otherwise it just needs to be "functional" which means the knife fits in it snugly & that can be attached to my belt. I currently own 81 fixed blades & haven't bought one that didn't come w/a sheath & that didn't meet this basic requirement.