Silly question on stock knife sheaths

Good sheaths are important to me. Kydex with attachment points to allow for different clip styles is great. I don’t want to have to buy a sheath when spending a chunk for a knife, but the sheath makers on these forums have been great to deal with when I have needed or wanted one.

For anyone not aware, the sheath with the CPK EDC can take a Mummert clip to allow wearing in a variety of positions including inside or outside of belt or waistband (or in pocket). Those clips are really great for both small and larger knives.

RK Kydex makes excellent Kydex at great prices for Cold Steel, Esee, Fallkniven, etc. Spending under $100 for a CS SRK 3V, an extra $35 for a great sheath is still a great buy imo.
 
There are some nice thermoplastics that don’t cheapen the look. Raptor skin Holstex, for example, has been mistaken for leather at a glance, and I think it looks really nice. All the benefits of modern materials with much of the classy look attributed to leather.
 
I usually end up making new leather sheathes for my fixed blades, often using the original for a pattern. The best leather sheaths I have came with my Marbles Campcraft and Fieldcraft bought 20 years ago or so when Mike Stewart was there.
 
My first thought that popped up was how much the Becker series benefit from a good kydex sheath with the exception of the BK16 and Jaroz series.

It does sting a bit buying a BK9, then adding in stainless hardware, micarta scales, then a Azwelke sheath and being sunk 280 bucks into a 1095 production blade.
 
The sheath.is more.important than the knife right up till you need the knife.......Sheath has to work all the time while the blade.rides.in comfort.😉.........Two parts of a whole..............Make em both right....👍
 
Mr. Tettnanger said:
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.
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That knife has been made with different kinds of sheaths over the years, from different sheath makers. Could you describe the sheath (picture would be great) and what you would like done differently?
 
Nathan the Machinist said:
That knife has been made with different kinds of sheaths over the years, from different sheath makers. Could you describe the sheath (picture would be great) and what you would like done differently?
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Mine was from one of the recent drops. It was a pocket sheath with a Ulti-clip. I am not a fan of pocket carry and didn't realize that is how it came. I would be super stoked if it came with a belt sheath like your BFKs do.
 
Damn i must be in the minority here.
The amount of aftermarket support has been a deciding factor on my buying choice for my vehicles and most hobby related goods since i was a teenager.
A lot of the enjoyment of things in my life is personalizing and tweaking it to more suit my use and to just make it mine.
Off the rack just doesn't do it for me.
 
I feel like lot of the knife companies just need to spit out something fast to sell more and the sheath is an afterthought. I value companies that put thought to the entire package.

That being said I did learn leathercrafting for the purpose of making my own sheaths. I still prefer to have a good sheath even if I later decide to make another one for it.
 
DangerZone98 said:
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.
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If I dont like a sheath, its no big deal if I like the knife. I either mod the existing sheath, buy a new sheath or make one myself.

As an example, I have a Becker BK-16 with three different sheaths, a factory cordura and two AZWelke kydex sheathes, taxo and pancake styles. I use whichever sheath fits my current needs.

My BK-2’s rest in their factory sheathes but Im in the process of building a leather sheath for them to scout carry.

Because of this flexibility Ive often purchased knives sans sheath.
 
I cannot imagine liking a knife enough to consider buying it but being stopped by the sheath it comes with. I often dislike the sheaths that come with knives, usually because I plan to carry them differently than the makers expect. For an example if you prefer scout carry and refuse to get a different sheath than what comes with a knife you will have hugely handicapped yourself regarding options. I prefer kydex or similar because I have cut through a few and I have seen a few decent leather sheaths cut to fully trust them in all situations.
 
number me among those who do not think this is a silly question.

Like many makers, I can pin down my interest in making, (sheaths in my case) to dissatisfaction with what was available- due either to price, design/materials or quality generally.

Custom knives very often don't come with sheaths- custom knives are kind of my jam- so if I want to carry it I'd either have to buy or make a sheath. My budget tells me no when it comes to paying for quality leather work and besides, there is no one that I know of who makes them the way I do, which shows how picky I am lol. I'd be a pain in the ass of any leather bender out there.

I have a box full of kydex sheaths for all the factory made knives that I've made leather sheaths for. All for knives that I like to carry.

The most important part of having a knife on you is having a knife on you. A sheath that carries poorly is about the same as no sheath at all-the knife stays home. If I want to carry a knife, the sheath has to work with me. Unless it's going to live in a pack, then I could give two shits, so long as the rig is safe.
 
A bad sheath with a other-vice nice knife is a disappointment, but not a reason to not buy for me. I usually end up making a sheath myself in about 50% of the case, maybe even more, for one or another reason. Either because the knife didn't come with one, or if it did it was total crap (not that often for quality knives), or simply because the sheath didn't have the functionality I want. Or I simply wanted to experiment with something else.
 
DangerZone98 said:
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.
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I don't care at all. If something seems interesting it's up for buying.
 
The sheath is definitely part of the purchase so it effects the price and is factored into the value.

I find most of my knives fit in ones of these 4 sheaths which are tge style I like to carry. IMG_2075.jpegIMG_2074.jpeg
 
Suppose one takes a tumble down a hill. The blade could be pushed through on a cheap, thin leather one. I feel better about a thicker, well sewn one. But I really like the Holstex and Kydex holsters for that reason. Plus they hold the blade tighter and more secure I feel. Knives are awesome, and worthy of good sheaths.
 
conan11 said:
Suppose one takes a tumble down a hill. The blade could be pushed through on a cheap, thin leather one. I feel better about a thicker, well sewn one. But I really like the Holstex and Kydex holsters for that reason. Plus they hold the blade tighter and more secure I feel. Knives are awesome, and worthy of good sheaths.
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Niche consideration but honestly important too. A knife punching through cheap leather sounds about as fun as a negligent discharge as you reholster your firearm, sheesh.

I’m also a fan of quality kydex. Bit of a hassle though to get kydex for every single knife in the collection lol.
 
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