Source for cheap leather for making sheaths

P

pradeep1

Joined
Jul 4, 2007
Messages
47
Hello all,

I tried using the search function on two different browsers on two different machines and it just hangs.

Any ways, what are some places I can get cheap leather for making sheaths. There was a user mckrob, who I believe lives in Peru, talking about getting it for less than $2.00/SqFt. Pretty good.

Where do you guys buy your sheath leather and how much do you pay?

Any other non-traditional sources of leather?

Thanks,

Pradeep
 
Pradeep,

Welcome to BladeForums and, on behalf of my fellow forum members, I thank you for trying out the search engine! It makes your time here much more fun! :D

(The BF search engine does get cranky sometimes - it'll work other times...)

Anyhow, I buy my leather at Tandy Leather Company. They have locations nationwide (in the US) and also sell from their Web site. They offer many different kinds of leather in different configurations (i.e., whole hide, remnants, etc.). I go to their stores in person when I need leather to see what they have on clearance.

They also carry leatherworking tools and supplies such as waxes, oils, and dyes.
 
It works if you coddle it. Please read Sticky: Search Engine FAQs & Tips

moving-van.jpg
 
pradeep1 said:
Hello all,

I tried using the search function on two different browsers on two different machines and it just hangs.

Any ways, what are some places I can get cheap leather for making sheaths. There was a user mckrob, who I believe lives in Peru, talking about getting it for less than $2.00/SqFt. Pretty good.

Where do you guys buy your sheath leather and how much do you pay?

Any other non-traditional sources of leather?

Thanks,

Pradeep
Click to expand...


There is a seller on ebay who sells scraps from his business, seller name, bobkitchener he has over 31000 feedback and ZERO negative. He is in Nashville. He will sell 10 sq. ft veg tanned leather scraps for around $23. Every piece will be large enough to make 2 sheaths.

Here is his auction for some scrap pieces.

http://cgi.ebay.com/SCRAP-LEATHER-M...ryZ83933QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem


I used to buy from him until Tandy opened up a store near me.

The nice thing about using remnants like this is you arent afraid of screwing up. When you are inexpierenced and you buy a whole shoulder of pristine leather you are afraid to cut into that smooth perfect leather out of fear of wasting it by making mistakes.

Ebay is a good place to buy dyes and other stuff too.
 
pradeep1 said:
Hello all,

I tried using the search function on two different browsers on two different machines and it just hangs.

Any ways, what are some places I can get cheap leather for making sheaths. There was a user mckrob, who I believe lives in Peru, talking about getting it for less than $2.00/SqFt. Pretty good.

Where do you guys buy your sheath leather and how much do you pay?

Any other non-traditional sources of leather?

Thanks,

Pradeep
Click to expand...

Try going to www.sciplus.com

They sell a whole cowbelly for $10.00 +s/h. I don't know what the weight is but I've made several sheaths from just one. I'm still learning, and not so upset about screwups.

Jim L.
 
Dunno where you are or what there is in your area to hunt, but you could try making your own. theres plenty of tutorials showing up on google, and I've 4 rabbit skins in an acid tan as I type, and have done goat hides by vegetable tanning in pine/acacia.oak solution. it's only a matter of degree between small skins like that and big heavy skins like cow hide, and home tanning yo ucan cut th big cow hide into smaller pieces before tanning and only tan enoug for a few sheathes at a time.
 
Jim L. said:
Try going to www.sciplus.com

They sell a whole cowbelly for $10.00 +s/h. I don't know what the weight is but I've made several sheaths from just one. I'm still learning, and not so upset about screwups.

Jim L.
Click to expand...

Don't mean to rain on your parade, but cheap leather= poor quality.Belly leather is not suitable for quality sheaths as it has to much stretch and will not harden properly.Do your selves a favor and get good shoulder or back leather.Starting off using inferior materials is not a good path to follow.Dave:(
 
DC Knives is right - you worked too hard on that blade to put it in a shabby looking sheath.

I just had two sides from Sherry Lott, Green River Leather (those who attended the Blade show in Atlanta will know Sherry). Absolutely great looking, VERY reasonable prices - about half what I pay in Canada. She hails from Kentucky - sherrylott@alltel.net - you won't be disappointed.

Tell her I recommended her - won't make a darn bit of difference in the price, but she won't increase it either!

Mike
 
if you have an old leather jacket(or at your local thrift store), you can probably triple-layer them and clip the middle then iron the crease. it's gonna look really bad but since you wanted cheap, u got cheap.
 
Hi Pardeep,
I am a hobby maker and Sell Very few knives but here is my Input on cheap products used in making knives. Cheap leather is usualy inconsistant in dyeing and finishing. The back side of the leather can be really fuzzy and not soild, there is alot more waste in the leather you buy this way.
Now if your time is worth $20 an hour At 3 hrs minimum per completed sheath thats $60 of time. Now just say you spent $3 instead of $6 for 1sq ft on the leather, the cost would be $63. Or $66 dollars for the better material. Which one would an innocent bystander pick out and why?
What I learned from reading books on this subject." It's hard to make a silk purse out of a sows ear;) "
 
siegles of california has decent prices on 5 - 7 q ft pieces. I cant get it to evenly take light colored dyes though , works well with black.

I used alot of it in the learning process ( which is still going on ). :)
 
Thank you everyone for your ideas and caveats. I'll look into the sources you guys suggested. I was asking for cheap leather for makiing sheaths, maybe I should have worded it as inexpensive. I am still learning and have never made a sheath, so I wanted leather to work with that would not be too expensive to learn with.
 
I recently came across a DVD that might help you if you're a beginner. Custom Knife Sheaths with Chuck Burrows - of Wild Rose Trading Co. He goes into detail on tooling, stiching, inlay, carving, dyeing, and a lot of other useful skills.

Probably the best advice anyone could give you is to buy decent materials and tooling - the end result will be better. I think that you can also buy single shoulders at Tandy which should cut down on the expense if you're only making a couple sheaths. Also, I don't know where you're from as you haven't filled out your profile (subtle hint), but you could try to find some local leatherworkers to learn from (saddlemakers would be a good start).

Materials are only money, experience is priceless.
Have a good one,

Nathan
 
I have been making sheaths for over 60 years and I HIGHLY recommend the DVD by Chuck Burrows. You have heard the old saying "You can't teach an old dog new tricks"? That is not so---I learned a lot from Chuck and still do!
 
I went to the Tandy Leathers website and I see they have a store in Tucker, GA near me, so the next time I am in the Atlanta area, I'll go and stock up on leather and tools. I not big into sheath making, but since I am learning knife making, might as well, right?
 
Try Leather Unlimited .com
I'm New Also But Have Done A Bit Of Leather Work
Good Luck
If You Use Carbon Steel For Your Knives-i Would Get Veg-tanned
Won't Rust Them-----------skilldust[knife Maker]
 
I set up a business account with Tandy so I save 40%. I also drive 45 miles to the nearest store so I can hand pick my own sides. I second the Chuck B. DVD as a must view.
 
I finally got to visit Tandy Leathers in Tucker, GA this past weekend. Small store, but decent selection. I picked up a piece of good quality, maybe 'B' grade, tooling leather for $20.00. It's a pretty big piece and I am sure I can get about 10-12 sheaths out of it. This was the first time visiting a leather store and it was kind of interesting to see entire skins available for sale. For me, leather has always been like cloth....don't think about it much. But when I bought my piece, you can clearly see that this piece is from the top of the cow from mid-back towards the neck.

Now all I have to do is buy some tools and get to making sheaths.

I do have another final question....what keeps your blade from cutting through the leather and getting at you? Most sheaths seem to support the blade and prevent it from moving, but what happens if you happen to fall with a knife sheathed next to you? Could it cut through the leather and cut you?
 
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