Taking the plunge

T

theHobbyist

Joined
Oct 3, 2012
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885
OK, so Arsons post inspired me to get off my butt and try making a sheath.

So after driving around to every craft shop I could find and learning that the only leather anythings that any of them had were laces. I decided to go to my buddies bodyshop to get an estimate for a dent repair and was telling him about my days adventure. He points across the street to an upholstery shop and says that they have leather they might sell me... so across the street I go and showed the guy there a couple of sheaths that I had on me and he reaches under the table and says "Here this should do ya fine"

Mind you I have no idea what I'm doing other than a few vids from youtube....

There are a couple of pieces that are plenty thick and one thats just a bit thicker than a chammy.

So on to my questions, what else do I need to get started? And where can I get it?

I've seen a couple of posts that mention Tandy leather and further googling has pretty much made that the place cost wise.

I saw in the How to sticky in here something about hand boning and sinew and what not...

I guess what I'm looking for is a basic shopping list to get started.

Why I'm asking here? In Hawaii... on Oahu, no one works with leather that is willing to have their brains picked...

Anyways thanks for stopping by and any assistance!
 
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If you found some leather at an upholstery shop, good chance it's chrome tanned and not what you need to make sheaths...you need 7-8oz vegetable tanned leather.
I would suggest searching "beginner" here at "Sheaths and Such"..you'll find several "what do I need to get started" type threads...and reading through them.
 
Stop, dead in your tracks!...and listen to Rayban. I'll echo that what you got at the upholstery shop is probably NOT the type leather you need for sheath making.

Paul
 
Pro Crafters - please explain the practical (i.e. sheath making factors) that make "chrome" tanned leather unsuitable. My situation is somewhat similar to "theHobbyist" only in western Illinois ... not many sources for leather of any sort. Is chrome tanned leather chemically or mechanically inadequate? Is there a way to look at (or feel) tanned leather and determine how it was tanned. "Regular" vegetable tanned leather is easy to spot - it's all the other variations that are too subtle for the newbie (like me).
Scott D
 
qncygnnr, I was wondering the same thing, and the internet being the fickle woman she is, prompted me to do a bit of research. I found a wealth of information on what the difference is (the method of tanning)...

In short Chrome (or chrome salt) tanning is a chemical process, quick, somewhat easy, and very much not a friend to mother nature. Where as vegetable tanning is natural, but takes longer (so it costs a bit more). After reading a handful of articles that said basically the same thing about both having their goods and bads and blah blah this and blah blah that... I did how ever find one that pertained to knives/metal in general, and why chrome is bad.

Again in short, the when chrome tanned leather gets wet (and it will) the chemicals will corrode and pit metal (knives, guns etc). The author of the forum post (who I think has something to do with USA knife makers) says to take a small sample and burn it, the residue from chromed leather will "turn a distinct green when it cools", veggie tanned leather will just ash and turn grey. source

This is just what I learned in last night before bed, if I'm wrong, and need to be corrected please do so. If anyone has anything else to chime in on this please do, the more information I can gather the better off I'll be!
 
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Same here ... Sheathmaker, Rayban, et al. is there more to the story? - I made some pocket sheaths for my trad folders with what I could find. I've got some scraps which I'll put to the test (trial by fire) and post the results. I suspect that they are chrome tanned - in which case they will be retired immediately. :o
Scott D
 
Both of you are on the right track. Chrome tanned has enough negatives to preclude it from use for almost any end use concerning knives, plus the fact that it is generally in lighter weights, not suitable far anything more than just pocket slips for smaller folders. Anything obtained via the "scraps" route from an upholstery shop or similar will most likely be chrome tanned as that is the end use for a lot, if not most, of the chrome tanned goods.

http://www.waterhouseleather.com/leather_buying_guide.htm

If you buy from a regular leather supply source, and there are many, be sure to specify Vegetable Tanned when ordering, and then you should be good to go. The "Weight" of the leather expressed in ounces is also a factor. An ounce of weight equals about 1/64" of thickness. Generally 8 oz. leather is what you will need for most sheath work. 8X1/64"=approx. 1/8" thickness. This conversion is not absolutely accurate, but it is VERY close. Slightly lighter weight for folder pouches, and even slightly lighter for inside the pocket slip sheaths and so on.

I appreciate the desire to get into leather work as economically as possible, but skimping on leather quality and and type by buying scraps etc, is a sure way to find disappointment and disillusionment, and finally waisted money.

Based on my immediate previous statement, it would be much more economical to just order from professional and be done with it.......but I applaud your desire to do it yourself. Follow the advise you get from the old hands and get the proper start and you'll enjoy a new found hobby or business for many years to come.

Paul
 
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Yeah, Rick, I caught it and was correcting as you were typing. Thanks!

Paul
 
sheathmaker said:
Both of you are on the right track.
Click to expand...

Good to know we were on the right track there...

sheathmaker said:
I appreciate the desire to get into leather work as economically as possible, but skimping on leather quality and and type by buying scraps etc, is a sure way to find disappointment and disillusionment, and finally waisted money.
Click to expand...

Actually it wasn't meant to skimp. I learned the hard and very expensive way not to skimp on somethings... Sad fact is that there are very few resources in Hawaii for that sort of thing, on the island which I live (Oahu) there are no leather goods supply shops. They're mostly on the neighbor islands (i think there are only 2 in fact). "the price of living in paradise" lol

doc trinidad said:
are there any tack stores or saddle repair shops near you?
Click to expand...
Sadly no there aren't any on this island, there are a couple of old timers that do that kind of work but they're really not willing to share their trade with anyone...
 
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