Whacha Been Up To......

[Gary W. Graley]

Well, while I did like how the sheath ended up, carrying it was another thing, being more a pouch type sheath the bulk of the sheath is about 7 1/2" from the opening to the tip and from the top is about 11" so it hangs down quite far and when you go to sit down, well it makes for an awkward situation trying to sit down! As most know I am fond of the belt loop swivel on a copper rivet, while the sheath was finished I hated to try and start cutting it up in order to add a swivel, but the way it is I couldn't live with it.
So I glued the existing belt loop so it was a solid piece of leather and then continued the stitch line up from the main section to follow the contours of the belt loop using red thread. Once that was sewn up I then cut off the top section and sanded it down even.
Using a copper rivet, I polished the surface of it so it was smooth and used a ball peen hammer driven into the hole to make a dished out area for the rivet to be seated so it was just below the surface of the leather. As I didn't want it scratching up the handle. Then I made another belt loop, dyed it black for contrast and riveted that in place so now the sheath when worn I can swivel it so it is out of the way. A bit of fangling but all in all it 'almost' looks like I was making it this way from the start, almost
As a reminder, here is the 'before' state of the sheath

Untitled by GaryWGraley, on Flickr


and after my mods to add a swivel belt loop
Here’s a video of the sheath

Untitled by GaryWGraley, on Flickr

Untitled by GaryWGraley, on Flickr

Untitled by GaryWGraley, on Flickr

Untitled by GaryWGraley, on Flickr

Untitled by GaryWGraley, on Flickr

So, I'm liking it a great deal more now. Some folks like dangler type sheaths, I don't find them very handy, but a swivel sheath keeps the sheath, belt loop in line and makes drawing the knife a lot easier as it isn't flopping around as some danglers can.

Have I mentioned that I do not like making fixed blade sheaths?
G2

 

[RayseM]

Great save Gary. Looks like it was born that way. I completely agree that the best belt loop carry option - most of the time - is a pivot on a rivet. Machael made one for me and I thought it was brilliant. The sheath/knife pretty much stays in whatever position you prefer. My choice is with the handle canted forward 10° or 15°. BUT then you can push it back to vertical as needed.

I must say - you use thick leather. I haven't dared to go past 8oz. Also, I don't see the need or recognize an advantage of that weight for fixed blades in the 5" or under category. Your sheath looks great and I'm certain, carries perfectly, just surprises me that you build so stout.

 

[Gary W. Graley]

Thanks but for fixed blades thicker is better just more robust
G2

 

[ecallahan]

Gary your stamping is amazing.

 

[Gary W. Graley]

Thanks E ecallahan appreciate that

And RayseM another reason for the heavier leather is that it doesn’t stretch or give as much as a lighter leather does so the compression of the sheath will continue to help keep the knife secure, that plus how much of the handle is in the sheath

G2

 

[RayseM]

I will need to order some thick leather and give it a try. Thanks Gary.

 

[Gary W. Graley]

It’s worth a try at least

also wanted to say that the red stitching around the top section was not necessary as the glue would certainly would have been enough to keep the two pieces together and the copper rivet would just add to it being kept together
but I did it more for decorative look than anything else and I like the way it looks. Note that the belt loop section itself is just glued together at the bottom and no worries that it would ever separate.
G2

 

[baxtrom]

Playing around with scrap pieces

 

[Horsewright]

Some recents:

I've been gradually taking over the flower carving from Nichole so she can focus on her bags. Finished this one up yesterday:

This knife originally had a basket stamped sheath. When a customer orders an additional sheath like the flower carved one here they get both sheaths:

Finished a new batch of knives too:

 

[Macan]

This is sheat for my first try at knifemaking, with great help from my friend Igor from Gray Wolf knives from Prague, Chechia. I designed, did the cut, grinding, all mistakes,that you can see are mine and Igor finished the knife and made handle, and I was so happy with my knife and tried to make a sheat out of unknown leather to me, but it was fun, turned out nice but could be better if I try again
I made also some sort of wallet

 

[Barbababa]

I took a break from my sheath designing ideas and tried out my new small bandsaw. Made a butterfly knife in juniper, and from a leftover piece a made a classic butterknife stand. In Swedish “smörtax” witch translates to Butter Dachshund…

https://imgur.com/a/5Rz8wQj

9cm long and 3cm in hight it will decorate the breakfast table

 

[Gary W. Graley]

My Viper Lille came with one of those clippy thingy's but I didn't want to use that in my pocket. For a while I carried it via a length of paracord as neck carry but some days I just don't want to have that hanging around my neck, so I use a wrap around piece of leather, then folded down the top section to form the belt loop. Used some hard ware to screw the leather to the sheath, all in all it is quite handy to carry now.

Untitled by GaryWGraley, on Flickr

Untitled by GaryWGraley, on Flickr

Brings the end of the handle just a bit above the belt line making it handy to retrieve as well as return.

Untitled by GaryWGraley, on Flickr

Untitled by GaryWGraley, on Flickr

I tapered the end of the leather and glued it in place, also the sheath is pressing against it as well, so I didn't bother using any stitching as the glue will hold it together with the knife being as light as it is.

Untitled by GaryWGraley, on Flickr

G2

 

[Gary W. Graley]

Horsewright Very nice carving there sir and very nice knives as well, your work is top notch and can be spotted from a distance that it is something made by you.
G2

 

[Horsewright]

Horsewright Very nice carving there sir and very nice knives as well, your work is top notch and can be spotted from a distance that it is something made by you.
G2

Thank you G2 for the kind words! Since that last post above. Been pretty busy. Finished off another batch of knives and two batches of leatherwork not including the sheaths for the knives. This batch of knives was for a guy in AR these are for his grandkids. He shot the antelope that the bone for the handles comes from:

Course he used Horsewright knives for processing:

.

He also had ordered several folding knife sheaths too for specific knives and that was one of the separate leather batches. The whole shooting match:

The knives and sheaths:

This was the only non carved sheath for this Sonoran Belt Knife:

A Gordo:

A Paisano:

A Ranchero:

A Vaquero:

And a Cowboy:

Concurrently I made up this other Ranchero and its flapped sheath for a guy in GA:

 

[Horsewright]

So then once I had that all lined out I started in on the other sheaths for his order. First up was another Gord. I'd made him this knife many years ago and it was needing a new sheath:

This handle is buffalo shin bone:

Then four folding knife sheaths:

That pretty much took care of the order from AR. Then I started in on another group of orders. A water buffalo overlay double mag carrier for a 1911:

A Pancake Style holster for a Colt Python. The customer's gun is a 4.25 bbl length but the Bluegun mold is only available in 6". So I used a sharpie to mark the correct length on the bluegun.

He also ordered a Loop Holster for the same Python:

This holster since it works on frame size and not molding like the Pancake will fit other guns including other Colts, including my Bisley from1916.

Then a plain Pancake sheath for a Hossom knife:

This was a lil tricky fitting as the handle flares wider at the front. But got er done> So thats what I've been up too last three or four days. What am I doing today:

 

[Horsewright]

Why cutting these up into scales:

Its gonna be dusty:

Whacha been up to?

 

[Lorien]

haven't made anything like this before, but I needed something for my uninsulated mug since I drink a lot of tea, and need something to carry around refreshments during Blade. I handed it over to my laser etching friend for adornments. Looking forward to seeing what happens.

 

[Horsewright]

haven't made anything like this before, but I needed something for my uninsulated mug since I drink a lot of tea, and need something to carry around refreshments during Blade. I handed it over to my laser etching friend for adornments. Looking forward to seeing what happens.

Ya gonna do any tooling on your cover?

 

[Horsewright]

haven't made anything like this before, but I needed something for my uninsulated mug since I drink a lot of tea, and need something to carry around refreshments during Blade. I handed it over to my laser etching friend for adornments. Looking forward to seeing what happens.

That'll be cool!

 

[Lorien]

Ya gonna do any tooling on your cover?

only laser tooling