Whacha Been Up To......

[SharpBits]

Nothing. Got a blood infection a couple weeks ago I am still fighting off. Been researching leather sewing machines, debating between a used Weaver Cub, new Cowboy Outlaw, or a older Adler 167 GK 373 with new servo, reverse and table for less than the other 2? Hoping to get back in the shop in a week or two.

I hope you get to feeling better soon!

 

[Taz]

Thanks! Going crazy sitting in the house with my leg sticking up in the air! But I finally got the first page to my website published, working on other pages now! I got orders sitting waiting to build, so hopefully I get back in the shop soon!

 

[John A. Larsen]

Nothing new to report. Still wearing this sheath and same knife for almost two years now. One question for Gary. I have a good leather belt I have been wearing since 2009. The maker told me to put on some leather condition once every year, which I have done, and the belt remains in very good condition. So should I put some kind of leather conditioner on this sheath? I have some Peccard's, some Montana Pitch-Blend, and some Obenauf's Heavy Duty LP, and some Fiebing's Glycerine Saddle Soap available. John

Again nothing new to report. The sheath Gary made continues to soldier on with no problems. I did put a very light coat of Montana Pitch-Blend Leather Dressing on it, and continue to wear it every day around the home. Thanks again Gary for such great product. John

 

[John A. Larsen]

A fellow contacted me to make a sheath for an older folder he picked up, it's seen some use. He found an image of one of my earlier sheaths and asked to make one similar with the same leather colour, which in that case was the neatsfoot oil treatment. It's been a while since I've done that and my wife expressed concern that I would muck up her oven with 'stuff' I explained that all the oven is being used for is to heat up the leather so it will readily accept the neatsfoot oil, which I also heated up a bit before brushing it onto the leather. There were a couple of range marks that surfaced once the oil was applied but that adds character. The knife does lack a lot of contour that I usually want in a folder so the sheath will have good retention, this one will hold the knife secure but not a pop in like say the Buck 110 folders do, but, it will work fine for this knife.

Untitled by GaryWGraley, on Flickr

Untitled by GaryWGraley, on Flickr

Untitled by GaryWGraley, on Flickr

Untitled by GaryWGraley, on Flickr

G2

This is the sheath I was talking about in the above post. John

 

[jfk1110]

Nothing. Got a blood infection a couple weeks ago I am still fighting off. Been researching leather sewing machines, debating between a used Weaver Cub, new Cowboy Outlaw, or a older Adler 167 GK 373 with new servo, reverse and table for less than the other 2? Hoping to get back in the shop in a week or two.

Feel better soon........

Horsewright Such a crafty craftsman you are! Nice job refurbishing the old one!
Only thing recently made was this vertical sheath for a small Sebenza, actually two were made as the fellow decided to get one for himself as well

https://flic.kr/p/2sfXn4G

https://flic.kr/p/2sfWb7R

G2

Beautiful work sir...

 

[Horsewright]

Horsewright Such a crafty craftsman you are! Nice job refurbishing the old one!
Only thing recently made was this vertical sheath for a small Sebenza, actually two were made as the fellow decided to get one for himself as well

https://flic.kr/p/2sfXn4G

https://flic.kr/p/2sfWb7R

G2

Thank you sir!

 

[Gary W. Graley]

Started forming a sheath for my Civivi folder, it’s through the wet forming process and now ready to be embossed and dyed, glued and hand stitched.
A small section was cut out to allow the leather to wrap tightly around the bottom of the knife.

https://flic.kr/p/2sioq5K

https://flic.kr/p/2sipudJ

One of the thinnest edges that I’ve had, truly straight razor thin or very close

https://flic.kr/p/2sinitC

https://flic.kr/p/2sioq47

G2

 

[Nate’s Knives]

Started forming a sheath for my Civivi folder, it’s through the wet forming process and now ready to be embossed and dyed, glued and hand stitched.
A small section was cut out to allow the leather to wrap tightly around the bottom of the knife.

https://flic.kr/p/2sioq5K

https://flic.kr/p/2sipudJ

One of the thinnest edges that I’ve had, truly straight razor thin or very close

https://flic.kr/p/2sinitC

https://flic.kr/p/2sioq47

G2

Any updated pics? WIP pics?

 

[Gary W. Graley]

I’ll post finished photos later but for wip I covered it pretty well in this tutorial I made

Seen here in this thread

G2

 

[Nate’s Knives]

I’ll post finished photos later but for wip I covered it pretty well in this tutorial I made

Seen here in this thread

G2

You are the man! For someone only about a year into leather making, that tutorial is golden.

 

[Gary W. Graley]

You flatter me sir, but there are several great tutorials pinned up there that provide excellent information from several of our sheath makers
G2

 

[Nate’s Knives]

I really like the wet molded look as it customizes the sheath and helps add a sort of retaining lock to the application. You are right as there are many others on this forum that are “next gen” when it comes to the moo skin, kydex as well! I’ve also seen some do the hybrid leather/kydex sheath and those look amazing.

I got into it because I got tired of commissioning someone to make a sheath for my knife then waiting and waiting and waiting…also cut into my profits. It also wasn’t my “design” so it kinda felt a tad off selling them as a package. Now I can make both to the customers request, put my spin on it and the package compliments itself.

 

[Gary W. Graley]

Some knives have contours that help with retention so that they snap into place

G2

 

[Lorien]

getting started on my biggest batch to date

 

[Taz]

Giving my arm a workout!

It's an older steel one, too. I gotta order more bobbins and stuff:


Took a bit of fiddling with lower bobbin tension, it was set up for 138 top/92 bottom, and 160 needle. Now it's 207 nylon top and bottom and 200 needle!

Outer layers are pre dyed veg tan 8/9oz and middle is 8/9 veg tanned water buffalo:




At first, I was pulling the threads for the first couple stitches instead of just holding them tight. Once I started holding and not pulling them, it worked much better!

 

[Taz]

Played with it a bit more before going into work. 4 layers of veg tan 8/9oz, no issues! 5 layers went fine, too until I ran out of thread in my bobbin... Oops! I'll get pics when I get home, but this machine is impressive!

I also tried running it without thread and it works nice for punching holes if I need to saddle stitch something by hand, too.

 

[Taz]

And my Box of Threads/leather practice pieces:


I had to learn how to spool the bobbin properly. The first attempts weren't well done...lol.

 

[Taz]

some of the five-layer pieces and you can see where my bobbin ran out and the loops got all funky, but for the first half of the stitch length, it worked really well through the five layers.

 

[Nate’s Knives]

some of the five-layer pieces and you can see where my bobbin ran out and the loops got all funky, but for the first half of the stitch length, it worked really well through the five layers.View attachment 3209173View attachment 3209184View attachment 3209185

Here soon I’m gonna have to get me one. Hand stitching may sometimes be cathartic but that thread pulling eats at the edges of the hands and hurts for abt three days especially after a big job

 

[Taz]

Yeah, I tend to get tingly fingers after a bit of hand sewing, possibly carpal tunnel creeping in on me! Even hand saddle stitching works easier after using the machine to punch the holes if someone insists on saddle stitching!