wooden sheath/handle

A

Alidisaster

Joined
Jul 16, 2002
Messages
23
I've got a narrow 3" blade on order from Ragweed. I want to mount it in a wooded handle and sheath, where the handle and sheath flow together.

The only problem is, I can't work out a way of holding the blade in the sheath. I don't want an external clip - it would spoil the flow. The only alternatives I can think of are a tight friction fit, or some sort of detent inside the sheath, so the knife has to be twisted to remove it.

Has any done something similar? Any ideas?
TIA
 
All the knives that I have seen like that are friction fit into the sheath.

Doesn't mean you can't engineer a new way! ;)
 
Magnets hadn't occurred to me - it's a carbon blade, so that would work . . . I like the idea of no moving parts. Ta.
 
Originally posted by Gouge
Magnets?
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Good idea...come to think of it, I'm pretty sure there was a thread not too long ago about where yu could get those rare-earth magnets. That would be worth a search...
 
Originally posted by Mike Hull
I just used a felt like fabric inside mine. It was a good friction fit.
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Very nice knife! How did you adhere the felt to the inside of the sheath?
 
Originally posted by Steven Roos
Very nice knife! How did you adhere the felt to the inside of the sheath?
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I used contact cement. The type you get in a tube, like model glue. You have to be careful not to get too much on, as it will bleed through. That can scratch the blade.:eek:
 
Originally posted by Alidisaster
Magnets hadn't occurred to me - it's a carbon blade, so that would work . . . I like the idea of no moving parts. Ta.
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Magnets will work on a SS blade too:D
 
magnets work fine. Do your inletting for the blade profile then inlet for the hard drive magnet. If ya have enough room, you can cover it wth a thin piece of leather to prevent scratches.
 
A traditional solution to this is to construct a leather and wood sheath. The bottom portion is wood and you carve a button or lip or some form of retention into the wood. THe upper section is leather and is wet formed around the button, and your knife handle. Insert the knife into the sheath, wetform your leather and sew it up. When it dries it dries around the wooden retention you made and makes for a secure fit. I have a book on scandinavian knife making at home that shows how to do this... when I get home I'll try to post the name of the book. You really should get that book as it has lots of info on working with handles and sheaths.
 
Got the book on my lap! Hehe... lap, Lapp.. hehe

Knifemaking: A Complete Guide to Crafting Knives, Handles & Sheaths by Bo Bergman

Definitely get this book!
 
There are pictures of those knives on the ragweed site - might do that for one of the knives.

I really wanted the 'one piece of wood' look for the smaller knife. Apart from ascetics, it would be less likely to trigger the "omigod, there's a knife in your bag" reaction if someone saw it in my rucksack - they are as likely to assume it is a pen or case for something.

The UK is not a knife-friendly country . . .
 
I've made several like that. I've been just making them friction fit. I use a router to make most of the depression in one side of the wood, carve for a hard fit when the pieces are clamped together then glue. I think that's the way Japanese sword sheaths are made.
The problem I have is the scratches that the wood causes over time. The tight fit at the mouth of the sheath and clearance everywhere else would solve that. I did buy some magnets for my next ones but haven't made any lately. I also have plans for two blades, separated in the center so that when you pull on the handle you have a blade in both hands.
Lynn
 
Originally posted by Alidisaster
I really wanted the 'one piece of wood' look for the smaller knife. Apart from ascetics, it would be less likely to trigger the "omigod, there's a knife in your bag" reaction if someone saw it in my rucksack - they are as likely to assume it is a pen or case for something.
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This is what you're looking for, right?
 
That's it - except that I don't like the ergonomics of the handle when it is out of the sheath. The knife I will be working on will be used for woodcarving mostly.

I've got some 4x2 pieces of Jarrah - so will probably use that.
 
To get a nicer handle, you have to use the leather-over-the-handle trick.

Here's a pic of a nice neck knife:

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They show how to do this in Bo Bergman's book.
 
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