A different design for the belt loop on this one, where the knife itself sits inside your belt, with only part of the sheath on the outside. Saw a guy with a belt knife in a sheath like this at lunch last Friday, and decided I’d give it a try, especially since I had a carving knife that no longer had the factory sheath with it. I also updated my stitching pony while making this sheath, to make it work a little better.
My waistline is, shall we say, not trim enough for that. I would definitely end up cutting myself.
I've been wanting to try doing some leather work. Might have to try making some knife sheaths.
Speaking of stitching ponies, wanting to try my hand at it, I picked up this antique pony a few months ago, at least I assume that is what it is for. Leather hinge and a wedge to tighten the clamp. It has a long, tapered and square tail that works well to clamp in my wagon vise.
--Nathan, TX. Hire the lazy man. He may not do as much work but that's because he will find a better way.
Steve, there’s a block of pine that covers the blade and which is contact cemented into the end of the sheath.
Nathan, if you need any help, I’ve done a bunch now (at least a half dozen) and learned from MaFe’s write-up of making the sheath for the Sprad Knives though I don’t use the style of belt loop he uses.
It’s pretty easy, but you need more tools if you do, YRTi. I’ll try to remember to take a photo of my leather-working tools box later today, with an inventory.
Indeed, Peter. I’m clumsy enough where having naked pointy bits around is likely to mean a need for bandages soon thereafter. At least I heal relatively quickly. :-/
Here’s the contents of my leather working tools box.
A couple paper patterns for sheaths. Basically I fold the paper over the knife and wooden insert and leave enough extra for the seam and room to clamp. Patterns that work well, get kept. Ones that don’t, get thrown away. A bent-jaw pliers. Handy for pulling a stuck needle through leather. A pack of needles. A wooden tool for creasing and working leather. A lighter for melting the ends of waxed thread. And a small container of tools (described below)
A leather punch with six different sized punches. A heavy set of shears for cutting leather. A spare lighter. A bunch of small clamps for clamping wet leather to shape it, and a couple edging tools (not really needed - I use sandpaper 90% of the time)
Contact cement. Used for holding the wooden insert into a leather sheath.
Dyes and resolene, an acrylic leather finish that I use on sheaths. Stuff that will never see outside sometimes just gets oiled.
Two threaded needles with leftover thread from this sheath. A four-hole narrow diamond-shaped punch and a six hole, wider punch. I use the 4 hole punch a lot more often. Black and tan waxed thread, and a pack of spare needles. I almost never need a spare, but that’s probably because I have them.
That’s pretty much the kit, except for the stitching pony linked above. I think I bought almost all of it from Tandy Leather. Their prices aren’t the best, but their service is good and they actually tell you if something is out of stock, rather than just delaying your order. I also buy my natural color veg-tan leather from them, usually a few shoulders at a time during a sale. I get 6-8 oz leather for sheaths, mostly.
Dave, thank you for showing your tools:) I should start getting them. I just got a skiving knife and edge beveler so I can at least cut a leather piece nicely for my woodworking like strop/moxon vise.
There are a few places that sell kits. Most of those include things like the anvil for setting snaps, which you may or may not need. The sheath for the curved carving knife is the first time I’ve used a snap, so those tools sat unused for a couple years.
The other thing to do is to keep an eye out for used leather goods. A neighbor sold some chaps (for protecting your legs on a motorcycle) very cheaply a couple years ago, and had I been thinking, I could’ve bought and reused those for quite a few projects.
