wildmanh
Part time Leather Bender/Sheath maker
- Joined
- Jul 9, 2000
- Messages
- 7,764
It's been about a month since I started making Fiddleback machete sheaths and so I thought I'd let you know how things are going.
Have been buying a lot of new tools to help speed up the process and to help make the sheaths look better. New Punches, knives/skivers to cut out and shape leather and basic supplies. I also switched from using 220 grit belts on my sander to 150 grit. This last one will really help be cut down on burning the edges of the leather.
Used to work with 8-9oz and occasionally 10-12oz leather. Well I've switched over to 10-12oz leather as my standard leather. I order my leather by the side and sometimes a part of the side will be thinner, but for the most part the sheaths from now on will be on the thicker side.
Machete's are working knives and my sheaths reflect that. I won't be mirror polishing any edges any time soon. Actually I've been leaving the edges on the loops and straps as cut. This doesn't effect the strength of the sheath, saves me sometime which saves you some money. The edge of the main body does get rounded, sanded and polished as good as it can when I apply the leather preserver, but nothing more fancy then that. As I mentioned earlier, switching to corser belts has helped with edgeing so even though they ain't polished, they should look a little nicer from now on.
I've added another option or two to my sheaths. Am hoping to add them to my website sometime this weekend. One of the options are leg straps, both Leather and Nylon. The Leather leg straps will feature 1" Nickel buckles and leather keepers (I think thats what the loop after the buckle is called) unless I can find a good deal on nickle belt keepers. The nylon leg straps will come later, they will be black and use plastic side release buckles.
Am trying a fun thing, using Russet/oak leather for the welts on the brown and chestnut sheaths. The Oak leather is plain non-dyed leather. Gives the edges a two-tone look and it sometimes finishes better. I'll get pictures of this this weekend when I finish some of those sheaths.
One last thing, There will be a $5 price increase on my Machete sheaths starting March 1st. The Pricing I set last month was a trial and I've learned what my over head is so now it's time to Firmly set the pricing. It's only $5 and shouldn't go up again for sometime.
Have been buying a lot of new tools to help speed up the process and to help make the sheaths look better. New Punches, knives/skivers to cut out and shape leather and basic supplies. I also switched from using 220 grit belts on my sander to 150 grit. This last one will really help be cut down on burning the edges of the leather.
Used to work with 8-9oz and occasionally 10-12oz leather. Well I've switched over to 10-12oz leather as my standard leather. I order my leather by the side and sometimes a part of the side will be thinner, but for the most part the sheaths from now on will be on the thicker side.
Machete's are working knives and my sheaths reflect that. I won't be mirror polishing any edges any time soon. Actually I've been leaving the edges on the loops and straps as cut. This doesn't effect the strength of the sheath, saves me sometime which saves you some money. The edge of the main body does get rounded, sanded and polished as good as it can when I apply the leather preserver, but nothing more fancy then that. As I mentioned earlier, switching to corser belts has helped with edgeing so even though they ain't polished, they should look a little nicer from now on.
I've added another option or two to my sheaths. Am hoping to add them to my website sometime this weekend. One of the options are leg straps, both Leather and Nylon. The Leather leg straps will feature 1" Nickel buckles and leather keepers (I think thats what the loop after the buckle is called) unless I can find a good deal on nickle belt keepers. The nylon leg straps will come later, they will be black and use plastic side release buckles.
Am trying a fun thing, using Russet/oak leather for the welts on the brown and chestnut sheaths. The Oak leather is plain non-dyed leather. Gives the edges a two-tone look and it sometimes finishes better. I'll get pictures of this this weekend when I finish some of those sheaths.
One last thing, There will be a $5 price increase on my Machete sheaths starting March 1st. The Pricing I set last month was a trial and I've learned what my over head is so now it's time to Firmly set the pricing. It's only $5 and shouldn't go up again for sometime.
