Lets Make A Folding Knife Sheath.....by Special Request

Horsewright

Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
Joined
Oct 4, 2011
Messages
11,579
So a short while ago I did a little post on a belt sheath design for a folder: http://www.bladeforums.com/threads/grandpas-design.1488433/
Jason asked for a little how to, next time I made one, so here we go.... lets make one of these:

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We were getting ready for a show. Little weekend ranch roping deal. We were only going to be there part of the time as it was Mother's Day weekend and so we were gonna be there Fri afternoon and Saturday. We were gonna miss Sunday. I'd made a small batch of knives for the show so when it came time to start the sheaths I thought I'd do another one of these little folder sheaths. Follow along and see how I build one. They are very quick and easy, 15-20 minutes max, hands on time. That doesn't count drying of course.


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The pattern laid out on the leather. I use a medium weight veg tan for these. This is 7/8 oz Herman Oak. This is one of those great patterns ya can use up some of that less than premium spots on your side. Couple scars, range marks, etc, work well on this. Only 1/4th of your pattern actually shows when finished. Ya wouldn't use anything where the leather is weak but surface imperfections don't seem to matter. Just orientate your pattern so the front part (with the slot) is clean.

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Trace around with pencil and mark the slot.

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I like to use a straight edge and a roller knife to cut the long sides. Years ago I gave that old straight edge a couple of coats of a clear (Deft Wood) finish. That way the metal does not leave any marks on the leather. Even if the leather has been cased.

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I go ahead and punch the slot. This is a 1" punch and about 1 1/4" is about right. I just move the punch over a hair and punch again. If ya don't have a slot punch, punch two holes and cut out between them to form the slot.

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I use my round knife to cut the short sides to shape.

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Get er wet and fold along the long axis.

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Make your stitching groove. This can be done later after glueing and sanding but if ya cut accurately it doesn't really matter. I also make a groove about a 1/4" above and parallel to the slot.

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Stamp your makers mark, fold along the short axis too, folding it in half and set in the sun to dry a little.

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After some of the moisture is out, I brought it back in to the shop and decided to do a little border stamping. I had two others already built for stock and they were both plain so I thought I'd stamp this one a bit.

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Lets glue er up. I also glue the all of the inside of the backside together. Helps it lay flatter. After the glue is dry and the sheath edges aligned, I tap with a smooth faced hammer.

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I'd set the sheath aside and let it dry completely. After it is dry I sew it up. I've found that I just prefer to sew completely dry. Less presser foot marks that way.

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Let er go swimming in the pool. I keep the sheaths in the water till they sink. Then pull em out and put em on a towel. There were a total of 16 sheaths I believe in this batch.

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While wet I'll sand the edge to make it smooth and even. I keep a dedicated 120 grit belt for this. Less chance of burning and less dust when wet. Then I edge with a #2. This is an Osborne Western Edger. After edging I rub it while still damp to get the edges more round.

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Then we punch our holes for the blood knot that holds everything together.


So our new system here won't let ya post more than 20 pics in post which makes WIPS a little tough. Stay tuned for more.
 
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So here is the second half:

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Cut a thong for the blood knot. I like to use a flexible oil tan.


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The secret to blood knotting is to always cut down and the string follows your cut, from top to bottom. This tool is called a Bleeder but an Xacto knife works well too. Cut a slit about the width of your string down the string but up close to the sheath on the bottom string. Bring the the top string down through the slit and pull tight. Cut another slit in the NEW bottom string the one that use to be your top string. Pull the top string down through the slit and you are done. You can do a few more if desired, I only did two on this one. An even number will always have the finished side of your string showing. Watch your fingers, how ya think this knot gots its name...


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After blood knotting it together I'll stick a knife in it to give it a little shape. I don't shape the sheath to the knife because I'm making this sheath to sell and if the customer doesn't have the exact same knife, its not gonna work well. If you are making one just for yourself and for a specific knife, go ahead and wet mold it some. Even my own personal ones I don't wet mold though so I can carry different knives in the sheath. Pull the knife out and preheat your kitchen oven to 175 degrees. Put the sheath on some cardstock face up and stick er on the oven rack. One hour, then flip the sheath over for an hour, flip again and then finish with another half hour. DO NOT FORGET ABOUT YOUR SHEATH!! Ya make sheath jerky if you do.


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While still warm from the oven I will oil all the sheaths. I use 100 percent neatsfoot oil (not the compound stuff, run away from the compound). I warm it in a dedicated crockpot while the sheaths are baking. Then using a paint brush, I will brush it on LIGHTLY. Did I mention lightly? I then take the sheaths inside put em on the kitchen counter and let em dry overnight. This allows the oil to even out or "set".


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Next morning I take the string off. Then I paint the edges with gum traganath and then rub them to get a slick, hard, glossy edge. Finally I finish off with a couple of coats of BagKote and call er good.


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On display in the booth at the show.

Questions and comments always welcome and thanks for looking.
 
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Nice tutorial, Dave! Your leather work is really nice looking.
 
I've been wondering how you do the blood knotting. Thanks for sharing, as well as taking the mystery out of how this sheath is constructed.
 
Super cool sheath Dave :thumbsup:
That design must be one of the most simple but effectice folder sheaths I've seen .
I think I'm going to recommend this from now on to anyone starting out , or showing an interest in making their first folder sheath .
I might have to make one myself ( wih a few tweaks and changes of course , Rough Out maybe :) )

Ken

PS - I see in the pics you are still making Beltless sheaths , have you made any little refinements to the design or is the original still the best ?
 
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Thanks, Dave. I will be doing a sheath for a big Remington trapper this weekend and I think I will have a go at this style. Thanks for the tutorial
 
Thanks for all the kind words guys, you're welcome.
Good deal ANovinc. Lot of folks if they use an Xacto knife will tap the bloodknot after with a hammer to even everything out.

Thanks Ken. Nichole was asking me why I didn't make some in roughout just last night. She was also talking not about just this sheath but some of the other instock ones too. Simple answer: I forget to. Make one up and post er here. No not really on the Beltless Sheath. About the only thing different is I'll skive the area a little where the snaps go on the the body side. It can be a beach wrestling that if the posts on your snaps are just a hair too short. I'm seriously considering trying it with Sam Browne studs. I have decided to limit that sheath to knives under 7" oal though. One of the final prototypes was for Nichole's Tapadero which is right at 7". Neither of us can just get it comfortable. It rides on your hip bone. Cut a 1/4" off and everything is great. Go figure

Good deal popedandy. If I can be of help don't heistate to PM.
 
Thanks Laurence! The show was sorta down your way, or at least headed towards ya. It was at the Tejon there in Lebec.
 
Very nice work!
One of the pics shows a square "sheath" , just curious what that one is for?
 
Thanks WEB2. I reviewed the pics. There is the frog for the bowie sheath that is square. A frog is used to add a belt loop to a bowie sheath. The sheath slides down in there and the brass Sam Browne stud locks into that hole in the front. The back half of the frog forms the belt loop and is suitable for sticking on a cartridge belt. There are also a couple of Leatherman sheaths that are squarish. They are to the right of the Horsewright ball cap in the pic of product on the table in the booth.
 
Ah, yes, a frog! I shoulda recognized that, lol. Thanks for clearing that up.
 
Very nice Dave, looks like a portable watch pocket ! I'll give one of these a go I think as I have a Congress pattern folder that could benefit from that, where the shape of the knife might just work well in this kind of rig.

And good tip on the grinding when wet, never tried that but sure does make sense, as long as your leather has good structure/fibers.

Fixin' to be uprooted here soon, end of the month to a new dwelling, a basement AND a garage ! which will be a first for me and room for my 'stuff' :)

G2

PS that bleeder knife, is that from Weaver? looks pretty spiffy :)
 
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