Making your own axe sheaths?

A

Able_walker

Joined
Jul 16, 2015
Messages
149
Before I start googling are the riveting tools and the snap making tools fairly straightforward or is it expensive shop equipment? I've noticed some made of heavy canvas that look pretty nice and tough...I was thinking I could buy some old bag made of leather or canvas that was trashed for cheap and make an axe sheath out of it but I may be naive as to the process....thanks in advance....I realize I could simply buy one but I'm in Canada and our dollar means $40.00 US(with the shipping...based off ebay sellers) comes to over $56.00 CDN...just curious really as it could be an interesting diversion.
 
Last edited:
Here in the US you can get 5lb bags of leather scrap for under 10$ at places like Micheal's crafts stores , and I'd imagine the Canadian equivalent should have the same.
You have to pick through them and I often end up with the biggest pieces being white leather, but you can get some nice big pieces none the less ( plenty big enough to make a bit only sheath for a full sized axe ) as far as rivets you can get copper ones with washers for fairly cheap that you have to peen by hand but they're easy to do. Pop riveters are cheap at Hf or it's equivalents but you'll have to buy the longer rivets and they don't exactly look proper on an axe sheath.
If you want canvas you should be able to get a canvas duffle bag for pretty cheap at your local military surplus.
 
Hickory n steel said:
Here in the US you can get 5lb bags of leather scrap for under 10$ at places like Micheal's crafts stores , and I'd imagine the Canadian equivalent should have the same.
You have to pick through them and I often end up with the biggest pieces being white leather, but you can get some nice big pieces none the less ( plenty big enough to make a bit only sheath for a full sized axe ) as far as rivets you can get copper ones with washers for fairly cheap that you have to peen by hand but they're easy to do. Pop riveters are cheap at Hf or it's equivalents but you'll have to buy the longer rivets and they don't exactly look proper on an axe sheath.
If you want canvas you should be able to get a canvas duffle bag for pretty cheap at your local military surplus.
Click to expand...

I am looking at the possibility of doing this as well. My son in law purchased leather from a dealer in Calgary and bought some basic punch and stitching tools. Riveting could also work. Lots of really good instructional vids on YouTube. Good luck.
PS. The CDN dollar thing is killing us Canadian axe enthusiasts! Might be a good idea to pool our resources and send one of us to Maine a couple of times a year.
 
"The CDN dollar thing is killing us Canadian axe enthusiasts! Might be a good idea to pool our resources and send one of us to Maine a couple of times a year."

Yeah the ebay..."Global shipping program" where you pay duties up front is a scam....if stuff went regular mail from the US you very rarely ever used to get charged duties.
 
Hickory n steel said:
Here in the US you can get 5lb bags of leather scrap for under 10$ at places like Micheal's crafts stores , and I'd imagine the Canadian equivalent should have the same.
You have to pick through them and I often end up with the biggest pieces being white leather, but you can get some nice big pieces none the less ( plenty big enough to make a bit only sheath for a full sized axe ) as far as rivets you can get copper ones with washers for fairly cheap that you have to peen by hand but they're easy to do. Pop riveters are cheap at Hf or it's equivalents but you'll have to buy the longer rivets and they don't exactly look proper on an axe sheath.
If you want canvas you should be able to get a canvas duffle bag for pretty cheap at your local military surplus.
Click to expand...

Question...can you tell somehow whether the leather has been tanned vegetally? For anything resembling long storage, otherwise, I'd be vary of rust.
 
A folded over piece of sheet aluminum or copper and a bungee cord arrangement can make a perfectly functional sheath. In my younger days forestry workers often used discarded (which they split) braided canvas fire hose for that purpose.
 
I have some ideas involving some thick and springy plastic sheet or even scrap heavy duty polycarbonate as liners (already have them laying around) plus some old worn-out jeans for aesthetic reasons to cover'em :). If my Tramontina can live inside such a sheath, so can an older, thicker piece of steel.
 
300Six said:
A folded over piece of sheet aluminum or copper and a bungee cord arrangement can make a perfectly functional sheath. In my younger days forestry workers often used discarded (which they split) braided canvas fire hose for that purpose.
Click to expand...

Or you can get a functional edge cover by carving a mean old piece of wood and devising some kind of strap to hold it in place. But that is already "fancy territory".
 
Or do any of the above and then realize how much you enjoy it and start restoring old heads and making full cover sheaths for them. Or do kydex which will last forever and takes a beating when in the back of a truck or tool box. This thread needs some pics...........
2z70mzq.jpg
[/IMG]
efksp5.jpg
[/IMG]
245c3tf.jpg
[/IMG]
muhj45.jpg
[/IMG]
 
Moonw said:
Question...can you tell somehow whether the leather has been tanned vegetally? For anything resembling long storage, otherwise, I'd be vary of rust.
Click to expand...

I don't know how you'd be able to tell, but I've never had an issue with it causing rust. Especially if you keep your head coated in an oil beeswax mixture.
 
Many years ago, as a carpenter of sorts, I started repairing and modifying my leather tool & nail bags. Two piece rivets are an easy option to look into, you only need a few simple punches and setting tools. I got mine from a brick and mortar Tandy Leather Store back then, but they are online these days, and lots of other sites sell them. (Old nail and tool bags would make great sheaths!)
I am not a show quality leather guy, just enough to do the job works for me. https://www.tandyleather.com/en/category/rivets



 
All of my supplies came from Tandy Leather. I'm a hobbyist. These you see are the best I've done and could be done significantly better. I have a lot more practice to do but they function well and keep the edges protected.
 
Hale Storm said:
All of my supplies came from Tandy Leather. I'm a hobbyist. These you see are the best I've done and could be done significantly better. I have a lot more practice to do but they function well and keep the edges protected.
Click to expand...


Nice work and just the sort of info I was looking for...I was even thinking if I had the leather pattern cut and ready maybe a leather boot repair shop would stitch it for a small fee and then I could add the rivets and a snap.Something now to work on for sure.
 
Able_walker said:
Nice work and just the sort of info I was looking for...I was even thinking if I had the leather pattern cut and ready maybe a leather boot repair shop would stitch it for a small fee and then I could add the rivets and a snap.Something now to work on for sure.
Click to expand...

Able_walker, thank you. I use upholstery needles and hand stitch mine. You can find those at Wally World and some suitable high strength thread too. Any sort of punch or drill will work to make the holes, even an old ice pick. Just be careful not to make the holes too big.
While I'm not very good at it yet, it does give me the chance to get my stitching straight, and just right if that makes sense. More than that, for me at least, the quiet time working on the stitching is almost therapeutic and relaxing. It's also nice to see it all come together. YMMV

My very first sheath was made from wood and was for an old Western Knife I gave to my son. At the time, I was a decent enough amateur carpenter and had the normal carpentry tools. It started where I am now with all types of sheaths and materials.

Be careful, it gets addictive!;)

Show us some pics when you're done please.
 
These are some scrap leather from hobby lobby. The copper 2 pc rivets are off amazon and I used some heavy waxed thread and leather sewing needles for the stitches. It helps a ton if you use a drill press and drill holes for the stitches.

20160902_135123_zpsnlhhurut.jpg


20160902_135408_zpsfbaguwpa.jpg
 
This is pretty sweet....refurbished...rewired...ending soon on ebay bids up to $250.00.....Not sure how thick a leather this would do but probably work great on heavy canvas.

singer_zpsyuexyvgn.jpg
[/URL][/IMG]
 
Someone probably already said this but rapid rivets and snaps are cake to set with very simple inexpensive tools. I've only set about a million of each of them. They are tough, cheap and easy. I buy leather on ebay in relatively small quantities that I consider reasonably priced. The cheapest way to get "cheap" leather that mostly doesn't suck is to buy "bellies" in my experience. I say "mostly" doesn't suck because it CAN be ok for nicer projects but not always, and works great for your "don't care" projects.

This is going WAY back but I made this entire set with belly leather. Would it work for a pro leather crafter? Nah. But it worked ok for me. That's all hand stitched with an awl and waxed thread.


This one is also belly. Throw some rapid rivets at it, some dye and neatsfoot and call it done. Basically no money, not a lot of effort, more or less the same outcome just not stunning. You can see like a scar hole or something in the side of it. That's just part of the deal with belly leather.
Plumb_redhandle_sheath2 by city_ofthe_south, on Flickr

Those were veg tanned leather which means you do whatever you want to it to finish it, treat it, dye it, whatever. This stuff below is chrome tanned finished, dyed leather. I buy it, throw it together, run with neatsfoot and/or shoe polish and call it good. You really can't finish the edges but it's the absolute least about of effort with a good outcome and reasonably priced. This is just ebay leather I buy in scrap or remnant etc.
counciltool_hudsonbay5 by city_ofthe_south, on Flickr
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top