Recommendation? Scabbard Lining

Travis Talboys

Travis Talboys

Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
Joined
Oct 30, 2018
Messages
385
Could someone advise me on the best material to line a scabbard with? The blade being sheathed will be etched and I have concerns about the finish rubbing off with repeated drawing. I was originally thinking leather, but I was hoping for a second, or third, opinion. I plan on using un-stabilized maple for the structure, if it matters.

Thanks in advance,
Travis
 
Unless you just want to wrap it up and put it away, clean leather is probably the least risk to blades. Clean is the important part. It can pick up dust and grit that will imbed and mark a blade over time. I would avoid suede or nubuck type materials as they will readily pick up contaminants and they are almost impossible to get out. Smooth, veg tan leather is my recommendation for the best choice. Again, keeping clean is necessary to prevent problems. The truth is, all materials will wear on your blade from contaminants, some are just more prone to do greater damage. A firmer material such as Kydex does not get things imbedded as easily as softer materials like leather or wood. However, being harder, the contaminants that do get in will be pushed harder into the blade with predictable results. Just my experience over a lot of years of carry. I am confident opinions will vary.
Randy
 
Robber58 said:
Unless you just want to wrap it up and put it away, clean leather is probably the least risk to blades. Clean is the important part. It can pick up dust and grit that will imbed and mark a blade over time. I would avoid suede or nubuck type materials as they will readily pick up contaminants and they are almost impossible to get out. Smooth, veg tan leather is my recommendation for the best choice. Again, keeping clean is necessary to prevent problems. The truth is, all materials will wear on your blade from contaminants, some are just more prone to do greater damage. A firmer material such as Kydex does not get things imbedded as easily as softer materials like leather or wood. However, being harder, the contaminants that do get in will be pushed harder into the blade with predictable results. Just my experience over a lot of years of carry. I am confident opinions will vary.
Randy
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Thanks Randy. A follow up question. Should the leather lining be dyed or left natural, or doesn't it matter?
 
If you "glass" burnish the lining material (thin veg tan) it will further compress the grain making it even smoother and slightly less prone to picking up contaminants. I would personally just treat the lining with a light, VERY LIGHT coat of Neatsfoot oil and then glass again.
 
sheathmaker said:
If you "glass" burnish the lining material (thin veg tan) it will further compress the grain making it even smoother and slightly less prone to picking up contaminants. I would personally just treat the lining with a light, VERY LIGHT coat of Neatsfoot oil and then glass again.
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Would the leather remain soft enough not to rub through an etched finish?
 
I agree with Paul that a light coat of Neatsfoot oil is all that is needed. The glassing he mentions smooths and compresses the leather surface but does not make it significantly harder. Leather is much softer than any steel. Like I said above, it is not the leather causing most of the wear, it is the contaminants.
Randy
 
to my way of thinking, corrosion is the big issue. Veg tan leather, in my experience, has nothing in it that will react with your blade. I treat my veg tan leather with a bee wax based wax and have had good results over many years of carrying large carbon steel knives around in the rainforest I live in. I haven't tried lining a sheath with a smooth out veg tan, but that makes a lot of sense I'm going to try that out.
 
Thank you everyone. I feel a bit better about it now. I'll post some pics once it's finished.
 
I've used pigskin lining before but hate working with it, it might as well be rubber. I've also used deerskin, it's extremely soft and would be easy on an etch. It won't slick down like leather will though. Paul's suggestion there is probably best.

The depth of your etch is probably the biggest factor. If it's a light marking as opposed to a deep etch it may fade quickly.
 
problem I've had with deer hide is that it absorbs water and takes forever to dry out. I've waxed it, but that's defeated the reason I put it in there to begin with
 
Send some of that rain part of the forest down here. Since Jan 1 we've had 1.71" of rain. .85" of that total was yesterday!
 
Horsewright said:
Send some of that rain part of the forest down here. Since Jan 1 we've had 1.71" of rain. .85" of that total was yesterday!
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looks like we'll have plenty to spare on Thursday! Congrats on your .85", though- better than nothin!
 
Horsewright Horsewright , that barrow was dry and empty 24 hours ago!
WjP4c7m.jpg


I actually wet molded some leather today lol
 
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