Scabbard Substitute from the Synthetic Sarki

Daniel Koster

Daniel Koster

www.kosterknives.com
Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
Joined
Oct 18, 2001
Messages
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:D

Ok...No, I am not going to start calling myself the Synthetic Sarki....just like I am not the American Kami - I believe those titles (sarki & kami) belong respectively to the leather workers and bladesmiths over in Nepal. But, it did make for some fun alliteration in the title, didn't it....:D :p :foot:

Ok, cut to the chase:

I present my synthetic alternative to the traditional scabbard:


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Two sheaths that can be used separately, as well as tethered together.

The larger sheath has the proper rivets for horizontal and vertical carry - as well as canted (two different angles - steepest shown in pic).

The smaller sheath is set up to use the In-The-Waistband TekLok on the top, or regular size on the bottom (for horizontal or vertical carry).

When tethered together it is only 5/8" thick and weighs 6 ounces (including the TekLok).



At some point, I guess...I'll work up a spot for a sharpening stone or DMT folding sharpener, etc. Still have some rivets left to choose from. :D

Thoughts and suggestions are welcome.


And, as always...the design is free domain. Copy at will. I'd be thrilled to see someone duplicate this or make their own version.

Kydex is wonderfully easy to work with. Anybody here in the Cantina could make their own kydex sheath. Just need a toaster oven (or heat gun), foam pad for pressing, rivets and a rivet setter (or equivalent).

:thumbup:
 
Nice one Dan! that design reminds me of the one appearing on the buglar {presuably in leather one canvas.} appearing in Canton Woodvilles sketch of Gurkhas advancing in ww1. The Havilader-major has a similar design but with 2 small knives & the rest of the troops are carring the standard mk.1 & mk.2 ww1 scabbards.

Must admit Ive never handled kydex yet. But need new scabbardsf or my main users. Ill have to look into it.

cheers,
Spiral
 
very nice setup! :thumbup:

For what it's worth, there is a guy out there who calls himself the American Kami.
 
Great looking rig Dan. I know the sheath you made for my WSK has just about sold me on kydex for the bigger knives. I've even sold a couple. It really is a neat material.
 
Dadgum Dan, that's one squared away rig. :thumbup: If I'd had that lashed onto my load bearing vest over in Afgoonystan, I'd of been strutting around like a pimp. Bad enough we had the 82nd Airborne boys convinced that all the khukuris they saw us sporting around were "Air Force issue survival knives". Blame that on my commander's sense of humor. Some soldier's were admiring his khuk, and without so much as breaking stride he commented, "yup, they were issued to us before we shipped out", and went on about his business. Now we all know colonels don't lie, and he didn't lie to them boys either, just left out a detail or two. :D
Dan, anyway you could gin up a pocket on that rig for a small whetstone/diamond hone? That would be some good stuff there.

Sarge
 
Absolutely, Sarge. I think the best place would be on the bottom right (in the pic) of the sheath...over the false edge of the WSK.

Thanks for the kind words, guys.

Here's a pic with the knives:

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I usually abhor kydex, but that is one helluva neat rig! I truly, truly like it!

I've played with kydex before, with poor results, it seems I get along better with leather. (I did fair to ugly in cutting and shaping but split about 200 rivets before I gave up)

Only thing I'd suggest...a loop for either a small sharpening steel, or in my mind, preferrably a firestarter.

Very, very cool! versatile but still uncluttered.

thanks for showing it!
 
Dan, not really a suggestion, just thinking out loud here, the molded plastic scabbard that came with my M-9 bayonet had a whetstone set into the back of it, with a nylon webbing strap that snapped down over it to protect it. Wouldn't have been very handy except that the scabbard was linked to it's belt attachment by a Fastex buckle, making the rig quick and easy to detach (scabbard also incorporated a wire cutter feature ala commie AK bayonet). Didn't much like that bayonet, too heavy and hard to sharpen (it was a Phrobis/Buck, don't know who makes 'em know), but at least the pouch on the front of the scabbard was perfect for toting a spare 9 mil magazine. Spare ammo's a good thing. ;)

Sarge
 
Beautiful job indeed! BTW, Daniel it has been known that kydex sheaths tend to scratch the blades they host (albeit people who have owned OKUDEN sheaths state they never had such a problem). Have you noticed such an issue with either of these beauties?
 
The kydex doesn't scratch as much as the stuff that gets inside the sheath will scratch up your knife.

But since this knife has so many lumps-n-bumps...yes, it'll be easy to get stuff caught in there. I'm working on making a mold to use instead of the knife that might cut down on stuff like that.
 
Sylvrfalcn said:
Bad enough we had the 82nd Airborne boys convinced that all the khukuris they saw us sporting around were "Air Force issue survival knives". Blame that on my commander's sense of humor. Some soldier's were admiring his khuk, and without so much as breaking stride he commented, "yup, they were issued to us before we shipped out", and went on about his business. Now we all know colonels don't lie, and he didn't lie to them boys either, just left out a detail or two. :D
Click to expand...

I wish you had a pic of their faces to go with that story!!!! :D
 
I finished a mold now and will be offering these with my WSK knives.

Perfect for tethering!

:thumbup:
 
Daniel Koster said:
I finished a mold now and will be offering these with my WSK knives.

Perfect for tethering!

:thumbup:
Click to expand...

tell me about this mold? i know the usual process is to wrap the knife in stuff, and heat and press... how does the molding process differ? way curious.

have one in this style. hoping for two soon :} after all, i have two WSK, i have two hands. let's find some trees!

bladite
 
I make a dummy WSK out of aluminum. The problem with using the regular knife is that the draw area creates a depression that the belly then has to overcome in order to remove the knife from the sheath. On top of that...it scratches the crap outta the blade!

So, I have made an aluminum model...I'll take some pics when I get back in the shop (Aug 5)....that will allow the knife to be sheathed without that depression = will be "locked" in place where the finger ring is instead.

Thanks!

Dan
 
I have a kydex sheath made by Dan for a BAS khukuri. The thing is so smaller and lighter than the original scabbard.

Scratches? Maybe, but I don't see the point of making a new sheath for a knife that is not a user.
 
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