sheet metal sheaths

B

Bob Bremner

Joined
Sep 27, 2000
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I was hoping so one could enlighten me in adding metal to a steath. I think I know how its done . But any info would help.
Thanks Bob
 
What kind of sheath are you trying to make ?one with a throat and tip or just a throat or a full metal sheath ?let me know and I will try and explain it for you.
Bruce
 
Excellent question! I've been wondering about this subject for along time.
 
Looks like I need to get started on the tutorial I am planning to do on the full metal sheaths.
Bruce
 
It would be both throut and tip plus the full type.
My thought on this are that you would make the paper pattern add enough for a but joint transfer it to the metal. The thinkness of the metal must be very thin. Silver solder and epoxy in place. But whether this is correct or not I don't know.
Thank again
Bob
 
OK here is a quick rundown on how to make a all metal sheath,

First you will need your nickel Silver to be .025 or.035 thick or in that neighborhood.

Now you need to make a dummy blade out of hardwood like oak or something like that.Make sure that it is just a tad bit oversized (wider)and make sure that it is just a tad bit thicker than the blade itself.You will want to slightly round over all the edges except the guard end of the blade blank.

Now trace around the wooden blank and then mark another line around this line that is a little over half the distance of the thickness of the blank.Now cut around the outside line and make sure to cut out a "V" at the tip of the blank.

Now if the NS isn't aleady annealed you will need to heat it red and quench it in water to anneal it.Remember that NS work hardens so if it starts getting stiff as you are working it you will need to anneal it again.

Now you will need to put the Blade blank on one side of the NS and then put another piece of wood behind it so You can clasmp it up in a vice.

Now with a wooden mallet or leather mallet.Or I use a hardwood block and tap hammer.You will carefully tap the NS over the edges of the Blade Blank.Don't worry that it is wider than half way at this point,infact it is better if it is a little oversized.You should have the tip so that it closes together.

Now do the same thing for the other side,MAKE SURE you reverse your blank so that you make two different sides and not the same side..

Now with a scribe atht is set at just aver half the thickness of the Blade.Scribe a line all the way around both sides of the NS.Now grind down to the lines and make sure that you leave just enough room to flatten the piece.

Now after making sure that both sides fit up together and don't have any gaps in the seam.Using stainless wire,wrap the 2 pieces together tightly as This will be your only type of clamp here.

Now using silver braze and the flux meant for it you are ready to start putting these two pieces together.First flux it then start heating and then run the silver braze around the seam.

Now to get the wire off all you do is just grind it off as you clean up the solder joint.Be careful not to grind to far through the NS making a hole in it.

Now you can make a ball on the end or just leave it soldered shut.I show how to make the ball for the guard on my tutorial for that type guard and the ball is the same for the sheath.Attach this with lead solder,after you attach the frog next.

To make the frog for the sheath you need to take a piece of 3/16 inch NS rod and drill a 1/16 inch hole or what ever you want as it is to hold a small pin inbetween the two pieces here.Then I just use a scrap piece of 1/8 inch thick NS and drill another small hole in it and then put a pin in the holeof the rod and then stick the other piece on it.Now silver brave these together.Then shape the frogs top to the shape you want,then cut the rod off leaving at least 1/8 inchto 1/4 inch of the rod on the top piece.Now flatten the end of the rod and put a small hole it it also,then put a small hole in the sheath where you want the frog to set,put a small pin in the hole and set the frog on it.Now with regulat Silver solder you can attach the frog.

Time to make the top of the sheath..I just cut a piece of 1/8 inch NS to be jut a little over sized of the throat of the sheath.Then cut a slot in for the blade to fit through.I usually finish the final filing of this slot after I have attached it to the sheath so I get it in the correct place so the blade will fit in the sheath correctly.You will attach this with siver solder if you can keep the heat from the frog if not attach it with lead soler and a lower heat.

Now you can filework the froat and then hand sand the sheath and buff it.

You will need some thin pieces of felt cut so that it will fit inside the hole in the throat of the sheath,This will be glued inside the sheath just at the throat area. This is why you need the sheath a little oversized of the blade.If you get it to tight you can split the sheath open and then you will throw a fit.

One hint here is to make sure that you clean up the inside of the sheath after you braze it as you may have some solder bleed through in little lumps and this won't let the knife fit in the sheath,So make sure you test fit after you braze it or even when you wire it up...

You will go through the same process as above when making a throat and tip for a leather sheath.And then you can just epoxy them onto the sheath.The only thing diierent is that you won't be putting a piece of flt on this type of sheath so you want it to fit snug to the leather.

These can be done out of Brass also.And if you are wanting to make it out of steel,You will need a steel Blank and then you will tap the edges over by using a torch to heat the metal as you go,otherwise the proccess is the same.

I hope that this is what you were looking for.I hope you can follow the instructions also.One of these days I will get a picture tutorial made up and that might help out a little better.

GOOD LUCK,
Bruce
 
Or...

Take a length of copper pipe with roughly the same internal volume as your blade and then you put a rounded-tip rod into the pipe-cap on the end and drive the bottom into a point. Then flatten it out carefully, or even put your blade inside it and work it into the shape of your blade carefully. If you put a cap at the top too before the first flattening you can use this as your throat. Then you can plate it or whatever you want. Very cheap, very easy.
 
Eric,The Nickel Silver is not that hard and so it isn't to bad on the edge but it will take the edge off after a couple of trips in and out of the sheath.That is why you want to make the sheath a little oversized to begin with,and that is why you put the felt in the throat of the sheath so it can hold the blade in sequrly.And the slot in the cap of the throat also holds the blade from slidding back and forth and thus not letting it hit the sheath edges.
Bruce
 
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