Whacha Been Up To......

[SwissHeritageCo]

It varies with the leather but mostly, I just use water and glycerin saddle soap. Edge the leather, get it damp, not soaked, rub with the glycerin and rub with my various tools for smoothing it out. When dry, I generally coat with Resolene, wait for it to dry, rub with my bees wax, oil blend and burnish. It only works with veg tan leather. Here is an example of what it it looks like when finished.
Randy

Do you coat the whole sheath with resolene? The soap is a nice step, that edge looks great.

 

[Horsewright]

The dust is actually from my A/C lol.

It's all hermann oak. Shoulder for the sheaths, side for the thinner slips. There's a lot of waste on the shoulders, but I haven't found another leather that has that same firm temper and quality feel... takes a beating and still looks great vs the softer imported stuff but when you count out the unusable bits it ends up being one of the more expensive options out there Oh and I burnish the entire surface of it which helps smooth it's consistency.

I do plan on trying out that wickett-craig you suggested though, genuinely curious about it.

Yeah you'll find a lot more usable per side on the Wicket and Craig than on the HO. So that burnishing, ( I call it slicking, Paul Long called it glassing) is what really helps with the consistency. Where you at you running the AC right now?

 

[Horsewright]

Some recents:

A prototype here. Had a request for a bag to carry two portable cigar humidors. So Nichole modified an existing pattern she had to acomplish that. We don't know if we're gonna call it the Seegar Satchel or the Humidor Haversack.

I told her that water buff is the perfect leather for that as it looks like a cigar. Brown canvas lining:

Handle a bottle of whiskey or wine too:

Pockets on the back for lighters and cutters etc:

Just finished a batch of knives too:

A holster for a Smith Mod 60 Pro:

 

[Horsewright]

Recents continued:

Our daughter was flying to visit a friend for a few days so we made her one of our duffel bags:

I've had a lil run on rough out rifle scabbards lately. I've made three different ones in the last few days:

Whacha been up to?

 

[SwissHeritageCo]

Yeah you'll find a lot more usable per side on the Wicket and Craig than on the HO. So that burnishing, ( I call it slicking, Paul Long called it glassing) is what really helps with the consistency. Where you at you running the AC right now?

The dirty south. Had a weird hot humid injection the other day followed by a cold front blowing in, got a touch tornadoey. I bought a glass slicker but not a fan of the finish it provides, almost too shiny, makes it look plastic or sealed in shellac.

More of a light burnish and with canvas.

 

[ron55]

Got some Badalassi Carlo leather for some knife slips, but made a simple wallet first for practice.

 

[Robber58]

Do you coat the whole sheath with resolene? The soap is a nice step, that edge looks great.

No I don't. I have not had much luck with Resolene as final finish on most things. It might work well sprayed on but I have a lot of trouble with streaks and it is a bit too shiny for my tastes. I mostly use a little concoction I have made up for years. It is just a 50/50 mix by volume of bees wax and neatsfoot oil. I just rub it on, let it set a bit and buff. It looks good and does a good job of protection without sealing the leather.

 

[Horsewright]

The dirty south. Had a weird hot humid injection the other day followed by a cold front blowing in, got a touch tornadoey. I bought a glass slicker but not a fan of the finish it provides, almost too shiny, makes it look plastic or sealed in shellac.

More of a light burnish and with canvas.

I use a piece of ligume vitae wood that's been smoothed. Really makes a diff. That's it there between the maul and the creaser:

 

[SwissHeritageCo]

I use a piece of ligume vitae wood that's been smoothed. Really makes a diff. That's it there between the maul and the creaser:

Do you "slick" your sheaths? I always ignorantly assumed the leather you received from wickett-craig just came with a bit more shine. Mine end up getting darker in spots that absorb more water, but I figured since I'm only using neatsfoot oil it's goign to patina anyway. I'm still jealous of your edge shaping. The tandy #2 is the only beveler I can keep sharp (because it's flat) so I have to round my edges with the burnisher while damp and it's a pain, a crisp straight beveled corner on a knife sheath just isn't as aesthetic.

 

[Sharp & Fiery]

Do you "slick" your sheaths? I always ignorantly assumed the leather you received from wickett-craig just came with a bit more shine. Mine end up getting darker in spots that absorb more water, but I figured since I'm only using neatsfoot oil it's goign to patina anyway. I'm still jealous of your edge shaping. The tandy #2 is the only beveler I can keep sharp (because it's flat) so I have to round my edges with the burnisher while damp and it's a pain, a crisp straight beveled corner on a knife sheath just isn't as aesthetic.

I use a Tandy Pro #1 edge beveler the most. I do use the #0 and #2 as well, just not as often.

 

[SwissHeritageCo]

I use a Tandy Pro #1 edge beveler the most. I do use the #0 and #2 as well, just not as often.

Interesting, I always imagined the #1 would be too small. I have limited tools, but I do have the regular (non-pro) tandy #2 and #4... but I jacked the #4 up trying to sharpen it on something that was too narrow (a sewing needle with sandpaper on it) like a jackass. I can double up on the #2 but being that it's flat, it gets dicey. I recently tried a bunch of the "higher end" chinese options on amazon out and wasn't a fan, ended up returning them. Made me appreciate my old trusty #2. Ended up reprofiling the number #4 on size appropriate rod and while I fixed the geometry it still cuts like trash. I'm keen to try Horsewright 's suggestion out to mimic his round edges but me think I'll botch the sharpening on them too lol.

 

[Old Biker]

Interesting, I always imagined the #1 would be too small. I have limited tools, but I do have the regular (non-pro) tandy #2 and #4... but I jacked the #4 up trying to sharpen it on something that was too narrow (a sewing needle with sandpaper on it) like a jackass. I can double up on the #2 but being that it's flat, it gets dicey. I recently tried a bunch of the "higher end" chinese options on amazon out and wasn't a fan, ended up returning them. Made me appreciate my old trusty #2. Ended up reprofiling the number #4 on size appropriate rod and while I fixed the geometry it still cuts like trash. I'm keen to try Horsewright 's suggestion out to mimic his round edges but me think I'll botch the sharpening on them too lol.

Tandy's craftool pro edge bevelers are not the same size as the standard craftool edge bevelers. According to their website a #0 pro is the same size as a #3 standard.

O.B.

 

[Sharp & Fiery]

Tandy's craftool pro edge bevelers are not the same size as the standard craftool edge bevelers. According to their website a #0 pro is the same size as a #3 standard.

O.B.

Correct. Sorry I didn’t mention that.

 

[Horsewright]

Do you "slick" your sheaths? I always ignorantly assumed the leather you received from wickett-craig just came with a bit more shine. Mine end up getting darker in spots that absorb more water, but I figured since I'm only using neatsfoot oil it's goign to patina anyway. I'm still jealous of your edge shaping. The tandy #2 is the only beveler I can keep sharp (because it's flat) so I have to round my edges with the burnisher while damp and it's a pain, a crisp straight beveled corner on a knife sheath just isn't as aesthetic.

I slick everything that is smoothout. Holsters, sheaths, scabbards, belts, can't think of anything veg tan and smoothout I don't slick. Got this deal from a local saddle maker years ago. Dampen your leather and when the color comes back and then slick.

I think rounded edges also last longer on a product. I've been thinking on doing a wip on finishing edges so I will here shortly.

I use Osborne edgers for the most part but am very fond of a Ron's Tools edger a #2.

It's simply the best edger I have ever used. Period. But they are spendy at $100 a piece. We keep talking about getting the whole set but haven't yet. Very easy to resharpen they package it with a rod that fits in it perfectly to use for sharpening with 600 grit. Then half a second on the buffer and its a laser.

I use a #4 Osborne for most sheath work on an edge that is multi layers. On an edge that is single layer like the throat of a sheath I use a #2.

 

[Robber58]

That's interesting. The Ron's #2 edger is almost always laying on my bench. I use it for just about everything. Thicker belts get the #3. They are definitely pricey but sharpen easily and last a long time before you need to do it again. They do give good discounts at trade shows so, if you are in the area of one, you might pay them a visit and see what kind of a deal you can make.

 

[Mendoman]

Some recents:

A prototype here. Had a request for a bag to carry two portable cigar humidors. So Nichole modified an existing pattern she had to acomplish that. We don't know if we're gonna call it the Seegar Satchel or the Humidor Haversack.

I told her that water buff is the perfect leather for that as it looks like a cigar. Brown canvas lining:

Handle a bottle of whiskey or wine too:

Pockets on the back for lighters and cutters etc:

Just finished a batch of knives too:

A holster for a Smith Mod 60 Pro:

Great looking batch. I always really like the Sonoran Hunter and Ranchero profiles. Great looking scales on these two also.

 

[Horsewright]

Great looking batch. I always really like the Sonoran Hunter and Ranchero profiles. Great looking scales on these two also.

Thank very much for the kind words.

 

[Gary W. Graley]

Dug up Dave's tutorial for how to 'bake' his sheaths, I asked a mod to please put that thread up in the Tutorial section and they were kind enough to do so, many thanks to them and Dave.

This was what drove me to look for that thread as it's been a while since I baked a sheath, the ZT knife comes with a very robust...read unwieldy...sheath that doesn't really retain the knife very well or place the handle when mounted vertically to be able to reach and retrieve the knife so I needed to make a new one that is a bit trimmer and have the handle a little further down into the sheath, it is retained very well now and the belt loop is a swivel style so I can swivel the sheath up and out of the way when I go to sit down.

Untitled by GaryWGraley, on Flickr

Untitled by GaryWGraley, on Flickr

https://flic.kr/p/2qNcy6V

Here's a slice off the thread side, there are three welts, one that follows the sheath all the way to the bottom and the other two to keep the opening of the sheath wider to help get the knife back into the sheath. Also the welt has a slight convex shape with a cutout section that the guard snaps into, a cam like action to aid in retention.

Untitled by GaryWGraley, on Flickr

https://flic.kr/p/2qNJPmy

https://flic.kr/p/2qNEffT

And no, I don't take in fixed blade sheath orders, just when I have to will I make one for myself

G2

 

[Sharp & Fiery]

Dug up Dave's tutorial for how to 'bake' his sheaths, I asked a mod to please put that thread up in the Tutorial section and they were kind enough to do so, many thanks to them and Dave.

This was what drove me to look for that thread as it's been a while since I baked a sheath, the ZT knife comes with a very robust...read unwieldy...sheath that doesn't really retain the knife very well or place the handle when mounted vertically to be able to reach and retrieve the knife so I needed to make a new one that is a bit trimmer and have the handle a little further down into the sheath, it is retained very well now and the belt loop is a swivel style so I can swivel the sheath up and out of the way when I go to sit down.

Untitled by GaryWGraley, on Flickr

Untitled by GaryWGraley, on Flickr

Here's a slice off the thread side, there are three welts, one that follows the sheath all the way to the bottom and the other two to keep the opening of the sheath wider to help get the knife back into the sheath.

Untitled by GaryWGraley, on Flickr

And no, I don't take in fixed blade sheath orders, just when I have to will I make one for myself

G2

Looks good Gary! Did you try to wet mold the original ZT sheath?

 

[Gary W. Graley]

I did not, it has a little wet molding but it barely catches the handle at all, I would never trust it to hold the knife securely and it's just to dang big and wide and big, did I mention how big it is?
G2