bladegrinder

So now they need to come out with some nice basket weave pattern bags ha ha.

Thanks Chuck, did you knock down an elk yet?

You can do a search here on the forum for vacuum forming and find a lot of threads on it. The best one for me was by Dwight, he post a video of his set up, I pretty much copied his system. ( Thanks Dwight! )

Well.....I suppose theirs different options to get it all together, but I had a vacuum pump from harbor freight ( about $100.00 I think) and some tubing, for the bag I bought some vinyl window sheet like you would use on a camper or boat from amazon, probably 5' X 2' and folded it in half and glued it. besides the vacuum pump I'd say around $30.00 for the bag, hose and fittings. I can do pictures of the set up but it would be a few days.

Thanks Diesel, I vacuum molded those. this is the first time I vacuum molded with stamping on the leather, I thought it might screw it up but it didn't do anything to the stamping.

This first one is an inside the waistband for a Glock model 19, which I didn't have so I used a blue gun for shaping it. The second one I made for myself for a Sig 365X. Thanks for looking!

Thank's yuma, yes I make knives.

Here's a few knife sheaths I just finished, nothing fancy, just standard models....Thanks for looking!

Looks good, their ready for the woods!

Weaver has 15% off everything and free shipping for orders over $50.00. I just saved 15% and they knocked off $28.00 shipping!

Those look great, nice stamping and carving.

Looks like some really nice stuff, well done!!

I feel your pain, I usually order 12 feet or so at a time. And usually a better grade but not the A, it seems like anything lesser then A is all the same…utility. I sent one piece back that had what looked like roller grease or burn marks over 75% of it on the flesh side, I was furious, I needed it NOW and they sent me that. I called them and asked how it ever made it out their door, of course no answer just ‘we’re sorry”. I don’t know what the answer is, ever time I buy a piece and look at it, at first it’s like, well it looks somewhat ok, then every time I go cut into it it seems I find more flaws. This is all HO leather, I think next time I’m going to buy from W-C straight from them and keep my fingers crossed. I’m willing to pay or have to buy more if it’s guaranteed to be a good side.

I just bought a blue gun, Glock 19 generation 5 from holstersmith. $62.00 to my door. I’m in the process of making a holster with it now. a workable holster can be made without one but for a wet-vacuum formed holster you really need a blue gun or the real thing. I’m not big on Glocks so buying one wasn’t going to happen and I figure selling one holster will make up the cost of a blue gun. If it’s for your son, and Christmas is coming you could buy the blue gun, use it, then list it for sale here.

Nice, that stock end is unique. Well done!!

Mmm… leg of lamb and reconstituted mycelium leather gravy.

That looks great!

Wow! very impressive, well done!

Ha, ha.....danger lurks around every corner as soon as you go thru the gate to my property.

The only reason I stacked them was my wheels are 10" and at the time all I could find were 1/4", that was pre-internet days ha ha. black is pretty much the opposite of green. if your looking to use this just for sharpening white and green should be all you need.

I believe I have the same buffer but 3600 rpm. I use it in knife making and have had it about 30 years. what I use are 1/4" wheels stacked to 1" you can find them at Trugrit abrasives or other knifemaking suppliers. whether you use one or stack them there is considerable time involved getting it balanced on the shaft to run true, you just have to keep adjusting it on the shaft until it runs smooth and there's no vibration. if your going with two compounds I'd go with white and green, green being the finest...and messiest. get a wheel for each compound. congrats on the buffer, I believe the Baldor with 3/4" shafts are the best out there. and be careful a buffer can be the most dangerous machine in the shop. Edit...the wheels I use are spiral sewn.

Thanks Gezzer, I have a welt running between both knives and along the cutting edges but that's only where they are. I almost used three layers and just cut out where the knives were going but I wanted to try and keep it thinner and lighter. And like I told Cattleman there's a cam on the welts that when done right, the knife goes in a little tight, then when it goes over that cam it's...snap, good and secure!

Thanks Cattleman, after the sheath is done I dip it in water for about 5-10 seconds they open it a little with my fingers and push the knife in. once it's in where I want it I put in in a heavy plastic bag, pull a vacuum and form it real good with a piece of polished antler. I really don't think the vacuum is needed for knife sheaths but I use it anyway because it's available, then take it out and leave the knife in for about 20 min. pull it out and put it in a PID controlled toaster oven at 150 for 45 min. or so, flip it and leave another 45 min or so. it comes out hard but still has some flex on the sides. The hopeful part for me is going in the first time, I put a hump, or cam in the welt that the finger choil rides over then snaps into the sheath, this one worked out good but sometimes I have to use a partially taped up rat tail file to lower the cam point so the knife will get by it.

Thanks Hags!

I never made a double knife sheath and don't really recall ever seeing one and I had my fingers crossed the whole time I made this that it would work and look good. this is going to be donated to the Safari Club for their annual fund raiser. the knife set is a camp knife with a 5" blade of CPM154 stainless with Desert Ironwood scales, black G10 bolsters red G10 liners and nickel silver pins and lanyard hole. it's mini me brother is a skinner in the same material with a 3" blade. the sheath is 7 oz. Herman Oak, Fiebings light brown and black dye with black thread and a light coat of Resolene. Thanks for looking!