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MorningStarL

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Everything posted by MorningStarL

  1. MorningStarL
    Hi, Kiwican! I'm in Texas right now, and the customer's in California, so we're okay on the legality. One of my problems with the project is that I'm not a big fan of a knife that you can only use to stick in someone. Canadians, eh? Snubbyfan, really nice work. I like clean leather, with visible stitching and little or no ornamentation. Yours is right up my alley. I'll try that if there's a next time. Right now I've got the pieces cut, two pieces of a lighter weight leather (not sure -- I usually use 9-10 ounce, and I inherited this), the Sam Brown stud in the outside of the front, and contact cement setting up on the front pieces. Got the strap for it cut. I'll anchor it to the inside of the back piece, and put the clip through the back and glue them. Stitch the top edge of the front, and later add the welt and put them all together. There's still time to do it like you said. I know the flaw in my plan is going to be stitching around the clip when I have to anchor the strap in the back too. Your way will take care of that for me. Thanks! I'll post pictures Monday.
  2. MorningStarL
    I'm not having good luck using the search engine, and I'm sure the answer I want is in the Forum somewhere. I make mostly knife sheaths, and I like a sewn on belt loop. Keeps metal away from the blade. The knifemaker just sold something to a guy who has a disability that prevents him wearing a belt. He's asked for a sheath with a metal clip. Since I don't like them, I've never done one. Is the answer to line the sheath? Which would mean two thinner layers of leather? And is there a way to attach them firmly to the sheath? The ones we have here look like the slide through a slot. What I'm thinking of is to cut two pieces of thinner leather than I'd usually use for a sheath,one for the lining; put the clip through the outside layer only; then contact cement both pieces together and go on stitching up the sides. The knife is a punch dagger, which will need a strap and Sam Brown stud (I don't like them either -- metal inside the sheath where it touches the knife blade). So I'd put that through the outer leather and secure it too, before lining. If I'm messing up here, I'd like to know. I've seen someone with a belt clip that isn't metal and seems to be attached to the sheah with a non-metal rivet. I've asked him about what he's using, but I bet you guys are faster. Thanks in advance, and happy New Year!
  3. MorningStarL
    Thanks, Cheryl-- don't know why I didn't see this sooner. The knifemaker sold the knife today and sent me a picture of it with the sheath. So I do have a picture.
  4. MorningStarL
    Thanks! I was going to post a picture of it here, but I can't find one. I guess I really didn't like it. Well, next time.
  5. MorningStarL
    Thanks, Bill. I'm fairly new to this and have only made knife sheaths. You guys have been making my product better and now I want to branch out. I've looked at the Stohlman book and wondered about getting it. I need all the help I can get.
  6. MorningStarL
    Thanks! I tried searching the forum with things like "cylinder" and got sewing machines, and "lens case" and got something else. I'll watch this.
  7. MorningStarL
    I live in mountains with hiking trails. I like my hands as free as possible, and I'm thinking of making a lens case with a strap on it: a cylinder with a bottom and a lid attached with a small strap because I'm good at losing things. I'm not sure how to attach a bottom to a cylinder. As I'm typing I've decided to go look at some arrow quivers -- but good suggestions are welcome. Thanks in advance.
  8. MorningStarL
    Well, since I've told y'all about it, here's the knife.
  9. MorningStarL
    Thank y'all. I've got the same dye, and I'm gonna take that advice about the superglue on a toothpick. My biggest worry was that it would catch on something and tear off and look worse. And, thank you all for the encouraging words. I love doing this. I see my job as a sheathmaker, as well as making something really useful (I don't like straps and studs or snaps cuz they're a pain in the butt in the field, so I like to get them to hold the knife tight even upside-down, but still go in and out easily), but also, like a picture frame. I try to make something that helps it look good without distracting from the beauty of the knife and handles. The guy I work with makes really attractive knives. This one has an old two-centavo piece with an eagle on it set into the antler crown, and it's a 52100 Bowie. I can get pictures of it easily, if you'd like to see. Thanks again.
  10. MorningStarL
    I made this knife sheath a few years ago, before I knew all the things I know now. Still, it's a big knife, and the antler made curves and nothing's flat or straight, so I was pleased to make a sheath that fits this well and is handsome. I deliberately didn't do any stamping or tooling because I like the dark leather and the antler just like they are. My partner's had an inquiry about the knife. It's been put away for a while and tonight I noticed a little flap-cut near the top. He asked me if there's anything I can do for it. My first sense is, anything I try to do is likely to make it more visible. If someone's got a good idea for me, some kind of glue I could slide under there maybe? I might be brave enough to try it. Thanks in advance.
  11. MorningStarL
    Boy Howdy, Thank you! I'm making 9 knife sheaths right now. I used your technique. I've got repetitive strain things in my hand, so my partner made be a burnisher by wrapping a 3/8" dowel with denim so I could chuck it into a drill on low speed. I don't have glycerine soap: I've been burnishing with water then saddle soap. I did a finish pass with a piece of caribou antler, then edge-dyed a couple of the belt loop straps and top edges of the sheath, waxed and buffed them. (Those parts are hard to do after the sheath's done.) I've never done anything that looked that good. Thank you.
  12. MorningStarL
    I've done it too. Sometimes, if I'm dying black, I'll go over the spot with a permanent black Sharpie marker before I finish coat. That helps.
  13. MorningStarL
    I've done it too. Sometimes, if I'm dying black, I'll go over the spot with a permanent black Sharpie marker before I finish coat. That helps.
  14. MorningStarL
    I'm almost finished with a knife sheath that I'm not really happy with, but the knifemaker likes it. It's got an iguana skin insert and I made the window a little too big; it's in the curve of front to back. I padded it before I put the liner in but I don't like how that worked either. Still -- I'll do another and it'll be better, right? My question is -- how do I finish the iguana skin? The top layer of the sheath is 9-10oz vegtan, lined with 2-3oz. I've dyed the leather black and put a light coat of neatsfoot on it this morning. I put a little on the iguana skin too -- it's old and looked a bit dull. Don't know if I shoulda done that or not. I'm going to put some Resolene thinned half with water on the leather -- does that go on the iguana skin too? Thanks.
  15. MorningStarL
    Me too, please.
  16. MorningStarL
    I got a classy gun-metal grey with some my partner had brewed for staining wooden shelves. I like it -- and I'll try tea first too.
  17. MorningStarL
    Thank you all. I'm learning so much here, and my work's improving. I want it to keep on improving.
  18. MorningStarL
    Thanks, everyone. Richard, do you use a finish coat over the neatsfoot oil? And if so, what? I'm gonna start a jar of vinegaroon tonight, but I'm going out for dinner with two good-lookin' men first.
  19. MorningStarL
    I'm going to try that. I've been away from leatherwork for over a week -- work deadline I wasn't sure I was going to make. My partner says he's sure there's some around here somewhere -- he made it to use on walnut shelving. Be a lot easier just to make some from scratch tomorrow.
  20. MorningStarL
    :-)
  21. MorningStarL
    Bingo! I used to always clean off a sheath with rubbing alcohol last thing before I dyed it, and once I read your reply, Gump, I realized I've forgotten to do that at all this winter. I bet that was it. Do you think if I went back to it now and cleaned them with alcohol and tryed the dye again, it would help? Or is it too late? The mink oil should have penetrated by now. Thanks for the reminder.
  22. MorningStarL
    I never thought of that. My partner's used it on wood. I'll see about brewing up a batch. I know now that part of my problem's been that I'm not leaving things to dry long enough.
  23. MorningStarL
    Thanks. I just found out there's a dyes and finishes forum. I'd only searched this one.
  24. MorningStarL
    Thanks, everyone. I'll ditch the mink oil. I thought it would do what I wanted because the tin says it is a sealer and has silicone in as well as lanolin and the mink oil. I'll try dip-dying when I use the USMC black. Small operation here and I never buy more than a quart - it's half gone now - so I've never dipped them. It would make some of the little crevices from sewing on the belt loops easier, for sure. I'd still like to find something that isn't glossy for the finish coat. Just going to keep on trying.
  25. MorningStarL
    Thanks. I sometimes go very shiny, if I'm building a sheath for someone's uncle's knife he carried and was shipwrecked with three times in WWII, for example. It seems to fit. (I really did one for that kind of knife.) I'll look at Satin Shene. Thanks!
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