alpha2

Well done, SS!

Well, it's got liquid in it, so...soup! And, thanks!

That's different! Nice work...I am pretty sure I saw it blink.

I've found that most buckle pins are at least close to a standard size. If a particular buckle had one that was considerably tiny or large, you might change the hole size. For instance, with narrow ladies buckles, I use a Craftool #02 1/8" punch. For almost all my other belts I use a Craftool #07 7/32" oval punch. Round punch instead of oval I use the #04 5/32".

Great start! If you give me a piece of paper, and a pencil, all I see is a piece of paper.

Yeah, I won't goove the next one, either. I did it this time to have a very visible line to follow. Generally I just lightly scratch a line with a scribe. Thanks for the tip on the salad!

I did not know that, thanks! We've got those skewers around here! I LOVE this forum!

That's my plan, Gary, darken it a bit. Easy fix. This was a "no charge" prototype, so it's going to be GTG. Still, I want it to be indicative of what I may be able to do! There's a local VFW biker group that has been good to me re: sheaths, I'll get the pics off to them. They MUST have a bunch of KaBars that need upgraded sheaths. They seem to be hankering for some sheaths in their club colors.

Way to go, Matt! Glad you got it up and running.

Yep, the other half of the time finally won over for me, retired in December. GREAT DECISION!

The sheaths I make in general have the rough out on the loop, burnished and folded over to rivet on the back. This one is a replacement for the KaBar sheath for the MK2 battle knife, so I tried to keep it kinda original. I kept the rivet, lost the staples and did full length welts. I did a bit of a write up in the "leather sewing machines" part of the forum. And, there's pictures!

Interestingly, the knife fit fine before stitching. It was tight after stitching. The stitches are right in the middle of the glued-in welts. So I took a open end wrench and shoved it in as far as it would go...perfect!

Thanks, Bob, will do!

Well, after getting some practice, including gluing up a proper thickness piece, I stitched a knife sheath. It went PRETTY well. I went REALLY slowly. I didn't use the edge guide, as I'm waiting on a part. I only messed up on the stitch line once, at the acute angle at the tip of the sheath. If I hadn't used a stitch groover it wouldn't show as much. I'm thinking I'll darken the visible line somehow. I'll be cutting a slot in the needle foot so I can see the line better. I imagine with practice I'll get a better at following the line. It appears that I'll have to do some more grinding/sanding on some parts, like the feed dog or edges of the plate. On the back you can see some sharp cuts from those parts. I didn't mind so much hand stitching the smaller, thinner projects, but keeping the back of the piece straight was always a challenge for me. Also, the thickness of holsters and welted sheaths was not as much fun as I'd like. This monster of a machine didn't break a sweat, though! The edges aren't finished yet. Just did some quick burnishing so far.

Ha! That was me...forever it seemed. I started school a year early, my Mom falsified my birth certificate so my older brother and I would be only a year apart in school. I thought my birthday was the 2nd of December for YEARS 'cause she didn't want me to spill the beans. Heck of a shock later to find that out! I finally saw the birth certificate. The change from a 3 to a 2 was TERRIBLE! Worst ever "correction" you can imagine. I can't believe they fell for it. Because of that, and graduating high school a half year early, I was always the youngest in whatever crowd I was with. THAT changed! I'm 64 now, and it's been quite some time since I was younger that just about anybody.

I got my Cowboy 4500 set up yesterday, I'm thinking this piece will be perfect practice for the "correct" version of the sheath that is moments away from being "stitch ready".

Ah, I see...you guys have fallen for the oldest misconception in the books. That being that you can make something "idiot proof". Ha! You can only make it "idiot resistant", 'cause as I am living proof, they'll just make a better idiot.

Well that just looks perfect. It certainly catches the airmail bit, too!

I can't believe it! Once more, I've gone and wasted a precious hunk of leather on a stupid, stupid...did I mention stupid?, mistake. There is something about knife sheaths, that makes me cut at least one piece of leather with the wrong side out. Now, this time, the sheath DID have the grain side on the opposite side on the back piece, from what I usually do. Still, I KNEW THAT! Still screwed it up. I really need to only make symmetrical sheaths. All the other sheaths I've made have had the belt loop fold away from the front, and rivet on the back of the "back" piece. (I screwed those up, too). This one, has the back piece fold towards the front piece, and fit in between the back piece and the front piece. Yeah, that's it! It's not my fault! The Ka-Bar people are just bas-akwards! Oh, thank goodness. I feel so much better. Never mind. Jeff

Ludlow sold to American and Efird, LLC. back in about 2005.

You didn't at any point leave the test piece laying in the sun, did you?

"The belt for people that can't decide what to hang on their belt". I like your shoveling during a blizzard sign. Sounds like my shop.

Wait until Mjolnir sees this! He could go to town with one of these.

Is your specialty watch straps?

And THAT'S why I don't do self portraits! I just won't do it.