Huntbuck

Nice....

So, knife experts... (Zwack and Storm) are these knives sharp, this one was not a razor sharp, but did have a useable edge... I am leaving it as it is... it looks like it had been sharpened once maybe... hard to tell since the edge is clean and even from the blued blade to the knife edge... the blade is nick free and has some staining on it but you can still read the maker name and maker mark.. J. Nowill & Sons Sheffield, England Established A.D. 1700 I think that is what is says, it is kind of light and right on the edge of the center portion of the blade.. nice heft and feels NASTY in your hand... GRIN! Thanks again for the comments and replys RJ

Thank for the comments, did not know what the knife was, just that the guys dad brought it back... I don't think the sheath was original but close none the less. I would definately do some things differently on the sheath next time, but fun practice and learning... Twin Oaks, i would be interested in seeing what you come up with...

Received a dagger needing a new leather coat... Took me a few hours, but here it is... Tell me what I should have done differently.. this is the third sheath and I am still learning from my mistakes and this one has a lot of them.... This was my first time using the Sam Browne Stud... another learning opportunity... Areas to improve next time... Horizontal loop on back of scabbord is really tight.. narrow knife leaves little room for this set up, next time I think I will put a couple of loops around the entire sheath and snap bacl to the front... First time using a concho as well, this biker cross looks decent on the black with silver accents... Might need to go back and dye the thread. It is a green kevlar fiber that God knows where I got...

So I had a gent ask if I could make him a knife sheath. The attached are the finished products.. I had never made a sheath before and learned a bit in the process for next time and even dove in here to get some insight, thanks guys.. he was pretty specific with the curved blade knife on what he wanted... heavy, rough, rustic. I added the copper rivits to tie in with the knife handle... This one was a learning experience, the second push dagger was more interesting and more in line with my holsters... Fits and works nice on the belt although I can not imagine carrying such a blade... still kind of neat to make... Open to and grateful for comments and suggestions... Things I learned... SOLVENT BASED dyes are bad for snap straps... needed lots of neatsfoot to revive. Curved blades need a guide to prevent leather erosion from the tip of the knife... ended up using a piece of plastic and insetting it into the leather...

Thanks Pete, I will look it up... Buckles and snap straps cracking are not a good thing... ran out of my ancient supply of dye and opened some new stuff, not sure what was in the old bottle, but it definately did not give me this issue... I will look into the bicks...

Ok, I need some advice... I made a few straps for holsters and sheaths with no issues... BUT... last week I made a knife sheath and the straps dried so hard and stiff they were unuasble... I think I know the problem... I used spirit dye and in heavy doses... dried the leather... so much that neatsfoot would not recondition it..... SO... Can sombody tell me how to get those nice FLEXIBLE dyed straps that I see on all your projects... I have been using fiebings spirit / oil dyes and finishing with their acrylic topcoats.. any pointers would be greatlly appreciated... this one has me major frustrated... I have some eco flo that I am thinking of using just because it is water based and may not hard form the straps.. Thanks in advance...

WHat is the difference between the 563 and LU562? How large of a thread will these handle... 207? Just found a LU262 locally, looks like new, may make an offer but wondering if it will do a couple layers of six ounce for holster work or is this simply a light material machine... Don't mean to hijack the thread, but these look like identical machines?

Very Nice, thanks for posting... always interested in learning more and this is a huge help for a beginner...

Thanks for the tutorial... just what I needed to get me going again, Inspiration.. Thanks, good stuff for sure...

Now that is SWEET!

Bree, Thanks for the feedback... I have a couple of MONSTER spools of #69, but I just don't like the look of the thinner thread on heavy leather of the holsters.. I will have to either figure a way to make it work or use it a backup and find another machine.... I ran the machine using the #69 thread and you are right, it does have a SMALL BOBBIN... I have also tried some larger thread (SIZE UNKNOWN) but it was linnen and I did have frays and breaks. After working with the tensions, top and bottom, I got it sewing ok and it does look better against the heavy leather than the lighter thread. My new dilema is that the tensioner spring on the shuttle broke when I switched back to the #69 thread and had some "issues". Parts are hard to find for these things.... Ebay is becoming my friend! I guess I am going to need to look for another machine that can handle the 207/277 and not put me in the poor house at the same time... Several folks here have recommended a TORO 3000 so maybe I should just start saving up now.

Same as medical needles... use a plastic 16 oz water bottle... put the needles in and when full, dispose in your normal waste...

Picked up a 29-4 for $200 ... Treadle and all... It took a few hours to clean and get it working again with #69 thread...but here are the questions... I want to use this for holster work... I believe that I will be wanting 207/277 thread (tell me if I am wrong. Will this machine sew it? ...and if so, What needle do I need. I have a 10 pack of 29x3 22 needles which I belive are not considered for leather, but need info here as well... I also have a 10 pack of 24x4 110/18 needles but think they will be too small.. I am looking at the Linhanl Bonded Nylon thread on Artisens website... is this a good thread? I wish I could afford that Toro 3000, but the 29-4 will start my HOBBY....(THE WIFE HAS NOT SEEN ME IN DAYS) I am hoping to replace my hand work...1st one I made.. with machine work... Last one I have made...