Chris623

I understand your thoughts, fredk. But the chances of me making more than 1 or 2 sheaths a year that I need thinner leather for are pretty slim. I love tools..........and if money were no issue, I'd have a shop full. When I was a furniture builder I had more "man-toys" than most wood workers could ever hope for. But I don't see myself needing that kind of inventory for my knife making and leather work. I designed a thickness sanding jig for a special project many years ago. But it was for a 4" wide belt sander. Might look back at it to see if it could be adapted it for leather. Any way, guys, it's been fun. I like "hypothetical" questions. I've learned a bunch I didn't know. Helps me to think out of the box. Sometimes when approaching a problem, I put on my blinders and take a straight tack to the destination...............when I should really come about several times by thinking outside the box. Thanks..........you've helped me do that.

Mine has a helical cutting head. It has three spiral rows of little half-inch square cutters, so it makes a really fine cut.............................and won't grab the material like a 3 straight-bladed cutter would.

Thanks for all the comments and suggestions, guys. I'm soakin' them all up like a sponge. Lots to learn and I'll never learn without asking..........because I'd rather learn from your mistakes than my own.

"Mr Chris" overthinks everything he does!

I do, Rahere. I spent 17 years as a custom furniture builder and had, at one time, a pretty extensive array of woodworking tools and equipment. I've pared down some of the tools I've pretty much stopped using, but still have a lot that I just "couldn't do without". I've got a really nice planer. But my only fear would be having the flexible leather jump up off the table and be destroyed by the cutters. Maybe if I used a double-sided tape I'd be able to hold it down. Do you have any experience with this?

Thanks for that. Never have seen a tool like that one! Appreciate that. I was under the impression the exotic went all the way to the edge of the sheath and was stitched in with the rest of the layers.

Oh, I have no doubt I'll be making a skiver for my leather work. But I was looking for a way to thin down a full piece...........as if I were running it through my wood planer. I've considered attaching a piece of leather to a piece of wood and running it through my planer. It's a Helix-bladded one that might do a pretty good job. We'll see................................if I ever get the chance to try it. Didn't know I could order it that way. Interesting. I'm a newbie, for sure.

Thank you for responding so quickly. Even a "couple hundred" would be out of range for the few number of sheaths I'll be making. And as few as I'll be making, I doubt I'd ever acquire the skill to hand-skive the leather. Thanks much, Bill. Learned something new today. I feel like a sponge soaking up all this stuff I'm picking up on the site.

I'm just getting into leather working. I'm a blade maker and will be making sheaths. Yesterday while browsing sheath pictures, I saw a lot that had snake skins and other exotics inlaid in them. If I'm doing a stacked sheath, each layer (obviously) adds thickness to the finished sheath. Not wanting to end up with a knife sheath that's too thick, I'm wondering how to thin the top layer of Veg-tan down uniformly to compensate for the added thickness of the exotic. ??? I've seen skiving machines that look as if they'd do a fine job, but that's a tool that will never sit on my bench because of the cost. How can this situation be addressed economically?

Dony, I can't make any recommendations to answer your question, but I'd like to differ with Chrisash and say your pieces look simply designed (simple is always best) and well executed. Belts don't always have to be tooled. Nice work.

Ha-ha. She refuses to let me make any kitchen knives for her because she'll just cut herself. She uses dull bargain store steak knives to do all her kitchen stuff. Hurts my feelings, because as you say I could easily provide custom kitchen cutlery for her. Told her I've got a nice paring knife in the process for her and she asked "WHY??? You know I won't use it." Oh well, "the worst shoes in town are on the cobbler's son".

Maybe, maybe not............we'll just have to see.

Get's expensive to set up a forge and knife shop and my little wife is none too happy when UPS comes down the driveway!

Thanks, Chuck. I filed the bevels by hand on this one. "Had" to sell it because I was saving money for my 2x72. (another toy for the shop) I'm sure you know how it goes! The more toys the better, but they cost.

Well, a little followup. Took my "slab" back to the folks who installed my countertops and left this beautiful piece of Granite for a "future project". They wanted a minimum of $100 to cut out a piece for me to use as a stamping surface. Of course, that included putting a radius on the edges and polishing them like my countertops. Didn't ask what it would cost to just cut out the block.............but I've decided I'm going to buy a blade for my Skil-saw and do it myself. Anyone on the forum done that? If so, what blade did you buy? There are a lot of them out there and I don't know where to start in making a choice.

Simple? Naw, I never do that. I just dive in and do it. Here are some pics of my first sheath knife. Wasn't simple by any means. Never got to make a sheath for it.......................it sold too fast!

Yup! My late Uncle always used to add when introducing me to someone that I was just a grown up Boy Scout lookiin' for my next merit badge!

Thanks for the links, "Bohunk". (had to look that one up!) When I was last in Tandy's they had a 3-Book series on sheath making. Written by David Holter. It was a spiral-bound book that would lay open on a table so you could work as you looked at it. I thought it a bit pricey at $25 plus tax for each book but ome day I might buy the set. A quick browse through looked as it it would be pretty nice to have to get started.

Thanks for all the comments, guys. Helps a lot. So many things to consider, so many things to learn. I feel somewhat on overload because in the last year and a half, I started blacksmithing.............built a forced air ribbon burner propane forge, bought a 100 pound anvil, bought a Lincoln Tombstone welder and am teaching myself to use it, bought a leg-vise and built a stand for it, built a hammer and tong stand with my new welder, started making tongs and hammer heads in preparation for starting bladesmithing. Have bought a 2x72 belt grinder, built a tilting table for it, run 220V lines all over my shop to supply the new welder and the new grinder, bought buffing motors and all sorts of hand-tools for the process. Then I was told I have to get into leather working to make sheaths for my knifes...............so now I'm gathering the tools/supplies to do all of that. And you see, a year and a half ago I knew nothing about any of those subjects. So I've had to learn new-to-me terms and tools and a whole lot of processes I'd never been involved with in my entire life. So the "pouring" of information into my feeble old brain has put me near to losing my mind at times. So all the patience and help you folks have given me has helped greatly.................as has the help from the Bladesmith forums and the Blacksmith forums I've participated in.

It was aimed at all of you danged enablers. Just remember, "I'm offended that you're offended". (that's on one of my brother's t-shirts.) So, no, don't be offended....................at least not for now. I may take liberty to offend you at some later date.

Danged enablers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Every craft forum I get on, no matter the craft, is full of stinkers like you guys!

Frodo, I have 1, 2, 4 and 9 prong set of Craftool Pro 3mm Chisels from Tandy's, so I'm fixed on that point. Thanks for the link. I've watch that and multitudes of other videos. I've never been accused of just sipping and spitting when it comes to knowledge. My main problem is I keep sampling too many different flavors!

Please tell me you are kidding!!!!! Believe me when I say I was dragged kicking and screaming down this leather working rabbit hole because I "have to make sheaths for my knives".

I don't use thread............at this point! Admittedly I've never done any hand stitching, so I have no idea what thread I'll be using I'm trying to get set up to make knife sheaths for the custom knives I make. Of course my attitude may change, but I really have no plans on making anything else in leather. One of my friends has told me I needed the size #1/0 harness needles. I don' know anything about needles other than they have a one point on one end and a slot on the other end for the thread. He said that's what I needed to do my sheath work. So I'm assuming he based that size needle on the size of thread I'd be using on sheaths. I've a WHOLE lot to learn about the craft. Thanks for the RMLS thread tip. I'll check that out.

John James was the brand I ordered. I just now found and placed an order for them with Rocky Mountain Leather Supply. We'll see if it takes THEM 18 days to get them to me!!!!!