Talfuchre

Jim, My advice is not to chew gum then... it may get ugly. That sheath is nice. It is simple and nice. Just as ordered! TF

Tangless knife? Makes no sense - if you have no tang - there is nothing to hold on to. Did you, by chance, mean guardless knife? Or Hidden tang? Me so confus-ed. TF

Frank, That is for lipstick! Look at the top picture. A firesteel goes in that loop. When you scrape the backside of the blade on the firesteel a shower of sparks comes off and you can make emergency fire with it. I make primarily bushcraft style stuff. TF

I know these are very simple in design - but I am drawing up the sheath, making the pattern, wetforming, staining, and stitching these myself with only a few months experience. I want to get the simple stuff down before I move on to more difficult stuff. A close up of the stitching and the edging: Comments always welcome. TF

You could also fold over the top - and then do a U stitch on the bottom. This would allow for the strongest - however - it might not fit the style you are looking for. I think it looks nice. I like simple. TF

Did you need to make it custom due to a Flatline barrel - or just a regular 68 caliber? TF

Here are three just finished sheaths for Ka-Bar Lil Finns. One is for my Nephew, one for my Father in Law (with little hands) and one for my son. Here is my Father's refurbushed Ka-Bar next to my sons new Lil Finn. We now have a matching pair. I will likely make another for my other son. These will work to learn on - and then I will have to learn how to grind us matching sets! TF

I convex my stuff - I use a mouse pad and 2000 grit as a sharpener. Then I move to leather strop with compound. I move from black oxide, to green, to pink - to plain. TF

Ugh, Rawhide, I was pressed for time so I was not taking my time. lo ciento. It is a little more expensive - but it will not have the problems mentioned in the post above. It is much easier to use and a little goes a long way. It also comes in many different 'grits'. Here is .25 micron if you want it. Look around. http://www.classicshaving.com/catalog/item/522944/482837.htm This is one of my passions as I am a knife guy as well. Here is a great page for finding compound and a very well made simple 4 sides strop: http://www.jreindustries.com/sharpening.htm Also - if you want to learn how to convex an edge of a knife - here is a great site with GREAT videos: http://www.knivesshipfree.com/p4/Sharpenin...deos/pages.html TF

This is also a very viable option. Use a piece of leather and place this on it: http://www.classicshaving.com/catalog/item/522944/482858.htm TF

You know what I liked the most - how you rounded the corner with your miander pattern. I could see you making the stamp - and having to hand blend it to make it look right. You can't tell it wasn't machine done that way. Good work - so cool to see people donating stuff and helping others out. TF

Chrystal, That is flat out a work of art! I would be proud to own such a thing hand made! Can you link me to the tutorial that Clay did? TF

Marlon, That is awesome. What do you mean by 'slicked'? I noticed you are talking about the grain - how to you 'slick' the grain? Help the noob out! Also - I like the black backround - it REALLY accents the floral pattern. TF

Why do you make the jaws at an angle instead of vertical? I think it looks great! TF

I added a dangler today - it is removable by Chicago Screw: TF

I received one of these about two weeks ago. I got the stubby! With that said - I wanted to post a pic of my latest burnished edge for my sheath I finished tonight: I was NOT turning out these kind of edges two weeks ago. This has helped a LOT! TF

My dad sent me a pre 1960's Ka-Bar Hunter that was fairly beaten up. I refurbished it, leaving some of it's old glory, and made a sheath for it tonight. I had been waiting to try my hand at tooling in order to get this sheath done. I gave it a shot over the last day or so - and got a chance to finish it tonight. I need to put a Dangler on this one - but I wanted to post the pics while I had the camera out. Here is a close up of the burnishing on the edge. I used a black dye on the edge to get it to pop a little more. I think it turned out pretty well. I will have to learn a lot more to be more than just a basic leather tooler. TF

I tried to make Rivets like Al Stohlman describes in his book 'The Art of Making Leather cases'. Anyone tried this and can give me advice. It didn't go well. TF

Borrowing or buying Al Stohlman's 'How to make Leather Cases' will give you MANY ideas. HEre is an excellent Pouch Sheath Tutorial: http://www.knivesby.com/dan-sheath-tutor-1.html TF

I have seen people make their own Leather Sheath Presses (for wet forming sheaths to knives) and I am looking for help in this direction. A list of goods to buy and places to buy them would be best. Thanks, TF

I am getting more confident. The new burnisher I picked up on this board made life a LOT easier today. Fiddleback Woodsman with Full sheath, firesteel loop, and removable dangler in Chocolate Brown. TF

I purchased the Stubby burnisher. It came within a week - packaged in an old coffee can (threw off the drug dogs no doubt!) and was padded well. This thing is NICE. I chucked it up and burnished some scrap. I originally had my drill press set too low - so I set it at about 1550 RPS and reburnished. This was about right - a little water or a little bees wax and BOOM - instant (or relatively instant in comparison to hand work) burnished edge. I am psyched. The seller was honest, gave good communication, and did everything right. TF

Well - I went with the sandwiched anyway - but I am going to work on the split that SharpShooter suggested! I have not been doing this for very long (I think this is my 6th) - but I am proud of this one. I learn more every time. SAK Farmer case with line 24 snap sandwiched between two pieces of leather to protect the knife. Double stitched at stress points. The snap leather tab is coming through crooked in the photo's - but it is straight. TF

Tevor, THANK you for this. I made the top portion of your mold idea already and have been using it great success. I had thought of making the blank for the knife (a few of them so I could make many at a time) and I am confirmed in what you have made. NICE! Thanks, TF

When making the case above - the line 20 or 24 snap I use can cause marring on the knife inside. What ideas can I do (besides setting the snap on another piece of leather ans sewing it into the front) can you give me to protect the knife below. Thanks, TF