stacked leather handle and sheath

[chuck123wapati]

On 10/29/2022 at 3:45 PM, Brokenolmarine said:

I got into leather work so I could make a sheath for a Kit knife I made for my middle daughter.  I too have medical issues that caused me to look hard at the blade making process and say, "Ah, No."

I buy the blades and then build the knives and give them as gifts.  I make the sheaths and sometimes presentation boxes to put them in.  Woodworking first, then came knives because the kid asked me to.

 

 

I thought I had pics of the cleaned up knives.  The above pic is of the knives after final sanding.  The pic below is of them after waxing and buffing.  These were Christmas gifts.

The daughter chose the Cherry in the middle.  The top knife matches the cocobolo grips I had made for my Match .45.

The bottom was going to a Son-in-law but HE asked for something else not knowing the weeks of work I had put into his gift.  The wife didn't say anything and ordered what he asked for.  His loss. (City Boy - Woke.)  That knife is still in a drawer in the den and will eventually find a home, or not.  No matter.  I will make a few more.  I bought some turquoise to do inlays, that will be my next goal when I am up to it.

 

The knives laid on the bench waiting to be finished for a full year.  I had fallen and broken my wrist in two places and the surgery to repair the breaks caused major nerve damage.  I lost the use of the left hand for about nine months, and then didn't have enough strength to trust use in the shop for over a year.  Nearly eighteen months later, I have 80% range of motion back (Don't expect more due to the plate in the wrist,) and about 40% of the strength.  That may improve with continued therapy at home and use.  I am VERY cautious when using equipment in the shop.  The table saw, bandsaw, and other power tools causes a major pucker factor. I use a LOT of hand tools these days, but then, I always did.

those are great knives and a wonderful story, I'm very sorry of your injury but i can see it hasn't kept you down and out. i have made a few knives from purchased blades as well nothing at all wrong with that. i finished one about a month ago for a guy who brought me an old Indian river blade.

  When i started as a kid i used only hand tools mainly because they were all i had but you know i think back and making them that way was more relaxing and enjoyable sometimes even though i had to use already tempered steel and not over heat it in the process of shaping a forming the blades.

[doubleh]

3 hours ago, chuck123wapati said:

thank you and I am glad it inspires. I grew up with stacked leather knives also, the Western brand being my favorite knife of all. I carried one in the woods for most of my life. The feel of a good leather handle is hard to beat. and you can use them on other tools as well, here is a combination lifter and stylus i made a while back now i have a set of them, made from stainless all thread.

That is neat indeed and something I have never considered. When I make something of that nature I usually knurl a piece of 3/8 or 1/2 inch aluminum rod, drill it to fit, and epoxy it on.

Edited October 31, 2022 by doubleh

[Seagrove59]

On 10/9/2022 at 1:54 PM, chuck123wapati said:

I started working on this sheath design months ago, finally got time to make a knife for it. Stacked leather handles, if you ever try them dont watch you tube vids, i looked at a few and they are mostly regurgitated forged in fires idea of handle and knifemaking  which is far from good. 

The sheath is  10 oz back , 6/7 front and the wings and flaps are 3/4 oz. Its made to hold survival gear or whatever you feelt he need to carry. I had a thread on the idea months ago and this is much better looking lol.

Beautiful work on both, but that handle is a showstopper, really like how the leather, brass and antler go together

[chuck123wapati]

10 minutes ago, Seagrove59 said:

Beautiful work on both, but that handle is a showstopper, really like how the leather, brass and antler go together

thank you its very much appreciated.