Knife Sheath

[Phatdaddy]

I'm making a sheath for someone and the request is far from the original.

I've never had to make a sheath before that required multiple pieces to accommodate the very large guard on THIS knife. Laying down, from the bottom of the guard to the topside of the blade is just shy of 1/2".

I'm looking for some tips/advice when adding a welt with "wedges" (feel free to correct my terminology)

Thanks,

Kevin

[TexasJack]

"Wedges" is a good description. I'm trying to find a diagram I saw awhile back, but thus far haven't been able to find it. Once you get the pieces skived to fit properly, you can glue them together with a bit of rubber cement and do your normal thing.

[Phatdaddy]

So, I want to put a full thickness welt the whole way around, I believe I'll need to add 2 more thicknesses in wedges/shims I think I've seen them mostly added to the backside of the welt, is this standard? Also is there a certain angle I should try to attain when skiving the wedges?

I appreciate any help, thank you.

Kevin

[TexasJack]

So, I want to put a full thickness welt the whole way around, I believe I'll need to add 2 more thicknesses in wedges/shims I think I've seen them mostly added to the backside of the welt, is this standard? Also is there a certain angle I should try to attain when skiving the wedges?

I appreciate any help, thank you.

Kevin

I hate answering this because there are so many others on here who are far better than me, but maybe if I do they'll join in.

IMHO, there is no certain angle. Use the thicknesses to make the sheath fit the knife and guard. The shape of the guard will define the angles or how many shims you need. Just make sure that the pieces all join together for the entire length that you have extra shims. In other words, make sure there are no gaps or hole because the angles don't match up or an edge is too short.

I think you are totally on track. The primary welt is there to protect the thread that holds the sheath together. The shims make the sides wide enough to allow the guard into the sheath. They effectively become part of the primary welt.

I see a lot of people searching for patterns and angles on this forum, yet the guys who are real experts seem to always use the knife itself to determine the size and shape. Let the knife tell you what thickness and angle is necessary for a good fit.

[Phatdaddy]

I hate answering this because there are so many others on here who are far better than me, but maybe if I do they'll join in.

IMHO, there is no certain angle. Use the thicknesses to make the sheath fit the knife and guard. The shape of the guard will define the angles or how many shims you need. Just make sure that the pieces all join together for the entire length that you have extra shims. In other words, make sure there are no gaps or hole because the angles don't match up or an edge is too short.

I think you are totally on track. The primary welt is there to protect the thread that holds the sheath together. The shims make the sides wide enough to allow the guard into the sheath. They effectively become part of the primary welt.

I see a lot of people searching for patterns and angles on this forum, yet the guys who are real experts seem to always use the knife itself to determine the size and shape. Let the knife tell you what thickness and angle is necessary for a good fit.

Thanks a ton for your help.

Kevin

[Bard Skye]

Ya know, if I understand what you're saying, I think maybe you've just solved a problem *I've* been having with a knife....

[Billsotx]

I'll ride with TexasJack! He covered it well.

[Phatdaddy]

Here is what I came up with. This is what it will be for this one as I need to get it shipped. I really am interested in criticism because I want to get better at these things as I really enjoy making knife sheaths and outdoor gear.

It's not stitched yet, I talked the customer out of any rivets, and they only wanted a single stamp so it isn't tooled.

Thanks for looking/criticizing/helping!

*edit - the line under the top most piece of leather is dye from dying the underside before assembly it is not a gap. Also I'll be sanding it a bit more.

Kevin

Edited December 10, 2011 by Phatdaddy

[Phatdaddy]

Here it is nearly finished just need to work on the edges a bit and give another massage with weatherproofing paste.

[TexasJack]

Looks very nice to me!

[dirtclod]

It looks to be made for a right handed person, if it is your strap needs to go the other way. The way it is now a limb can catch it and pop open the snap and the knife may get lost. Nice job on your welt.

[Phatdaddy]

It looks to be made for a right handed person, if it is your strap needs to go the other way. The way it is now a limb can catch it and pop open the snap and the knife may get lost. Nice job on your welt.

It is made for a right handed person, but, they wish to wear it on their left side. I didn't argue, (except about the rivets mentioned above) did as they requested.

Thanks for the comments guys.

Cheers,

Kevin

[Tree Reaper]

Kevin;

In the picture it looks like you wedged the back side, is there a reason for not wedging front and back leaving the welt in the center?

[Phatdaddy]

Kevin;

In the picture it looks like you wedged the back side, is there a reason for not wedging front and back leaving the welt in the center?

It made sense to me. I only needed the wedge to make up the difference between where the very large guard rests on the back of the sheath and the top of the blade. If you can picture the knife laying on a table with the tip touching the table and the guard also and see that triangle. The blade as I have done runs exactly along the welt and the wedges just house open space. If I wedged front and back with the welt straight down the middle the welt would not have been on the same angle as the blade.

This may be all wrong, it was a learning experience and the first time doing it.

Kevin

[Tree Reaper]

That makes sense, thanks for explaining it.