I Just Threw Away My First Try On A Sheath

[hotwing]

Here's where I went wrong. I cut my pattern way to small, My welt was uneven, my stitch grove line was way off on the back of the sheath, when i drilled my stitch holes I didnt get them straight causing my uneven welt to "pop" out. There were some points where the welt wasnt covering the stitches, and when I inserted my knife it cut them rightaway.....

Now, as soon as I started this, I knew it wasnt going to be a work of art, but I thought it would still be functionable. What I was trying to do was make a "one piece" sheath with one stitch line for a four inch blade.....I just put everything away and will do some more reading on here before i start again. If anybody has any patterns that they would like to share, I'd be very gratefull. My ultimate goal was to give holsters a try, after my sheath disaster, im not sure if I'll ever be able to.

Thanks for listening everyone, Hotwing.

[Tree Reaper]

You will never be free from making mistakes so all you can do is learn from it.

I always try to salvage the project some way even if it means saving the leather to make a strap or something else but when it's hopeless, in the garbage it goes and I try again.

It's all about getting better and mistakes are a part of it.

[Mike Craw]

I shudder to think how many cows have given up their hides, which I then wasted trying to teach myself this art! The only good news is that you learn from each one, even if only to recognize a hopless case sooner in the process Keep at it!

Mike

[camano ridge]

Hotwing, don't give up if making knife sheaths and holsters is what you want to do. I have a box of pieces of leather that wanted to be a sheath or a holster but never quite made it. Most of the sheath and holster makers on this forum have a similar box or bin. You have already identified some of the problems so correct them on the next sheath. I just finshed a knife I made and made a sheath to go with it (pictures below). I can't send you a pattern because I make each sheath to fit a particular knife. I can give some tips that may help you. Use them or ignore them as you wish.

Get some manilla folders take a folder open it up and lay it out. Take the knife and lay the spine of the knife on the center line of the folder now carefully roll the edge of the knife to the right (if you are making a right handed sheath) and lay the knife on its side. Now trace around the knife. If you are making a pouch type sheath pick where on the handle you want the top of the sheath draw a line a cros the drawing of your handle . Measure out about a quarter of an inch from the blade and draw a line from your mark for the top of the sheath along th e length of the knife past the tip to the center line, you are basically drawing another outline of the knife 1/4" larger, that 1/4" space is the outline of your welt and the outer line is the edge of your sheath. If you want a diffrent shape adjust the lines accordingly. Now cut the line for the top of your sheath to the center line, fold the manilla folder in half so that you are looking at your drawing of the knife/sheath. Cut the out line of your sheath until you get to the top, you have already cut the top of your sheath on the right side of the folder now on the other side of the folder leave the top of the sheath extending several inches this will be folded over to form your belt loop. Now you have a pattern for your sheath lay it on the leather and cut it out. Cut out a strip for your welt cut it over sized so the when you line it up with the inner marks for the welt it will hang over the outer edge of the sheath. Fold the tab over that you left for the belt loop and stitch. Now glue your welt to one side of the sheath remember it needs to hang over the edge of the sheath now glue the other edge to the welt making sure both edges of the sheath line up withe each other. Once the glue is dry and your edge are set trim the welt so it is even with the edges of the sheath. Sand or smooth the edge of the sheath. Use your stitching groover to lay out your stitch line and stitch. since this is a pouch knife your knife won't fit in yet. Wet your sheath dunk in water 15 - 30 seconds (if your knife is not stainless and I do this even if it is wrap in plastic wrap). Now insert the knife into the pouch until it stops slowly start working the knife into the sheath the leather is wet and pliable and will stretch to fit around the knife. When you get the knife where you want it leave it in the sheath for 15 to 30 minutes. Work the knife in and out a few times if it feeels good remove the knife and let dry. When dry the knife should fit in nice and snug and now you are ready to dye. Some times I use a hammer handle or something a little larger then the knife handle to begin opening the sheath up then continue working the knife into the sheath. This is a simplified how to but should give you the basic idea. If I can assist further Pm me.

[DoubleC]

I am an artist in the truest sense of the word when it comes to figuring out how to make a mistake look intended....only because I'm not a leather artist yet. I have had some projects that just refused to be fixed, and everyone does. But I always try to make the mistakes part of the design. And I keep my ones that won't be fixed because it's so nice to look back a month, 3 months, 6 months later and see how much better I've become. If you believe all the hokey on here some people tell about their first projects, well just don't :-) I've seen people post .....my first swivel knife project or my first use of a basket weave stamp, baloney. They should read my first use of a swivel knife I had guts enough to show after practicing 6 months or my first use of a basket weave stamp that didn't go completely wonky after 200 tries. Leather work is a combination of art, science, engineering and technique and no one is born with all those abilities where they are selling the first project they ever made. It takes practice, patience, and a love of the work to become better. And lots of mistakes and fortunately a place like this to learn faster than if you had books only. Keep it up, you'll either love it or just decide you want to do something else. Cheryl

[hotwing]

Thanks everyone. After reading the messages, and Camano's tips, I learned something. Two months ago I would have had no idea what Camano was trying to say, but as I read the message I could visualize what was being explained. So I guess I'm learning something? I also learned that I must slow down, the ole measure twice cut once kinda deal. Thanks for the help!

[chiefjason]

My Father in law told me it's not about getting everything perfect, it's about learning how to fix your mistakes. As best I can, I try to fix them and move one. But I have a holster in the garage that got to my second round of sanding before I just threw it on the rack and started over. It's salvageable, but not sellable. Messing them up drives me nuts. This one will likely be reworked as an attempt at a snap on pancake holster for my wife. Keep at it. It's a learning process.

[Horrrk]

The learning from your mistakes tip, is the best thing to remember..but don't forget, Hotwing..if your sheath isn't something you can rework, the leather can still find good use for testing new stamps and different dyeing techniques too..

Regards

Phil

[ChuckBurrows]

as others have noted it's all a learning experience and FWIW I've been crafting leather for 51 years now and know many other old timers (one who has been doing it since 1947) and we all go through periods where we just want "give it up"........as for throwing stuff away - I can't think of one pro that doesn't have a "scrap" bin...also re_mistakes I follow the "rule" when possible of if you can't fix it feature it.

Also here are links to some sheath tutorials:

http://www.wrtcleather.com/1-ckd/mexloop/_mexloop.html

Scroll down to sheath's

http://www.knivesby.com/knifemaking.html

[Fredo]

I keep real bad mistakes pinned to the wall above my work bench, A cinstant reminder of what I did wrong and how to not make the same mistake twice.

The wall above my work bench is getting very very crowded

[katsass]

From the grump; I started doing serious leather work in the late 60s, Made a pot-load of holsters and such for LEO' that I worked with over the years. It's a damned good thing that I knew a few southpaws (as I am) because occasionally I would get a rig almost finished and find I had reversed things and a supposed 'right' hand holster became a cast-off to another southpaw and required a rush job for the original right handed customer. I now have a 30 gallon drum about half full of screw-ups that i look at every so often to see if there is anything I can salvage. As many say icky-poo #&%$%^ happens. Mike

Edited October 5, 2012 by katsass

[hotwing]

The knife Im trying to make a sheath for is a Gerber fixed blade "freeman". It has a four inch blade, and what I would call a pretty narrow handle. Upon further inspection, I dont think a pouch type sheath would work the best. (if im wrong and you have seen a good example please share.) My wife told me that she has a heavy duty snap pliers and hardware to install the snap, so I think I might make more of a traditional hunting knife sheath. Which type do you guys think is easier to make? Again, you guys are all very helpfull.

[camano ridge]

I don't know what model Freeman you have. Attached are pictures of a pouch sheath for a Gerber Freeman hunter. The handle does not really have anything to do with holding the knife in a sheath. It really is the fit of the blade and the guard that keep the placement of the knife. I also attached a rough drawing of a knife and sheath to give a rough idea of what I am talking about.

[hotwing]

Thank you very much Camano! That will be very helpfull! The model knife I have has rubber textured grips held on by either two chicago, or two plain allen head screws.

[TexasJack]

The only people who don't occasionally screw something up are either not doing anything or are screwing up and lying about it!

The most humiliating thing - IMHO - is to make a sheath or holster and then realize that it's the wrong direction (e.g., left handed instead of right handed). Usually that's the one that went smoothly and turned out great - but now gets tossed out!

[immiketoo]

Thank you very much Camano! That will be very helpfull! The model knife I have has rubber textured grips held on by either two chicago, or two plain allen head screws.

I am also new to leatherwork, and there is (So far) the inevitable screw up that happens. I have found that in most cases, leather is a very forgiving medium and I have not yet had to throw away anything, although my first guitar strap might get re-purposed as a wall hanging art piece :/

Anyway, I have recently made my first knife sheath as well. And, it fit your knife perfectly! My friends hunting knife is the same as yours and we were both shocked at how well it fit. It was a complete fluke, but if you want a pattern, I could draw one up for you. Here is a picture of the sheath to see if you like the design.

If you truly can't make one to your satisfaction, mine is available if you want it! Mike

PS, look at the stitching on the back. It's not pretty either!

[hotwing]

Immiketoo, Thanks for the offer, but I think i need to stick with the pouch style sheath until I get better at stitching...BTW, I love that border on your sheath.

[immiketoo]

No problem. I didn't realize you made a pouch style since you mentioned a welt. Have you glued everything together before you try drilling or stitching? That may help. Thanks on the border. It took a bit of practice before I could hit my sheath with the stamp. Very scary!

[hotwing]

Maybe thats what Im doing wrong. Do you use a welt with a pouch sheath? How else would you keep the knife from cutting the stitch?

[camano ridge]

I use a welt on my pouch sheaths to protect the thread and to give a little thicknees in the area where the guard will reside you may need to stack or layer the welt to give space for the guard. Attached is a more refined drawing of a pouch sheath or single welt sheath. The solid red line is were the inner edge of the welt would line up. The dashed red line is the overhang or excess welt. I glue the welt to one edge of the sheath lining up on the inner line that I drew on the inside of the sheath. Then I glue the other side of the sheath to the welt taking care to line up the two edges of the sheath, I then trim and sand the welt so that there is one smotth even edge, then I use my stitching groover and lay a stitch line. This should give you a nice smooth stitch line that follows edge contour of the sheat.

[hotwing]

Thanks again Camano!