I Just Threw Away My First Try On A Sheath

[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.