Order Of Operations

[zuludog]

There are other knives, such as a Japanese leather knife, and the traditional leatherworker's head knife, aka round knife, but only you can decide if you would like to try them, or pay the prices.

Make a simple sheath or slip cover to protect the blade edge, and to prevent it cutting the things you don't want - like fingers!

Whatever you get, you need to be able to get them very sharp. Search in YouTube for 'sharpening knives' . This video is interesting; although it describes wood chisels, the techniques can easily be used for knives.

'Preparing and sharpening a woodworking chisel - with Peter Sellers'.

Have you got a strop? They're easy enough to make from odd pieces of wood & leather; Surf for tutorials & videos on making & using.

Get your husband to buy you something - that's what they're for!

Edited May 27, 2015 by zuludog

[onlyoblivion]

Thank you all! I am improving on the cutting! I will try a utility knife next time, as I have several around and a few new blades. I havent tried it yet, because I wasn't sure how to navigate curvy cuts with one.

[LumpenDoodle2]

i've not long started marking out my patterns with a marker, then going over them with a scratch awl. It really does make a difference when cutting out, especially on curves.

Another thing I did was to cover the underside of my metal straight edge with a length of non slip matting that you get for kitchen shelves (the clear stuff). It cuts down the chances of the ruler moving off the line.

Edited May 30, 2015 by LumpenDoodle2

[zuludog]

A stanley knife with a very sharp blade should do for most cutting. The more you practice the more you will get better, neater, faster, and more confident

Try this method. Mark out the pattern with a pencil, then scratch awl, then a light cut, then firmer/heavier cuts

For very tight curves Tandy offer an Industrial Knife with 2 blades, #3595-00, but it's quite expensive at about £34 - $50? Not much point getting it till you've really tried a stanley knife as far as you can, especially as you already have one

I treated my straight edge in a similar way, except that I used some very thin garment leather

Have a browse through YouTube, especially Armitage Leather and Leodis Leather. You might not want to make specifically a wallet or a messenger bag, but those sorts of videos will show you most techniques

Edited May 30, 2015 by zuludog

[onlyoblivion]

Thank you all!

[byggyns]

my order with a holster will not fit everything else, but you may be able to draw some insight from it

• cut out patterns, leaving liner a little larger than the outer piece
• tool / stamp holster body (if any)
• dye, antique or highlight
• light oil with neatsfoot to restore what was stripped in dying process
• install any loops, straps, snaps, rivets
• glue liner to outer in stages: glue front of holster, start the fold over, glue rear of holster
• trim liner flush with front piece
• groove, mark & stitch liner to front in areas not folded over
• sand, edge bevel, dye, & burnish all edges not accessable when fully assembled
• glue stitched area for fold over
• mark stitches, saddle stitch
• sand stitched edges
• edge bevel, dye & burnish edges of folded over seam
• wet form to weapon, let dry completely
• buff to prevent dye rub-off
• apply finish (resolene), buff, repeat
• final buff with a little neutral shoe polish

Of course, different holster designs call for adding steps in certain places & moving the order around in others, but this is a basic list for a lined holster. Unlined, I just remove the steps relating to the liner. Knife sheaths are nearly the same, but I normally don't line those. 2 piece holsters don't get liners & don't require a fold, but will normally use a stiffener piece.