Axe Sheath - Copper Rivet Intro

[eby]

Just a little project for myself to use up some cheap-o 6/7 oz veg tan I've had lying around; #12 rivets & burrs, .8 mm tiger thread, solid brass ligne 24 snaps from Rome Fastener.

This was my first project using copper rivets and burrs, and there was definitely a little learning curve on that. I'm pretty pleased with how it came out and next time I use copper the results should be better. It takes a bit to get the angle of the setter right so you don't mar the leather around the burr. It also takes a little practice to trim the post to a good length. Too long and you have way too much metal to peen over, too short and there's not enough of a mushroom to hold securely.

I like quick projects like this to learn a new approach, no stress on how it turns out. But I think my hatchet looks kinda classy now!

[kiwican]

looks great to me!

[Rohn]

Nice job on the sheath. Looks real good.

[Instinctive]

Copper rivets are next on my list too. Scrap bin project coming up.

Edited January 20, 2016 by WRLC

[Dwight]

Except for one small thing, . . . If that is a good hatchet, . . . the first time somebody forgets the sheath is on the hatchet, . . . swings it into a piece of wood, . . . each rivet that is cut in two, . . . will leave a nasty, ugly, horrible nick in the edge of the hatchet.

I refuse to put them in my knife, ax, or hatchet sheaths simply for that reason.

If the stitching won't hold it together, . . . and it needs rivets, . . . it was not done right to begin with.

Yes, . . . they are pretty, . . . but totally non functional.

May God bless,

Dwight

[TheCyberwolfe]

Or you could look at it as having to re-shape the edge on the hatchet is a fine punishment for being so careless with and destroying fine leatherwork

On the ones I have made, I did not use a welt in the seam, so I positioned a couple of rivets in such a way as to prevent the blade edge from rubbing against the seam and wearing through the stitching.

[Wicked Welts]

I like the pouch flap style and yours turned out great!

Thanks for sharing your source on the snaps, they seem to have set very nicely.

Which 'action' version did you use (easy/med/hard) and how do you like them overall?

I'm always looking for options with snaps and it looks like they offer a mix 'n match deal with quite a few cap variations.

[TinkerTailor]

Except for one small thing, . . . If that is a good hatchet, . . . the first time somebody forgets the sheath is on the hatchet, . . . swings it into a piece of wood, . . . each rivet that is cut in two, . . . will leave a nasty, ugly, horrible nick in the edge of the hatchet.

I refuse to put them in my knife, ax, or hatchet sheaths simply for that reason.

If the stitching won't hold it together, . . . and it needs rivets, . . . it was not done right to begin with.

Yes, . . . they are pretty, . . . but totally non functional.

May God bless,

Dwight

If your steel axe is damaged by copper rivets, get a better axe. Good steel should slice that copper......On that note, I am adding a better axe to my shopping list. Always need a better one.

However i do agree that the welted and stitched construction is a better option.

Edited January 20, 2016 by TinkerTailor

[electrathon]

If the stitching won't hold it together, . . . and it needs rivets, . . . it was not done right to begin with.

If your steel axe is damaged by copper rivets, get a better axe. Good steel should slice that copper......On that note, I am adding a better axe to my shopping list. Always need a better one.

However i do agree that the welted and stitched construction is a better option.

I agree with both of these. An axe should cut both rivets easily, without harm to the axe. But I would never put rivets of any sort in a sheath, the welt is to protect the stitches, not the rivets. Copper rivets are the worst as they turn the spot in your leather where they touch into that nasty green crud corrosion.

[eby]

I like the pouch flap style and yours turned out great!

Thanks for sharing your source on the snaps, they seem to have set very nicely.

Which 'action' version did you use (easy/med/hard) and how do you like them overall?

I'm always looking for options with snaps and it looks like they offer a mix 'n match deal with quite a few cap variations.

Thanks! I posted a review of my experience with Rome on the Suppliers board, as I'd never used them before: Rome Fasteners - Hardware Supplier Review

I'm pretty pleased with the quality of the hardware I got, but the ordering process was, let's say "not real smooth." Apparently Ohio Travel Bag is a Rome distributor and stocks their products, but I couldn't find them in their price list. It would be worth a call to OTB to see how that works.

For this sheath I used line 24, which Rome calls their 3/24 cap and 31 socket, stud, and eyelet. I guess they're just regular action and seem to be about right for standard items like this. I have some of Rome's "EZ" action line 20 snaps and they're a fair bit lighter; nice for lightweight flaps that could distort pulling on a heavy snap. I also got several different lengths of eyelets and caps for line 20 and that's one of the reasons I was interested in them as well.

I agree with both of these. An axe should cut both rivets easily, without harm to the axe. But I would never put rivets of any sort in a sheath, the welt is to protect the stitches, not the rivets. Copper rivets are the worst as they turn the spot in your leather where they touch into that nasty green crud corrosion.

I would agree with these as well, and also say that if I start swinging with the sheath on I deserve what I get :-)

There is a welt in the stitched edges, both to protect the stitching and give a looser fit. The rivets are largely decorative and just to try out a new technique, I have no doubt the stitching would hold together just fine without them. Thanks for the heads up on the green staining. Makes perfect sense, but I didn't think about it. On utility type things like this I don't really mind, but it's good to know for more finished items.

Thanks for all the feedback!

[electrathon]

I just looked and must have tossed the example I was going to post. When I first started leather work I also thought you were supposed to put rivets in things (says so in the Al Stohlman books) so I started doing it. I soon learned not to, but about a year or so later I found the early made sheath in a drawer, it had nasty corrosion growth all over the riveted area. It looked just like acid corrosion on a cars battery terminals, only green. It does not always happen, likely a lining up of moisture and the specific tannery chemicals.

[JamesR]

This green corrosion concerns me. I thought it only happened with chrome tanned not veg tanned leather?

[Ole South]

Rivets are best in items that get daily use... not good for long term storage. Use rivets for two reasons:

Cosmetics ("I'm going to be like bored in an hour so what do I care what it looks like next week man")

and

Because you NEED it. (it's a stress point that will eventually wear a threaded only seam out.)

[Northmount]

Copper and brass both corode when in a moist environment and don't have a protective coating. Called verdigris. There is another thread here about the process if you want to do a search for it. Also look at copper roofs.

I have some old harness where some of the copper rivets are green and others that are just dull. Depends on the amount of moisture each is subject to.

Tom

[TinkerTailor]

Copper and brass both corode when in a moist environment and don't have a protective coating. Called verdigris. There is another thread here about the process if you want to do a search for it. Also look at copper roofs.

I have some old harness where some of the copper rivets are green and others that are just dull. Depends on the amount of moisture each is subject to.

Tom

and salt.

I have a peanut butter jar full of nasty malt vinegar and salt for antiquing brass.

[Tannin]

Really nice & tidy and everything nicely proportioned. What thickness thread did you use & how many SPI (stitches per inch), 6 or 7? Nice job on the brass pop studs too - it's surprising how much can go wrong with those, esp. on thicker leather.

If you don't like the patina of verdigris, good ventilation and a greasy coating (e.g. Ko-cho-line leather treatment/petroleum jelly/Dubbin/most any grease) should help prevent it. I was surprised to see the rivets at the back of the axe head, it would have been simpler to just wrap one piece of leather around -- was the idea to use smaller pieces of leather? They look good. If the copper rivets are in contact with the iron/steel of the axe head you will likely get an electrolytic reaction over time if there is moisture around (in the UK there is often quite a lot of moisture around ).

I like the drop-in, full head cover design, secure & safe.

[eby]

This was .8mm tiger thread at 6 (I think) SPI. I was using smaller pieces for this, the last good bits of a 6/7 oz shoulder. I didn't think about the electrolytic aspect of those back rivets. I guess that'll be part of the experiment!

Thanks for the comments!