Beaded knife sheath

[Craig44]

From the very beginning, this was the kind of work I wanted to learn how to do. So this, my first beaded knife sheath, is about three years in the making. I've drawn up patterns three times, started two other beaded panels and put it off several times. Until now. I drew up the pattern, cut it out, cleaned it up and started the beadwork months ago and just worked on it as I found time. Couple weeks ago I decided to get serious and finish it. While Chuck Burrows' videos helped me immensely with making holsters and knife sheaths, a lot of this I had to figure out on my own. There are books and videos on beadwork and knife sheaths but nobody shows you how to actually put a beaded knife sheath together. I've put more time into this sheath than full belt and holster rigs. After many hours of toil, it is finally finished. The body of the sheath is 8-9oz vegetable tanned cowhide from the most flea-bitten, scar covered hide I've ever seen, carved in a crosshatch/quilted pattern. The metal spots are antique brass. The cuff is deerskin. The stitching was all done with artificial sinew. The smaller pound beads are modern Czech made. The larger beads are a mixture of modern trade beads, crow beads and  antique red padre beads. The tin cones were antiqued with muriatic acid and peroxide. The bone hair pipes were also antiqued. The fringe and tin cones are decorated with black horse hair. No less than four colors of both water and alcohol based dyes were used on the various components. All in all, I think it turned out pretty good.

Beadwork detail.

Fringe detail.

Stitching detail.

The knife in question is a 5" clip point from ML Knives.

[Dwight]

 

Good job, Craig, . . . 

I do not have the patience for that kind of work, . . . and with Chuck gone, it is good to see someone coming along behind him.

I REALLY like that knife blade, . . . and the way you attached it gives it an air of authenticity.

My two attempts at anything like this are far below your level, . . . but I thought I'd share them with you.  The sheath was lined with rawhide so he would not cut it up drawing the knife in and out, . . . and the beading went on the upper end of a suede gun bag for a rolling block 45-70.

Just one curious question, did you bead the main beads separate and attach later, . . . or are they actually sewn individually onto the sheath?

May God bless,

Dwight

[Craig44]

Thanks! It is tedious work. Now I know why Chuck charged so much for beadwork.

The beadwork was completed on the deerskin cuff first, using a running or applique stitch. The cuff was glued and stitched to the body of the sheath later in several stages, with the lower dangles attached as I stitched along the bottom of the cuff. It's a complicated build process.

[bikermutt07]

The whole thing is just awesome. I haven't seen that style stitching that's holding the sheath together. Could you educate me a little on that technique?

[Craig44]

Thanks!

It's a double whip stitch. Rather than the double needle method of saddle stitching, you start at one end with one needle and a looooooong section of thread. Rather than looping  your stitch from hole to hole on the same side, you loop over the edge of the seam from front to back. When you get to the end, you just stitch back in the opposite direction to form the cross. You may see in the pics where I ran out of thread.....twice. Did a poor job of estimating thread length, takes at least twice as much as saddle stitching.

Done on something soft like deerskin or wet rawhide, it kinda puckers the edges up tight for an interesting look.

Edited July 12, 2016 by Craig44

[dikman]

Good grief! A bit over-the-top for me, but that's a remarkable piece of workmanship. Must say I find the knife far more interesting, though. Nice simple olde-style look about it and the handle looks great.

[bikermutt07]

Thanks. I'm gonna try it on something soon.

[Treed]

Fantastic..... great attention to detail