My first leather made item!! Mora sheath!

[bushlover]

Hello guys!!!

I just got into this forum due to a growing interest in leather working!! I will try to learn and get better, but for now this is what I finished the past weekend!! my first go at making a leather item!!!

Thanks for looking !  some helpfull criticism is welcome!!!

 

[BOS351]

Looks very good for the first one.  Is there a strap on the back for putting on your belt?

[bikermutt07]

It will last a lifetime. Welcome to the forum, and enjoy yourself.

[bushlover]

Thank you very much!! sure is lol I forgot the pic!

 

[bland]

Very nice!  I would like to see a picture of the edge if you have one.  

Can you give us a little more information on the construction of the sheath, it will help with the critique.  I know my techniques have changed with time and obtaining better tools.  I have used many different methods for measuring and making stitching holes anything from eyeballing it, to a ruler, to a sewing marking wheel to my current of pricking irons.  For punching holes in leather I have used nails, a drill and now a proper stitching awl.  You get the idea, many here have adapted techniques to the tools they had available at the time and I am sure you are no different.  Continue to practice and develop.  Do not take any critiques personal.    

Here are a few things that caught my eye.  Stitch spacing is a little inconsistent. Stitch line looks to me to be a little too far from the edge and too far from the knife. Maybe the pattern is overall is just a little too big.        

How are you marking your stitch line?

Is there a welt around the blade? 

Did you wet mold it prior to stitching?

How did you mark and punch your stitching holes? 

How did you finish it?  

Did you groove the inside for the stitching on the belt loop to rest in?  

Are you saddle stitching?

Did you use an edger?

 Thanks for posting hope it helps.

[Tugadude]

Nicer than my first project.

Bland makes some good observations.  The sheath is probably oversized for what it is.  Welts will help it last longer and protect the stitching.  As it breaks in it may get a little loose.  I'd be tempted to put another row of stitching alongside and just inbound of the existing.  Double rows can look quite smart.  Good luck!

[blacksuit]

No helpful hints from me other than to say it looks great. way beet er than my first attempt! I'm really getting into this hobby as well!

[DJole]

Using a welt is a good idea, so the knife edge, as it's pushed into the sheath, won't cut the stitching.  
The bottom of the sheath, where the point of the knife is located, may need a rivet to keep the stitching from cutting or tearing.  You might want to spend time looking at other people's knife sheaths, to see what they did with the point. 
The stitching does look like it is too far in from the edge -- it's more of an aesthetic problem rather than a design problem.
It's a nice first project, though-- the basics are pretty solid!

[bushlover]

Wow!! thank you so much for the nice comments! thanks for the critiques I'm sure many people here will help me guetting better so here we go!

This was my first ever go at a leather product, all I used was a realy sharp knife to cut the leather, a homemade burnishing tool, waxed thread, a couple neddles, an awl, a regular fork, some sandpaper, dye and a portuguese beeswax based finishing wax .

The sheath does have a welt, I marked the stiching line just by eyeballing and then I marked the holes with a two point cooking fork, and punched the holes with an awl! I saddle stich it, and I didnt used no edge beveler or groover!

Since then I ordered a n2 edge beveler and a stich groover!

The way how I did the sheath was, long story short...I disigned it on paper the size I though would be good (turned that it ended up to big) I then cutted the leather and wet formed it to the knife, I dyed the sheath, I stiched the belt loop, I glued the welt and the sheath, I dyed the edge, I burnished it, I stiched it and finaly I apllied some of the beeswax based wax that I have acess here!

 

Let me honestly know what you guys think, what do I need to change?! I've seen vids of people cutting the sheath, dying it, stich it and only wet forme it in the end, others do it other way!!! how should I do it lol?!?!

Here is a pic of the edge!! thank you very much!! I look foryard to learn as much as possible before doing another one!! and sorry for my bad english! I'm just a guy from Portugal!!

 

[stu925]

Pick yourself up a freehand stitch groover, you'll find it invaluable for grooving the stitch line inside the sheath for the belt loop.  As said the stitching looks a bit inconsistent but other than that I can't find any issues with the work.  I think it looks great, far better than my first projects.  Your edge looks great too, that's a skill I really had to work at to get decent at.  Nice job.

 

Stu

[snubbyfan]

It's pretty good for a first attempt, nice edge.

I agree about grooving the inside of the sheath for the belt loop.

I personally prefer to keep my stitches closer to the edge, usually about an eighth of an inch.

I don't always groove my stitch lines, depends on the look I want and the application.

This one's grooved:

I'll mark my stitch line with dividers, then punch the stitch holes, if I'm gonna groove them, I'll do that before punching.

[Bigfoote]

Snubbyfan, and here I thought I was the only one still using a Tandy awl. LOL.

 

[bland]

Your edge looks great especially the blade portion, the upper edge may need just a little more sanding prior to burnishing.  As far as the order of work, cutting, staining, gluing, stitching, putting it together, forming and finishing are all a bit of personal preference in my opinion. My preference is to assemble and then wet form.  

I have also used a fork as a tool.  It works pretty good for many things.  You can us it to mark your distance from the edge and to measure stitch spacing.  You can also use it to mark the second stitch line that TUGADUDE talked about.  When you are using a diamond awl to punch your holes you get the right angle about 45 degrees to the edge.  You can see a great example of what the stitches will look like with the example photos SNUBBYFAN posted.  His work also is an excellent example of edging and burnishing.  I hope to get to that level one day.  Anyway, your sheath looks good keep creating and they will look better and better.  

 

 

[TexasJack]

Nice job on the sheath, and there are some pretty accurate comments to consider.

In my mind, the most important thing about a sheath is whether or not the construction will insure that it holds the knife and stays intact.  I think you easily meet that goal.  After that comes the various levels of "fit and finish".  There's ALWAYS room to improve on that, no matter how many sheaths you make.

 

[snubbyfan]

19 hours ago, Bigfoote said:

Snubbyfan, and here I thought I was the only one still using a Tandy awl. LOL.

 

After I sharpened and stropped it, it works great. Just gotta keep the strop handy.

[Bigfoote]

Yes I did a little tweaking on my awl also, just wish they would have put a better ferrule on them, I have scratched a few molded pouches with mine.