Heavy and stiff, but not rawhide?

[JimTimber]

I want to make an axe scabbard out of leather, but make it modeled after one that's traditionally made out of aluminum and folded like a piece of duct work.  These aren't your typical "form fitted" and "like a glove" type of scabbard, they're designed to keep the axe handy and out of the way while falling trees using wedges and a chainsaw.  The axe is used to drive the wedges, and occasionally to debark the tree to save the chain's edges.

So I'm thinking this will need to be some pretty thick stuff to hold the box shape, and the inside will need to sustain edge contact with an axe.

What should I be looking for material wise?   I know the lack of love for Tandy around here, but is this a case where they might be a good option with their top discount tier pricing?  Thoughts?

http://grizzlypeakenterprises.com/products/axe-scabbard-7-34

 

Edited March 7, 2017 by JimTimber

[Thornton]

Is kydex out of the question?

[JimTimber]

I hate kydex.   Everyone and their dog makes stuff out of it.

Aside from that, I want to be able to drop a 250# guy on this in -20F and not have it crack in half.   We have ice up here and gravity always wins.

[Thornton]

In that case, I would use a heavy harness or bridal leather. And you will want a welt where the axe blade rests so as not to cut the stiching. Or you could rivet it instead of stiching.

[JimTimber]

I've got a 441 clone, I just don't know leather by weights and what not.  I'm a noob.  

 

Is cow the best option, or would something like pig, horse, or something else be better?

[Thornton]

Cow should get you the widest variety of thicknesses. Harness and bridal are thick, 10 to 12 oz. Each ounce is 1/64 of an inch. A sole bend would be another option.

[MADMAX22]

Per thickness horse butt strips are pretty darn hard/stiff but its different/difficult to work with sometimes. 

Would using a stiffener be out of the question?

[JimTimber]

Stiffener as in an insert, or some kind of chemical application to make the leather stiff?

The leather itself needs to keep the weight of the axe (5#) from flopping out while not impeding it's ability to be drawn and placed back in the sheath (it can't bend and pinch the axe head).  Look at the photo linked.  It's more of a rigid pouch.

I think a heavy moulded form with a welt and sewn bottom should hold it's shape nicely.  I just don't know if the stuff Tandy sells as armor is the best option, or if I should be looking somewhere else?  We have a Tandy store not far from me.  I don't really want half a hide of this stuff if it doesn't work out though.

https://www.tandyleather.com/en/product/sole-bend

[MADMAX22]

Na was thinking of stiffener to sandwich between two layers of leather. 

The issue I think is the sole bend will hold it fine but felling trees you will I assume be out there in all kinds of weather so even the thick leather could get water logged which could affect its rigidity (for that style of holder). 

[JimTimber]

I personally don't drop trees in bad weather, but if I ended up making any for sale that wouldn't be the case. Set on snow, filled with snow, and melted snow are all very likely around here.  Rain is also a high probability in other areas.

[Big Sioux Saddlery]

I personally would use sole leather for this.  Heavy skirting, maybe even some that is kind of "boardy" that wouldn't work for saddle parts would be good too.  I think I have a couple sole bends somewhere.  If you don't want to buy a large piece, and are not in a hurry, I could cut and sell you some off of mine.  But the next couple weeks are going to be brutal here, so I don't know if I'd have time to get right to it.

[JimTimber]

I went to Tandy today and looked at their sole bends and saddle skirting - of the two, I think the 10-12oz saddle skirting is the better option.  I don't even know that it'd need any additional help once formed into shape and hemmed.  Of the hides on that table, there sure were a lot of rough ones.

I'm not in any real rush.  Logging season is over here (was a bad winter for loggers), and I'm not sure what they do on the coasts in the Spring (usually things get shut down when the ground softens up from the rains/thaw).  If you find a chunk that's not good for your needs and want to run it past me, I'd consider taking it off your hands.

Thanks for all the input!

[Big Sioux Saddlery]

How big of a piece, or pieces, do you need?  I'm sure I have lots of stuff that would work.  

Edited March 7, 2017 by Big Sioux Saddlery

[JimTimber]

12-18x18" would be a good test size.

[Big Sioux Saddlery]

Ok, I'll see what I can do.

[JimTimber]

Like I said, no rush!  Appreciate it.

[Big Sioux Saddlery]

Do you use horses in the woods? Surprisingly, quite a few people still do.

 

[JimTimber]

Deere 

There's at least one working team of horse loggers around central MN that I'm aware of.  I'm not a logger, I just own a wood lot and have a lot of projects which involve removing trees.  Been working towards relocating up there, but it's going to be a bit yet before that happens (unless I win the Powerball).

[Big Sioux Saddlery]

Yeah, I'd like to win that too!