Kabar Sheath

[DRE66]

I have always liked the Kabar Mark 2 knife but the leatherwork was always sub par. I couldn't find anyone making a decent reproduction of the WWII sheath so decided to give it a go at making my own. Here is how it turned out:

 

 

 

Edited October 17, 2017 by DRE66

[Treed]

great job....

 

[DRE66]

Thanks. The hardest part I found was trying to source the rivets that are called for in the govt specs. On this version I used staples but have made a few post WWII sheaths with the round head rivets.

[MichaelT]

That looks great. You did a really good job on it and it shows that you've done your homework and have had a little bit of practice.

As a former Marine- the "Knife, Fighting, Utility" has a special place in my heart. My grandfather was a submarine sailor during WWII and I have his that was issued to him and followed him home. In his words "They gave all of us one on one of our trips through Hawaii."

[battlemunky]

19 minutes ago, MichaelT said:

As a former Marine- 

Semper Fi brother! Thank you for you and your grandfather's service. My son is a submariner, well he's working his way through nuke school still, so not quite yet, but soon will be.

 

@DRE66 that sheath looks great and far better than the factory sheath. Cleaning up the handle looks good too. Is it grippier than having the handle unpolished?

[DRE66]

On 10/19/2017 at 6:42 PM, battlemunky said:

Semper Fi brother! Thank you for you and your grandfather's service. My son is a submariner, well he's working his way through nuke school still, so not quite yet, but soon will be.

 

@DRE66 that sheath looks great and far better than the factory sheath. Cleaning up the handle looks good too. Is it grippier than having the handle unpolished?

Yes, its very grippy. Though its highly polished I treated it with Obenaufs so sticks in the hand quite well.

On 10/19/2017 at 6:17 PM, MichaelT said:

That looks great. You did a really good job on it and it shows that you've done your homework and have had a little bit of practice.

As a former Marine- the "Knife, Fighting, Utility" has a special place in my heart. My grandfather was a submarine sailor during WWII and I have his that was issued to him and followed him home. In his words "They gave all of us one on one of our trips through Hawaii."

Thanks Michael, its the 3rd kabar sheath I made and the 6th knife sheath overall.

[alpha2]

The USMC sheath I just received from my brother, (for a new sheath), has the staples. His is 1980's vintage.

[Dwight]

I won't put staples or rivets in any knife sheath I make.

All you have to do is be stupid one time, . . . try to stick the knife in the end of a post while still in the sheath, . . . and you just ruined the knife blade.

An old boy scout leader (long since gone) taught me that back around 1958 , . . . never forgot it.  Same goes for ax sheaths.

The rivets / staples actually do nothing for the sheath if the sheath is made properly.

I realize the "real" ones had them, . . . but that doesn't mean I have to do it.

May God bless,

Dwight