Ka Bar Knife Sheath

[kiwican]

Yeah. I have sheath knives with the same strap system. You just need to be careful when you pull them out. In over 35 years of using that kind of system I've never had an issue 

[alpha2]

I just received two Ka-Bars today. One is USMC in the original leather sheath from my brother, the other is USN WWII from his wife's Dad. The USN knife is in a plastic scabbard with a web belt loop. The more recent (80's) one the snap opens from the front, and has the staples inside the stitch line, and the strap is on the top. The WWII scabbard has the strap also on the top, but the snap opens from the rear. I'll be putting the straps at the top, as per original. (Both old straps still keep the knife from riding up). The Ka-Bars the wing-nuts had in the Coast Guard in the '70's had a piece of metal surrounding the tip end of the sheath. After seeing the hole in my brothers USMC version, I can see why.

[dikman]

Staples inside the stitch line? Seems strange to me, I wouldn't want any metal in the sheath where it could catch the blade edge.

[alpha2]

That's what I thought, but then the Mil sheath didn't have much of a welt, and it mostly disappeared well before the blade would be fully inserted. Better to ride on a staple than cut through the stitching.

My version will have a full welt, and the front and back will be skived to keep the thickness down. So staples, and no thread being cut. 

Okay, update...I just looked into the sheath, and the staples are actually only in the welted area, except for one near the tip. So it was a "belt AND suspenders" approach. Interestingly, at least two of the staples went right into the stitch line. The staple at the tip end actually did cut through the stitching, which has started to separate. Good thing there was a staple there, I guess.

In the first image, does anyone know what the rivet is for? It's just inside the sheath, my brother has no idea. He probably never noticed it!

Edited February 2, 2018 by alpha2