1st Pancake Knife sheath (own Design profile)

[Vikefan]

Here's my latest completed project, a pancake knife sheath for an Schrade LB7 lockback Hunting knife (similar to the  Buck 110). 

Please take a looksy and  feel free to critique it.

Thank you,

Vikefan

[DJole]

Critique -- it's at your house, not mine! 

But seriously, that's a pretty good job. Smooth lines, good stitching with enough leather around them, and the stamping is all right.
It's very hard to get repetitive patterns like that exactly lined up and spaced correctly-- only purists and pedants would point out the very small inconsistencies.

[noobleather]

Really like the colouring and the stamping. Great job

[Scoutmom103]

I like it.  Very nice.

 

[JasonVolkert]

I like it!

[dougfergy]

I like that.  I wear an LB8 every day and that is much nicer than the horizontal I slapped together for it.  My knife deserves a better home.  I might be copying yours!

Nice job!

[wizard of tragacanth]

I like it. That is an interesting design and I like the color, too. 

 

[Vikefan]

dougfergy. 

Feel free to copy it, make it yours!  I'd like to see it when you're done.

I used Brown antique stain on the stamped portion to try to make it pop and give it some depth.

Vikefan

[AndreMac]

Nice job Vikefan, I like everything about it !! 

[BDAZ]

Nice Job! 

I'm in the middle of a sheath for a Karambit with a severe curve and extremely sharp dual sided blade. The owner uses it for self defense as he is not allowed to carry a firearm by his employer.

I have wet formed the actual housing but I need to affix it to a pancake style back to hold it in the preferred orientation for fast draw. I have not made that style sheath yet. Is there a standard for the belt loops, length and width,  and possibly a minimum or maximum distance between them? Also is there a practical reason for the angle on the loops or is it purely aesthetic?

I appreciate your help!

Bob

[dougfergy]

The loop angle is for more of a horizontal carry than vertical, so the knife/sheath doesn't get in the way bending down or if you wanted to pull your shirt over it to conceal it, the more horizontal it is the better it conceals.  There isn't really a standard for the loops that I'm aware of, and I'm far from an expert, but most I've seen have around 1.5" loops or longer.  The farther they are apart the more curve around the body is needed, really this depends on the knife and how the owner is planning to carry it.  In your case I'd think your knife owner would be able to give you all the information you need to fit the knife sheath to how he wants to carry the knife.

[BDAZ]

I have decided to drop the pancake idea. When I laid out a design, the minimum distance between loops was 9". He wants to carry horizontal and 9" of horizontal knife will be extremely uncomfortable, unless for rear carry, so I am running with belt loops stitched to the back maybe 6" or less apart.

The owner hasn't been able to find a sheath that allows horizontal carry, hence the commission

 

Thanks,

Bob

.

[dougfergy]

Wow, that is pretty long.  The Karambit has such a curve and must be a challenge to find a horizontal way of carrying it.  I'd sure like to see your finished product once you get it done.

[DaddioDigs]

For a newbie, these great pieces give lots of inspiration and lots of questions lol.  That's beautiful !  Love the design.

[BDAZ]

This is a prototype with belt loops stitched. No finishing to speak of.

I left it too long in the sun and it got over cooked. Hard enough to stand on and brittle and the drum dye got weird.

I wet formed another one with 20 minutes of set time that will be for the final assembly.

I plan to coat the inside with table top epoxy.

 

Edited August 6, 2019 by BDAZ

[dougfergy]

Looks like that would be a pain to re-sheath the blade.  Actually, this one looks like the blade is locked in the sheath for life!

 

[BDAZ]

Actually not. The handle has a snug grip but the blade itself has plenty of room and is actually loose inside. The leather was vacuum formed over a wood maquette which allowed plenty of room for removal and reinsertion. The is the 7th or 8th attempt. I used welts, carbon fiber lining, etc, and all failed. Either sliced the stitching or too tight for easy removal.

Edited August 6, 2019 by BDAZ

[dougfergy]

Not knocking the sheath, just never had much love for the style of knife.  Interesting work though.  My luck, that's the next sheath someone will ask me to build!

 

[BDAZ]

Not my choice and the owner wanted it utilitarian, plain with no decoration. The final will be medium brown and finished edges with a makers stamp on the tab area.There are two sewn belt loops on the back. This was a tough one. The owner didn't think it was possible...

Definitely not making any money on this commission but it was a challenge. 

 

Bob

[dougfergy]

1 minute ago, BDAZ said:

Definitely not making any money on this commission but it was a challenge.

Challenge is good, and the time spent and knowledge gained is worth a lot.  Most of us are self taught and/or use this site for our learning so sometimes we waste some leather, but we can always use the knowledge, plus I'm always digging in my leather scrap drawer for a small piece for something.

Looking forward to seeing the finished sheath.

[dougfergy]

On 8/1/2019 at 11:12 AM, Vikefan said:

I used Brown antique stain on the stamped portion to try to make it pop and give it some depth.

Vikefan

I've been meaning to ask if that leather on your pancake sheath is oiled/baked in the sun?  It's got a nice oiled look to it. 

I just got a double shoulder of Oak Leaf from Tandy this weekend and it is nice looking leather but really light colored.  I just did some stamping last night and I don't think I let it case long enough cause my stamping seems kind of shallow and not as defined as I like it.  I'm casing a scrap piece now to do some tests with.  Funny thing, I did some stamp pattern testing with an old piece out of my scrap bin and it came out much more defined than this new leather did, cased for the same amount of time.  I'm still a beginner and learning that different pieces of veg tanned leather can act totally different.  How in the world do you know?  I guess experience, and testing with each new piece.

Your stamping is definitely deep and defined!

[BDAZ]

I've started to cut into my Wickett and Craig drum dyed leather I use commercially. Hopefully I'll cover leather costs. I have just had a spate of skinning knife sheath orders that will more than cover and short fall on the karambit.

EQachhide is different and some are selected by the tanneries for their carving and stamping properties. What weight is your double shoulder? 

 

Bob

[dougfergy]

It is mostly 7-8 oz. 

[BDAZ]

Was the scrap the same?

[dougfergy]

It was the same thickness, just from a different cow, some bargain leather I got on sale at Tandy.  It was a double shoulder that I paid $30 for.  This new leather is craftsman grade Oak Leaf double shoulder that was $108 at Tandy this weekend.  It is much more smooth, and more consistent in thickness.  Much lighter in color than the old piece, which is only a few months old since I bought it.  In this photo you can see a scrap piece of the older leather under the much lighter piece of new, Oak Leaf leather I bought Saturday.  By the way, the lighter leather is still wet.  I soaked it this morning and have been letting it sit, testing it with my thumb nail and rubbing the rounded edge of a large paper clip against it to test the burnishing effect.  I have tested about every couple of hours.  It seems to be getting to the right stage for stamping about now, which is maybe 5 hours since I wet it or so.