Pocket knife belt sheath

[MarkCdub]

I am going to be making 4 belt sheaths like this.

My current stitching chisel is 5 mm per stitch but I feel like the stitches will be to large for such a small item.  I'm thinking about buying a 4 mm per stitch set of chisels and I'm wondering if .8 or .6 tiger thread would be best for the 4 mm stitch?

Second question is about antiquing.  How does antiquing look on un-dyed veg tanned leather with a mink oil and top coat treatment?

Thanks in advance, these will be for my aunt for Christmas gifts.

 

[Rockoboy]

I have used 1.0mm Tiger thread at 4.0mm stitch spacing. It does look a little chunky. You might like that, or 0.8mm is IMHO strong enough for your project.

I have used 0.6mm at 3.0mm spacing, but the chisels I have leave a larger hole than 0.6mm thread needs, so I am undecided on that set-up.

Just one question, does this sheath have enough retention to stop the knife falling out?

I have no idea about your antique question. Please post pics of your finished projects, I am interested to know how things turn out.

[Handstitched]

G'Day,

I use antiques on veg tanned all the time.  Works best on tooled leather. I've used antiques on ' untooled ( plain) leather' before  but the effect I want is much harder to achieve . 

 I oil the leather first, let soak in, and then coat tooled leather in antique dye, and using a damp cloth, I wipe off the excess, leaving dye in all the right places .I learnt that from this site  

The example of the stitching in that pic looks great, but each to their own I guess, it looks just fine to me . And basket weave........" mmmmbasket weave"  , says Homer  . And those holes for the belt look so neat too. They look pressed out. 

I would have put a small seeder where each cammo point joins...but thats just  me  

Lovely colour too btw  

HS 

[Riem]

Lovely sheath overall! Tooling is as perfect as I could wish to do at this time, and the stitching is absolutely fine. If this is the 5 mm per stitch then I think it is right on the money. Love how it came together.

[MarkCdub]

 Ok, so this picture is not my work.  Sorry for the confusion.  I will be making 4 similar to this design since that is what the customer asked for.  I have not made this yet and that is the reason for my questions.  My current stitching set up is 5 mm chisel, .8 mm ritza tiger thread (I thought it was 1.0 but I was wrong), and 002 john james needles.  In my projects I have wondered if my thread was to thin for the chisel size.  I know I just need to buy a couple different size chisels and threads and just try them out but I am on a tight budget, atleast until I get these holsters complete lol.

I want the stitching holes to be smaller, I'm pretty sure the 002 J.J. needles will be too big for for the 4 mm chisel holes.  What would be the proper size J.J. needles for 4 mm chisels?

The depth and the friction from the suede side of the leather and it being molded to the knife plus the tension from the belt passing through the loops should keep the knife secure.

[Rockoboy]

The John James size 2 needles will be fine going through 4.0mm stitching chisel holes. I do it all the time.

The only disclaimer here, I do not cross my needles in the hole, I pass one needle through the project, then pull the thread out of the way (so I don't spear the thread) then pass the 2nd needle through, knot the thread and pull both sides tight.

[wizard of tragacanth]

The thread used on that sheath that you are showing is way too thin for those holes. It doesn't fill them up. I can see the slant of the holes very clearly. I should not see them at all.

We don't know what gauge thread was used there, right?

Regardless, I think that your choice of 4mm would be very good for the scale of such a project and 0.8 Ritza would be a good match it. 

I totally agree with Rockoboy that you could probably get away with 1.0mm Ritza if you like the "chunky look", and I think 0.6 would be too thin.

Antiquing is used on tooled leather to create the contrast that you see in that pic. 

You can put the project in the sunlight for a few hours and give it a "tan", if you want some light coloring. Don't let it get a sunburn though. I never do this but many people do. Just remember that anything too hot for your skin is too hot for the leather, so don't leave it in the sun any longer than you can stand there yourself! You could use some Sno-Seal (basically softened bees wax) to darken it slightly too. I am not a fan of Neatsfoot oil because I heard that it can go rancid over time. But maybe that's a -- long -- time.

nick

Edited August 28, 2019 by wizard of tragacanth
spelling

[MarkCdub]

Rocko, maybe its just me or how I use my chisels but I have a hard time with the J.J. needles going through the 5mm holes and have to use a pair of pliars at times to get the eye to pass through.  I've got my pattern cut out, going to be tooling similar to the photo then assemble.  This is a test run to see if everything fits.

 

[billybopp]

Unfortunately, stitching chisels are not all the same.  A 5mm spacing for one brand might make a bigger hole than another brand does.  You may be comparing apples to oranges with somebody else's set unless they are the same brand.  JJ needles sizing is a bit confusing too, and as I understand it they may be labelled differently in Europe vs. the US.  So it all gets a bit confusing.  Fortunately, needles are pretty cheap so it's not too painful to have several different sizes.  

Question:  Are you having a hard time passing the needle through with thread, or without? 

If without thread, you need a smaller size for sure.  With JJ needles, the eye is only very slightly larger than the shaft of the needle, which is why many folks like them.  Other needles have a HUGE eye in comparison.  

If with thread, is the knot moving up to the eye?  That can cause some problems with passing through the hole.  A simple help for that is to pierce your thread leaving about an inch behind the needle eye.  If the knot slipping up toward the eye, a little drop of superglue will hold it in place.

Hope that helps!

- Bill

[JLSleather]

That depends on what you're referring to as "antique".  Many people use an antique FINISH over tooling (I personally don't care for it, but I have some for when people ask for it). 

THAT project may have been done with an antique STAIN.  Fiebing's makes a good one; there are probably others.  Incidentally, Fiebings Antique Leather DYE also works very well.

 

[Rockoboy]

On ‎8‎/‎30‎/‎2019 at 11:40 PM, MarkCdub said:

maybe its just me or how I use my chisels but I have a hard time with the J.J. needles going through the 5mm holes

Depending on the thickness and type of leather, sometimes I have to use pliers for a few threads, then it becomes 0K for a few, then pliers again. If I chisel my stitch holes then leave my project for a few hours, I find the holes close up a little.

On some projects, I have no trouble at all.

[MarkCdub]

Thank you for responding, that makes really good sense to me.  I also don't hammer the chisels all the way through so the bottom may just have smaller holes.

[MarkCdub]

Here is where I'm at so far.  I made a mistake while stamping, 1 stitching bole is too close to other holes for comfort, I'm not sure if the pattern is big enough for a full size trapper style folder, and I do not have enough thread to complete this project...  Oh and its labor day weekend so everything is closed and mail isn't running.