Scissors Holster - What weight/type leather?

[Wellington]

Hello, all, I did a cursory search and didn't find much, but I apologize in advance if this has been hashed over already.

I want to make a leather belt holster for a pair of 10" Gingher shears like these:

Since I have nowhere locally to buy leather, I will need to order it before handling it. Can anyone suggest what weight and type (veg tan, chrome tan) leather I should use for this?

Also, should I wet the leather with water to bulk/soften it when I sew it with my Adler 67-GK373? (I've never sewn leather before.) I was thinking of using #138 polyester thread.

Thanks in advance for any help.

 

[fredk]

A few simple questions with multiple answers.

1. what type of holster do you want? a hard stiff one or a floppy one? For a hard one use no less than 2mm (5 oz ?) veg tan. You can wet it and mould it around the scissor blades and finger grips. Make it as if it was a knife sheath. For a floppy one use chrome tan upholstery leather, 1.5mm would do.

2. I don't machine sew, just hand sew. In both cases I'd glue the leather close to the shape of the blades and sew following their outline

 

PS. others will tell you not to use chrome tan with metal items, but I have done for 20 years and never had any problems

[Rbarleatherworks]

I used to make horizontal scissor holsters for Paramedics to wear.  Here are some pics, not sure if that will help at all, I know they are not the same scissors but these might give you some ideas :-)

They were made from veg tan 5/6 or 6/7 oz. 

Some are Left draw and some are Right. 

Also some have solid belt loops and some have velcro tabs to attach.

 

[Wellington]

Thank you for the replies. I was thinking of making something like this (except with a bend and/or angled "mouth" in it to match the bend in the shear handles):

 

and possibly forming it around a 1" or 2" long hollow cone of sheet metal at the bottom (instead of the four rivets) as a stab guard in case I fell down or whatever. So I guess 2mm (5 oz?) veg tan leather would be the way to go...?

I appreciate your help.

W.

 

 

 

Edited December 8, 2019 by Wellington

[fredk]

I would make it something like the shape I've drawn over your image

[Wellington]

Thank you, FredK, that's what I was thinking, too. I guess the seam would need to be on the left in your picture, and the fold on the right, unless there's a way to form a fold with an angular bend in it...(I would prefer to put the fold on the left in your picture, because it seems as though it would be easier to holster/unholster the shears that way, but I don't know whether it's possible to form a bend into a fold...seems like it would cause puckers/wrinkles...)

Thank you again. 

Edited December 9, 2019 by Wellington

[fredk]

Are you wanting a flap over the finger loops?

Then look to the pattern of a US Civil War style pistol holster for a flap at an angle and adapt

let me think upon it

[Wellington]

Thanks, FredK. No, I don't want a flap. I want to be able to grab the finger loops readily and quickly with my right hand, and since the handles are bent upwards rather than downwards (like a  pistol), I guess the wider part of the holster would be on the right in your pic, rather than on the left...assuming the holster would be worn on the right hip.

Now that I think about it, it should work fine if the fold is toward the back and the seam is toward the front (with holster worn on right hip) -- I could cut a piece of polyethylene or something, and fit it into the folded (aft) side to reduce wear and allow the shears to be holstered faster. I have a long flexible Forschner fillet knife whose sheath is made this way, and it works fine...

Thanks again for all your help and thought. 

W.

P.S. One last question: Am I correct to assume that my shears should not be stored in the leather sheath, lest they rust due to any residual salts in the leather, and/or the moisture-attracting nature of leather?

Edited December 9, 2019 by Wellington

[fredk]

36 minutes ago, Wellington said:

Thanks, FredK. No, I don't want a flap. I want to be able to grab the finger loops readily and quickly with my right hand, and since the handles are bent upwards rather than downwards (like a  pistol), I guess the wider part of the holster would be on the right in your pic, rather than on the left...assuming the holster would be worn on the right hip.

 

37 minutes ago, Wellington said:

P.S. One last question: Am I correct to assume that my shears should not be stored in the leather sheath, lest they rust due to any residual salts in the leather, and/or the moisture-attracting nature of leather?

That I cannot answer, There are many opinions on that. Mostly to do with where you are and your environment. Here where I am its always wet. I've left knives in leather sheaths for years and they've not rusted, but the sheaths have always been in fairly dry places. Even swords kept in scabbards which have got periodically wet and dried have not rusted. If your leather is good quality and finished off with protective coatings everything may be fine

[Wellington]

Thank you, sir!

[SilverForgeStudio]

Where are you located in VA?

[Wellington]

5 hours ago, SilverForgeStudio said:

Where are you located in VA?

Across the bay from you, on the Eastern Shore...middle of nowhere. How 'bout you?

[SilverForgeStudio]

HA! Im in Norfolk- I get up to Salisbuy and Onancock some- beautiful area! Got family friends in Delaware so we are through your area a fair bit. 

[AlexSar]

Been looking for a simple design to make a sheath for my favorite scissors recently.

Ended up with the following 2-piece design:

Used a 5 oz veg tan for it. It turned out to be really simple to make, even with my very limited skills and experience...

You'll just have to add some kind of a belt loop on the back – mine was done to hang on a wall.

No wet forming was used, the leather turned out to be flexible enough to follow the shape.

Hand stitched. 

And yes, I store the scissors in it all the time, but it is a pretty dry environment. Otherwise I would soak the inside of the sheath with some oil...

Good Luck!