Elk Hide Gun Sheath

[garypl]

Made a gun sheath for a customer out of smoked elk hide from Springfield Leather.  45" long.  First time I have worked with elk and it is soft temper, so not so easy to cut!  Seems very sturdy and he liked how it turned out.

[battlemunky]

I just made a knife roll out of elk. It's is beautiful stuff and super strong.

Good work @garypl!

[garypl]

3 hours ago, battlemunky said:

I just made a knife roll out of elk. It's is beautiful stuff and super strong.

Good work @garypl!

Thanks - where did you get the elk hide?  The hides I bought were inexpensive but had a lot of loose, ragged skin on flesh side.

[battlemunky]

49 minutes ago, garypl said:

Thanks - where did you get the elk hide?  The hides I bought were inexpensive but had a lot of loose, ragged skin on flesh side.

It was either Maverick or Montana...I get the companies mixed up. This did have some ragged parts on the flesh side but I was able to hide them for the most part. I'll get some pics up one of these days. I enjoyed working with it. It was still really soft but didn't dimple badly when sewing.

[garypl]

Thanks - I will take a look when I order more elk!

Gary

[chuck123wapati]

Thats a fine lookin sheath indeed smoke it up good an it'll be pertnear waterproof. I put a strap on mine so I could carry it over my shoulder like a regular rifle then just grab the butt and sling the sheath off for a quick shot. I think its harder to get good elk and deer hides due to how they are collected, mostly from hunters compared to cow which is bought from slaughter houses. Hunters don't take the time skinning as well nor are the hides treated as well afterwards, here they are collected by a couple of clubs but set around out in the weather for a good month before being picked up and sent to be tanned. Man do they ever stink lol, I,ve tanned a couple hides for myself but I have to do it when they are fresh. 

[Frodo]

 

On 5/18/2020 at 7:47 PM, garypl said:

Thanks - where did you get the elk hide?  The hides I bought were inexpensive but had a lot of loose, ragged skin on flesh side.

Springfield leather  has 2 different grades of elk hide

economy  and craftsman.  the economy that i have bought has ragged skin and holes

the craftsman grade i have had very good luck with beautiful leather.   craftsman is about a buck or buck and a half more

[garypl]

I bought one of each from Springfield and the price difference was $1.00/ft.  I would recommend only buying the craftsman grade unless you had a lot of very small projects, as there were more holes and ragged leather in the economy grade ( as Chuck mentioned above, the craftsman grade also had holes, but not so bad as economy.  I can make two sheaths from a 20 ft section of hide.)

Gary

 

[garypl]

Made another rifle case this afternoon using a piece of 3-4 oz Italian cowhide.  Took me a little less than 2 hours start to finish.

[AzShooter]

Great looking sheath. Whoever it's for will be very happy.