I'm confused about the purpose of some of these products

[Chris623]

Thanks, battlemunky.   I've got saddle soap, Fiebings Black dye and canvas on my shopping list for today after I finish working out at the gym.  I used some denim material yesterday and it did a pretty decent job on the slicking.

Since I've already slicked the edges, should I re-sand so the dye will penetrate?

Edited October 26, 2020 by Chris623

[YinTx]

1 hour ago, Chris623 said:

Since I've already slicked the edges, should I re-sand so the dye will penetrate?

Probably not necessary.  Sometimes putting dye on a rough edge doesn't give great results anyhow, so fairly smooth is ok.  If it doesn't take, then use some 320 or finer to lightly buff the edge.

YinTx

[battlemunky]

2 hours ago, Chris623 said:

Since I've already slicked the edges, should I re-sand so the dye will penetrate?

 

1 hour ago, YinTx said:

Probably not necessary.  Sometimes putting dye on a rough edge doesn't give great results anyhow, so fairly smooth is ok.  If it doesn't take, then use some 320 or finer to lightly buff the edge.

YinTx

I was going to say the same. Should work just fine.

[Chris623]

Stopped by my buddies shop, (local shoe repair) and even though I bought some Pro Black Dye, he recommended I leave it as is.  Said he'd be very afraid it would bleed into the dye of the face or back of the sheath.  Hmmmmmm.  As a newbie, he has me concerned.  Should I be?

[slipangle]

Now that there's some oil in the leather at the edges, it could bleed. The tool you use to apply the dye makes a big difference. A standard wool dauber isn't it. Even a Q tip can be tricky. Anything that is fairly firm and lays flat,  and only contacts the very tip of the edge will help keep the dye from creeping down past the edge onto the front or back. I use a 1/4 inch square piece of hard felt, in the form of a "stick". Kept fairly dry and not sopping with dye.

[Chris623]

Now that's a neat trick.  Felt dye brush.  Would never have thought of that............but it makes sense.  So many little tricks to learn.

[Chris623]

battlemunky, did you mean liquid glycerin saddle soap, or the bar type glycerine saddle soap?

[fredk]

1 hour ago, Chris623 said:

Stopped by my buddies shop, (local shoe repair) and even though I bought some Pro Black Dye, he recommended I leave it as is.  Said he'd be very afraid it would bleed into the dye of the face or back of the sheath.  Hmmmmmm.  As a newbie, he has me concerned.  Should I be?

Yes.

For that reason I only use for edging the same colour as the front & back

You can get 'edge paint' which is thick and doesn't bleed down off the edge

[Chris623]

I originally had Brown Fiebing's Edge Kote on it.  By "paint" do you mean like their Black Edge Kote?

[battlemunky]

1 hour ago, Chris623 said:

battlemunky, did you mean liquid glycerin saddle soap, or the bar type glycerine saddle soap?

The bar. Fiebings has pure glycerin. I could only find blend on the soap making grade stuff of which glycerin was 3rd to 7th in order on the list.

There is indeed edge paint. I have some but don't like it. It tends to peel. If you look at the designer bags you'll see it all over the purse. It works well for chrome tanned leather since it doesn't burnish, even still I leave it raw since it is prone to failing.

[Chris623]

Okay, thanks.  Bar it is.  I saw Gonzales using one of those in a video I think.

[battlemunky]

2 hours ago, Chris623 said:

Okay, thanks.  Bar it is.  I saw Gonzales using one of those in a video I think.

It’s about all I use anymore. Works great and is simple and clean to apply. 

[Chris623]

So you sand your edges and dye them.  (or not) Then you rub glycerine bar on them and slick with a stick or heavy canvas?

Edited October 26, 2020 by Chris623

[battlemunky]

42 minutes ago, Chris623 said:

So you sand your edges and dye them.  (or not) Then you rub glycerine bar on them and slick with a stick or heavy canvas?

That is my exact recipe. Lately I haven’t even been dying them. Been digging’ the natural look and the layers. 

[Chris623]

16 minutes ago, battlemunky said:

digging’ the natural look and the layers.

Ha-ha.  That's exactly what my shoe repairman friend said when I mentioned I wanted to dye the edges of my sheath Black.  Due to not knowing how to make a sheath like this, I ended up with 4 layers between the front and back faces. 

 

 

 

[battlemunky]

15 minutes ago, Chris623 said:

Ha-ha.  That's exactly what my shoe repairman friend said when I mentioned I wanted to dye the edges of my sheath Black.  Due to not knowing how to make a sheath like this, I ended up with 4 layers between the front and back faces. 

 

 

 

Think “taco shell with a welt” if you try another one. Since the one I showed is for a folder while folded, it doesn’t need one but the 119 would but welts are easy enough. I think the stacked leather is a far harder sheath to make and yours looks pretty good. There are a ton of good YouTube vids on them too. 

[Chris623]

Thanks. (says the sponge!) 

32 minutes ago, battlemunky said:

Think “taco shell with a welt” if you try another one.

You're going to have to 'splain that one, battlemunky. 

 

 

[battlemunky]

43 minutes ago, Chris623 said:

Thanks. (says the sponge!) 

You're going to have to 'splain that one, battlemunky. 

 

 

Take a piece of leather in your hand like a taco. Use the knife, spine in the trough of the taco, for the filling. Add a strip of leather on the blade side as the toppings. Now close the taco onto the toppings and sew it together with a big hole on one end and a tiny hole on the other end. Big hole is for ingress/egress of the knife and little hole is for water drainage if you choose to allow for one. It stops looking like a taco at that point though so I can see where the analogy should’ve made a left at Albuquerque, to quote Bugs. 
 

See? Taco.
 

This works well for wet forming. You can create a really good strapless retention fit and lock that knife in. 

Edited October 27, 2020 by battlemunky

[Chris623]

Oh, I know what a "taco" or folded sheath is.  I thought you were suggesting the next time I try and make a stacked sheath to think "taco".    I'm sure I'll make plenty of folded sheaths in the future.  I just decided to make the stacked sheath for my first one because a folded sheath wasn't a suitable choice for the Buck 119. 

I like folded sheaths.  They make logical sense to me both aesthetically and mechanically.  I'm making a knife as my own EDC at the  moment that I think might be a good choice for a folded sheath...........or maybe pancake sheath.  Haven't decided which.

Anyway, battlemunky, thanks for the splain'n.

[battlemunky]

5 minutes ago, Chris623 said:

Oh, I know what a "taco" or folded sheath is.  I thought you were suggesting the next time I try and make a stacked sheath to think "taco".    I'm sure I'll make plenty of folded sheaths in the future.  I just decided to make the stacked sheath for my first one because a folded sheath wasn't a suitable choice for the Buck 119. 

I like folded sheaths.  They make logical sense to me both aesthetically and mechanically.  I'm making a knife as my own EDC at the  moment that I think might be a good choice for a folded sheath...........or maybe pancake sheath.  Haven't decided which.

Anyway, battlemunky, thanks for the splain'n.

Ohhhhhh 

Methinks you could’ve made a taco for the 119 but I think you’d need a strap to hold it in because of the hand guard. Anyway, I really like yours. 

[fredk]

20 hours ago, Chris623 said:

I originally had Brown Fiebing's Edge Kote on it.  By "paint" do you mean like their Black Edge Kote?

I've no experience of Edge Kote.

Edge paint is as thick as non-drip paint. You put it on with a spatula or one of these roller type jobbies

 

19 hours ago, battlemunky said:

There is indeed edge paint. I have some but don't like it. It tends to peel. If you look at the designer bags you'll see it all over the purse. It works well for chrome tanned leather since it doesn't burnish, even still I leave it raw since it is prone to failing.

I've never had a problem of it peeling. Perhaps its the way I put it on?

I do only really use it on pre-dyed chrome tan. I get a colour to match. eg I have a load of lavender coloured leather so I got some edge paint to match as neither the raw edge no black looks good on it

[battlemunky]

3 hours ago, fredk said:

I've never had a problem of it peeling. Perhaps its the way I put it on?

I do only really use it on pre-dyed chrome tan. I get a colour to match. eg I have a load of lavender coloured leather so I got some edge paint to match as neither the raw edge no black looks good on it

I've only ever tried it on a sheath and after knocking it around on stuff it lost a few chunks. When I intentionally tried to peel the rest off it didn't want to let go so maybe the spots it peeled from was too slick or had something on it the other parts didn't? I've only done test runs aside from that. On a purse or bag it may hold up but I think on a thing that sees wear like a sheath's edge or maybe a wallet, burnishing is what I choose. I likely have given up on it too soon but I've learned to love a nice burnished edge and use chrome tanned leather rare enough not to matter.

[blue duck]

Nice looking sheath Chris. You are off to a great start.

I would only add my 2 cents on your stitching. Find Nigel Armitage on both youtube and video (well worth the small fee), also dangerous beans on this site. you will learn many different ways to get the look you desire. The other bit is the length of thread. The calculator  asked for ounces correct? So if you are using say 10oz leather and have 4 layers, you would enter 40oz. That will get you closer to correct length.

As I wrote that it dawned on me I would make it 3 layers for the welt. Not only does the welt give the depth you need it also protects your stitching from the blade. By using 4 layers you have the blade centered on the stitching again. 

[Chris623]

Sorry I'm just now responding, blueduck.  We lost power last Tuesday morning due to the severe ice storm that hit Norman, OK.  Just got it back on.  Tell you what, 4 days without heat, lights and water make a feller worry a mite about our future if some nefarious Country decides to hit us with am EMP!

Thank you for your response.  Don't know why I didn't think about the multiple layer "thing" for the thread computer.  Makes sense.  Thanks.

[Frodo]

On 10/22/2020 at 4:34 PM, Chris623 said:

I put on the Resist and after it dried I Antiqued with Dark Fiebing's.  Did two coats of the Antique.  Topped that with two coats of Tan Kote.  It's considerably darker than I'd hoped or intended, but I have to admit I like it.  I bought some Brown Edge Coat.  The color just doesn't look right on it.  Wish I'd bought Black.  I think it would have looked better with the Black handle of the Buck knife.  Will have to get some and re-do that step. 

Ran into a problem.  Have to drill my holes.  Since I used the stitching irons prior to my stamping.............and the stamping caused the top piece to stretch, my irons won't match the hole spacing now...............so can't punch the other layers.  Will have to drill the holes for the stitching.  Whew!  Learning a lot on this first one, for sure.

Buy a roll of 1.5” wide  cheap masking tape

Apply tape to the backside of your leather it will stop the dreaded stretch

Lol.  Never mind this thread is 3 years old