Sheath number 3

Having finished knife number 7 - the one with the silver swirls down the back of the handle - I decided that it also needed a sheath.  Observant readers will realise that I never told you about sheath number 2, but already this is number 3!  Correct.  I shall rectify that later, but for now, this is how it developed.

I decided to try a design without a belt loop or a securing strap with a press stud.  This means that the blade would have to fit very snugly into the sheath to prevent it from slipping out at random.  So tolerances would have to be tight and some wet moulding would also be required.  New territory all round.

Started with a paper template, roughly the shape of a shield. Traced that onto the leather with a separate curved strip for the welt.  (The welt is a strip of leather inserted between the 2 sides of the sheath along the edge where the sharp side of the blade will rest.  This not only provides a spacer but, importantly, it prevents the blade from cutting through the stitches.)  I cut them out using a sharp blade, then used the special tool to cut a groove all around the perimeter, about 4mm in from the edge.  Using another special tool, somewhat resembling a dinner fork, I punched the holes for the stitching in the cut groove.

Next came the glue to stick the sides together, with the welt in position and left it overnight for the glue to dry.  This was tricky because I had to ensure it was folded accurately in half so that the pre-punched holes were aligned.  I would not get a second chance if I got it wrong ... but it worked out just fine.

Then I used the stitching pony (see previous blog post) to hold the leather while doing the stitching.  I used Saddle Stitch again, probably most suitable for this application.  The stitches fitted comfortably into the recessed groove, giving a generally flat surface to the sheath.  Finally, I used sandpaper to smooth off the edges of the leather all around where it had been cut.

So far, so good.  As anticipated, the sheath was just too tight to insert the knife, which is what I wanted.  I wrapped the whole knife in several layers of cling film plastic to protect it from moisture, while the sheath soaked in warm water for a few minutes.  This softened the leather enough to be stretched and moulded around the knife.  So I pushed the blade into the sheath and gently massaged it to take the shape of the blade.  The sheath was deliberately longer than the blade, so that it would cover the bolsters at the end of the handle with just enough to curl around under the bolsters.  This would provide some 'clip' effect once dry.  I left it overnight before removing the knife and then still left it until the following day for the leather to completely dry.

As expected, the leather became stiffer once dry and the sheath was perfectly formed to hold the knife securely.  Very happy with the result!  If I may say so myself, I think it looks rather professional.

Enjoy the photos!