Maybe I got one more knife left in me?

[lemaymiami]

Saw your gluing clamp and recognized it immediately. I have several very similar home-made clamps that I use for gluing up cork handles on fishing rods that I'm building (mine all have a center hole for the blank). I have the luxury of a quick lacquer thinner cleanup after clamping since the cork rings will still need to be sanded down into shape after the epoxy cures out. A few threaded rods along with washers and nuts (I use wing nuts mostly) set into a couple of pieces of wood and you have a pretty versatile clamping system....

Love the finished product...

 

[rcmodel]

10-5-15 Progress:

I got the sheath pretty much figured out today and got started on it.

These are leather tools used to bevel edges, stitching groover, Stitch spacing wheels, etc.




This is the Stitching Groover in action:
(This puts the stitching level or below the surface of the leather and prevents thread abrasion from rubbing on stuff.)




Using Formica contact cement to glue welt to sheath face:




Stopping point tonight:
* Parts are edge finished on belt sander, and stitching holes marked.

* Belt clip attachment plate is epoxied on back of keeper strap.

* Sam Browne stud is permanently attached to the sheath face.

* Latigo Lacing is in for the 'dangles', and edge dressing & pre-oil finished where I can't get too later!



Now, I'm tired!!!!!

rc

 

[srtolly]

Not to be critical RC, but I believe I saw vegetable oil in that last pic. As I recall it will get rancid over time and ruin the sheath. Coconut or olive oil are safe to use, I prefer Neatsfoot oil on my leather work.

I can be wrong, God knows it wouldn't be the first time, probably not the last either. That sheath will look great.

 

[rcmodel]

I have been using pure vegetable oil on leather projects for about 25 years now.

(I'm using Herman Oak Vegetable tanned tooling leather, so why not!!)

It doesn't get rancid. (And it doesn't cause rust on knives or firearms.)

Because it is 'pure' with no contaminants or salt in it from cooking.

I learned about it from an old Wyoming saddle maker who was running a saddle making school here in Kansas years ago.

He told me his first job at a big tack & saddle supply place in Wyoming back in the 1930's was to transfer 55 gal barrels of pure vegetable oil into 4 oz bottles and label them 'Magic Super Trade Name Saddle Oil' to be sold at a 5,000% mark-up!!

Trust me.
Pure Vegetable oil works just fine for oil finishing fine leather!!

PS: Neatsfoot oil is prone to feeding bacteria, and rots cotton stitching over time.

(But, I'm using nylon thread, so that's not a factor even if I did use Neatsfoot oil.)

The other thing is, Neatsfoot oil softens leather over time.
Vegetable oil doesn't.

I don't want my fitted holsters & sheaths going soft on me down the road!

I could be wrong?
But it works for me just fine.

rc

 

[srtolly]

Thanks for setting me straight RC.

 

[rcmodel]

Progress 10-6-15:

Applying Fiebings Brown Edge Dressing to seal & color the raw edges:




Gluing belt clip patch on back of sheath with Formica contact cement:




Buffing in beeswax on edges to seal & polish them:




Drilling 1/16" holes for stitching:



All told, 362 stitch holes!!!

I Bee doing some stitching now!!!

rc

 

[rcmodel]

Sewing with EZ-Stitch Saddlers Awl:

(Thread I use.)
http://www.tandyleather.com/en/product/nylon-machine-thread-2-oz-56-7-g-black


(The way it works is, you run the needle through the hole, then pull it back about 1/4". That forms a loop on the off side you run the loose end of the thread though.)



Close-up:
(Like this!)




Closer up:
(Then you pull the needle back out with the thread from the other side.
Then pull the stitch tight, and center the lock-stitch in the center of the leather welt.)




MISTAKE #6, how to pick out stitching:
(After you sewed the back Latigo leather welt on without the Sam Browne keeper on the front!) :banghead:



rc

 

[rcmodel]

We are finally stitching for real now!!




rc

 

[Valkman]

That looks awesome RC!

 

[rcmodel]

Progress today:

Three coats of Pure Vegetable Oil last night, and keeper post hole marked this morning:
(Note, leather is very dark, and it looks like to much oil.
It won't be tomorrow after it soaks in and redistributes throughout the leather interior!)



Using ancient Concho cutter to cut end of strap:
(Note flared over head on tool!!
How many dang concho's did they cut to beat the head over that bad??)



Applying Fiebings Leather Sheen acrylic finish to leather:





rc

 

[rcmodel]

And its done!!

Front side:


Back side:
(Note drain hole in bottom of back face.)



Me strong side carry:


Me, cross-draw:





Hope this helps others in knife & sheath making.

And as they say at the end of the cartoon.

"Abuda, Abuda, That's all Folks!"

rc

 

[hso]

Sure you don't want to make sheaths for a hobby (and a little money)?

I have plenty of knives that need good veg tanned sheaths (and a passel of old silver flatware for you to use for clips).

 

[murf]

this needs to be a sticky!!

murf

 

[Shanghai McCoy]

That really turned out nice rc.
It's like we've been given an on-line course in knife and sheath making. Thanks for sharing it all with us.

 

[srtolly]

Thanks for showing us how its done.

 

[bikerdoc]

Serious thanks for the education.

 

[rcmodel]

Well, I said I was done?
So forgive me for posting three more better photo's!

The strap end will probably be shortened a little after the Sam Browne keeper gets to working a little easier!!

(Might have made it just a frog-hair too tight until the leather stretches a little.)









PS: Small bead on wrest thong is hand turned Elephant Ivory.
Large bead is deer horn with wood burned pattern in it.

rc

 

[Valkman]

Seriously, thanks for all the lessons contained in this thread! It definitely needs to be a sticky!

I'll be sending knives for sheaths once I get up and running. Only 10 or so at a time.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

Very nice! Great looking set up!

 

[srtolly]

I'm reworking a couple old knives, I may take a few ques form you. Most of the sheaths I've made were for protective purposes, these will be for pretty.

I really like what you've done on this project.

 

[bannockburn]

rc

Fantastic job all the way around! Both the knife and sheath turned out great and the whole tutorial with the narrative and photos is invaluable for any one who wants to make knives. Thanks for making such an informative and helpful thread!

 

[lobo9er]

broken record here but nice work.
Pretty cool, the internet. All of us here have such wealth of knowledge to pull from like the likes of Mr. RC. and the gang. Thanks for sharing.

 

[redneck]

Very nice job. Was interesting to see you use a speedy stitcher sewing awl. I do a double needle saddle stitch, have never tried a lock stitch like that before.

 

[rcmodel]

I used to use the double-needle saddle-stitch thing.

But my god, it is hard on your hands pushing those needles through.

(In this sheath, 362 stitches, X 2 needles = 724 needles to push through!!)

I'd be out of band aids, and blood, & belly up on the floor before I got done doing that there deal!!

Do you use leather finger stalls, or gloves, or??



That's not to say the Speedy-Stitcher is without risks.
About 20 years ago, before I started pre-drilling stitch holes, I was sewing a very thick welt on a holster.

The needle broke in half, and nailed my left thumb to the cutting board about dead center, 1/8" in front of the cuticul.

Then the broken needle pulled out of the handle with the thread still in it!!

So I had to take my cutting board and my impailed thumb, with nylon thread hanging out of it, across the basement and find some nippers to cut the thread off, and pliers to pull it out!!

Eeeeeowwwww!

(It's possible I wet my pants! but! I'm not owning up to it at this late date!!)

Needless to say, I pre-drill holes now!!


Rc

 

[srtolly]

I still saddle stitch but I pre drill and use a pliers to pull needles through.