As long as I asking questions.....

How/What do you use for finishing up the edges of your sheaths?

Any suggestions will be appreciated!

Bob Sigmon
MegaNewbie

I sand them to about 220 grit, then daub on some gum tragacanth (available at the Leather Factory and other suppliers) and burnish with a piece of hardwood or a bone folder. You can also apply some stuff called Edge Kote, but to me it looks like paint.

Thanks, Don

I'll give it a try..


I appreciate the knowledge that you and everyone at CKD are willing to share.

Bob Sigmon

I use only the english tan harness leather & the gum trag doesn't work on it very well. For harness leather dampen edge & rub with a bar of glycerine saddle soap then burnish with a piece of canvas.

I guess I should say that, unless I say something to the contrary, any of the techniques that I use and discuss here apply *only* to vegetable tanned leather, since that is all I (and most sheath makers) use. They will not work with harness leather, latigo, chrome-tanned, and so on.

ounce the sheath is profiled ( i use my grinder and a 220 belt)
and dyed I burnish the edge with a 400 belt and then an old worn out totally 400 belt to get it shiny. Then I work wax into the edge by hand with a piece of hard wood.....gets it shiny and seals ir well.

regards
Eric

I do it about the same as listed above...grind rough to shape with 60 grit....then I mark for stitches and sew it up....the I grind with very dull 240 and trim the corners with either the grinder or a special tool....then I dye the edges and coat with edgecoat...It is basicly shellack....I like the look very much.

Jens helped e a lot in making leather sheaths.....Thanks buddy!

you are welcome Eric!!!

I've only made a few sheaths, but what I've done is - profile the edge with 60 grit belt on 1x30 inch sander, then sand by hand with 220 grit paper. Apply egg whites to the edge and burnish with a piece of dowel.

Here's a sheath I made for my Boker stockman:

http://www3.sympatico.ca/kevinandtrish/bf/bokersheathfront.jpg http://www3.sympatico.ca/kevinandtrish/bf/bokersheathback.jpg

I use a fine grit belt and a Sanford brand magic marker, the sanford is the best penetrating and long lasting. I tried this from a tip in the old Tandy magazine.