Well, folks, here we are with a new forum. There seemed to be plenty of interest in this one, so let the questions fly.

Yes ...

http://www.customknifedirectory.com/ForumImages-Temp/sheath.jpg

A little something from Darrel Ralph's son to get you focused in ...

Alex

Glad to see this is up and running.

Thanks Don and Jens, for taking the lead and sharing your knowledge. Thanks Alex, for making it happen.

I'll start off the questions by asking;"What thickness of leather should be used for a hunter (like the Loveless drop point)?

I have heard 8o z or 9oz but the leather store told me 6oz or 7oz. What would you guys recommend? Assume that tooling would be done on the sheath.

6-7 oz. leather will work just fine for a 4" drop point hunter- it's just not as stiff or as durable, but will still last a long time. If you treat it, as I do, with a hot dip, it will be waterproof and *very* stiff.

The hot dip is 50% neatsfoot oil and 50% beeswax. I heat mine at about 300 degrees F in an old electric skillet reserved for that job. I warm the sheath at 150 to 180 degrees in an old toaster oven (make sure the leather has dried well before doing this) while the dip mixture is heating up- it makes the leather absorb the oil much more readily if it is well pre-heated (15-20 minutes).

I take the sheath from the oven with a pair of tongs, and submerge it in the wax/oil mixture, holding it there and swishing it around for 4-5 seconds, and making sure that all of it is covered. Pull it out and drain it back into the skillet, then set it on a piece of paper towel to cool down.

If the sheath was properly pre-heated, virtually all of the hot dip liquid will be absorbed. After it's cooled to room temperature, I apply a coat of neutral shoe polish, and buff it out (with a hand-held shoe buffer- not a machine!).

CUDOS to all for making this happen. A sheath forum has been needed at the CKD.

KEN (WWJD)

I like it,I like it.

Yea,I couldn't be happier.Thank you,Dave.:D

This is great! Thanks.

John Frankl

Great!

I would like to welcome everybody too....this is going to be good!

As for thickness of leather...I am not used to the US-standard telling thickness by weight...but the stuff I use is also somewhat different to most leather since it is halftanned...more about this later!

Thanks for the new forum Alex
Jon

Jens, I have some half tanned water buffalo that is great, good texture and wet molds well. Don I'll have to try your method of treating sheaths. I prefer 8 to 9 OZ yes it's a little thick for the small knifes but the sheath really feels substantial and If I switch up to bigger knifes occasionally I don't have to stock another hide:D

I have no idea where to get 8-9 oz veg tanned leather in Canada in a size I can afford. Right now I am stuck with bellies from Tandy in 6-7 oz which is nice leather but I would like heavier for some applications. There is a place in California that has horse hide butts I want to try.


ghostdog

Here is place that I have used, it is called the Leather Factory. I have only been to the one in Mesquite Texas, right down the street from the "Spirit of Steel" show.

*NEW*
TEXAS
Dallas Area
3201 Military Parkway, Suite C-100, Mesquite, TX 75150
Phone: 972-289-5246 Fax: 972-289-5104 Toll-free: 877-662-3227

They have a lot of stuff there from entire hides to some exotic leathers and of course all of the "KIT" stuff. They carry all the tools and all the liquids that Tan and treat leather. Beats the tar out of the Tandy store we used to have in these parts.

www.leatherfactory.com/warehouse_locator.html (http://www.leatherfactory.com/warehouse_locator.html)

Great to see the forum open, I will have a lot of questions for the experts :)

On the Right side of the Pond leather seems to be sold by thickness rather than weight, and unfortunately it's measured in millimetres instead of fractions of an inch. ####!

For anyone else over here in England, or anywhere else within reach, there are plenty of places supplying leather. I have just bought my first shoulder of veg-tanned leather from a tannery in Northampton. They also sell all the bits and pieces from the Tandy catalogue.

Roger
www.vikingdesign.co.uk (http://www.vikingdesign.co.uk)

I found a wholesaler near my home that sells leather 8-9oz. for 3.00 sq. ft...it just went up.. I found an Amish saddle maker that will sew my sheaths for $1.00 ea..I think my sheaths are coming along better than my knives...I have been making some tools for the leather out of small gears and mechanical parts..With some dremeling thrown in....carl