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The Sheath/Holster Makers Forum This is the place to discuss all forms of sheath and holster making.

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  #1  
Old 10-18-2011, 11:51 PM
Jim T Jim T is offline
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Sheath for boot knife?

What are the necessary qualities and characteristics that should go into a good sheath for a boot knife? I think I know what a boot knife is, but I'm unsure about what elements should be taken into consideration when building a functional, practical boot knife sheath. Can anyone point me in the right direction?

Jim
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Old 10-19-2011, 09:21 AM
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Eli Jensen Eli Jensen is offline
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What materials are you thinking?
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Old 10-19-2011, 12:39 PM
Jim T Jim T is offline
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I'll be using leather for the sheath, but I'm unsure of how it's supposed to attach to the boot. Do you fashion a clip on the sheath? Does a pouch sheath work? Does the top handle of the knife stick out of the boot or is it completely hidden inside? Or is it more or less up to the discretion of the maker and the person who's ordering the knife?

Jim
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Old 10-20-2011, 04:55 PM
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Eli Jensen Eli Jensen is offline
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Someone may know better than me, but here is how I would do it. Pouch sheath, handle sticks out 1-1/2" - 2". A clip may work, but i would do a clip and a strap to go around the boot with maybe a snap on the other side, maybe two snaps, or a long strip of velcro.
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Old 10-20-2011, 06:17 PM
Doug Lester Doug Lester is offline
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I would say a pouch of two piece sheath without a loop for the belt. Possibly with slits in a second layer of leather on the back that a belt could be put through for belt carry or for a strap around the ankle. Basically I see boot carry as a concealed carry inside the boot so a clip would defeat the purpose. The primary purpose of the sheath would just be to protect the ankle while the knife is in the boot though strapping it to the ankle to make sure that it didn't come out of the boot with the knife.

Doug


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Last edited by Doug Lester; 10-20-2011 at 06:21 PM.
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Old 10-21-2011, 10:52 AM
Jim T Jim T is offline
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Okay, I have to claim ignorance here. I've never owned a pair of cowboy boots which it what I'm assuming a boot knife usually fits into. I always thought the knife and sheath are worn inside the boot and that the sheath is somehow clipped to or attached to the boot. Am I working with some misconceptions here?

Jim
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Old 10-21-2011, 01:27 PM
Doug Lester Doug Lester is offline
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Yes, you could put a clip on the sheath to hold it in place if you wanted to but the clip you say "there's a knife in this boot". That may be acceptable to the wearer but he or she might to carry the knife covertly. One could put the knife in a sheath without any attachment to the ankle or boot and hope that it doesn't come out with the knife if the knife had to be deployed quickly or the sheath could be held to the ankle with a strap. Of course if the user wears his pant leg outside of the boot the clip would only be visible then the cuff rides up. Like possibly when he or she is sitting. If I were making such a sheath for a particular person I would ask them how they wanted the sheath secured.

Doug


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Old 10-25-2011, 10:03 AM
Ed Fowler Ed Fowler is offline
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Back in the 50's you could buy a pair of boots with a folding knife pouch stitched on the top and outside of the boot, they had a snap to secure the knife. Just like the belt pouches you see on the Buck 110's.
They were pretty handy, never saw one on cowboy boots, but these were on what we called engineers boots.

I have seen them in the movies with the knife on the inside of the boot and wondered how comfortable most of them would be to carry on a daily basis.


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Old 10-31-2011, 06:22 AM
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Could be really tough on the ankle if the sheath's made poorly!
If you are making it for a customer, best check with what he/she invisions as a boot knife/sheath combo. Awful lot of room for misunderstanding and bad design here.
There's "movie" romance, as Ed has eluded to, and there's real life needs. Better get the skinny on purpose first.


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Old 11-05-2011, 11:13 AM
Jim T Jim T is offline
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Yeah, I'd have to agree with you and Ed on that one, Carl. I can't see how wearing a knife and sheath inside a cowboy boot is going to work unless the knife is really thin and really short.

I'd ask for the guy's boots so I could study them and develop a sheath design, but whew, they stink! Think I'll just let him know a belt sheath or an outside-the-boot sheath would be more practical

Jim
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folding knife, hidden, knife, leather, sheath


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