Sheathes?

[Cthulhu]

I see a lot of makers also making their own sheathes as well. Is it common to offer a sheath along with the knife? Do you add the cost of the sheath to the overall cost of the knife?

I see Leatherworking as a companion but seperate art form in and of itself. Something that also looks attractive to me. Is this something I need to learn how to do and offer up as well?

As it stands now, I can barely afford to buy steel and handle material, much less leather and the requisite tools.

[Ray Rogers]

Well, it's much easier to sell a sheath knife if you have a sheath with it. Several of the knife supply houses sell sheath kits - basically a sheath that needs very little to finish it - or complete sheaths that maybe need to be dyed. If you make knives that will fit these sheaths then you'd be good to go. Get the catalogs I keep harping about and you should see them or you should be able to find some online....

[grant]

I'm in a similar boat. When to start making sheaths and which type to start with.

I'm thinking I'll start right about the time I'm ready to start marking knives to give away or sell. And in that case I'll start with kydex/thermoform, which means the first knives I want to sell need to be in a complementary style.

[metal99]

I just took the plunge and am almost done my first sheath. It's pretty addicting working with leather just a heads up lol. I had to buy all the tools, dyes, sealers and leather so it probably set me back over $200 :/ but now I can make a sheath for pretty cheap.

[Doug Lester]

It's like knife making. You can get minimal tools and then go from there. Needles, thread, leather, contact cement, a very sharp knife will get you started and you will need construction paper, pencil, and scissors to make your patterns. A groover and a stitch wheel will make your life easier. A stitching pony, which you can make for yourself if you are handy at all, and if you're making knives you should be, will give you that third hand that you seem to keep needing. Dyes, sealers, stamps, other tools you can get as you go along. There's no rule that you have to stain your sheaths but it's nice.
IMG_0067.JPG
The jig above I made to pre-punch stitch holes for sewing. It's just a board that is clamped to the table of my drill press. It has a hole in the center for pieces that will lay flat and a hole near the edge for those that won't. The needle is a drapery needle that I got down at a craft store. (do try to put it in the chuck straight though, it works better). I use the arms on the drill press to push the needle through the leather. It's not drilled, which you can do but it makes it harder to cover up mistakes if you don't get your holes where you want them.

Doug

[TexasJack]

Spend the money to buy Chuck Burrow's "Custom Knife Sheaths" video or the one from Paul Long's "Advanced Blade Sheaths".

Chuck's in particular has stuff from the very basics to how to make it look professional.

They are WELL worth the money.

[Cthulhu]

Thanks Texas Jack. I'll make myself a promise. First knife I sell (And I'm selling the one I just made), I'll pick at least one of those books up.

[C Craft]

Sending a knife out without a sheath is kind of like sending it out naked into the world!

Seriously though unless you are building knives just for display it needs a sheath. There are a lot of makers that just can't or don't want to mess with them. The sheath is an extension of the the knife! IMHO

[Doug Lester]

I second the suggestion that you get Chuck Burrow's video. Just watching the first section on designing and laying out the sheath is worth the money even if you skip over the part on stamping the leather. Everything else is just gravy and there's plenty of that.

Doug

[FGYT]

I gave up doing leather sheaths fairly quickly as i dont really enjoy it and it takes far to long for the money back. I do have several leather workers who have all the bits n pieces and skill to make great sheaths so I use or recommend them.

I do however make Kydex sheaths as I find it a lot easier as an engineer and in UK there are very limited numbers of people doing it properly and i have spent a fair amount of money making sure i have a lot of the right bits and pieces as well as Kydex colours which means regular Shipments from Knife Kits as we have pretty much Zero supply in UK.

ATB

Duncan

[grant]

Ironically I just came this morning to post a link to Duncan's Kydex videos. Great tutorials:
http://www.dorsetwoodlandblades.co.uk/howtokydex.htm

[DwaneOliver]

I have to agree with Mr Craft , its a pair , a knife and a sheath.

Whats the first thing people see when your wearing a knife....the sheath.
If its a plain jane sheath , they would likley think there is a plain jane knife in it.

But when they see a beautiful sheath.....they ask to see the knife as well.

I dont understand some makers selling their knives in a plain sheath....

Practice, practice, practice.......

Dwane

[Cthulhu]

I'd be happy to offer a sheath, but the cost of the sheath (Since I can't make any right now) would get added to the knife price 100%, and given the economy, would likely make or break a sale.

So it's a trade off for me, right now. I can't make knives, longbows AND leatherwork as well. Maybe with a few sold knives under my belt (Knives get finished faster than Bows), I can expand.

At BEST, I could get some cheap generic sheathes to cover the blades but, cheap implies cheap.

No win situation there.

[TexasJack]

An alternative, of course, is to find someone who'll make sheaths for you. Preferably somebody local, since they have to have the knife in order to do a good job of fit. Maybe some trading? You never know.

I used to buy sheaths through a pretty decent knife supply place, but honestly they're not very well done and you can make one much better for less.

[Crex]

The only knife I sell without a sheath is a kitchen knife. Yes, leatherwork is a different animal, but I find it a welcome change to a couple of days of pounding steel, rubbing out blades and fitting guards and handles. A well made sheath will compliment the knife and in my opinion a crucial part of the package. Just try carrying a fixed blade in your pocket without a sheath......simple science.

On some of my more artistic knives, I try to match the sheath tooling and staining to match/compliment the knife. I've had the great fortune of being mentored and befriending some of the best leather craftsmen in the US. If nothing else....always take advantage of these connections. You won't regret it.

On tools/stamps/cutting implements for leather, if you are a competent knifemaker these tools are very simple and quick to make yourself (instead of buying the way overpriced, chrome-coated tools on the market). Besides you will no longer be regulated to using stamps and tooling everyone else uses.

I did break down and buy a stitcher. Too many sheaths and too much wasted time hand stitching. The stitcher turned me loose to be more creative with the rest of the sheath work. And.....my hands appreciate the relief everyday.

ps - avail yourself of the great information in the "Stickies" down in the "Sheathmakers' Forum". Excellent stuff there.