|
Custom Knife Sheaths

What's
in a sheath?
|
"Unto Adam also and to his wife did
the Lord God make coats of skin and clothed them."
--Genesis Ch. 3, V. 21
Years ago, when I first started making
knives, I asked a few "masters" at knife shows about their sheaths. After all,
when they sold a knife, the client (customer) would ask for something to carry it in,
right? You wouldn't believe the responses:
"I'm a knifemaker, not a
sheath maker. Go see a leatherworker"
"I don't have any sheaths right
now, but here, I'll wrap it in this brown bag for you to carry home."
"Oh, you wouldn't want to put that
pretty knife in an ugly old sheath now, would you?"
"Here, under the table, I've got
these rather plain sheaths." (Pulls out some flat leather stitched together and
oiled) "I'm gonna have some nicer sheaths as soon as I get caught up."
"Sheaths? Oh, that'll cost you
extra, because I have to get another set of tools and learn to use them."
"No one's ever wanted a sheath
before!"
"Waddayamean, my sheaths don't
match the knives!?! It fits inside doesn't it?"
-
"You can buy any old sheath kit from one
of those leather companies, and stitch it together yourself."
|




 |
I realized many years ago, when I first
started in this trade, that sheaths, stands, boxes, accouterments were all a part of the
trade, and if I wanted to provide a complete package, then it better include a fine sheath:
tough, strong, and well made, to match the knife, and commensurate with the quality of
the knife.
I was determined to make some of the best sheaths out there,
sheaths that the
owner would cherish as much as the blade, ones that would last at least a generation, maybe
several, and maybe even as long as the knife.
I still hold true to that concept, and my sheaths and accessories are a
vital part of my art and trade.
Sheaths do take another
complete set of tools, techniques, processes, and skills. So I took that on, as another
facet of the trade, to complete the package. I work very hard
to build a fine sheath, to fit the particular knife, to compliment it as well as
protect the knife and the wearer. The color schemes match the handle materials
and blades, the styles and curves match my artistic intention for the knife. The
military grade combat and tactical sheaths are probably the best and toughest
made out there, I've never seen any better.
|

Back to Topics
What's the
difference between a sheath and a scabbard?

 |
These days, most Americans use the
term sheath, and less often scabbard. The word scabbard is of
medieval origin, from the words scauberd or scauberk,
which are from Old High German words scar (sword) and bergan
(to hide and protect). So a scabbard is the case for a double edged
blade, such as a sword, dagger, or bayonet.
The word sheath is of Anglo Saxon
origin, from the word scæth,
which is the same root of the word shed. Sheath refers to any case for
any knife, sword or dagger and is a more universal term. When in doubt,
use "sheath."
On the right is a dagger which sits in a scabbard.
Also called a sheath! Below it is a sheath, which is NOT called a
scabbard, because the knife only has a single edge. |

Back to Topics
A knife sheath
should, first and foremost, protect the wearer.

 |
The knife is, after all,
honed to a razor's edge, and usually carried against a vulnerable part of the body. So you
want the knife to fit snugly in it's protected pocket. That is one of the reasons that I
make the sheaths out of 9-10 oz. leather. Other makers might use 4-6 oz., but that is not
thick and strong enough. It won't be stiff, either, so if you are hiking, or on horseback,
and take a tumble, you don't want the sheath to flex enough to let your knife cut through,
and cut you! That leads to another point: stiffness. If I could, I'd make the sheath as
hard as lumber. That's because of the "flexing" point I just made. The sheath is
your protection from your knife, not just a little thin bag that you deposit your knife in
to keep the dust off. So sheaths should never be oiled. That will just soften even the
thickest leather, enough to make the frame of the sheath floppy and sloppy,
enough for the sheath to bend. It will also attract and hold dust, which will eventually
scratch your knife. Having the protection in the
proper place is the foundation of a well-designed and constructed
sheath. To the left is a picture of a fine sheath that does just that,
yet lets the wearer display the beautiful handle and lines of the blade.
This type of sheath works well on trailing point knives which are hard
to sheath because of the high point and its propensity to dig into or
cut into the welts. In this sheath type, the knife must be rolled away
from the point to remove it from the sheath. |

Back to Topics
Welts
are important!

Back to Topics
The sheath should hold the knife
securely.

 |
There are several ways to do this. One is a snapping retaining
strap that wraps around the handle. Most simple "kit" sheaths are made this way.
If this is used, you might consider whether the snap is secure when walking through brush,
which would mean the top snap strap needs to fold to the back. This design is usually used on
large knives, where it is unlikely the blade will "fall" out of the sheath body
even if the snap is not secured. Please consider this
when you examine any sheath the uses a strap or snap retention method:
when the sheath is withdrawn, will the cutting edge contact or (worse)
drag across the strap, eventually cutting it in half? What about
inserting the knife into the sheath? Will the strap be clumsy and
interfere with insertion, causing you to use two hands? Often, in many
knives and sheaths, these wearer and user issues are not even
considered. An improvement on the
strap design is the full snap
flap, a flap that covers, from front to back, most of the knife handle, while the blade is
fully pocketed. A deeper and more protective pocket is a full sheath, where the knife is
shoved down deeply into the sheath, and just the handle butt, hawk's bill, or lanyard ring
or hole is accessible. These knives are held in place by pressure from the front and
back of the sheath bearing down on the bolster faces. That leads to a little
"buffing" on the bolster faces, but it holds the knife with perfect tension.
Sheaths that are used in a variety of positions may have additional features to secure the
knife inside (see military
combat and tactical sheaths below). |
Back to Topics
The
sheath should hug the wearer.



 |
There are several proven and accepted ways for
the sheath to attach to the wearer. The most common is the belt loop,
usually about
1.75" wide, a strap of leather securely attached to the back of the knife sheath top and
bottom, with just enough clearance to slide the belt through. This is used on
nearly all leather sheaths. I want this part to be very secure, so I stitch the belt loops with
polyester sinew, the toughest stuff on the market. The stitches are recessed inside the
sheath back, so the blade doesn't accidentally contact the stitching and cut it during
insertion and removal. The bottom of the belt loop is also securely recessed, stitched,
and knotted. The belt loop is also glued with waterproof cement, and the stitching and
loop are sealed with waterproof leather sealer, either water-based or lacquer. Most
wearers prefer the "right side-blade back" position of carry, but some are
lefties or have special requests.
I also make cross draw belt loops, which are usually worn
with the blade down on the opposite side of the hand that pulls the knife. Sometimes the
wearer requests "blade up" such as ranchers or horsemen who don't want the
chance of scarring a saddle or their thigh. The cross draw allows the knife to pivot
somewhat, and assume a nearly horizontal profile, which is more comfortable when seated or
riding in a vehicle, so the knife handle doesn't poke the wearer under the ribs.
An interesting side note: a crossdraw sheath can also
be worn in the lower back, and a jacket can conceal this nearly
horizontal profile. If you're a law enforcement officer, or federal
agent or officer, a high angle crossdraw sheath can completely conceal
the knife against the small of the back, and this is often
requested by professionals. For civilian wearers, this type of
concealment can get you in a lot of trouble, so be sure to check your
local laws.
It's important to go into more detail about
horizontal sheaths. Though it's easy to visualize the hand reaching
behind the back, under a coat, and pulling out a long blade, the reality
is more complicated.
The issues with completely horizontal sheaths are that
they must be fairly tight so that the knife does not fall out. Retaining
straps have their own set of problems, being mainly their potential of
being sliced by the cutting edge,
particularly if you can't see what is going on. Tougher still is
the issue of reinserting the knife into a horizontal sheath on the back.
It's a blind move, with a razor keen edge and sharp
pointed blade right next to the kidneys... and often takes both
hands to manipulate the knife and sheath together.
Not many guys are comfortable with pulling off this maneuver. The
crossdraw is much easier, the sheath can be
seen, and it only takes one hand. Again, please also
consider concealment issues and laws.
On long
knives a double loop (one loop high on the sheath and one low) can offer a variety of
carries. On very long sheaths, a thigh lanyard, tie, or snap strap is offered. On military
knives, the most secure method is an aluminum belt loop bolted to the welts and frame of
the sheath (see "Military
Sheaths" below). Belt clips are also used and can be very sturdy; they allow
quick removal of the sheath without pulling the belt or webbing off the body. Police,
military, and tactical users like
this type, as it can be removed or attached quickly, depending on their situation, and can
even be clipped on riot gear or a car door or console case. I usually use nickel plated
steel clips for strength and corrosion protection. Sometimes, nickel silver clips are used
on fancy small knives. I even use titanium belt clips.
I do not make sheaths to accommodate wear on the arms
or legs. The reason for this is that the knife must fit snugly in the
sheath, even with alternate means of retention, like straps or snap
flaps. When the knife is pulled out of the sheath, it is in the
direction of the limbs smallest diameter, which will pull the entire
fixture down the arm, or down the leg. In the arm it is particularly
troublesome, because the wrist is smaller than the girth of the arm at
the elbow, so the straps are trying to pull down the arm. It's the same
reason that socks won't stay up! You're trying to pull downhill yet have
the sheath stay in place. So the only way to counter this is with a long
strap that goes up the arm that the sheath is mounted on, over the
shoulder, and is retained around the neck. What a mess! It works good in
Hollywood, but in reality is an entirely different affair. Also, there
is a problem with knife sheaths mounted on the leg. In order to pull
against the taper of the leg, just like on the forearm, the knife must
be pulled up. That means that the area to pull the knife must be as long
as the sheath throat and full knife length added together. No man can
lift up his pants that high, he'd have to be wearing shorts... so this
is impractical. If the pull is downward on the leg, he's pulling against
geometry (again) or the knife may have to have some type of complicated
retention method to prevent falling out... What a mess. Then, there
is the whole concealment issue. As a professional, I can't be known for
helping bend concealment laws. So, generally, I stay away from this type
of mounting, unless it's for law enforcement or federal agents. Please
read the related topic on my Business of Knifemaking page at
this bookmark. |

Back to Topics
The
sheath should last.

 |
Most factory or common knife sheaths might last
1-3
years, even if coddled. The reason is that the knife is not often actually used. Most of
the time, it sits in the sheath, waiting, while the owner bangs the sheath on everything
he runs into, leans against, or sits upon. The knife is often stored in the sheath and
thrown in with tools and utensils, maybe a toolbox, or a drawer with other sharp or hard
tools. Every ding, impact, and scuff that the knife sheath takes shortens its usable life.
I've seen leather and stitches literally worn away by wearers, until the knife pops out!
This is another reason only heavy weight (9-10 oz) shoulder should be used for sheaths. I've even
used sole leather on particularly demanding applications!
With leather sheaths, I hand stitch with polyester sinew, the toughest
binder on the market. You absolutely cannot break this stuff with your
bare hands. Military sheaths are screwed together with steel Chicago
screws, not rivets. I design sheaths to last at
least one generation, and with care perhaps many (see military combat and tactical
sheaths below).
Below: sheaths for professional chef's knives: a
slip sheath for storage and transport, protecting the blade and cutting
edge.
 |

Back
to Topics
What
is the weight and thickness designation of leather?
|

|
Leather is the hide of cattle,
stripped of all hair and properly vegetable tanned. The most important
size measurement in knife sheaths is the thickness, designated in the
leather trade by weight. So, all cattle leathers are measured in ounces.
An ounce roughly translates to 1/64th of an inch (.4mm). So one ounce
thick leather is about 1/64th of an inch thick (about .015" for you
machinists). The leather I use for sheaths is 9-10 oz. thick, or .150"
or about 5/32 of an inch (4mm). When used in welts, which are stacked in
multiples, along with the front and back of the sheath, it's not unusual
for the sheath thickness to be 3/4" thick! Incidentally, thick leathers
(over 4-5 oz.) only come from mature cattle. Interestingly, this is why
factories or mass-produced sheaths are made of thinner leather,
sometimes without welts, and always weaker. Machines can not stitch
through three quarters of an inch of tough leather. So in order to keep
labor costs low and use machinery as much as possible, factories stay
away from thicker leather. Good for them, bad for you if you want a
tough, stout, useable, and protective sheath that will last a
generation. |

Back to Topics
The sheath should look good.


 |
Not only is
the sheath part of your knife investment, it is often the only thing that is seen riding
on your hip, at your side, or hanging upside down on your BDUs (See military combat sheaths below).
So it should be attractive, as well as utilitarian. In fact, it should be commensurate
with your knife investment, should match the knife in every artistic and working fashion.
The knife and sheath should work together, look good together, ride well together, be
comfortable with each other and with you. I've seen beautiful knives pulled out of ugly,
plain sheaths, and with them comes an apology and a promise of "getting a nice sheath
for my knife someday." The truth is, the only one who can design and make a sheath
that truly matches the intent, style, flavor and mastery of the knifemaker is... the
knifemaker! So wouldn't it make sense for him to complete the package and make a fine
sheath too? That's why I use exotic inlays of rayskin, sharkskin, hippo, rattlesnake,
python, emu, safari antelope, gazelle, and even cow stomach (don't laugh, it's
beautiful!). I also engrave, hand-tool, hand carve and stamp, metallize, and even airbrush some of
my sheaths. I've adorned sheaths with carving, inlay,
overlays, and mounts of gemstone, scrimshaw ivory, and precious metals.

|
Back to Topics
|
 |
|
Testimonial: Eridanus
Jay,
the one thing you still can't get off
of the internet is the way a knife feels. I wish anyone
thinking of buying a Jay Fisher knife could hold Eridanus in
their hands for just a few moments. Then there would be no
doubt that buying a knife from Jay is the right thing to do.
I've bought some other blades of the internet that photographed
well, but when you got hold of them, they didn't feel or handle
like much. Eridanus just feels like it belongs in your hand.
You can get a knife anywhere, but this is a work of art.
Thanks Jay.
Oh and by the way the sheath alone is worth the price.
|
Stamped, Tooled, or Carved?


 |
There are several ways to finish the surface of a
leather sheath. Though some guys go for a minimalist look, that is,
plain leather just stitched around the edge. I rarely do this, and then
only by special request. Leather is an amazing material, and lends
itself to high resolution stamping, carving, and tooling, so an infinite
amount of patterns, styles, and embellishment look good on the finished
face. What are the differences between them?
Hand-stamping leather is done by leather
stamps. These are specially purchased tools that are mounted to a rod,
and the leather is cased (specially damped) and then the shape (and
image) of the stamp is transferred to the leather by tapping with a
mallet made of rawhide. Careful attention to detail, good choice of
tools, and pattern and arrangement are required here to get a balanced,
aligned, and nice looking image on the sheath. Probably the most common
leather stamping representation seen on knife sheaths, holsters, and
belts is the basket weave. It looks good, is standard in some
professions (like police), and gives an organic, balanced appearance.
There are literally hundreds of stamps used in leather tooling and it is
up to the craftsman and artist to apply them in an appealing manner.
Hand-carving is done by using knives. I use
a variety of small knives, from leather swivel knives, to Exacto®
knives, to scalpels, and even handmade micro-knives. Hand-carving is a
difficult skill, learned by years of practice. Leather displays the
smallest cut so intricate designs and lines with character, angle, and
heavy or light form all come to the surface of a design. Hand-carving is
usually more difficult than stamping, as there is no stamp to help with
alignment, arrangement, and association of the pattern, all is done
offhand. Hand-carving also takes the most time, a good hand-carving may
take eight hours on a 12" knife sheath.
Hand-tooling usually means a variety of
carving, stamping, and forming or pressing the leather into a design.
It's a general term, separating a leather surface that is embossed by a
pattern roller or automated pattern transfer device from hand work.
Please see the examples at the sides of this topic. |


 |
Back to Topics
Engraved Leather
Sheaths?

 |
Who in the world ever heard of this? Using the same technique
as engraving military and combat sheath flash plates, I also engrave high resolution detail
into leather knife sheaths. This results in a crisp, highly detailed image and unique
personalization unheard of in the field of fine custom sheaths. Check out the
thumbnails to see.
Engraving can lend itself to fine personalization, with monograms, text
lettering, names, dates, events, etc. It also is great for artistic
styles and motifs, adding to, enhancing, and blending the relationship
between the artwork on the knife and sheath. And since the design or
text is literally carved into the leather, it will never fade or
deteriorate like embossing, stamping, or mask and stencil painting. |

 |
Back to Topics
Military, combat, tactical
sheaths are special.


 |
Tactical sheaths I've made are used by rescuemen,
firefighters, police, SWAT teams, Sheriff's officers, hazardous materials teams, bomb
squads (EOD), emergency responders, US Army Special Forces, Airborne, Military Survival
Specialists, Special Operations Squads and our nation's top military rescue service, USAF Pararescue. These fine
sheaths are made of two layers of .062" kydex on each side, form-fitted to the knife
over an aluminum welt frame screwed together with plated or blued
solid steel Chicago screws, and
feature either nickel-plated steel belt clips, or solid 2" aluminum belt loops. Kydex
is a mixture of acrylic and PVC (methylacrylate and polyvinylchloride) and is impervious
to just about everything but extremely high heat (above 250° F) and a few concentrated
chemicals (like methylethylkeytone (MEK) and toluene). The aluminum is hammer-hardened
5052H32 high corrosion-resistant, high strength aluminum, suited to salt
water and chemically corrosive environments.
The cements used in assembly are waterproof and continue to harden with age. The
steel screws
have a 1/4" fine thread post. These are very, very tough sheaths.
Most of my kydex military combat sheaths are black,
with satin aluminum welts at the edges. Occasionally, I'll get requests
for a different look. By custom order, I also use gray kydex, forest
camo (traditional), desert camo (traditional) and even modern standard
marpat camo and desert marpat camo kydex. An additional charge is
required for these more expensive patterned camo colors. Just ask!
 |
Back to Topics
Military locking sheaths are
the best, period.




 |
A long time ago, a few military clients asked if I could
make the "ultimate" knife sheath. One that was essentially waterproof,
unbreakable, resistant to anything you could throw at it, a sheath that could be
confidently carried into the field of battle and trusted to do its job. And a few of them
asked if I could design a locking mechanism, so the knife would positively lock into the
sheath, and even be carried upside down across their chest while parachuting
on HALO jumps. These are "High Altitude, Low Opening" combat jumps
designed to drop combat or rescue troops behind enemy lines without the
aircraft being seen by radar as it flies at high altitudes. They also
wanted sheaths capable of withstanding marine, oceanic, and even
mountain rescue and combat environments. This was no small order, but I got to work. I designed a sheath that has
aluminum welts (to support with strength without adding weight), and double-layered kydex
front and back (impervious to nearly all chemicals, water, salt and abrasives), and
stainless steel locking mechanism (made of 304, 302, and 416
austentitic and martensitic stainless
machine screws, springs, and lock
bars with stop pins). Including the nickel plated or hot blued steel Chicago screws, these
sheaths consist of at least 38 individual components, all hand fitted to the knife. These are very
fine sheaths. Of the dozens and dozens that are out there, in service, in combat, I've
only had one problem since the prototype, and that is of one serviceman loosing his knife
because he didn't shove the knife all the way in and make sure it was locked! Well, I can't think of
everything... The locking sheath is not cheap, remember that it is the finest one made for
the service. It can add $180-$200
to the price of the knife/sheath
combo. Often, I'll attach a removable
engraved flash plate on the sheath front signifying tactical group or affiliation. These
are brass or aluminum, lacquered or anodized for beauty and longevity. Some are etched
with photographic detail. When you want the best sheath made
on the market, period, this is it. I challenge anyone to find a better
sheath made in the world today!
See testimonials, pictures, and comments from
military users of my knives and sheaths on my
tactical
knives portal here.
Check out the descriptive page on this very type of
sheath and read about care, use, service, and operation
here.

|
|
Testimonial:
Hey Jay! Just got the knife today.
WOW!!! The pics you sent me did NO justice to the knife at all.
This is BY FAR the nicest knife I have ever owned! I was also
pleasantly surprised by how nice the sheath came out. For the last
few months I have been second guessing my decision for the locking
sheath. Now I am glad I went in that direction. The pics I have
seen of that sheath do not show how sturdy and well built that thing
really is. I think you may need to show a side profile of that in
one of the pics. That large slab of aluminum will show people its
more than just kydex bolted together. I think your description says
how it is built – but I didn’t understand till I actually saw it in
person! Anyways, thank you for a GREAT knife! I will look forward
to enjoying it for many years! Also, I'm
already planning my next one. You can be sure that I will be
showing it off to all my friends and letting them know about you and
the quality of your work! (most already know as
I've been talking about these knives for quite a while – but
I think they will be astonished when they see they experience your
work first hand)
Thanks again,
Adam Vuksich
 |
Back to Topics
|
Why can't I store
the knife long term in the sheath?
My number one complaint is that
the client has stored his knife in the sheath, or forgotten that
he's left it in the sheath (sometimes for months or years) and that
there are little spots of rust starting to form. I can't say this
enough: don't store knives in sheaths! Incidentally, what do you
think would happen if you stored a blued firearm in its leather
holster for years, and never looked at it? Sure, you want to keep it with the sheath, and carry it in the sheath,
but long term storage in the knife sheath is probably the most
destructive thing you can do to your fine custom knife.
There are a
couple things that can cause this problem. First, you must remember
that stainless tool steels can corrode. These are not low carbon
junk steels that factories often sell, these are fine, high carbon
martensitic stainless tool steels, and as such, are more resistant
to corrosion than non-stainless, but can still corrode! I have
posted this on my care sheet that I hand out with every knife (and
has been available on this website since the beginning in
standard and
military form), so there's
really no excuse for not reading it. It makes no difference whether
the sheath is leather or kydex and aluminum, whether the air is as
humid as Florida or as dry as Nevada. The knife blade needs to
breathe and stay dry. When humidity and temperature changes in the
normal course of the day or seasons, condensation can form on any
steel. If the steel is allowed access to free air, it can stay
relatively dry, and corrosion can not gain a foothold. But if the
knife is stored in the sheath, and an ever-so-slight bit of moisture
is allowed to stay against the blade, the blade will start to rust.
On a mirror polished blade, this can be ruinous, and if the knife
has been custom etched, the only recourse is to grind off all the
etching and corrosion, regrind and refinish the blade (including
polish) and re-etch, which is very expensive and time consuming and
may not even be possible. Even if the knife is coated heavily with
wax, long-term storage in the sheath will encourage corrosion.
Don't
store the knife in the sheath!
I believe a knife should be
handled. Held once in a while, waxed and buffed, fondled, looked
over, admired and cherished, and yes, even used. To put it away in a drawer or closet is
almost an insult! Look, if you want to store the knife long
term without ever looking at it, there are a couple options:
-
you can clean it thoroughly
with denatured alcohol, dry it completely with warm forced air,
then coat it well with high quality wax and then put the knife
(without the sheath) in a well-sealed plastic bag with a new dry
packet of commercial grade dessicant, or
-
you can coat the entire knife
with cosmolene, a plastic and oil based melted-on military-grade
storage medium (which I can't guarantee will not affect woods,
epoxies or gemstone long term), or
-
package the knife up neatly
and send it to someone who will care for it
Look, it's simple: store your
knife where it can breathe, not in the sheath, not where there are
fluctuations of temperature or humidity, out of bright sunlight and
high heat sources, and pick it up and fondle it, buff it off with a
soft cloth, wax it now and then.
|
Back to Topics
|
What about dishwashers and
washing sheaths?
Never, ever soak or thoroughly wet a leather
sheath! Use only a damp cloth on the outside to clean stubborn dirt. See my
"Care of your custom knife" page here.
The following is from a letter and refers to
an inquiry about cleaning my kydex and
aluminum sheaths, particularly in the food service industry.
There is a difference between cleaning in hot soapy water by hand and power
dishwashing. Kydex is a thermoforming plastic,
that is as it warms up, it gets soft and starts to get flexible. That is how
the kydex is formed around the knife, creating a custom fit, which is
adjustable somewhat by spot heating and reforming if the knife happens to
loosen in the sheath. Usually, in a sheath that does not
have a locking mechanism, the area that is held or clamped by the
kydex is the bolster area, which is very similar to the way leather holds a
knife in most sheaths, by squeezing around the bolster. Now, what effect
heating to above 200° F might have is to soften the kydex, and then
it will either try to return to its manufactured form (flat) or swell and
cause wrinkles where the screws are holding it against the aluminum welts.
So this would be a problem, and I wouldn't recommend power dishwashing at
all. If you're washing by hand, and the water temp is below 150° F, and you
didn't let the sheath soak for more than a minute or two, I can't see why
that wouldn't be all right. Most military users rinse the sheath by dipping
in a rinse tank along with other gear to wash, and let drain.
But beyond that, and much more important, is the adhesive bond. The whole
sheath affair is secured together by two means, mechanical and adhesive. The
mechanical strength is derived from either Chicago screws or rivets through
two layers of kydex and through the aluminum welts. The adhesive strength is
derived from waterproof industrial grade contact cement, which cements
together both layers on both sides of the sheath (that's four layers) and
bonds the kydex to the aluminum welts, and sometimes
secures 2-3 aluminum welt
layers to each other. This will NOT take repeated high temperature
cleaners and washings. Sorry, it will eventually degrade.
Along those lines, I hope you weren't considering dishwashing the knife,
also, because this will eventually degrade and ruin the epoxy and
bonding of the gemstone , wood, or even plastic to
the handle! To sum, I recommend only hand washing, without prolonged soaking, in mild
soapy water (no bleaches or harsh chemicals), and hand drying.
See the knife care page here. See
military knife care here.
|
Back to Topics
|
Do
you make sheaths for other makers or factory knives?
No. See my
"Services Offered" page here. You might ask those
makers why they don't make a fine sheath; after all, it's part of the tradecraft.
And factories? Their knives won't last as long as a good
sheath, so they don't bother. Get
more detailed reasons and their
dirty little secrets at the FAQ page here,
and on the Blades page here.
Here is an excerpt from an email I received
from a man who took issue with my refusal to make sheaths for other's knives:
|
Subject: saw your site and...
I was just wondering why you don't do sheaths for
blades you don't make. Here's my situation...and no i don't expect you to
change your mind but hear me out. I just purchased
two daggers and need someone to create a sheath that will hold both of them at
opposite ends. It needs to be able to be fastened to a belt and carried
horizontally. I'm a graphic artist and want to design my own sheath but lack
the leatherworking skills to accomplish this on my own. It would probably
entail engraving and whatnot......obviously way too advanced
for a novice. So i came across your site while searching for (to be honest)
tutorials and was blown away by the stuff you've done......and then
disappointed when reading you don't do custom sheaths only. So my question is:
why don't you do them for other blades....it could be quite profitable
I'm sure....and I'm sure you
have a good reason not to....I'm just curious.
-C.
Dear C.-
I’m sorry, I don’t make sheaths for knives other than my
own. When I custom make a knife from scratch, adjustments and tuning of the
knife and sheath go together. There is also an issue of putting my name on work
that goes with other makers. I have to be careful, most of my clients expect
exclusivity, and this increases the value of their investments. If I just
cranked out any work for any project, my name would be cheapened and that
wouldn't be fair to my longstanding clients. Your question about profitability
is valid, but I'm not in this business to purely make profit.
As an artist, my goal is to
increase my skill level and make the best knife/sheath/stand combination I can.
And frankly, I do not need extra work, as I'm swamped with orders. As a graphic
artist, I'm sure you are aware of commensurate matching components in a
knife-sheath pair. When a different mind creates these components, a different
artistic idea is employed, and the assembly becomes segmented and sometimes
confusing. C., there are many leatherworkers who can
make you a serviceable sheath arrangement for your pieces. You can find most of
them on the knife forums here on the internet, and some of them are quite good.
You might also go to the supplier of your daggers and ask why they don't make
the sheath(s) you need for your purchase...
Good luck, Jay
|
|
Back to Topics
Back to Topics
|