[chutestrate]

I am interested in trying to make knife sheaths. Could anyone recommend tools and types of leather I should look at for my project?

[TAKtical]

Take a look at tandyleather. They have tutorials and sell everything you will need. Knifekits also sells supplies and kits that could be helpful for beginners

[cpirtle]

Tandy is about the best place for supplies for the beginner.

For ordering online I prefer Zack White Leather for better pricing, but their page is not quite as well laid out as Tandy.

The problem you are up against is buying small pieces of veg tanned leather. Most places sell by the side. I buy direct from the tannery but your talking $250+ per side. Don't buy bellies even though the small size is tempting. Bellies are not very good for holsters and sheaths because the leather very elastic compared to other parts of the cow, that's why it is cut off the side. It also doesn't finish as well.

Zack White sometimes carries horsehide in small pieces, those are excellent if he has them.

Beyond that I'd pick up some heavy stitching needles, a fine point awl and some synthetic sinew. Retractable blade razor knives are great for cutting. Regular contact cement is an excellent glue to start with, Barge is better but more expensive.

If you have access to a drill press you can start by drilling your holes, makes life a lot easier than all of that hand punching, especially if going through 3 layers of 10 oz leather.

If you have a hard time finding small pieces of good leather let me know, I can send you plenty of knife sheath sized scraps if you cover the cost of a flat rate box.

Once you get started let me know if you have any questions, I'll help you all I can.

[oldandslow]

cs, 9/24/12

Try the forums at www.leatherworker.net. They have a subforum devoted to knife and gun holsters and pointers on a lot of other leather work. It helped me when I first started making my holsters.

best wishes- oldandslow

[mdmorgan]

For supplies you cant beat Springfield Leather. Very good prices and even better customer service. Also they do offer smaller pieces of leather. I recommend the Herman Oak single shoulders. As noted above Leatherworker.net is a great place to pick up information.

[Jeff H]

If you have access to a drill press you can start by drilling your holes, makes life a lot easier than all of that hand punching, especially if going through 3 layers of 10 oz leather.

QFT!
You can always use a Dremel with the appropriate bit (3/32 IIRC). A Dremel or drill press will save your fingers when trying to push a needle through thick leather that just has an awl punch.

I'm no expert, but I have made a few holsters, mag carriers and a knife sheath. Tandy is where I get all of my supplies because its the only store in the city that I can walk into and pick out the leather I want.

[rcmodel]

http://www.thehighroad.org/showpost.php?p=4430173&postcount=2

http://www.thehighroad.org/showpost.php?p=4432559&postcount=7

http://www.thehighroad.org/showpost.php?p=4841284&postcount=22

http://www.thehighroad.org/showpost.php?p=4844143&postcount=26

http://www.thehighroad.org/showpost.php?p=5016426&postcount=49

rc

[scrat]

RC here is a question i have. How do you make the loops on a gun belt. Say western style belt with .45 loops for holding ammo. How do they do that are they individually sewn in whats the technique

[rcmodel]

There are two different ways I am familiar with.

In one, a continuous strip of leather is sewn on one end, then threaded through slots on the belt, then sewn or looped back under itself to form a knot on the other end.

In the event they eventually get too loose, one end can be unstitched or untied and the whole strip re-tightened and re-stitched back to the belt.
By necessity, this method takes up a lot of real estate and is best used on gun belts.

For belt slides, you want the cartridges closer together to take up less room.
The method I use, and the same as El Paso Saddlery uses, is to sew each individual loop.

I wet form the leather over smaller then caliber wood dowel rod sections.
Then after it dries, attach it to the belt or slide with contact cement and sew it with a continuous length of thread.

Once completed, the loops are wet again and cartridges inserted to stretch each loop to tightly fit the rounds.

I made this one 12 years ago and it hasn't got loose yet.

http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j219/rcmodel/Beltloops1.jpg

http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j219/rcmodel/BeltLoops2.jpg

http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j219/rcmodel/BeltLoops3.jpg

rc

[scrat]

Wow good info thanks for explaining