CraigC
Sixgun Nut
From the very beginning, this was the kind of work I wanted to learn how to do. So this, my first beaded knife sheath, is about three years in the making. I've drawn up patterns three times, started two other beaded panels and put it off several times. Until now. I drew up the pattern, cut it out, cleaned it up and started the beadwork months ago and just worked on it as I found time. Couple weeks ago I decided to get serious and finish it. While Chuck Burrows' videos helped me immensely with making holsters and knife sheaths, a lot of this I had to figure out on my own. There are books and videos on beadwork and knife sheaths but nobody shows you how to actually put a beaded knife sheath together. I've put more time into this sheath than full belt and holster rigs. After many hours of toil, it is finally finished. The body of the sheath is 8-9oz vegetable tanned cowhide from the most flea-bitten, scar covered hide I've ever seen, carved in a crosshatch/quilted pattern. The metal spots are antique brass. The cuff is deerskin. The stitching was all done with artificial sinew. The smaller pound beads are modern Czech made. The larger beads are a mixture of modern trade beads, crow beads and antique red padre beads. The tin cones were antiqued with muriatic acid and peroxide. The bone hair pipes were also antiqued. The fringe and tin cones are decorated with black horse hair. No less than four colors of both water and alcohol based dyes were used on the various components. All in all, I think it turned out pretty good.
Beadwork detail.
Fringe detail.
Stitching detail.
The knife in question is a 5" clip point from ML Knives.
Beadwork detail.
Fringe detail.
Stitching detail.
The knife in question is a 5" clip point from ML Knives.