How do you carry your fixed blade?
- Thread starter slicksleeve
- Start date
- Status
OP
OP
slicksleeve
Member
No Sir its outside the waistband. Has a loop on the back side to thread the belt through.
That's a great first effort, knife sheaths are much more difficult to make then one would think. Especially a folded style sheath like that on a knife with a thicker handle, can be hard to get a nice mold to when you are folding over something that is so much thicker at one end than the other.
If I can give some constructive criticism from someone who has done quite a bit of leatherwork...
It looks like you trimmed/dressed the edge of the sheath after you did your stitching which usually results in an uneven border along the edge or the stitches running off the edge. If you use a quality glue (leatherweld is good for a slow set glue,weldwood is a cheap and easy to find contact cement that works really well) to stick your seams you can dress the edges down nicely before stitching without the sheath coming apart.
Then, if you have one, use an adjustable stitch groover to mark your stitch line. If you don't have one, you could also use a divider, compass, or even a pair of calipers to scribe a line an even distance from the edge. The main thing is having the edge finished and using it as a reference to mark the stitch line. Having something for a guide line makes a huge difference. Your stitches are pretty even and have a consistent appearance, nice job on that, if you get them in a nicer line it will make things look so much better.
I can't see what you did for a welt, but I assume you put one in. A rivet, or chicago screw just above your first stitch at the mouth of the sheath will help hold that stress point together, and will further protect your stitches from getting cut when you sheath the knife. The rapid rivets from Tandy Leather are cheap and very easy to set. You can also get copper harness rivets from tractor supply that can be set with a pair of side cutters and a ball peen hammer, but they are a bit larger in diameter.
I'm late to the thread but I am going to attach some pics of my EDC knife and the sheath I made for it. It is a bit of a modular set up and I think it might give you some ideas for future projects. The body of the sheath is formed and finished by itself and then I add a wrapped piece for whatever carry method I want. This particular sheath can be carried on a steel clip, or horizontally on my belt.
The 2nd sheath is built the same way but it has a belt loop which is riveted in place.
Building with this method lets me mold fewer layers of leather at one time and I think might make things easier for you to experiment with different carry methods like we are describing in this thread. You basically just build your sheath with a wide enough welt to get some rivets through it and then figure your carry points out from there. Manila folders are good for modeling the belt loops and stuff before you cut your leather out also.
Stick with it, you are off to a good start. I am still figuring this stuff out myself, maybe something I've stumbled across can help you.
If I can give some constructive criticism from someone who has done quite a bit of leatherwork...
It looks like you trimmed/dressed the edge of the sheath after you did your stitching which usually results in an uneven border along the edge or the stitches running off the edge. If you use a quality glue (leatherweld is good for a slow set glue,weldwood is a cheap and easy to find contact cement that works really well) to stick your seams you can dress the edges down nicely before stitching without the sheath coming apart.
Then, if you have one, use an adjustable stitch groover to mark your stitch line. If you don't have one, you could also use a divider, compass, or even a pair of calipers to scribe a line an even distance from the edge. The main thing is having the edge finished and using it as a reference to mark the stitch line. Having something for a guide line makes a huge difference. Your stitches are pretty even and have a consistent appearance, nice job on that, if you get them in a nicer line it will make things look so much better.
I can't see what you did for a welt, but I assume you put one in. A rivet, or chicago screw just above your first stitch at the mouth of the sheath will help hold that stress point together, and will further protect your stitches from getting cut when you sheath the knife. The rapid rivets from Tandy Leather are cheap and very easy to set. You can also get copper harness rivets from tractor supply that can be set with a pair of side cutters and a ball peen hammer, but they are a bit larger in diameter.
I'm late to the thread but I am going to attach some pics of my EDC knife and the sheath I made for it. It is a bit of a modular set up and I think it might give you some ideas for future projects. The body of the sheath is formed and finished by itself and then I add a wrapped piece for whatever carry method I want. This particular sheath can be carried on a steel clip, or horizontally on my belt.
The 2nd sheath is built the same way but it has a belt loop which is riveted in place.
Building with this method lets me mold fewer layers of leather at one time and I think might make things easier for you to experiment with different carry methods like we are describing in this thread. You basically just build your sheath with a wide enough welt to get some rivets through it and then figure your carry points out from there. Manila folders are good for modeling the belt loops and stuff before you cut your leather out also.
Stick with it, you are off to a good start. I am still figuring this stuff out myself, maybe something I've stumbled across can help you.
Attachments
RA40
Member
This is how I configured the utility for yard day carry. I plan on making some refinements so that it can be carried horizontally. The nice part about Kydex is that the material is easy to assemeble and if not happy heat it up and do it all over. I do enjoy stitching up the leather too.
To be honest, most of the time in, or attached to my pack. I keep a folder with a 3-4" blade in my pocket that is used most. If I need a bigger, stronger fixed blade it isn't hard to get. Especially if attached to the outside of a pack. But if I do carry it is vertical, strong side.
Brutuskend
Member
On my shoulder rig like this.
On my BP rig, like this.
On my BP rig, like this.
- Status
