Wet-formed sheaths

[Stevie]

Does any one else here wet-form their leather sheaths? I find they tend to hold the knife tighter and stop you pushing a sharp blade all the way through the sheath into your leg, "cheek" or hip depending upon where the knife is :O

Here's a couple I did a while ago:-

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y101/smarguet/Forums/Wetformed.jpg

I'm thinking of hot waxing a couple soon. ;)

[MotorbikeMan]

you might want to take a wander throught the sheath making forum mate ;)

[Stevie]

I'll have to change the way I "look" at this site...keep finding new forums that I didn't know existed :C

[Basemetal]

Steve, Mate,
Either Click on "Main Menu" button then "Forums homepage"
or on the text "British Blades :: Custom Knife Making " at the top of just about every screen.

All Forums should then be visible.
(and remember there's a website and gallery too....;)....tabs at top right of screen )

[Stevie]

Thanks Danny...got lots of reading to catch up on now, there goes any work today :D

[Basemetal]

You must have wondered what the rest of us were doing all this time.... :C :O :lol:

[MotorbikeMan]

I'll have to change the way I "look" at this site...keep finding new forums that I didn't know existed :C
:D

[Dave Barker]

Is there anyone who DOES NOT wet form their sheaths;)

[Mr_Yarrow]

me, cos I havent got round to it yet :D

[PS_Bond]

Is there anyone who DOES NOT wet form their sheaths;)

It depends on what I'm doing.
Sandwich sheaths are rarely wet formed, for example.

[Dave Barker]

It depends on what I'm doing.
Sandwich sheaths are rarely wet formed, for example.

neither i kydex i spose..

[TGW]

I always do my sheath's wet Stevie. Just because the leather works much smoother and it better form it selves to the knife when it's wet. Also, the leather I use is so hard that it's almost impossible to make form it dry. :)
By the way, your sheaths looks nice to me, why hot waxing :S

[clcuckow]

I think it is a safe bet that most of us wet form.

[Tiffers]

I think it is a safe bet that most of us wet form.

:happy65:

Yep :)

Tiffers

[Stew]

Ai!

Why wouldn't you wet form?

[Underhay]

I didn't wet form my sheaths until I read the tutorial on this site.

Now I have seen the light :love29:

[Tiffers]

There are some brilliant tutorials on this site and most of them dont take tooooo much finding :)

Tiffers

[Stevie]

There are some brilliant tutorials on this site and most of them dont take tooooo much finding :)

Tiffers

Now I know about this forum I'll have to read some of them :baghead

I was thinking of hot waxing them to keep moisture out... :huh: Several of my blades are carbon steel rather than stainless and with winter coming and even more rain than we have had this summer I was thinking that the wax would protect the sheath and keep moisture away from the blade :confused1

[clcuckow]

Stevie I hot dip mine in a 50/50 mix of bees wax and neatsfoot oil. Don't let it get to hot or you will fry it and you will have a useless lump and wasted god knows how much time! Also remember that it will darken the leather a fair bit especially if you have put it is a very low oven (50-70C) like I do after dipping.

[Basemetal]

The hot wax also renders the sheath impermeable so that any moisture or condensation on the blade cannot escape. Once dipped, the sheath is effectively a plastic (or at least polymerised collagen). That said, hot dipping also encapsulates the acids in the leather (provided you do a full internal dip) but you run the risk of localised anaerobic corrosion from atmospheric moisture, even on (or especially on) some stainless blades.

Usual advice is that you a shouldn't keep knives in their sheaths for storage. Probably better to give the blade a wipe with Ren Wax and have a breathable sheath.

[Dave Barker]

I always use a leather grease on the blade section of the sheath prior to sewing . it works into the leather when you form the sheath.

The shaft part of the sheath is either treated with something called "tåkekape( gerd ,TWG HELP WITH THE TRANSLATION PLEASE) or with a leather hardener. this effectively seals the sheath.

In Addition to that all of my sheaths have a drainage hole in the bottom( the toe) so that should the knife etc get wet ( like when fishing for example) the water drains.

i have a sheath ølike this that is 4 years old and takes regular soakings and abuse.... once every 3 or 4 months i recoat the outside with grease and all as still well.....

[clcuckow]

Dave, What leather do you use for your scandi sheaths?

[Stevie]

I never leave the blades in their sheafs when storing them. The blades go in to a cardboard sleave for safety and the sheath is bagged in the box next to it. I was thinking more of when I'm out using them. Plenty of good advice...to wax or not to wax...no wonder women shave :D

[Dave Barker]

Dave, What leather do you use for your scandi sheaths?


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