Work Knife Replacement

Part II

Bob Smalser, Seabeck, WA

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To protect the interior stitching from the knife blade, I rub them into the leather with a seam rubber and douse them in cyano glue for a little armor.

I make a spacer of thicker leather for the back seam, and will awl holes for that seam, as accurately aligning 4 thicknesses of leather for stitching requires it. I pounce and awl the sheath�s front first�.

�transfer those holes to the thick spacer with the aid of lofting ice picks for alignment�

�and finally to the rear of the sheath. I trial fit my tools as I go and decide to change the shape of the Maglite and fid pockets, as I have more leather there than I need.

When satisfied with my final shape, I�m almost ready to stitch the main seam.

As I will rivet the point of the seam�s main stress, I punch holes and use the rivet�s copper nail as an alignment aid instead of an ice pick. With awled holes, alignment is easy and I complete the seam, doubling my stitching at stress and wear points.

Then all that remains is finishing the rivet and stitching out the fid/Maglite pockets�

�soaking the leather and fitting the tools to the sopping wet sheath�including the belt in the belt loop. It then goes on a high shelf above the radiator to dry and shrink.

Continued�

Re: Part III

Bob Smalser, Seabeck, WA

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After the soaked leather dries under heat, shrinking around the tools, I evaluate the fit for final corrections.

I wet it again...this time with alcohol...lightly where the fit is good and heavily where I need more molding....and I "bone" all the seams and the moldings with hardwood for a better fit and finish.

Then I strap the still-wet assembly on the belt and wear it for a day to further mold it to my body.

I could have tooled the leather with fancy designs�.and I could finish it the typical way with dye followed by lacquer�but as all these leather utility items will wind up looking like the original sheaths above within a year, I choose a utility finish.

Examine antique, tooled leatherwork finished with lacquer or oil and you�ll find a lot of dry cracked leather. Much of that is the quality of the leather used, but the oldest leatherwork I�ve seen that was still in service after many decades was Swiss�and I duplicate that finish by saturating the leather in melted beeswax. The sheath is left in the hot wax just long enough for the leather to heat sufficiently to allow the wax to penetrate to the core�then removed and cooled.

Then for cosmetics, I buff it out with an old-T-shirt rubber, water, and a light coating of harder carnauba wax atop for a �spit-shined� finish.

That�s the last maintenance I�ll have to do to that piece until it wears through, and I save the pattern for when that day comes.

Leatherwork Questions

Don Thompson, Cutler Ridge, Florida

>As usual, a very nice article - and in a specialty of which I know nothing.

Why is the spacer for the back seam needed?

Why did you use both water and alcohol for shrinking the leather?

Is there a vendor of leatherworking supplies which you would recommend?

Is there a book on utilitarian leatherworking which you would recommend?

Thanks, and keep up the good work.

Re: Part III

Todd Hughes

>Very Nice work Bob ! I used to make alot of knife sheaths and always enjoyed doin it.The only thing i would have done different would use a waxed linen thread with two needles and sew it with a lock stich by hand but the sewing awl you used certainly works as well....again nice work....Todd

Re: Leatherwork Questions

Bob Smalser, Seabeck, WA

>"Why is the spacer for the back seam needed?"

The spacer isn't necessary, but was done because of the thick handle to better balance the sheath in thickness top and bottom. Without it the sheath'd be real fat on top and real skinny...perhaps too skinny....at the bottom. I want the knife to freefall to the bottom of the sheath w/o pushing.

"Why did you use both water and alcohol for shrinking the leather? "

They do the same thing....depends on the time of day...water has to dry overnight but alcohol can be worked very quickly.

"Is there a vendor of leatherworking supplies which you would recommend? "

Ebay. Tandy is too expensive.

"Is there a book on utilitarian leatherworking which you would recommend? "

Find Tandy's site...I have books on rigging and sailmaking but not leatherwork.

Re: Work Knife Replacement

Charles

>After you wear this knife out, try the Gerber brand. I have had several over the past 25 years and believe they hold an edge better than most. I was very impressed with your skills in leatherwork.

Re: Part III

Jim in Burlington Ontario

>Bob your one very interesting guy. I find your posts facinating. Who would have thought of that I just have my small light on a bungee cord my knife in my pocket. Although I do find a electricans hooked knife to be the most usefull.

A book suggestion... *LINK*

David Barnett

>"The Art of Hand Sewing Leather", by Al Stohlman, can be found used on eBay most anytime. Its 69 pages cover the sewing techniques for leather casework (not clothing); sheaths, holsters, camera cases, and so on. It covers the basics well enough, and although the designs are pretty outdated, the methods can be applied to whatever you design. You'll learn how to soak and shrink the leather onto a model or the actual object and sew a super-strong two-needle saddle stitch.

The tools are simple and ubiquitous, and this level of leatherworking is easy and fun - nowhere nearly so hard as woodworking, in my opinion. I've made concealment holsters, tool sheaths, shot and sandbags, all kinds of stuff, although I've progressed to cordwaining pursuits these last three years, apparently so I could learn how daunting leatherwork can really be if you push yourself hard enough.

A kit that includes the book (on sale through August) can be had from Tandy (not my favorite source by a long shot):


Hand Stitching Kit

Re: Work Knife Replacement

Derek Cohen (in Perth, Australia)

>Bob

This is another one to be filed for use. It will be used.

Thanks again for another well written and illustrated article.

Regards from Perth

Derek

Thanks, Dave & Bob.

Don Thompson, Cutler Ridge, Florida

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Another fine article...

Scott Burr in Ben Lomond CA

>You truly are a Jack of all trades.