how would I make a knife sheath??

[evilbacon]

I was wondering how I could possibly make my own knife sheath using regular things I could find around the house. I have a 6" blade kabar that I had just bought for only 13 dollars, it is a really nicely balanced knife with a drop point blade, later im going to take a file to the back of it and make a serrated edge and a line cutter. The sheath that it came with is a wanna be leather and is just poorly designed to hold such a nice knife. I have heard of people making sheaths out of ordinary materials you can find in your house or a fabric store, but I never knew if there were directions on how to make these. So if anyone could give me directions to make one with a locking system, i would be very greatful.

Thanks

Evil

 

[Green_Manelishi]

Would not it be easier to buy a knife with a serration spine and line cutter than
to muck up a "perfectly" good knife? The cutting edge itself should cut line well
enough.

 

[ScubaGypsy]

http://www.atlanticunderwater.com/equipment/knife.shtml

 

[evilbacon]

well although the knife is beautiful, it is made in pakistan so it is really not top quality steel. Although i was thinking about taking the file to it, i never had the heart to do so. I am most likely take a diamond stone to it and make a new blade on it and then take a fine stone to it to make that razor edge that will cut through anything like warm butter.

 

[airsix]

Evil,
Don't ruin a good kabar. Besides, it's not suitable for diving unless it's one of the more highly corrosion-resistant stainless steels (many kabars are hi-carbon or slightly-stainless). If it is stainless then that means it's not differentially heat treated. That means the spine is the same hardness as the cutting edge. Therefore the spine is most likely a Rockwell C-scale hardness of between 57-60 depending on the alloy. A good Nicholson file probably has a hardness of 61-62. You'll wear your file dull and make a mess of the knife. You can get a very inexpensive dive knife that work great for it's intended purpose.

ps - Regarding your comment yesterday that knives are primarily weapons and only incidentally used as tools... Actually the vast majority of knives (past and present) have been designed specifically as tools - NOT weapons. Trust me.

-Ben M. (part-time custom knifemaker)

 

[MSilvia]

The simplest "locking" sheath I've made was a piece of 2" webbing. I folded it over to make a sleeve my belt would fit through, and sewed the end down with a stitching awl. I then folded it over again to make a pocket the right length for the blade, and stitched up the sides. That made a simple sheath, but the knife easily slid out. I stopped that from happening by putting a "figure 8" snorkle keeper around the base of the sheath, and over the handle of the knife. If I take the knife out, it might slice the keeper, but they're a buck to replace and I figure a lot less important than my knife being there when I need it.

 

[evilbacon]

ps - Regarding your comment yesterday that knives are primarily weapons and only incidentally used as tools... Actually the vast majority of knives (past and present) have been designed specifically as tools - NOT weapons. Trust me.

-Ben M. (part-time custom knifemaker)

Yeah, I know, I was generalizing when I shouldn't have been. Yeah I also realized that a file is pretty worthless when it meets steel. I have 2 other dive knives, but they just don't feel right when i hold them. I like the weight of the Kabar and the way it is balanced. I have that "razor" edge on it and it just feels perfect in the palm of my hand. A little rust on it wont hurt either, I can just wire brush it off, plus it is a throw away knife anyways (only got it because it was 13 dollars at a hardware store) But it is a really beautiful knife. Also, since your a custom knife maker, do you know a good way to make a sheath for diving use?

thanks

evil