Leather work is a very calming activity for me. There’s something relaxing about the smell of the leather and the sounds it makes when you’re working with it. I think everyone needs a calming project once in a while.
I decided to make a small leather knife sheath for a pocket knife I have. I don’t have a particular pattern to use for it so I’ll be designing mine from scratch. I’m taking a few measurements of the knife to determine the height of the sheath. Then I’m using a scrap of leather wrapped around the knife to get the width. This little trick works very well and I wish I knew where I saw this done so I could give proper credit. With my measurements taken, I can start drawing out the pattern.
I like to use empty cereal boxes for my patterns. It seems I always have a couple on hand to use. The cardboard is heavy enough to last a while, and doesn’t readily tear as you use it. I transferred my measurements to the cardboard and added some material for my stitch lines. I also plan to use a welt in my sheath. I added 3/16″ to the total size of the sheath, but in hindsight I should have used a bit more. I think at least 1/4″ would have been better. It was difficult to punch in the center of the 3/16″ welt, and I had a couple stitches fall off the edge. This didn’t really affect the end result but it would look better if it didn’t happen.
With my pattern complete and cut out, I transferred it to a piece of leather and using a very sharp utility knife I cut it from the leather. Now its time to glue it up. I used contact cement to glue the pieces. I ended up having to wet the leather to get it to fold in half. After the glue dried, I trimmed and sanded the sides flush, as well as beveled the edges. Now its just a matter of punching on my stitch line and hand sewing it together. With the stitching complete, I was able to wet mold the sheath to fit the knife. This is where it really begins to take shape. Once it dried, I wiped the leather down with a coat of Neatsfoot Oil to condition the leather.
This little sheath turned out great. It holds the knife securely and should last a very long time. I think its good to practice making templates from scratch and a little project like this is a great opportunity.
Check out the build video below. Have a great day!
— Affiliate Links to Products Used —
5mm Stitching Chisels – https://amzn.to/2ZYLe57
.8mm Cream Waxed Thread – https://amzn.to/3o1IWur
John James #18 Saddlers Harness Needles – https://amzn.to/3qciml2
Tack Hammer – https://amzn.to/3GYjK0u
Neatsfoot Oil – https://amzn.to/3bR4cfe
Wing Divider – https://amzn.to/3cxYbF1
Wooden Edge Slicker – https://amzn.to/3aH9XKZ
Contact Cement – https://amzn.to/3f2OyPN
Stanley Utility Knife – https://amzn.to/2KMRq5n
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