Birthday Build

[BrokenolMarine]

Next item for the last session of the day was to make the loop that will secure the knife in it's sheath. I cut a 1" wide strip from the raw leather, using an old belt piece saved from a gun belt, I fancied up the end a bit, and rounded off the opposite end. I then tooled the strap, and burnished the edges. Done.

39 tie down cut and tooled.jpg

Of course, when I decide on the dye I'll use for the finished sheath, this piece will get dyed before assembly. Before stopping for the evening I started tooling the leather for the main sheath body. A basketweave pattern. I haven't finished the tooling yet, so no pics. Ran out of time and my hands started to ache. Arthur told me I was done for the night. Some of you know him. Arthur Itis.

More to come, watch this spot.

[rickhem]

Metal, Wood, Leather, you do it all!
And for your CA application, maybe a small paintbrush of some sort? I'd use those acid brushes for the epoxy coat on the lures, and they're great for that, but that has a much longer work time than the CA, so not sure that'll work there.
Anyway, the knife looks fantastic, and the sheath is just as nice!

[BrokenolMarine]

Thanks Rick. When I try the CA on scrap wood, I will give the acid brushes a try.

[Hatchdog]

Never seen any hacking in the BOM shop. Looks great

Me neither. Looking great BOM, especially the scales and the color’s popping out.

[BrokenolMarine]

Back at it this morning. I had forgotten to post a pic of the welt after I cut out the template, transferred the design and cut it out. So, I'll correct that sad failure first. If you look closely at the welt I cut out, you'll see that after testing, I opened the top of the welt to allow the knife to slide in and out of the sheath. It was binding badly on the notch and I could live without it.

40 the welt.jpg

Last night I had started on the tooling of the main sheath body, a basket weave pattern. I got partially done and had to go inside to take Princess Fiona on her nightly ride... so here is where I left off. It was looking pretty good.

41 basketweave started.jpg

My first task this morning was to finish the tooling of the main sheath body, which included filling in the open areas as much as possible, which is always a risk. You have to tilt the stamp and lightly stamp, the risk is TOO much stamp, and going outside the defined area. You can't take it back. After you are satisfied you have done as much as you can, you bevel your border. Then, your final task is to use the border stamp of your choice to go around the inside of the pattern. This, hopefully, fills in the pattern and gives you a complete look.

42 sheath body tooling done.jpg

I also added my maker's mark to the back of the sheath body. An Eagle, Globe, and Anchor with BrokenolMarine above it.

[BrokenolMarine]

The next task on the morning agenda was to cut and form a belt loop for the back of the sheath. I traced the area I wanted, cut it out and then using an old belt scrap defined the areas that needed sewn down. Then using a spacing wheel, I marked the stitch holes and drilled them on the table top press, ONLY in the loop portion for now. I'll use that as a guide to drill thru the sheath after they are glued together.

43 belt loop holes marked.jpg

I marked the area where contact cement will be applied on BOTH halves, and roughed them slightly to insure a good hold, then applied the cement to allow it to reach tacky stage.

44 roughed for contact and cement applied.jpg

Once that happens, you have ONE shot at matching the halves. Once they touch, they are glued. You MIGHT get a shot at adjustment but in most cases, it's not happening. I nailed it. I applied my clamps and left it to cure. Note my clamps have leather hoods to avoid imprints. During my "LEARNING" phase I applied clamps along a beautiful piece of leather I had spent hours carving oak leaves and acorns and then folding and gluing in prep for sewing. When I removed the clamps, the sheath had "Teeth Marks" from those plastic spring clamps everywhere they had been applied. Ruined all that work. Now the leather clamps all wear leather hoods.

[BrokenolMarine]

or... maybe you could call them leather Muzzles.

[BrokenolMarine]

Got the welt glued in this morning, and dyed the inside of the sheath. Some leave it natural, I think it looks better dyed a dark color, it also protects it some. You don't dye the area where you'll put glue. I roughed up the areas for the gluing of the welt and off side.

46 inside dyed.jpg

While I waited for the dye to dry, I started on the Bead Line that I am going to add to the finished sheath in the last phase. It's something have have always intended to try, and since this is for Miss Tina, It thought it was a perfect time to give it a shot. I picked up a bunch of mixed stuff at Hobby Lobby and am pre-stringing them to set up the order but they will be sewn individually.

48 bead chain.jpg

The dye dried and I coated both halves with contact cement and did some cleanup and putting away of tools while I waited. Then, time to clamp the sheath. It's starting to look like a sheath at this point. Took a while.

49 Glued up.jpg

[BrokenolMarine]

After lunch I was back out, and the sheath was out of the clamps. I laid out the patch for the bead chain and measured the grouping, and spaced the holes appropriately after marking and cutting a groove for the beads to follow and seat in.

50 grooved and marked for bead chain.jpg

Took the sheath to the drill press and drilled the bead line and the belt loop retention lines which I had marked prior and drilled before the belt loop was glued on. I drilled those using the first piece as a template.

51 drilled.jpg

A view of the back. Beginners in leather often have very neat lines on the front of things, but the back lines wander and sometimes break out the sides. You learn to avoid this by putting uneven or odd shaped pieces on a raised board and pressing them flat so the drill bit is drilling straight through.

52 back.jpg

You can sew, then dye, but the thread will be dyed with the leather. Fine if you don't mind that. At times, the contrasting thread is an accent you want. In my case, I don't want the bead work dyed, so I dye now, and will antique and wax prior to sewing. I'll burnish the edges after sewing has pulled them tight.

53 first dye pass on sheath.jpg

Looks good so far, but antiquing will really make the tooling pop.

[Hatchdog]

Can’t wait to see what you are going to do with that bead line. I’m thinking that it will be a nice compliment to the scales. We’ll see soon….