Leather

[durulz]

OK, every so often this one comes up, and now it's my turn.
I want to make my own sheath!
I'm a reasonably handy person, and saw the tutorial in the Articles sections and I reckon it's within my abilities.
Here's the thing: leather.

Where do I get it from? I live in Kent, so does anyone know of anywhere in Kent I can get it? Prefer to buy it face-to-face than order, but if order is the way to go then so be it.
Just what should I be asking for, and how much should I roughly expect it to cost?
If anyone on here lives in Kent and has enough spare I'd be more than happy to give you a fair price.
Cheers for the help.

 

[Mike Ameling]

An inexpensive way to do a simple knife sheath as a first project would be to use some "scrounged" leather. And one of the better sources for that is an old boot. Pick up an old cowboy/engineer boot at one of the "junque" stores. That top has a lot of leather in it. And some of those high-top boots have some pretty thick/stiff leather. (They also make some pretty simple/quick pouches! Often with "tooling" on the leather.)

Or make the sheath from rawhide. Pick up a rawhide doggy chew-bone at the local pet supply. Soak it in water until it gets soft. Then un-tie it, and stretch it out and nail it to an old board. When it dries, you will have a nice flat sheet of rawhide to work with. Then follow your knife sheath pattern.

A lot of people I know will first make a rawhide sheath, and then cover it with soft leather outside. That way they get the stiffness of the rawhide, the edge protection of the rawhide, but that leather outside.

And once you get that little bit of "experience", you will have a better idea of what you might want to buy in new leather. Hope this helps.

Mikey - that grumpy ol' German blacksmith out in the Hinterlands

 

[durulz]

An inexpensive way to do a simple knife sheath as a first project would be to use some "scrounged" leather. And one of the better sources for that is an old boot. Pick up an old cowboy/engineer boot at one of the "junque" stores. That top has a lot of leather in it. And some of those high-top boots have some pretty thick/stiff leather. (They also make some pretty simple/quick pouches! Often with "tooling" on the leather.)

Or make the sheath from rawhide. Pick up a rawhide doggy chew-bone at the local pet supply. Soak it in water until it gets soft. Then un-tie it, and stretch it out and nail it to an old board. When it dries, you will have a nice flat sheet of rawhide to work with. Then follow your knife sheath pattern.

A lot of people I know will first make a rawhide sheath, and then cover it with soft leather outside. That way they get the stiffness of the rawhide, the edge protection of the rawhide, but that leather outside.

And once you get that little bit of "experience", you will have a better idea of what you might want to buy in new leather. Hope this helps.

Mikey - that grumpy ol' German blacksmith out in the Hinterlands

Excellent idea. Good little tip, that. Cheers.

 

[clcuckow]

It depends a lot on the type of sheath you what to make, and size of knife etc. e.g. Scani sheaths are normally had from quite thin rawhide with an insert where as woodlore style use 3-3 1/2 Veg Tan with a welt.

You might find that you will have to buy a full or half shoulder as well. Or you could try attenborough accessories who sell one knife size pieces www.attacc.com.

One thing thought it is adictive so you might what to go with the sholder

Edit:

That will teach me to pick up the phone mid post