Loose Sheath
- Thread starter Joneszee
- Start date
The water will eventually dry out of it and crack up the leather sheath. Not sure about tightening to leather.. maybe oils? restitching it?
I've wet-formed all of my sheaths and never had a problem with drying out the leather. Just make sure you gently rub some conitioner into it after its dry. (If the leather was brain-tanned, you don't even have to bother with conditioning). Here's a hint...
Cover the knife in plastic wrap and place it in the sheath. Get a couple pieces of thick foam rubber (I use those little foam blocks you put under your canoe when you strap it to a car roof). Sandwich the sheathed knife between the blocks and wrap the hell out of it with rope. Apply lots of pressure while binding. Leave it for 4-5 hrs, and then take it all apart, gently remove the knife(wipe off the blade cause there's probably some moisture) reshape the sheath with your fingers to tighten a bit. Let it dry slowly away from heat( It'll shrink enough to give you a snug fit (Depending on how the leather was treated, salt crystals may form, just buff them off with a dry cloth). Then I condition the leather and seal it with some beeswax. Gently melt the wax on with a heatgun. Good luck.
Cover the knife in plastic wrap and place it in the sheath. Get a couple pieces of thick foam rubber (I use those little foam blocks you put under your canoe when you strap it to a car roof). Sandwich the sheathed knife between the blocks and wrap the hell out of it with rope. Apply lots of pressure while binding. Leave it for 4-5 hrs, and then take it all apart, gently remove the knife(wipe off the blade cause there's probably some moisture) reshape the sheath with your fingers to tighten a bit. Let it dry slowly away from heat( It'll shrink enough to give you a snug fit (Depending on how the leather was treated, salt crystals may form, just buff them off with a dry cloth). Then I condition the leather and seal it with some beeswax. Gently melt the wax on with a heatgun. Good luck.
I also wet formed my sheath. All i did was smeared the blade with general purpose grease, wrapped tightly in cling film, popped into the sheath and wrapped a tea-towel tightly around the whole thing. I found the ideal thing then was to place it under one of my kids bean-bags and sat on it all evening which meant that pressure was aplied in all the right places - primitive, I admit, but i think it woked for mine.
I would say just to be carefull about tying it with anything that will leave an impression upon the leather as once it is dry you'll have a bugger of a job removing said impression.
I would say just to be carefull about tying it with anything that will leave an impression upon the leather as once it is dry you'll have a bugger of a job removing said impression.
Beanbag chair?... That'll give me a actual reason to sit on my bottom... I like it!! Just soak the sheath in the water. As for marks on the leather... make sure that the only thing touching the sheath is the foam rubber. Unless you WANT to imprint something into the leather for decor, I suppose.
There is one thing that I would say, once you have wetformed the sheath and it has been drying out for a while try using a leather conditioner whilst the leather is still damp, rub it in with your fingers as it will penetrate the leather better if it is worked in when it is warm. When the sheath has dried out fully (it will take a little longer) it will not go quite as hard as it would after a good soaking and then drying out.
If you dry the leather out too quickly it will go solid and it will lose natural oils, but if you let it take its time it will be okay.
If you dry the leather out too quickly it will go solid and it will lose natural oils, but if you let it take its time it will be okay.
