Need help from leather working guru's

[beowolf762]

I am making a knife from the Brisa Puuku kit. The handle of the knife is much smaller in diameter than the sheath. How do I wet forn a sheath that is allready made? This is a follow up from the wet forming question, from a few days ago. Thanks in advance :You_Rock_

 

[Rod]

My tip.

Wrap the handle in clingfilm and fit into the sheath. Pour boiling water over the handle area of the sheath on both sides, then rub into shape. An antler tip is about the best thing you can use.

I have had some folks freak at the idea of using boiling water, but to shape anything - wood, metal anything - you need 2 elements: water and heat. Leather is no different really

Once the leather cannot be worked any more remove your knife and dry the sheath asap - a hairdrier works best. This sets the shape, and will make the leather stiff. Oil/wax the sheath well and polish with the heal of your palm. Be reasonably freehanded with the waxing

here are my two knives - both scandis

hope this helps

 

[leon-1]

Generally what Rod said will do the job.


A couple of things though, most epoxy resin starts to deteriorate if subjected to temperatures in excess of 70 degrees centigrade and leather that is subjected to extremely hot water will form very easily, but you will wash a lot of the natural oils from the leather, later it will become very hard and inflexible unless you "feed" the leather on a regular basis, drying it out rapidly will have the same effect.

Other suggestions for tools to form the leather are a spoon (it doesn't have to be one you have carved ) or a modelling tool or even a pen.

When I wet form I don't use hot water, I use luke warm / tepid water, I don't speed up the drying process either by using an airing cupboard or sitting things on the heater. The results are very good. This is a picture that I have borrowed from another thread, it shows a knife with sheath and a possibles pouch, the sheath didn't require a lot of forming, but look at the possibles pouch.

I have a picture of a sheat hfor my F1 about somewhere which I'll dig out, also be aware that different types of leather have different properties and form better or worse than others (German Half Tanned is probably one of the best).

 

[John Fenna]

I fill the bathroom sink with hand hot water and place the sheath (with knife inside wrapped water"proofly" in plastic - normally cheap carrier bag and sellotape)in the water until bubbles stop rising.
I then remove the sheath from the water and massage it to shape, rubbing it with a smoothe tool (often the plastic covered handle of a pair of pliers) decorative bands can be rubbed in around the neck of the sheath with a hard tool (such as the closed jaws of said pliers...) as well.

If I need to dramatically reduce the diam of the sheath for a tight fit I will even go as far as wrapping the leather in wet cotton fabric(to avoid marking) and tightly bing leather to knife with cord. Leaving out the padding ensures a very "patterned" effect on the leather.

If the leather needs stretching to give a looser fit I either wrap a lot of carrier around the knife before fitting it in the sheath for soaking or gently wedge it wider when the leather is well soaked, using shaped wooden wedges made for the job.

If I am fitting leather to a wooden lower section sheath I make a tight fitting tube of learher, soak it well and wrestle it onto the wooden section (losing finger nails /temper/sanity as I do...) and tie cord around the join so that the leather forms into the groove at the top of the wood, making a secure fit. When dry and waxed I tie a leather thong around the groove for decoration/to avoid the leather ever smoothing out with age/rain soaking/abuse.

Hope that is of use.
Jophn

 

[BorderReiver]

Very nice work Leon-1.

 

[Big John]

I used boiling hot water once and the leather instantly shrivelled into a rock-hard burnt-looking mess

Fortunately it was only a test piece, but be careful. I'm not sure if the leather was too thin or has been treated in some way which made it react, but I'd never use anything more than hand-hot now.

Personally, I'd soak the leather first - until the bubbles stop and then a bit more (generally an hour or so), then push the knife in and shape it. That way there is less chance of the knife suffering water damage during the soak.

 

[leon-1]

Very nice work Leon-1.

Thanks Mike, I'll see if I can find the picture of the wetformed F1 sheath, if not I'll take another.

 

[beowolf762]

Thanks for the replies, :You_Rock_
The sheath I am using is a center seam puuku sheath. The handle os the knife is much smaller than the opening of the sheath. There is a plastic blade catcher in the bottom part of the sheath. Would I clamp just along the handle section of the sheath?

 

[leon-1]

Thanks for the replies, :You_Rock_
The sheath I am using is a center seam puuku sheath. The handle os the knife is much smaller than the opening of the sheath. There is a plastic blade catcher in the bottom part of the sheath. Would I clamp just along the handle section of the sheath?

In short "Yes".

Try to form along the seam if possible, it may enable you to cut the old stitching and restitch it. If you use clamps try to use strips of leather to cushion the effects on the sheath (this way you avoid imprints of the clamps on your leather work).