Rawhide Sheath

[MartiniDave]

How about hot-waxing it?

 

[Man of Tanith]

How about hot-waxing it?

That causes a certain amount of shrinkage doesnt it?
Could be tricksome with a wet formed sheath?
I will experiment with an offcut i think

 

[MartiniDave]

I've only done a couple of sheaths - a helle eggen and a brusletto balder. I didn't notice any shrinkage, The process did make the leather very hard and rigid. Both have had quite a bit of use in something like 12 or 15 years and are holding up well. One advantage is you can warm the sheath up until the wax is soft then easily form the sheath for a really good fit.
Oh - almost forgot - it does darken the leather considerably too.

 

[Man of Tanith]

I've only done a couple of sheaths - a helle eggen and a brusletto balder. I didn't notice any shrinkage, The process did make the leather very hard and rigid. Both have had quite a bit of use in something like 12 or 15 years and are holding up well. One advantage is you can warm the sheath up until the wax is soft then easily form the sheath for a really good fit.
Oh - almost forgot - it does darken the leather considerably too.

How did you do it?
In a big vat of wax and dipped in?

 

[MartiniDave]

I used an old tin can over a trangia burner to melt a bit of beeswax, which I sort of half dipped the sheath into and half brushed on with an old toothbrush, if that makes any sense.
I do have to say when you first start it looks awful, but keep working at it and it will come good - well, mine did anyway!
There are tutorials on the web.

 

[Man of Tanith]

great stuff thanks
hmmmm some experiments are in order i think