Shaping Leather Sheath To Fit Knife?

[FlashPan]

Hi all,

I just purchased this from ebay

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/201691186...49&var=501455694974&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

To use with my Mora type wooden handle knife.

The sheath looks quite good although a bit rough around the edges. It is also very very stiff and dry feeling. Quite a tight fit in fact for holding my knife and quite a struggle to pull it from the sheath. I was recalling someone showing how to help make a sheath fit to a knife better which may help me here.

Has anyone got any pointers please?

I was thinking to soak it in water for a while with the knife inserted to help shape it. Just don't want to cock it up

Also anyone got an idea what that wide bad loop is for on the front? Thought maybe for a ferro rod but I cannot see how it who be held in place.

Cheers

 

[Squidders]

wetting the leather should work depending on any treatment that might have been applied to the leather. I would be inclined to add just a little extra size to the handle of the knife by wrapping some cling film around the handle and then some masking tape and pushing it into the sheath a few times to see if the sheath will be more accommodating. The leather will naturally move around a little over time and a tight sheath initially will often be a perfect sheath in the future.

 

[Squidders]

The wide loop is also a belt loop for cross carry like this.

and this...

 

[johnnythefox]

I would wet it myself

did you see the knives being sold as bottle openers,clever.

 

[FlashPan]

Ahh ok, clever idea that loop. I was thinking I might have to attach another as the loop at the top is not that big.

Thanks for the advise on wetting the sheath. I guess I'll wet it for about an hour, insert the knife and leave it over night to shape/dry, remove the knife, dry more and then some dubbin followed by lanolin.

Cheers again

 

[johnnythefox]

I wet it then insert/remove the knife several times until it starts to reshape

 

[Janne]

Unless the knife is S/s, I would first apply a thin layer of gun oil ( or maybe engine oil) then wrap it tightly in Cling film before inserting it in the wet leather.

 

[FlashPan]

Good tip Thx, not having that oil to hand was thinking of using some 501 stuff I have laying around. Cannot say if it is stainless steel or not. So long ago I bought them.

Cheers

 

[Janne]

If it is old and shiny = S/s or a Carbon steel blade with an OCD owner!


Vaseline works well too.

 

[dewi]

Wrap the blade in cling film, nice and tight... that will protect it while you mould to the blade.

Depending the treatments to the leather, you shouldn't need to soak it... cold water for a softish mould, hot water for a hardish mould... it's easy enough to do. But i wouldn't leave the blade in there overnight.... shape it, remove the knife and let it dry naturally... it'll give a nice snug fit to your knife.