Making a period correct knife sheath

[Dan'l Hickham]

I have a knife that I really like I pretty much won it at a shoot last year - but I never have really liked the sheath that came with it.

For you great craftsman - how do you make a period sheath - as I am slowly trying to move to an Upper Missouri Fur Trade (1810ish) impression I would like to figure out a good period sheath a bit on the fancy side for this knife that would be correct.

[Chuck Burrows]

Dan'l - you want NDN or white eyes fancy??? Also a pic of the knife would help.......

[Dan'l Hickham]

I was thinking of maybe a rawhide liner with a german tan or brain tan outer - perhaps beaded or quilled - NDN probably

Pic of knife hmmm - will have to figure out how to do that with my camera phone

[jeffp]

Dan- if yer gonna go NDN, with the rawhide insert and the brain tan outer,
I'd try and locate a piece of nice buff rawhide. It's thick and hard when it drys
and really holds up well, especially when it gets damp or wet; compared to the
other rawhide options.

First step, if yer makin it yerself...is to make you a pattern from
some paper...I usually use some drawing paper or grocery sack paper.

Make sure when you make your pattern, that you make it with both
sides of the sheath connected. That way when you cut the rawhide out,
you only have to sew up the back side...unless of course you plan on
making a "slotted" sheath, which will have a slightly different pattern.

The best way to start this is to find a photo of a style you like, and copy it.

[Chuck Burrows]

I've got some pics of originals and also a tutorial I'll post on building one but it will be later today or tomorrow since I'm spending the day in the shop....

[jeffp]

Here's a couple of pieces I made....nuthin fancy

Attachments:

[jeffp]

and another one....
this one is painted rawhide; using earth colors.

I wish I could find a photo of my slotted sheath, i'd post that too.

Attachments:

[Cody]

Dan'[l do you have a sorce for braintan? My pard makes some of the best Ive seen if you need.

[Dan'l Hickham]

Not yet - hoping to learn to do that this winter. I have feelers out to a couple deer processors here in central TX - I also thought I would make one for my big scalper out of rawhide and german tan and figure out how to do it and then try to come up with something really special for my french butcher knife

[Dan'l Hickham]

JeffP - Love the sheaths man - really nice work

Dan'l

[sean]

Dan'l,

Here's a simpler option if you want to go this route. Chuck and I have had several discussions about the 'tacked' sheathes shown in Miller's artwork. Chuck brought up the idea that these may have actually been harness rivets. This makes a lot of sense to me. If you look through Robert Campbell's account book on the X-mission site, you note that Campbell bought belts and knife scabbards from Grimsley's harness shop in STL. A simple harness riveted sheath is easy to make. I would suggest punching a hole along the row of rivets to run a thong through for wrapping around the sheath and your belt for more secure attachment.

Sean

[isaac]

If you want fancy and want to stick with just rawhide (instead of adding braintan over top. A painted rawhide like Jeff's above would be a good and correct idea. Below is one that I made based on one in the Peabody.

[isaac]

Here is a pic of the one that inspired me for the one I made...

[jeffp]

Dan'l- Thanks, They're a lot a fun to make.

Issac- Very nice reproduction of the incised sheath...well done!

[isaac]

Thanks Jeff, There are a few major differences with mine vs the Peabody sheath, but the inspiration was there. My porportions were different (needs for the knife I was making it for... I used red pigment from some Catlinite dust and the original was yellow... I also need to mess with rawhide more to get true "parafleche" and not simple rawhide.... finally, some of the quillwork on the original was bird quills, not porky which I used. That is something else on my plan for this next month... try bird quills.

Isaac