Knife Sheaths: Some Background

A knife is a sharp instrument. It has a point, a cutting edge, and sometimes other dangerous features like serrations, sharp swages, talons, skull crushers, and hooks. It has a handle which, if designed adequately, will keep the hand off the sharp edges. The knife must be carried from place to place, so from the earliest times, man has had to construct something to carry the knife in.

Not a lot of information exists about very early sheaths, as they were assumed to be made of organic materials that have decomposed through exposure and the unceasing cadence of time. Since ancient and prehistoric sheaths are rarely found, it is the knife, the implement, the tool, and the weapon that has claimed the attention and interest of archaeologists and anthropologists. This has, I believe, relegated the sheath to the secondary role, the afterthought of the knife interest both historically and in contemporary times.

Years ago, when I first started making knives, I asked a few masters at knife shows about their sheaths. After all, when they sold a knife, the client (customer) would ask for something to carry it in, right? You wouldn't believe some of their actual responses:

• "I'm a knifemaker, not a sheath maker. Go see a leatherworker."
• "I don't have any sheaths right now, but here, I'll wrap it in this brown bag for you to carry home."
• "Oh, you wouldn't want to put that pretty knife in an ugly old sheath now, would you?"
• "Here, under the table, I've got these rather plain sheaths." (Pulls out some flat leather stitched together and oiled) "I'm gonna have some nicer sheaths as soon as I get caught up."
• "Sheaths? Oh, that'll cost you extra, because I have to get another set of tools and learn to use them."
• "No one's ever wanted a sheath before!"
• "I hate making sheaths. I just make the knives."
• "Waddayamean, my sheaths don't match the knives? It fits inside doesn't it?"
• "You can buy any old sheath kit from one of those leather companies, and stitch it together yourself."

Probably the best one is the boutique shop knife company who makes tactical combat knives, and has a list of sheath makers that they recommend after you buy one of their sheath-less knives...

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My Background

I realized many years ago, when I first started in this trade, that sheaths, stands, cases, and accouterments were all a part of the trade of making fine handmade and custom knives, and if I wanted to provide a complete package, then it better include a fine sheath: tough, strong, and well made to match the knife while being commensurate with the quality of the knife.

I was determined to make some of the best sheaths out there, sheaths that the owner would cherish as much as the knife, sheaths that would last at least a generation, maybe several, and maybe even as long as the knife. I still hold fast to that concept and I consider my sheaths and accessories a vital part of my art and trade.

Sheaths do take an separate and complete set of tools, techniques, processes, and skills. It takes quite an investment of reading, study, learning and practice to become comfortable with leather craft and art, and additional machine and fabrication skills and training to build reliable mechanisms for combat and locking military tactical sheaths. These skills are continually evolving with the artist, and it is an exciting and rewarding field.

I work very hard to build a fine sheath to fit the specific knife, to compliment the knife as well as protect the knife and the wearer. The color schemes match the handle materials and blades, the styles, tooling, inlays, and curves match my artistic intention for the knife. My military grade combat and tactical sheaths are probably the best and toughest made out there; I've never seen any better. Yet just like with my knives, I'm continuing to learn on every sheath I make.

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Sheath or Scabbard?

These days, most Americans use the term sheath, and less often scabbard. The word scabbard is of medieval origin, from the words scauberd or scauberk, which are from Old High German words scar (sword) and bergan (to hide and protect). So a scabbard is the case for a double edged blade, such as a sword, dagger, or bayonet.

The word sheath is of Anglo Saxon origin, from the word scæth, which is the same root of the word shed. Sheath refers to any case for any knife, sword or dagger and is a more universal term.

A sword or dagger may have a scabbard or a sheath, but a knife that is not a sword or dagger may only have a sheath. When in doubt, use sheath.

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Protecting the Wearer

The sheath should, first and foremost, protect the wearer. The knife should be honed to a razor's edge, and is (in the sheath) typically carried against a vulnerable part of the body. The sheath is your protection from your knife, not just a little thin bag that you deposit your knife in to keep the dust off.

That is one of the reasons that I make my sheaths out of 9-10 oz. leather. Other makers and factories often use 4-6 oz., but that is not thick and strong enough. The reason that these companies and individuals might use thinner leather are several. First, it's cheaper. Thicker leathers have to come from mature cows, and from more expensive leather cuts (like the shoulder). Another reason is one of workmanship. Thicker leathers can not be stitched by machine, particularly with the added thickness of the welts. So the stitching on thick sheaths has to be done by hand. In order to make the sheaths quickly and cheaply, thinner leathers are used with machine stitching by many other makers and all manufacterers.

Thinner leather sheaths won't be as stiff as thicker leathers, so if you are hiking or on horseback and take a tumble, the sheath might flex enough to let your knife cut through, and cut you! If I could, I'd make the sheath as hard as lumber to prevent flexing. This is the same reason I believe that leather knife sheaths should never be oiled. Oiling will soften even the thickest leather eventually, enough to make the frame of the sheath floppy and sloppy, enough for the sheath to bend or the fit to loosen, possibly leading to loss of the knife. Oily leather will also attract and hold soil, sand, abrasives, dirt, and debris, which will eventually scratch your knife blade.

Having the protection in the proper place is the foundation of a well-designed and constructed sheath. In the thumbnail photo group below are a few pictures of finely made open or display-type sheaths that do just that, yet let the wearer display the beautiful handle and in some, even the lines of the blade. This type of sheath works well on trailing point knives which are hard to sheath because of the high point and its propensity to dig into or cut into the welts. In this sheath type, the trailing point knife must be rolled away from the point to remove it from the sheath. You'll also see that I've constructed some of the sheaths with retention straps that are open to allow a good view of the handle materials.

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Welts are Important

The welts are the strips along the sides of the sheath that the knife's cutting edge and spine slide down against. They are located between the sheath front and back and are also the spine and framework of the sheath, and where the stitches are located in leather sheaths. In a folded sheath, there is only one welt, located where the cutting edge of the knife rests. In a layered or sandwich style sheath, there are two welts, the second located where the knife spine sits in the sheath. Most of the sheaths I'm making currently are layered, with a distinct and separate front and back, and individual welts and belt loops.

The cutting edge welt will, over years of use, take plenty of abuse as the knife edge slides down against it every time the knife is sheathed, and the cutting edge may be dragged against it every time the knife is unsheathed. It's important that the welt is well-constructed and designed to prevent damage to the cutting edge, and to protect the sheath stitches, lacing, or other assembly components that are located at or through this critical welt.

The welts also impart stiffness to the entire sheath and add necessary thickness to accommodate the handle. Good welts are usually thick for these reasons. Welts must be sealed from exposures, as well as secured with a permanent waterproof adhesive in addition to the mechanical mounting methods. Good welts in leather sheaths are often 2-3 times the thickness of the sheath front and back, and often tapered to be wider at the top for easy insertion of the handle. On my sheaths, it is not unusual for the combined thickness of the welts and sheath face and back at the sheath mouth to total over .75" (2 cm) and on larger knives to be over 1" (2.5 cm). This is some very thick leather indeed!

The welts should be ramped at the sheath mouth. This helps guide the knife blade into position in the sheath, and discourages twisting which may allow the cutting edge to slice the sheath face and back. They should also be tapered at the point, particularly in narrow bladed knives, to help guide the knife to its seated position in the sheath body.

Not all sheath makers construct a sheath the way I do; some use a single layer of leather welt and pinch the sheath sides down to accommodate the space needed for the knife and thickness. I don't like this idea because the sheath is not as strong and stiff, and if the knife is just slightly twisted or angled in insertion or removal, it can slice the sheath face or back.

The ultimate welts I use are on my military combat and tactical knife sheaths and are made of 5052H32 corrosion resistant high strength aluminum. They too, are layered to accommodate the thickness of the sheath body and can be coated to protect the knife's cutting edge, though this is not absolutely critical as the hardened blade steel is many times harder than aluminum, and is not damaged or dulled with this type of welt.

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Securing the Knife in a Leather Sheath

The sheath should secure the knife. There are several ways to do this. I'll list the types I use and am familiar with, though there may be others. This topic only applies to leather sheaths or traditional materials; I'll discuss kydex, composites, tactical sheaths and mechanical retention methods on my tactical and combat knife sheath topics below.

• Retaining strap with snap: This is a traditional method. The knife blade is sheathed in a simple layered sheath pocket with a front, back, and single thickness welts. The back extends above the blade and has mounted on it the belt loop and a retaining strap that wraps around the handle and is secured with a snap. Many simple kit sheaths are sold in this style. In the custom handmade knife world, the advantages of this type of retention are that the handle can be displayed openly, and that the snap and strap are easily accessible. It is critical that the strap folds backward, in other words, if the knife is to be worn while in brush, you don't want the brush to unsnap the strap simply by moving forward. Disadvantages are that the handle is not protected from exposure or damage, and if there is any loosening in the strap, the knife can move around and possibly even fall out of the sheath. Another important thing to know is that sheathing and unsheathing the knife from a poorly designed strap-snap sheath can allow the blade's cutting edge to drag over the strap, cutting it and possibly eventually severing it. Pushing the strap out of the way may require two hands to sheath the knife, and this can be clumsy. Constantly opening and closing the snap can lead to metal wear and looseness, and the snap can corrode if not cared for. The strap itself can become soft and loose over time, weakening and leading to play and sloppiness at the retained handle. This type of sheath is best used on collector's or display type knives where field wear is limited, and large, heavy knives where the weight of the blade makes it unlikely that the knife will fall out of the sheath body even if the snap is not secured.
• Retaining flap with snap: This is an improvement over the strap method of securing the knife in the sheath. It is a full flap of leather that is part of the sheath back, folded over the knife handle, covering and protecting the entire handle and fittings. It is important that the flap folds toward the back of the body when worn, so that (just as with the strap retention above) forward movement in brush will not catch the flap and cause it to open. Another advantage is that on a single edged knife, the flap opens away from the cutting edge, so that cutting the flap while sheathing or unsheathing is prevented. Alignment of the snap is usually automatic in this type of sheath retention, because the flap is stiff and not sloppy, so sheathing and unsheathing usually only takes one hand. The flap can also be sculpted, carved, inlaid, and even hollowed to two or more individual wider straps that reduce weight and offer a better display of the knife handle. Disadvantages of this type of retention method are that the snap can loosen over years and wear, the snap may corrode if not cared for, and the flap can soften from repeated bending, though not as much as the single strap (above). The flap also adds a bit of weight to the sheath.
• Full coverage sheath: Also called a full sheath or a deep sheath, this a sheath that relies upon tension to retain the knife. The sheath face and back are snug and tight against the bolsters which are usually the thickest part of the knife handle nearest the blade. This tension presses against the bolster faces and secures the knife. This allows the sheath to be large and full, protecting nearly all of the knife and handle. Only the butt of the handle or the rear bolster, hawk's bill, quillon, or lanyard hole is exposed, so that the protection of the knife (and wearer) is full. The nice thing about full coverage leather tension fit sheaths are that they can continue to hold this tension for many decades if cared for, and if the design is right, any loosening of the sheath can be compensated for by simply pressing the knife a bit deeper into the sheath. This type of sheath allows full decorative tooling, carving, or inlays and even personalization like leather engraving. A nice advantage is that because the sheath mouth is thicker and wider than the types previously listed, sheathing the knife is easier, because the sheath guides the cutting edge into alignment and its resting place. Most of the leather knife sheaths I make are full coverage deep, full sheaths. The disadvantages to this sheath are that it is very deep, so a full hand can not immediately grab the handle. The knife has to be pulled out of the sheath with a few fingers to expose the majority of the handle first, then grabbed with the full hand, so unsheathing is a two step affair. Also, the bolster faces will show a light cosmetic scuffing after many sheathings, though this does not damage or devalue the knife.
• Other methods: There are other methods of securing the knife in the sheath that have been used throughout time. Ties and cords have been used, but are tenuous at best, so I don't use them. There are methods like folding cams, springs, and other contrivances. For leather sheaths, I believe that simplicity is best, so I avoid most of these. For my military and tactical knife sheaths, see the topic below.

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Wearing the Knife Sheath

There are several proven and accepted ways for the sheath to attach to the wearer.

• Flat Leather Belt Loops: The most common is the belt loop, usually about 1.75" wide. In leather sheaths, it is a strap of leather securely attached to the back of the knife sheath. It may be stitched, riveted, or laced, and attached at the top and bottom, or folded over as a component of the sheath back. It should be fairly tight, with just enough clearance to slide the belt through. I use the leather belt loop on nearly all of my leather sheaths. I want this part to be very secure, so I usually stitch the belt loops with polyester sinew, the toughest binder on the market. The stitches are recessed on the inside of the sheath back, so the blade doesn't accidentally contact the stitching and cut it during insertion and removal. The bottom of the belt loop is also securely recessed, stitched, and knotted. The belt loop is also glued with waterproof cement, and the stitching and loop are sealed with waterproof leather sealer, either water-based or lacquer.
• Cross Draw Leather Belt Loops: I also make cross draw belt loops, which are usually oriented and worn with the blade cutting edge down on the opposite side of the hand that pulls the knife. Sometimes the wearer requests a blade cutting edge up position, such as ranchers or horsemen who don't want the chance of scarring a saddle or their thigh when unsheathing the knife. The cross draw allows the knife to pivot somewhat, and in some cases assume a nearly horizontal orientation, which is more comfortable when seated or riding in a vehicle, so the knife handle doesn't poke the wearer under the ribs. An interesting feature: a cross draw sheath can also be worn in the lower back, and a jacket can conceal this nearly horizontal profile if there is enough clearance built into the belt loop. If you're a law enforcement officer, or federal agent or officer, a low angle cross-draw sheath can completely conceal the knife against the small of the back, and this is often requested by professionals. For civilian wearers, this type of concealment can get you in a lot of trouble, so be sure to check your local laws.
• Double Flat Belt Loops: On long knives a double loop (one loop high on the sheath and one low with a stitched anchor area between) can offer a variety of carries. This utilizes the length of the sheath back with several options, and the sheath can be worn high or low, depending on location, comfort, or arrangement of other gear.
• Metal Belt (or Boot) Clips: The metal clips available for knife sheaths I use are usually made of nickel plated spring steel, nickel silver, or 6AL4V (spring) titanium. The clips should be mounted with mechanical security (such as a rivet) and arranged so that the metal clip never comes in contact with the knife. This almost always results in another shielding layer of leather inside the sheath to protect the knife from the clip, and adds to the weight and thickness. The clips available may be straight with no retention method or may have dimples, a single corrugation, or be formed so that the clip has to be pulled away from the sheath to be removed. Clips are handy for some applications, allowing the knife sheath to be attached and moved in a hurry to many types of gear and locations, from a belt to a car door, to PALS webbing on MOLLE gear and even the top of a boot. This same easy movement also lowers the security of having the knife overall. Rarely do active military duty knife wearers use this type of mount simply because it is not secure and is considered a temporary sheath mounting method. In leather, some exposure protection of the leather should be considered, because leather has inherent acidity that will interact with metals over time and stain the leather. Leaving the leather damp with a metallic belt clip can corrode the clip itself, possibly causing it to fail.
• Thigh Straps or Ties: On my very long sheaths, a thigh lanyard, tie, or snap strap is an option. These can secure to the thigh and keep a sheath from bouncing and moving around during activity, and from rising during unsheathing of a large and heavy knife. The strap can be permanent, but should be removable, because a tie or strap can also get in the way. The securing method of the strap should be located behind the thigh or at the sheath back if possible, so that nothing can work loose between the legs, and the potential for chafing can be reduced.
• Metal Belt Loops: On my military knives with kydex sheaths, the most secure method is an aluminum belt loop bolted to the welts and frame of the sheath (see "Military Sheaths" below). I typically use die-formed 5052H32 corrosion resistant high strength aluminum alloy loops screwed to the sheath front and back through the aluminum welts. This is very secure, yet allows some movement depending on the textile threaded through the loop. Often, I arrange the metal belt loops to be reversible for realistic wear options.
• Metal Belt Plates: On some of my military, tactical or combat knife kydex sheaths, wearers request a loop that can be oriented in a variety of wear positions including horizontal. How I accommodate this is with a belt loop plate, which can be oriented in horizontal, vertical, and even reversible positions.
• Metal Flat Straps: For a combat, tactical or defensive knife carry in kydex sheaths, some wearers request a high degree of permanence and stability in their sheath mountings. For this, I supply flat 5052H32 corrosion resistant high strength aluminum straps that are designed and built to be screwed solidly to the sheath body, rigidly attaching the knife sheath to PALS webbing, tactical belts, tactical vests, or MOLLE gear arrangements. This method does not allow the sheath to move, slide, or relocate while mounted. My locking sheaths work best with this arrangement (see below).

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Horizontal Knife Sheaths, Back Mounted Sheaths

You've seen in in the movies. A guy reaches under his jacket and extracts a foot-long knife hidden in the small of his back. Occasionally, I get asked to provide a sheath that can mount in the small of the back, sometimes horizontally, sometimes at an angle, and sometimes upside down. Guys who ask about this arrangement visualize their hand reaching behind their back and extracting their weapon, concealed from view.

I only make this kind of sheath, mounting, or wearing arrangement for smaller knives. See the detailed page on concealed knife carry on this site at this link.

Though I have made this type of specialty sheath on occasion, the entire affair is stacked with difficulty and obstacles that are critical to understand.

Though it's easy to visualize the hand reaching behind the back and pulling out a long blade, the reality is more complicated. The issues with completely horizontal sheaths or highly angled sheaths are that they must be fairly tight so that the knife does not fall out. Retaining straps have their own set of problems, being mainly the potential of being sliced by the cutting edge, particularly if you can't see what is going on. Even if one of my locking sheaths is used (recommended), your hand will have to blindly locate the release mechanism, and hope that the material or cloth of a jacket, shirt or other gear would not obstruct any operation or removal. You will also have to consider the hefty thickness of a locking sheath; you wouldn't want something flimsy and thin up against your kidneys where you can't even see it. Think about sitting in a chair or vehicle, moving around, bending over, or twisting and how the rigid sheath and knife arrangement would interfere with this and even cause injury if not prepared, practiced, and competent.

Tougher still is the issue of reinserting the knife into a sheath on the back, something few consider. It's a blind move, with a razor- keen edge and sharp pointed blade right next to the kidneys, and usually takes both hands to manipulate the knife and sheath together. Not many guys are comfortable with pulling off this maneuver, but some are. You might be thinking of those blunt factory knives and their edges, but the reality is more like this: take a hollow ground straight razor that is honed to it's finest edge, an edge that will slice the hair off your face, slide through newspaper, and skin slivers off the toughest tomato. With the blade extended and the knife open, hold that straight razor in your right hand and try to manipulate it behind your back with a coat on and a loose shirt into a tight-fitting sheath of leather or even kydex. The edge on fine knives is just as sharp as the razor, the blade is usually much larger, and probably the most important factor is that the old-time straight razor has no point. The point of a tactical, combat, and even working knife is very keen and sharp, and will absolutely hang on everything it touches. You might think you can align the blade with the other hand, but if you slip, you are in for a substantial injury. This is a serious consideration.

Another seldom considered factor in this idea of mounting a knife sheath on the back vertically is the harness. Yes, I do mean harness, because that is what is required to keep everything in position, particularly if it is a large knife. Take a look at firearm holsters that are designed to carry firearms under the armpits at the side. These can be complicated affairs and it should make you wonder why you don't see harnesses for firearms mounting in the middle of the back. Sure, you'll see them designed for belt wear, but not high and above the belt. Consider that the tactical knife is physically larger and longer, and add the dimensions of length, width, and thickness of the sheath. A harness will have to be made that will stop the knife from moving around, so will have to have straps that go up over the shoulder (or both shoulders) and have anti-rotation straps around the chest to keep the whole arrangement stable. Add to that the huge adjustment range needed to match a variety of fits and individuals, and the whole affair can be complicated and expensive.

I can make any type of wear accessory, but first consider all the options. The leather or kydex and aluminum cross-draw sheath arrangement may be the answer, as the sheath can be seen, and it only takes one hand insert or remove. Or take a lesson from the military or law enforcement professionals who need a variety of wear options and positions for a variety of critical gear. They've developed systems for this, and my tactical combat sheaths fit these systems. If you're wearing a PALS arrangement on MOLLE, IIFS, ILBE, IOTV, or MTV body armor systems, the tactical combat knife can be mounted in a variety of ways, but up-front or to-the-side is usually best.

If you are absolutely set on a back-mount arrangement, this may be something I will consider, particularly as I expand the mounting and sheath accessories here at the studio. They've grown quite substantial in the last several years because it seems no one is offering well made accessories. While a horizontal belt plate (see the Calisto below) may be a viable option for the rear belt, a variation of a sternum harness or back harness may be required for larger or more complicated wear arrangements. These can be quite robust and difficult to construct, and will add to the cost of the project.

See the detailed page on concealed knife carry on this site at this link.

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Arm or Leg Mounted Knife Sheaths

See the detailed page on concealed knife carry on this site at this link.

I simply do not currently make sheaths to accommodate wear on the arms or legs. The reason for this is that the knife must fit snugly in the sheath, even if alternate means of retention are included like straps or snap flaps. When the knife is pulled out of the sheath, it is pulled in the direction of the limb's smallest diameter, which will tug the entire fixture down the arm or leg. In the arm it is particularly troublesome, because the wrist is smaller than the girth of the arm at the elbow, so the straps are trying to pull down the arm. It's the same reason that socks won't stay up. You're trying to pull downhill yet have the sheath stay in place. So the only way to counter this is with a long strap that goes up the arm that the sheath is mounted on, over the shoulder, and is retained around the neck. What a mess. It works good in Hollywood, but in reality is an entirely different affair.

Also, there is a problem with knife sheaths mounted on the leg. In order to pull against the taper of the leg, just like on the forearm, the knife must be pulled up. That means that the area to pull the knife must be as long as the sheath throat and full knife length added together. No man can lift up his pants that high; he'd have to be wearing shorts... so this is impractical. If the pull is downward on the leg, he's pulling against geometry (again) or the knife may have to have some type of complicated retention method to prevent falling out... another mess.

Then, there is the whole concealment issue. As a professional, I can't be known for helping bend concealment laws. So, generally, I stay away from this type of mounting, unless it's for law enforcement or federal agents. Please read the related topic on my Business of Knifemaking page.

Boot Sheaths

Just like the arm or leg mounted sheaths and the back mounted sheaths (above) there can be significant issues and concerns with boot knife sheaths. First, please note that a boot knife is a contemporary term for a knife style, which is usually slender and narrow, with a thin blade and handle. Calling a knife a boot knife does not necessarily mean it is made for wearing in one's boot. This is a stylistic interpretation based on large cowboy boots of old times and the loose association of knives perhaps worn in the boot. If it is slender and narrow with lightweight handle and fittings, it can be called a boot knife.

Boot knives that are designed to be worn in the boot do exist, and I've made them in the past, mainly for law enforcement and federal officers. They have limitations. First, the sheath must be heavy, sturdy, and robust, because you don't want the thin and razor-keen knife cutting through and injuring the wearer. So, the knife sheath has to be thick and somewhat bulky. You could choose a thin, harder material (other than leather), but this can be uncomfortable because it is a hard surface and a rigid form against the leg. It may sound workable to have a single thickness (.060") thick kydex as a boot knife sheath, but you had better wear a very heavy sock to protect your leg and ankle from abrasion and chafing. Think about walking around for several hours with a rigid piece of hard plastic rubbing on your leg and it's not so reasonable of an idea. Also, the boot would have to be very wide, much wider than your calf and ankle if you are to wear the sheath inside, which would be the most secure method. If you are to wear the sheath outside the boot, the pant leg would have to be very wide to accommodate it, and the clip would have to be very tight and sturdy, otherwise when you pull the knife out, you'll pull the clip right off the boot top and have a sheathed (and useless) knife in your hand. No matter the wearing method, either inside or outside the boot, you'll have the same issue of the pant. In order to extract the knife from the sheath, you'll have to pull your pant up the length of the knife plus the length of the sheath. This can be quite a length, easily nine inches for a four inch blade knife. The pant can be cut by the blade, as can the socks, stockings, and calf. If this is in a defensive posture, please note that it's clumsy, and dangerous, fumbling a knife out of a floppy pant leg down around the ankles.

These reasons are why I seldom make this kind of sheath, and when I do, the owner, more often than not, ultimately chooses to locate the clip and the sheath on his belt, tactical gear, or even on a car door.

See the detailed page on concealed knife carry on this site at this link.

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Neck Knives

Neck knives are not knives used to cut the neck, nor are they knives that have a small or narrow ricasso, a slender narrow neck area, or are designed to allow you to "neck up" on the grip to get your fingers closer to the blade. They are knives that are worn around the neck, in a dangling fashion, in sheaths, on a cord, chain, wire, or loop of some material.

It sounds cool enough: suspend a little knife like a piece of jewelry around the neck, and it will always be there, at the ready, for when you need to... do exactly what?

This is the issue with neck knives. The first thing is to identify what the knife is for. If it's for opening a box, then a box cutter would do just as well, probably better. If it's for jewelry only, then why not forego the danger of a razor keen blade next to your throat and buy a nice bauble, pendant, or charm? If you intend the knife for defense, well, that's just ridiculous. In order for a knife to be tactical and defensive, it has to be large, substantial enough to do the job, and this is out of the scope of neck knives. Who wants a 12 oz. double edged, thick bladed, hardened piece of chromium steel tugging on their cervical vertebrae?

The worst problem (some say insurmountable issue) with neck knives is this: in order to retain the knife, some tension or mechanism must retain the knife in the sheath. This adds weight. The sheath must be substantial enough to hold the knife securely, while offering protection for the wearer. This adds weight. The knife must have large enough handle to grip, the blade must be substantial enough to be useful. This adds weight. The cord, chain, or lanyard must be significant enough to hold all of that weight, and it must have an extra measure of strength to enable the wearer to tug the knife from the sheath and yet keep the whole ensemble secure while the activity during wearing of this appliance goes on. Movement must not be restricted, the cord must be wide enough to be comfortable, and needs to be waterproof, non-reactive to skin, easy to clean, and (of course) elegant. The cord, chain or hanging method must be strong enough to not be easily dislodged, snatched, or broken.

A troubling issue: death by strangulation. A minor concern? If you consider how easily the human can be garroted, not only by assailants and enemies, but by accident, then the prospect of having that dangling beauty is not so elegant after all. In order to prevent this catastrophe, break-away cords, chains, links, and appliances can be used, but what good are they if you lose your knife? Remember, the cord, chain, or wire must be strong enough to hold the weight plus the extracting pull from the sheath while keeping the knife secure in high activity, but weak enough to prevent strangulation. What a mess!

This is a reason I don't make this kind of knife. Though I've tried it once or twice in the past, these issues are unsafe and insurmountable. I don't need the liability, and you don't need the danger of this arrangement. It's not a good idea. Oh, and by the way, I didn't even mention re-sheathing that razor and point next to your naked throat...

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Knife Sheath Longevity

Most factory or common knife sheaths might last 1-3 years, even if coddled. The reason is that the knife is not often actually used; most of the time it sits in the sheath waiting, while the owner bangs the sheath on everything he runs into, leans against, or sits upon. The knife is often stored in the sheath and thrown in with tools and utensils, maybe in a toolbox, or a drawer with other sharp or hard tools. Every ding, impact, and scuff that the knife sheath takes shortens its usable life.

I try to make my sheaths as durable as is reasonably possible. This is the reason that I only use heavy weight (9-10 oz) leather shoulder on most of my sheaths. I've even used sole leather on particularly demanding applications. Shoulder is thick, hard, stiff, and long wearing. In my leather sheaths, I hand-stitch with polyester sinew, the toughest binder on the market. You absolutely cannot break this stuff with your bare hands. Sometimes I use nylon, where some limited flexibility might be warranted.

My military combat and tactical knife sheaths are assembled with waterproof cement and screwed together with steel Chicago screws, not rivets, usually through high strength aluminum alloy welts. On request, I even use stainless steel or nylon Chicago screws for extreme corrosion resistance.

With care, sheaths for my knives should wear through at least one generation, perhaps several. A good indicator of knife sheath longevity for the knife maker is returns. How many knife sheaths have I had returned for workmanship repair? In over 2000 knives in over 30 years, not one. Oh, I've had some clients cut, slice, or abrade their sheath, damaging it, but none have worn out, separated, or come apart. That's a pretty good record I think!

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Leathers by Weight

Leather is the hide of cattle, stripped of all hair and properly vegetable tanned. The most important size measurement in knife sheaths is the thickness, designated in the leather trade by weight. So, all cattle leathers are measured in ounces. An ounce roughly translates to 1/64th of an inch (.4mm). So one ounce thick leather is about 1/64th of an inch thick (about .015" for you machinists). Incidentally, thick leathers (over 4-5 oz.) only come from mature cattle.

The leather I use for fixed blade knife sheaths is 9-10 oz. thick, or .150" or about 5/32 of an inch (4mm). When used in welts, which are stacked in multiples, along with the front and back of the sheath, it's not unusual for the sheath thickness to be 3/4" to 1" thick! For folding knives, which are lighter and smaller, I'll use a thinner leather, usually about 6 ounce.

You might wonder why factories or mass-produced knife sheaths are usually made of thinner leather, sometimes without welts. The reason is that they are machine stitched, and machines can not stitch through three quarters of an inch of tough leather. So in order to keep labor costs low and use machinery as much as possible, factories stay away from thicker leather. Good for them, bad for you if you want a tough, stout, useable, and protective sheath that will last a generation or more.

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Beauty in Knife Sheaths

Not only is the sheath part of your knife investment, it is often the only thing that is seen riding on your hip, at your side, or hanging upside down on your PALS webbing on your body armor (See military combat sheaths below). So it should be attractive, as well as utilitarian. In fact, it should be commensurate with your knife investment, and should match the knife in every artistic and working fashion. The knife and sheath should work together, look good together, ride well together, be comfortable with each other and with you.

I've seen beautiful knives pulled out of ugly, plain sheaths, and with them comes an apology and a promise of "getting a nice sheath for my knife someday." The truth is, the only one who can design and make a sheath that truly matches the intent, style, flavor and mastery of the knife maker is the knife maker. So wouldn't it make sense for him to complete the package and make a fine sheath too? Sheath making is part of this tradecraft, after all.

That's why I use exotic inlays of rayskin, sharkskin, hippo, rattlesnake, python, emu, safari antelope, gazelle, and even cow stomach (don't laugh, it's beautiful). I also engrave, hand-tool, hand carve and stamp, metalize, and even airbrush some of my sheaths. I've adorned sheaths with carving, inlay, overlays, and mounts of gemstone, scrimshaw ivory, and precious metals.

It's simple really; a beautiful knife deserves a beautiful and matching sheath.

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Stamped, Tooled, Carved, or Inlays?

There are several ways to finish the surface of a leather sheath. Though some guys go for a minimalist look, i.e. plain leather just stitched around the edge, I rarely do this, and then only by special request. Leather is an amazing material, and lends itself to high resolution stamping, carving, and tooling, so an infinite number and arrangements of patterns, styles, and embellishment look good on the finished sheath face.

What are the different types of leather embellishment?

• Hand-stamping leather is done by leather stamping tools. These are specially purchased or handmade tools that are mounted to a rod, and the leather is cased (specially damped) and then the shape (and image) of the stamp is transferred to the leather by tapping the rod with a mallet made of rawhide, embossing the stamp in reverse into the softened leather. Careful attention to detail, good choice of tools, and pattern and arrangement are required here to get a balanced, aligned, and nice looking image on the sheath. Probably the most common leather stamping representation seen on knife sheaths, holsters, and belts is the basket weave. It looks good, is standard in some professions (like law enforcement), and gives an organic, balanced appearance. There are literally hundreds of stamps used in leather tooling and it is up to the craftsman and artist to apply them in an appealing manner.
• Hand-carving is done by using knives. I use a variety of small knives, from leather swivel knives, to Exacto® knives, to scalpels, and even handmade micro-knives. Hand-carving is a difficult skill, learned by years of practice. Leather displays the smallest cut, so intricate designs and lines with character, angle, and heavy or light form  are all visible in a design. Hand-carving is more difficult than stamping, as there is no geometric regularity of a stamp to help with alignment, arrangement, and association of the pattern; all is done offhand. Hand-carving also takes the most time, a good hand-carving may take eight hours on a 12" knife sheath!
• Hand-tooling usually means a variety of carving, stamping, and forming or pressing the leather into a design. It's a general term, separating a leather surface that is embossed by a pattern roller or automated pattern transfer device from hand work.
• Inlays: When I inlay a knife sheath with another (often exotic) skin or material, the inlay pockets must be carved out. Though I've used a window type opening in earlier knife sheaths where a cut-out window overlays an exotic skin beneath, today I actually inlay the exotic inside a carefully carved, tooled and formed inset in the leather surface. I first design the layout on paper, and then hand-carve the insets that are individually sized, shaped, trimmed, relieved, and in some cases, even overcut, so the leather lays slightly over the edges of the exotic skin. The insides of the inset are tooled and sometimes stamped for forming. This is not done by machine or any automated or mechanically assisted process, but with hours of intricate difficulty bent over a leather sheath with swivel knives, scalpels, and micro knives.

Knife sheath embellishment terminology: I've seen posts on forums and bulletin boards where guys argue incessantly about the terminology of hand-carving vs. hand-stamping and hand tooling, and stamp tooling, and every term they think should specify the exact technique of working the leather. This is a ridiculous notion, and on one forum I was even attacked for saying that my inlaid leather sheaths are hand-carved. Please read the details on my inlay process above; this is hand-carving. Evidently, the guy complaining had a very narrow definition of what constitutes using a knife to carve leather. If I use a knife, and I cut the leather by hand, particularly if pieces are carved from the leather body, it's hand-carving. It does not take a specialized knife to create hand-carving, though I use a whole array of knives. The great Al Stohlman himself (arguably the father of American Leather crafting) says that a typical leather swivel knife is used for hand-carving, usually before hand-tooling. Stohlman, J. A. Wilson, and A. D. Patten all refer to the swivel knife used in hand-carving leather in several published texts on the subject. Why would someone argue about using this terminology?

Arguments like these may be started because (like competing knife makers) leather craftsmen want to set their work apart from others by claiming some specialty skill only they know and are capable of doing. So they may form a stubborn view of their terms, not realizing that the definitions have been clarified in textbooks created by masters of the trade many decades ago. Generally speaking, the use of the word hand in carving or tooling is used only to separate it from machine-embossing or die cutting, where a machine or press is used to impart a design into the leather. Some of the other general terms used to describe leather work are: stamp/carving, embossed tooling, carved/tooled, craftooling (coined by Stohlman).

The main point is that it's not about a word defining a particular exclusive technique. There are many ways to work leather for beauty, durability and value. The most important thing is for clients is to look at the sheath with a discriminating eye. Ask the maker who has made the sheath about his technique, and his skill should be obvious on each sheath or leather project he creates.

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Engraved Leather Sheaths

Who in the world ever heard of this? Using the same technique as engraving my military and combat sheath flash plates, I also engrave high resolution detail into leather knife sheaths. This results in a crisp, highly detailed image and unique personalization uncommon in the field of fine custom sheaths. Unlike the hand techniques above, this is done with a machine, so the cut depths and designs are completely uniform and are generated in a computer. Check out the thumbnails below to see.

Machine engraving can lend itself to fine personalization with monograms, text lettering, names, dates, events, etc. It also is great for artistic styles and motifs, adding to, enhancing, and blending the relationship between the artwork on the knife and sheath. Since the design or text is literally carved into the leather, it will never fade or deteriorate like embossing, stamping, or mask and stencil painting, and is bold and distinctive.

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Tactical, Military, and Combat Grade Knife Sheaths

Tactical sheaths I've made are used by firefighters, police, SWAT teams, Sheriff's officers, hazardous materials teams, bomb squads (EOD), emergency responders, US Army Special Forces, Airborne, Military Survival Specialists, Special Operations Squads and our nation's top military rescue service, USAF Pararescue. My tactical sheaths are made of two layers (double thickness of most kydex sheaths) of .062" kydex on each side or a .125" thick single layer, form-fitted to the knife over an 5052H32 corrosion resistant high strength aluminum alloy welt frame screwed together with nickel plated, blued steel, or stainless steel Chicago screws, and feature either nickel-plated steel belt clips or die formed 2" aluminum belt loops. Kydex is a mixture of acrylic and PVC (methylacrylate and polyvinylchloride) and is impervious to just about everything but extremely high heat (above 250° F) and a few concentrated chemicals (like methylethylkeytone (MEK) and toluene). The aluminum is hammer-hardened 5052H32 high corrosion-resistant, high strength aluminum, suited to salt water and chemically corrosive environments. The cements used in assembly are waterproof and continue to harden with age. The steel screws have a 1/4" fine thread post. These are very, very tough sheaths!

I've been asked why I build over an aluminum welt frame, not simply use kydex hot formed over the knife and secured to itself with rivets. Kydex is a thermoforming plastic, and gets softer and more flexible in the heat. Though you won't reach the thermoforming heat by simple exposure to direct sunlight, you will impart flexibility as the sheath warms. This flexibility will not be enough to allow the knife to poke through the sheath body, but it can allow areas around fasteners to loosen. That is because as the kydex heats, it expands. When it cools, it contracts. This can leave gaps in fasteners, and if they can never be tightened (like rivets) this can lead to loosening or even cracking over time. Cold temperatures can also be a challenge to the kydex sheath with no support other than rivets and more kydex. Kydex becomes brittle below freezing and can crack or even shatter if it's cold enough! Most knife users will never be in that type of environment, but please remember, I make knives for the military, and they deploy everywhere.

Most of my kydex military combat sheaths are black, with satin finished aluminum welts visible at the edges. Occasionally, I'll get requests for a different look. By custom order, I also use gray kydex, forest camo (traditional), desert camo (traditional) and even modern standard digital camo and desert digital camo kydex. An additional charge is required for these more expensive patterned camo colors. Be sure to check out my fine military combat and locking sheath accessories on a special page.

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The Best Locking Combat Knife Sheath

A long time ago, a few military clients asked if I could make the ultimate knife sheath, one that was essentially waterproof, unbreakable, resistant to anything you could throw at it, a sheath that could be confidently carried into the field of battle and trusted to do its job. A few of them asked if I could design a locking mechanism, so the knife would positively lock into the sheath and even be carried upside down across their chest while parachuting on HALO jumps. These are High Altitude, Low Opening combat jumps designed to drop combat or rescue troops behind enemy lines without the aircraft being seen by radar as it flies at high altitudes. They also wanted sheaths capable of withstanding marine, oceanic, and even mountain rescue and combat environments.

This was no small order, but I got to work. I designed a sheath that has aluminum welts (to support with strength without adding weight), and double-layered kydex front and back (impervious to nearly all chemicals, water, salt and abrasives), and stainless steel locking mechanism (made of 304, 302, and 316 austenitic stainless machine screws, springs, and lock bars). Including the nickel plated, hot blued, or stainless steel Chicago screws, these sheaths consist of at least 38 individual components, all hand-fitted to the knife. These are very fine sheaths. Of the dozens and dozens that are out there, in service, in combat, I've only had one problem since the prototype, and that is of one serviceman loosing his knife because he didn't shove the knife all the way in and make sure it was locked! Well, I can't think of everything...

The locking sheath is not cheap; remember that it is the finest one made for the service. It can add $300 to the price of the knife/sheath combo. Often, I'll attach a removable engraved flashplate on the sheath front signifying tactical group or affiliation. The flashplates are brass or aluminum, lacquered or anodized for beauty and longevity. Some are etched with photographic detail. When you want the best sheath made on the market, period, I believe this is it. See testimonials, pictures, and comments from military users of my knives and sheaths through my tactical knives portal. The tactical locking sheath is featured and described on a special page. I also make worthwhile accessories for the locking tactical sheaths. See the detailed page on concealed knife carry on this site at this link.

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Do Not Store the Knife In The Sheath!

Please, don't store knives in sheaths! Incidentally, what do you think would happen if you stored a blued firearm in its leather holster for years, and never looked at it? Sure, you want to keep it with the sheath, and carry it in the sheath, but long term storage in the knife sheath is probably the most destructive thing you can do to your fine custom knife.

Please remember that heat treated martensitic stainless tool steels can corrode. These are not inexpensive low carbon stainless steels that factories often sell and tout as completely rust free; these are fine, high carbon martensitic stainless tool steels, and as such, are more resistant to corrosion than non-stainless, but can still corrode. I have posted this on my care sheet that I hand out with every knife (and has been available on this website since the beginning in standard and military form).

It makes no difference whether the sheath is leather or kydex and aluminum, whether the air is as humid as Florida or as dry as Nevada. The knife blade needs to breathe and stay dry. When humidity and temperature changes in the normal course of the day or the season, condensation can form on any steel. If the steel is allowed access to free air, it can stay relatively dry, and corrosion can not gain a foothold. But if the knife is stored in the sheath, and an ever-so-slight bit of moisture is allowed to stay against the blade, the blade will start to rust.

On a mirror polished blade, this can be ruinous, and if the knife has been custom etched, the only recourse is to grind off all the etching and corrosion, regrind and refinish the blade (including polish) and re-etch, which is very expensive and time consuming and may not even be possible. Even if the knife is coated heavily with wax, long-term storage in the sheath can encourage corrosion.

Please don't store the knife in the sheath!

I believe a knife should be handled. Held once in a while, waxed and buffed, fondled, looked over, admired and cherished, and yes, even used. To put it away in a drawer or closet is almost an insult. Look, if you want to store the knife long term without ever looking at it, there are a couple options:

• You can clean it thoroughly with denatured alcohol, dry it completely with warm forced air, then coat it well with high quality wax and then put the knife (without the sheath) in a well-sealed plastic bag with a new dry packet of commercial grade desiccant, or
• you can coat the entire knife with Cosmolene, a plastic and oil-based melted-on military-grade storage preservative (which I can't guarantee will not affect woods, epoxies or gemstone long term), or
• package the knife up neatly and send it to someone who won't store it in the sheath.

Humor aside, it's simple; store your knife where it can breathe, not in the sheath, not where there are fluctuations of temperature or humidity, out of bright sunlight and high heat sources, and pick it up and fondle it, buff it off with a soft cloth, wax it now and then.

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Knife Sheath Care

Care of the custom knife sheath is similar to care of the knife.

• Keep the sheath clean and reasonably dry
• Do not store the knife long term in the sheath
• Clean with a lightly damped cloth in plain water, let dry
• Wax the shiny areas with a high quality wax like Renaissance® wax, buff with soft cotton cloth
• Store out of bright lights, heat, sunlight, or extreme temperatures
• Do not store sheath in contact with plastics or vinyl

Keeping the knife sheath reasonably dry and clean is common sense. Leather does not react well to flooding rains, salt spray, chemical exposures, dirt, mud, and debris. Though in heavy use working knives some of these exposures may not be easily avoided, it could mean the destruction of the leather knife sheath. Leather is organic, absorptive, porous, and sensitive to a variety of exposures. Though I (like most makers) do my best to construct a sheath that is sealed to resist penetration of moisture and contaminants, there is simply no way to make the leather impermeable. I use lacquers and sealants, either water or xylene, alcohol, or ester-based, but they are only coatings that soak into and preserve the surface of the leather. Please keep leather sheaths out of extreme environmental exposures.

Storing the knife long term in the sheath is a bad idea , and can damage the sheath as well as the knife (see the previous topic). Some metallic components of the knife can react with the leather, and possibly (in the presence of moisture) stain the leather, perhaps permanently. This is another reason that most of my knives are currently made with 304 austenitic stainless steel fittings, to limit all types of corrosion. Woods and other organics: brass, nickel silver, horn, bone, ivories and plastics all can have reactions with leather when the knife is stored long term in the sheath. Some loosening of the leather knife sheath may also occur when the knife is stored in it for a long time.

Cleaning the knife sheath should be done sparingly. Dampen a soft cotton cloth with plain water to remove tough dirt and soil, lightly rub a small area to soften debris and remove. Avoid soaking the leather, as this can cause permanent damage. Make sure that the knife sheath is dry before using, inside and out. Don't use forced air or any heating method to dry the sheath, this can over-dry the leather. I've seen sheaths become brittle and crack from over-drying. If the sheath is lacquer-coated, as most of mine are, the soil should be easy to remove. Don't use leather cleaners or chemicals, this will affect adhesive bonds, dyes, and sealants.

Waxing the shiny areas of the sheath can restore luster and offer increased protection to the knife sheath. I recommend only waxing the shiny areas because some of my sheaths have inlays of other skins and some of these skins are rough, soft, or have a surface texture that can be ruined if waxed. Hides like hippopotamus skin which has a soft, suede-like feel to it is an example. Shark skins I use are also left rough and unsealed. If, however, the inlay surface is smooth and glossy, like caiman, lizard, alligator, or ostrich, it too can be lightly waxed to bring up the luster and shine. Avoid over waxing, as wax filling cracks and seams is not necessary and can create white wax lines on the sheath surfaces. Typically, on most of my sheaths, the cow hide leather surface and body of the sheath can be waxed to improve appearance and increase longevity.

Storing the sheath out of high heat and light is important. Years ago, when I left knives on consignment, I might have the knife returned to discover that the sheath had been left in bright sunlight and had the color and luster bleached right out of it. The back of the sheath was rich and dark, but the front looked like the chalky skin of a senior citizen in Tucson. Just like the knife, it does no good to store the sheath in baking high heat or light, which can embrittle and prematurely age the leather.

Storing the knife sheath in contact with plastics or vinyl can damage the sheath. Plastics and vinyls may have chemicals in them that continuously bleed out and outgas over time, and when in contact with sheaths, they can create a contact stain on the leather. An example is the stuff that is used to line kitchen drawers and cabinet shelves. This puffy, soft material sounds like a great way to store knives and sheaths in a drawer, but it can and will react with the leather, inlays, and even the knife over time! I've even seen acrylic-coated aluminum stained with this stuff. I recommend that the knife and sheath be stored laying atop cloth, preferably a neutral cotton if stored in one position for a long time.

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Chef's, Kitchen, and Food Service Knife Sheaths

Though leather may be used for carrying, transporting, and protecting kitchen, food service, and chef's knives, I also make a special slip sheath for my chef's, kitchen, and food service knives. A sheath is needed and used on this type of knife if it does not reside in a block, stand, or have another storage option. Singular chef's knives may be carried in travels or stored in drawers, and are subject to damage from other knives and utensils. The slip sheath protects the blade, cutting edge, and chef as well as other nearby utensils and tools. Unlike leather, if the sheath and knife are dry, the knife may be stored long term in this type of sheath. Please remember though, they must both be dry!

My slip sheaths are usually constructed of kydex, and lightweight since the knives and sheaths are not expected to see any harsh environmental exposures. They are typically made without any belt loops, clips, or other hardware. They may be constructed with nickel plated steel Chicago screws, or even stainless steel Chicago screws through either a single or double layer of kydex with all kydex sheath welts joined with waterproof cements. The welts are kydex because aluminum is not needed on this type of sheath and the razor keen edges of these knives can be preserved. I call this type of sheath a slip sheath because the knife simply slips in, and is not usually secured in place with tension or any other mechanical methods.

Cleaning and maintenance of this type of sheath is simple and straightforward. The sheath can be washed in warm soapy water, rinsed in clear water and drained to dry. Very little else is needed, and here is an excerpt from an inquiry about cleaning my kydex sheaths, particularly for the food service industry:

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Sheaths for Knives Other Than My Own

I get asked quite a bit about making knife sheaths for knives other than my own. There are a lot of knives out there, and a lot of them need good sheaths. Whether for collection, hunting, professional, service, or military combat use, all knives need some type of reliable, worthwhile storage and carry medium. The volume of interest in this area demonstrates the universal and continual need for good knife sheaths.

I don't make sheaths for knives other than my own. If I started this, I'm certain that I'd be swamped with work and could live out my career never making another knife, only sheaths! This is not what I do, however, so I only make sheaths that accompany my own knives. See my Services Offered page for details about what I do and don't do.

You might wonder why most makers, factories, or knife companies don't offer a worthwhile sheath to accompany the knife. Frankly, I don't know why, but you might ask them; after all, it's part of this tradecraft. It certainly is a need, and any makers of the modern knife should be able to provide a suitable, commensurate and even superior sheath considering today's knowledge, manufacturing methods, and technology.

Here is an excerpt from an email I received from a man who took issue with my refusal to make sheaths for other's knives:

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