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Many factory produced and even "High Dollar" custom made knives are furnished with totally awful and worthless knife sheaths.
Many custom "High Dollar" knife makers want to concentrate all of their skills and effort into making fine knives & their "supplied sheaths" are almost a cheap afterthought. Sometimes you don't even get a sheath!
Good quality factory & mass produced knives are usually furnished with sheaths that are far worse yet.
The main & primary function of any fixed~blade knife sheath should be to ALWAYS offer maximum, absolute protection to the wearer. A razor sharp blade that easily cuts through the sheath in the event of a slip in the woods, a trip over a root ~ or a tumble down a hillside will be potentially deadly to the wearer. A severed artery out in the middle of nowhere is not a good thing!
The sheath needs to be HEAVY STIFF leather or properly constructed (and closely riveted) Kydex.
Leather sheaths should always have a thick, dense, leather welt and the keen edge of the blade should fit close & tight against that welt. The blade point should also not really be able to move anywhere inside the sheath. All layers of construction should be cemented in addition to being saddle stitched.
Avoid leather knife sheaths that are just folded over and quick machined stitched. It is dangerous not to have a welt to prevent the blade edge from cutting right through the sheath.
Leather fixed~blade knife sheaths should always be "paste~waxed" for weather protection & not oiled with mink oil or neatsfoot oil etc. You'll want your fixed~blade knife sheath to remain as stiff as possible and you'll not want it to soften up or become floppy.
Do not use any solvent type leather cleaners or oils that will soak into the leather and degrade the construction cement.
Avoid sloppy fitting fixed~blade stitched canvas or plain stitched cheapo ballistic nylon. A razor honed edge can slice right through a nylon sheath & still have enough energy left over to do you serious bodily injury.
As much as I love fine leather...Kydex is an excellent knife sheath material if there is SOLID retention of the fixed~blade knife.
Folding knive belt sheaths or "knife carriers" are far less critical since there is no exposed, deadly blade.
They should provide decently quick emergency access and provide retention that is positive enough to prevent falling out "bump & bang" damage to your valuable knife and the inadvertent loss of that knife.
There are some VERY GOOD custom sheath makers "out there" and (hopefully) you'll now be able to spot the really good ones with some of this information.
I do not make sheaths for the general public...only for myself ~ for display at the leathercraft shows & occasionally/sporadically for one fantastic custom knife maker who needs to remain nameless.
If you own a knife that you absolutely LOVE then it's well worth the money to have a special, custom sheath "made up" for it.
Many custom "High Dollar" knife makers want to concentrate all of their skills and effort into making fine knives & their "supplied sheaths" are almost a cheap afterthought. Sometimes you don't even get a sheath!
Good quality factory & mass produced knives are usually furnished with sheaths that are far worse yet.
The main & primary function of any fixed~blade knife sheath should be to ALWAYS offer maximum, absolute protection to the wearer. A razor sharp blade that easily cuts through the sheath in the event of a slip in the woods, a trip over a root ~ or a tumble down a hillside will be potentially deadly to the wearer. A severed artery out in the middle of nowhere is not a good thing!
The sheath needs to be HEAVY STIFF leather or properly constructed (and closely riveted) Kydex.
Leather sheaths should always have a thick, dense, leather welt and the keen edge of the blade should fit close & tight against that welt. The blade point should also not really be able to move anywhere inside the sheath. All layers of construction should be cemented in addition to being saddle stitched.
Avoid leather knife sheaths that are just folded over and quick machined stitched. It is dangerous not to have a welt to prevent the blade edge from cutting right through the sheath.
Leather fixed~blade knife sheaths should always be "paste~waxed" for weather protection & not oiled with mink oil or neatsfoot oil etc. You'll want your fixed~blade knife sheath to remain as stiff as possible and you'll not want it to soften up or become floppy.
Do not use any solvent type leather cleaners or oils that will soak into the leather and degrade the construction cement.
Avoid sloppy fitting fixed~blade stitched canvas or plain stitched cheapo ballistic nylon. A razor honed edge can slice right through a nylon sheath & still have enough energy left over to do you serious bodily injury.
As much as I love fine leather...Kydex is an excellent knife sheath material if there is SOLID retention of the fixed~blade knife.
Folding knive belt sheaths or "knife carriers" are far less critical since there is no exposed, deadly blade.
They should provide decently quick emergency access and provide retention that is positive enough to prevent falling out "bump & bang" damage to your valuable knife and the inadvertent loss of that knife.
There are some VERY GOOD custom sheath makers "out there" and (hopefully) you'll now be able to spot the really good ones with some of this information.
I do not make sheaths for the general public...only for myself ~ for display at the leathercraft shows & occasionally/sporadically for one fantastic custom knife maker who needs to remain nameless.
If you own a knife that you absolutely LOVE then it's well worth the money to have a special, custom sheath "made up" for it.
