Do pouch sheaths ever losen up at all?

Fletch Helical

Fletch Helical

Well-Known Member
I have all the material I think I need to attempt a sheath. But I'm a little unsure about whether I want to do a pouch sheath or attempt something that has a strap that goes over the guard and snaps in place. To me leather it seems will always, over time stretch and loosen to a degree. So I was wondering with a pouch sheath, lets say after a few years of taking the knife in and out of the sheath has anyone ever heard of pouch sheaths "loosening their grip" so to speak on a knife? I'd hate to have someone own a knife and a few years down the road tell me that the sheath no longer holds the knife tightly in it anymore.

Any thoughts/input on this is appreciated.
 
I make "Period" style sheaths from the early 1700's to the mid 1800's era, and I use 7-8 oz. weight leather for the sheaths. When I first started making sheaths years ago, some of my first ones wouldn't hold the knives tight enough to suit me, and I figured out I was making the "mouth" and the width of the sheath too wide. After I realized what the problem was, I began making my "pouch or friction" sheaths, using the knife as a template. If the sheath is a Native sheath, longhunter or mountain man type, I usually make the "inner" part of the sheath out the reular cowhide leather, and later cover it in buckskin. I make the opening for the knife, and the width of the sheath just wide enough to accomodate the knife. This way there is less chance of the sheath "loosening up" as it's used, and it also cuts down on movement of the knife inside the sheath. I sew or rivot the belt loop to the back of the sheath, after I cut the buckskin to fit, and attach it over the buckskin prior to tacking the buckskin down, or sealing the inner sheath closed. Also, make sure you don't forget to sew in a "welt" when you seal up this part of your sheath, as you don't want your knife to slice it's way out the first time you use it. After the the "inner" sheath is completed, and any beadwork, "dangles", or fringe is finished and attached to the buckskin, I use a little leather cement to tack the inside of the buckskin down in a few strategic places to the inner sheath to help keep it nice and tight after the final stitching is completed. Then the buckskin is sewn across the top of sheath's opening, and down the seam side of the sheath. Brass tacks are sometimes added down the seam side of the sheath for both "looks" and extra strength. If you make the sheath to hold a specific knife, and it's made to that knife's demensions, it will probably stand up to the use it sees. I hope this was helpful. It's alot easier doing it, than trying to explain it. Good luck.
 
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That is helpful but it seems to me that leathers natural tendency is to soften up and loosen quite a bit after a fair amount of use. To me I'm thinking like a new baseball glove compared to a nice broken in one. One you can barely move and the other you can flap around like it's nothing. I would think that a pouch sheath even made to fit a specific knife would, after a bit of time soften and loosen up as the knife is goes in out out hundreds/thousands of times or whatever.

I honestly don't know because I never owned a pouch sheath so I never had one go through years of use to see if the knife fit in just as tight as it did when it was first made. I bought snaps and a set to put a snap on the sheath, I was thinking of having a piece of leather wrap over the back of the guard and snap to the sheath to hold it in place and not make it molded to the knife. I wouldn't mind doing some pouch sheaths but I don't want to worry about a knife practically falling out of it's sheath going through the rigors of hunting after "x" years if I make a hunting knife.
 
I've been making friction, (pouch) sheaths for 30 years, and usually if the sheath is tight enough that you actually have to push the knife into it, and there is some resistence when you do, it's probably going to be tight enough to hold the knife, even after a long period of time.
There will always be some loosening after a lot of use, but if it's made correctly, it won't be to the point of becoming a problem. Also, buckskin has a kind of "grab" to it that holds well against a knife handle. When you tuck the buckskin over the mouth of the sheath and stitch down the flap, it will hang on to the knife handle when it is pushed into the sheath. My EDC knife is a straight bladed, "Scalper" in this type of sheath. I've worn this kind of sheath since I started making them years ago, as they are my favorite type. Other than the first couple of "friction" sheaths I made, I've never had a problem. Just make the sheath fit the knife. I would suggest you make a couple for yourself and wear them, then you can get a feel for them, and believe me, you will learn quickly what you need to do to make good ones. Go to my Profile section and in my Weapons Album, take a look at my EDC knife and sheath, as well as some of the others I have made. Maybe it will help and give you some ideas. It will work for you, you just have to start making them for yourself first, then correct any flaws you come across until you come up with a perfected item. Explaining how to do it will only take you so far. Experience, trial and error, and actually making them is the real teacher. Just believe in yourself, and everything else will sort itself out.
 
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My dad, Don Cowles, incorporates a small rare earth magnet into each of his sheaths (unless it is for a Titanium blade). Each sheath is fitted to each knife, even ones of the same model. Between the two of these, you can have the sheath clipped in your shirt pocket and bend over, or have it clipped near the trailing edge of your front trouser pocket and sit down, and the knife remains secure in the sheath.

You can see pictures on his site at:

CowlesKnives.com.
 
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