EC Tries Something New

Details on the axe sheath kit here: essentialcraftsman.com/axe-sh...
If you are interested, all the details on our axe sheath kit are here: essentialcraftsman.com/axekiti...
Happy Thanksgiving! Let's all count our blessings!
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Thank you, be safe, and be grateful.

[@kendavis8046]

Some 30 years ago, when my wife became pregnant with our first child, I undertook the building of a rocking horse. That involved, in addition to the woodworking, some leather work for the saddle, bridle, reins, and stirrups. I've done exactly two additional projects over the past three decades using those leather tools and hardware (things like repairs to a pocket on a leather tool belt). The point is, I haven't needed them often, but when you need them, these tools are indispensable. I still have the rocking horse in a spare bedroom, and I have told both of my kids that the first one that blesses my wife and I with a grandchild gets it! (Still waiting, alas, but my oldest recently got married, so hope springs eternal!)

[@peterellis5626]

A couple of additional thoughts: When you're using drive tools in leather, punches, stitch or lacing cutters, tooling stamps - any of the tools you strike to use - don't use a metal hammer on them. You'll mushroom the tops of those tools in short order. Wooden maul, rawhide faced mallet, plastic or rubber faced - just not a metal hammer. You won't have those tools for decades if you hit them with metal hammers. Second: when you're setting rapid rivets/ two piece rivets like the ones in the kit, you can just hit them with a hammer on an anvil, but take it easy ;) They're really pretty flimsy little things and you can smash them easily. There's a tool for setting them with a little anvil and a setting drive tool, both with slightly concave faces, that allow you to set the rivets just about perfectly every time, and keep that little bit of doming to the caps. The hammer and anvil work to make the rivets hold, but adding the rivet setter produces a more finished look and makes the task easier to do well.

[@markgoostree6334]

I was at a friends house and spotted her hatchet. Handle was broken and it was a rusty little mess. I took it home (without her knowledge). worked over the metal, polished it up some, and sharpened it. Then I made a sheath. I tooled a vine and leaf pattern. When I gave it to her she was REALLY surprised to see it because she thought it had been stolen...and I guess that is what I did...but all in good intention. She loved the look of the sheath and was glad for it to come home. All in all, a fun project!

[@Trav_Can]

My brother from another mother was the first to buy this kit, and he gave it to me for Christmas. I've been cleaning up and rehafting old axe heads for a bit, but this will be my first time making a sheath for one. I've got this German made 3lb single bit axe (my favorite and rarest of weights) that is going to win the prize. Thank you for all you do. I might not be a kid, but I think I'll feel like one when I put this together. What a great present.

[@josiahstowe4213]

Definitely a project I'll tackle with my son one day. He's only 6 months old now, so it might be a while.

[@beardedbowhunter6139]

Tip from a leather worker, strop your knife often on a leather scrap with some jewelers rouge or some other type of polishing compound. Your tools will cut so much better

[@rbarringhaus]

Making patterns was one of the most important things my mom taught me. Once I make something from a homemade pattern that I am happy with it I sign and date it and save it. Keep files, patterns for leather, copper , woodworking , flower petals for blacksmiths make them once and save them. Also if I am starting a big leather project I buy a new pair of good quality fiscars scissors only use them for leather they stay sharp and you have good cut control. Nothing beats a fine piece of leather. I use Hide House for quality leather and supplies. Enjoy

[@bobkmac]

Leather worker pro tip: instead of paper or even card stock... use scrap linoleum material for patterning. The extra thickness helps account for the leather thickness yet is easy to cut and fold.

[@peterellis5626]

Now you have come into my world ;) If you hold that utility knife like a pencil, between your thumb and forefinger with your forefinger on the back of the blade, then your knife holding hand is braced and steadied against the table, allowing far better control and precision, plus it's anchoring the leather for you as you work. You don't need to try and force the knife right through with a strong grip. It's more important to cut precisely along your lines and that is better done with a pencil type grip, even if you need to go over the line more than once to cut clear through (which with the leather you're using should not be necessary).

[@cjhification]

I use cardboard for woodworking, to reduce the need to scribe shelves and cupboards. Not quite paper, but made of wood fibres like paper. Thanks for the content!

[@south_coast]

Might I add, for anyone planning to undertake this project. Add a strip of leather between the two main layers of leather where they are riveted together along the cutting edge of the bit. This will protect the sharp edge of your axe from dulling on the rivets as it is carried in the sheath.

[@psidvicious]

Cool!

[@gavinjones3637]

As a leatherworker, with almost 25 years experience, there are so many things I would have done differently, but that comes with experience. Great job. So glad you enjoyed it. Great introduction to leather. My usual advice with leather: it's skin, just like your own skin. What's good for your skin is good for leather. What hurts your skin, will damage the leather.

[@MasterCivilEngineering]

Skill and confidence are an unconquered army!

[@johnwildermuth3136]

When measuring leather that's going to wrap around something, you must take into account the thickness of the leather.

[@flintrichards945]

A friend of mine showed me how to make a holster and I have been making leather sheaths and. Holsters for a while now I really enjoy it.

[@mpmfr]

The values that are embraced on this channel fall inline with those that Mike Rowe has with his organization. I love it. Thanks guys and....keep up the good work 😊

[@tomhollis2685]

I love it! I've been restoring old axes lately and I've thought about beginning to make sheaths for them. Thanks for the encouragement!

[@johnwildermuth3136]

If you don't have a rubber pad to punch the holes on, an end grain piece of four by four will be easier on the tool.

[@johnsrabe]

And Happy Thanksgiving, everyone. This channel - Scott and Nate and family AND the open-minded, generous commentators - has been a reliable bright spot this year. Bless you all.