My Sheath Making Process

Welcome back everyone I thought I would make a quick video of my sheath making process. I want to say from the start (because I didn't say it in the video) I am NOT a master leatherworker. I am still learning leather tooling and good techniques in sheath making. I do know how to make a sheath that will work well and protect a knife. So That being said I didn't speak much in this video because it is a long enough process as it is and I think actions speak well enough. I really hope this video helps some of you beginners out there and maybe even some of the pros can benefit from something here.
Materials and tools
All the hand tools were bought from Tandy so just go to their website and check out some tools. (suggestions: Swivel Knife, modeling tool, edge line cutter, etc...) www.tandyleather.com/en/
My sewing machine is a CB3200 by Solar Leather www.solar-leather.com/cowboy-c...
Grinder is the KMG TX beaumontmetalworks.com/produc...
Leather is from Wickett and Craig wickett-craig.com - 9oz
Gum Tragacanth is from Tandy
Leather Die by Fiebing www.fiebing.com
If you'd like to follow my work more closely you can check out my social media platforms and website:
Instagram: / freehillbla. .
Facebook: / freehillblades
Website: www.freehillblades.com/
Please hit the subscribe button for future knife making and other special blacksmithing project Vlogs! Let me know if you have any questions and I'll do my best to answer. Thanks for watching!

[@jimbojet8728]

It’s nice to watch a man who enjoys what he’s doing. You did a great job and made a good vid too thank you.

[@jrpalm1948]

this style of video is great. very relaxing and not to fast or slow. The editing is right on awesome. without a doubt though i think the coolest thing is the knife and sheath! I learned alot from this!

[@mikeoxbig4705]

Great job 👍. I'm starting my journey in leather craft and will carry on into my retirement. Thanks for sharing!!

[@williammiller853]

I like your attention to detail. Very nice work. Thank you for sharing.

[@schmidtforge1946]

Dude you are insanely talented. Thanks so much for these videos. Really looking forward to more

[@chuckbowie5833]

Wow that is indeed stunning. Beautiful video to watch too.

[@thefamily_ak1863]

thank u for filling in all those blank spots in my leather working , love your work , keep grinding peace

[@tidefanoliphant9219]

That was cool. And yes it does help to watch someone just work.

[@th.burggraf7814]

Awesome vid, enjoyed watching. The sheath is an exquisite piece of handicraft. Simply awesome.

[@jasoncovey7932]

Very nice video Curt. I'm sure this will help a lot of people out. You have just as much time in making a sheath as you do making a knife lol. Great work as always. I appreciate you showing us your process in making knifes and now making sheaths. Not many people would take the time to do this. Thank you sir and loving the knife. Hope to get another one soon. You rock bro.

[@dcbcustoms]

Extremely helpful! Thanks for sharing man!

[@cheaneysaddles]

I like and use that Weldwood contact cement also. Your sheath turned out really good.

[@jean-marclabonte2844]

Nice Job. Thanks for posting the build. I have a question. What is the reason for boiling and bubbling the contact cement with the heat gun? I also have been making blade sheaths for a few years. Here are my recommendations for you. 1.When you use the sewing machine, pull the threads through to one side of the sheath and then cut them off and melt them. 2. Don't place your leather on your granite slab or cutting mat when you are applying stain or glue, it's a good way to ruin the next piece you work on. 3. Bevel and burnish the edges of the leather with a hard wood stick or something comparable, you need to compress the fibers for a good finish. 4. Stain the edges before you burnish, or burnish then edge paint. 5. Use Gum Tragacanth or glycerine soap or saddle soap, you don't need both. 6. Rotate your tool when you are texturing/tooling so that you do not have a visible tool line on your piece, it should be seamless. With these tips your work will improve. Take Care and keep posting.

[@jspool]

Thanks for a great workflow video. It was like being there alongside you.

[@jufaure5480]

Thank you for sharing that knowledge!

[@Aaronyavcm]

Love the video, and cant wait to get into making sheaths some day. Thank you for sharing!

[@CurtisHaaland]

Thanks for watching!

[@mrplumsak]

Nice work! Appreciate you sharing this!

[@wendydolph9513]

Such nice work! I am going to start making knife sheaths for family. I like your modern design style. thank you for the inspiration.

[@CurtisHaaland]

Awesome! Thanks for watching

[@johnmoffat3441]

Very nice job you can be proud of your work

[@maryfrederickson9400]

Really beautiful work!

[@Plannerparacasamentos]

Great job! I'm really impressed 👏🏼😃

[@robbiefrailey6447]

Love your work man!! I love making knives I’m hoping to build a shop this spring or early summer to get back into it.

[@redwhitetrueblue9353]

Beautiful work brother. I very much enjoyed the video.

[@CedarloreForge]

Beautiful work as always brother!

[@dannyobar788]

Awesome, really good work and design, loved the video

[@klasjensgard2177]

Thx man, what a nice sheath 👍 You really are an inspiration to get started with leather craft.

[@CurtisHaaland]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@adilsonbuzk]

Very good job man, thanks for sharing!

[@choppersFL]

Gorgeous!

[@Stone_Citadel]

Waw.. That's a lovely job you did there😍

[@samreed2255]

Fantastic video. I saw that a couple folks had a comment or two about your technique being unorthodox... Don't need to sweat that, buddy. When I first started leather work I was told there are no hard and fast rules. If it works for you, that's all that matters. Very, very good job. I learned quite a bit.

[@kenmoon3700]

Great video, good looking sheath. I enjoy less talk, I learn more from watching.

[@wesleywernimont8690]

Very well done, thanks

[@dperk1757]

Amazing work 👍

[@matthewturner7691]

That was amazing man!

[@genestuffel9921]

Great work. Professional leather carver.

[@buddyhutchins3782]

Well done.......and I like the simple homemade tool stamping results. Anaco, Anz.

[@davidrea7051]

Super helpful. Thanks.

[@kevinleetreetimefpv111]

Nice work. Thanks

[@Wundercc]

Great work man!

[@douglasbroccone3144]

Awesome job.

[@ElkridgeRanch696]

Beautiful!

[@EDKARTOG]

Great work man

[@johntyson9102]

Great job

[@turkeycreekknives133]

Very cool at first I thought it was inlay nice use of modeling tools

[@AT16]

Loving your videos man. Sure you’re going to build a really great KZbin following fast!!

[@norman3605]

Nice work!

[@TheScramble8]

Beautiful.

[@bazzi11]

Good work 😊👍

[@missilpeludo8813]

Duuuude that’s amazing!!!!

[@BigDukeX]

GOOD GOD - Man. That look’s like something that Darth Vader would own!!! Appears that you’ve got Inter-galactic Bad-Ass skills too...👊😎

[@luizcarlosferreiraferreira8918]

Maravilhosa !!Bravo !

[@amishplumber4251]

I've followed you on Instagram for a while. Glad I found your KZbin channel though. Great video

[@fordfan3179]

Sheath came out awesome! The music gave me an annurism.

[@B.G.Legendcooker1779]

Really cool!

[@edsnowden4990]

Scyving with a belt grinder! Nice one

[@ClaudioRPrado]

Parabéns meu irmão. Linda bainha.

[@johnnylgulledge6899]

Nice job !

[@eugenefoster1363]

Great stuff

[@ingpedrogarciamiro3025]

Excelente trabajo

[@damnright7724]

Super nice. 👍

[@phillipschris2274]

amazing! Thank you

[@genehead9380]

Different technique but nice product. Nice.

[@r.u.pissed]

nice work,just starting hope be as good as you someday

[@bearly1727]

I really wanted to see the knife that this sheath was made for. The sheath is phenomenal.

[@rickhall5399]

Nice work

[@Stonecraft_Leather]

Impressive!!!

[@buddyhutchins3782]

Nice sheath.

[@ryanpearson3337]

You do great work man. I live next to hickory NC so we're not to far apart. Leather work is not easy at all. I make knives but the leather part I'm still learning.

[@CurtisHaaland]

Ryan Pearson me too

[@aaronpage1822]

Never stop learning!

[@desmondlaw3703]

Thanks for the great video. Do you think you could make a video on how you measure what size leather to cut out for the knife you're making? For me it's the hardest to decide how much room to give the leather varying on the handle size and blade thickness. Is there a general rule of thumb that you use? I've ruined so many pieces of leather with the sheath being too loose or too tight. Thanks

[@sirtblairjr]

Hey Curtis, I really like your our knife and sheath.nice work. Watching you do that is very inspiring. Have you ever made a dragon in the leather like that? I thought it would awesome to see someone do that in leather. You should of try it? Good work keep up the videos coming we like them. You are Really inspiring for a young man..lolhaha Thanks, I'll be watching..

[@Rsama60]

Curtis, I checked your website and you are a gifted knifemaker (I make knives myself so I know what I speak about). Bring up your video skills to your knifemaking skills and your channel will grow.

[@CurtisHaaland]

working on it! Thanks!

[@ManuManu-ht3ht]

Great Sheath!!!!👏👏👏👏 you could improve it by dyeing the darker edges. Great work!!!! Reguard from italy!!🔥🔥👏👏👏👏👍👍👍🇮🇹🇮🇹🇮🇹🇮🇹🇮🇹🇮🇹🗡🗡🗡🗡🗡🔨🔨🔨🔨🔨🇮🇹🇮🇹🇮🇹🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

[@user-yw4be8lc1h]

Хорошая работа

[@amishplumber4251]

Would you make a video on how you made you leather texturing tool. Those are EXPENSIVE to buy.

[@cartergottselig3623]

You do amazing work it’s so awesome to see your videos I look up to you doing that’s stuff I am making sheaths by hand hand stitching any everything how do u suggest I get even holes on both side punching through with an ask right now.

[@CurtisHaaland]

Carter Gottselig chuck an awl bit into a drill press so you can get the holes straight through and us a stitching wheel to get the holes evenly spaced

[@TALLLCHIEF]

Wow! Where can I get one of those knives; it's really beautiful! Loved your video, too. It's very informative just to watch you work your mad skills. Simply amazing, guy. Also, it's greatly appreciated by all of us that you list the sources for your tools and materials... Thanks for sharing! Many of us are complete rookies... and this sort of tutorial is extremely important for helping us to get started. Please keep up the good work... and sharing!

[@TALLLCHIEF]

Sorry, Curtis... I just became aware that you actually made the knife yourself. Are they available for purchase? Would love to see a video of you making one.

[@lamegame420]

Some unorthodox methods, but still some nice work. Bravo, friend

[@brianlister6036]

Stunning work. You make it look so freak'n easy. I have never been able to get the texture as nice as that. How hard are you pressing into the leather when detailing the outlines? Love your work.

[@dmitrymurmansk1642]

Отличная работ!!!!!

[@liuzcarlosferreiraluiz1506]

Maravilhoso!!

[@dbushman82]

Enjoyed the vid! I was wondering what you were using to burnish the edges...that yellowish thing. I've never seen it. Also, what was the thought process with heating the cement? Most people wait till it's tacky and do both sides. Is this a different type?

[@bemharianto6209]

So nice bro

[@robwilcox2854]

thanks i found the video informing, was wondering how you would go about fastening a loop to the outside of the sheath? i am a flint knapper and i would like to attach a deer antler tine on a lanyard to the outside of the sheath so whomever will be able to sharpen their knife if it gets dull

[@ajbones22]

Brilliant work man, I'd use a saddle stick instead of Machine. And damn, that music pretty painful man (ouch). Sometimes it's best to create a vid/music arrangement, let it sit on your computer then come 2-weeks later & listen to it with a fresh mind.

[@Rsama60]

Your replies are appreciated. If I was too harsh with my comments on music and focus I appologize, still thought I needed to say.

[@peterhuesi2895]

Wunderbar.

[@HunterOrock]

What is that yellow burnishing block you were using? I've only seen wooden dowels with various grooves used for burnishing.

[@joerico9461]

Did you help Noah put his ark together a lot of glue lol just messing with you good job. Cool designs on the front glad you put your Maker's Mark out of the way

[@user-es9xv7rn4q]

Отличный нож и ножны:)

[@wesgreen241]

Looks great!!!! What grit did you take that edge to?

[@andreys.3640]

интересно выглядит! молодец мастер

[@rogeriofernandowisniewski9876]

Show Hugs from Brasil!!!

[@LiamJPenn]

I love your style, and I learned a lot from this video. Where does your inspiration come from?

[@CurtisHaaland]

Liam J. Penn I tend to do a lot of geometric tooling just because I think it looks cool. Idk where that comes from, just playing around with it honestly.

[@klausrichter5555]

Hello from Germany, your video is great. I have some questions because I work with leather myself but I am a beginner. What kind of sewing machine are you using? And what is that circle with which you mark the groove. Greetings from Frankfurt Germany

[@tomstone2591]

Do you make custom fixed blade knife sheaths for customers ?

[@raspberrycrusader]

Hello there, I’m a beginner where leatherworking is concerned so please excuse my lack of knowledge. Is the tool you are using, at around the 11.45min mark, a modelling tool and are you continually heating it up off-camera so that you can produce those indented lines with it? I was led to believe that tooling leather should be done before it is dyed, hence buying the veg-tan, so it is interesting to note you are working on this somewhat late in the process. I will continue to watch now and hope you are able to answer my query 😊 thanks for sharing.

[@MountainFisher]

I've been making knives and leather sheaths since 1992 and never saw someone skive their ends by grinding them down. Hmmm, I can understand why you dampened it, leather dust goes everywhere. I saw how you made that matting tool from bolt heads, interesting. There are matting tools that can do a smoother background like yours. I use Weaver's pebble background tools a narrow, small and large, they blend into each other.

[@CurtisHaaland]

Mountain Fisher good to know!

[@MountainFisher]

@@CurtisHaaland I make belts (think belt that matches sheath) and buy Tandy's Oak Leaf brand of double shoulders when they're on sale like I bought some before Christmas the 9-10 oz were $104 at the El Paso store, since you don't live too far you can go to the Charlotte store. I used to buy Herman Oak, but I had to order online and despite all the hype the Hermann Oak isn't any better than Tandy's premium line and I can pick the hides out myself. I have been sent some unacceptable (to me) Hermann Oak shoulders. I sometimes felt that they were sending me their worst ones. I was at your website and you make some beautiful knives man. Some constructive criticism, you should have a simple description for each knife in the gallery too explaining what the handles are made from or the guard and or type steel when its not damascus. I'm really puzzled by one knife that has a white handle that looks like some kind of striped stone.

[@CurtisHaaland]

Ya that’s probably ivory, if it has brown on it then its mammoth and if it just looks textured then its probably walrus ivory

[@salvadorblascogonga8204]

muy buen trabajo una pregunta ¿en que precio vendes esa vaina?

[@jamesgibson7114]

What is the yellow piece that you use to rub the edges with ? Great video also.

[@adamburch3173]

Really appreciate you taking the time to show us all this, I picked up lots of little tricks. Curious what the yellow block is you used to burnish, doesn’t really look like beeswax to me.

[@jrpalm1948]

im stumped as well, maybe its a different wax

[@kevinorr6880]

Glycerin

[@CurtisHaaland]

Saddle soap. You can get it on amazon