Over the years I’ve sourced my leatherwork knives from Terry Knipschield in the US and latterly from Terrick of Chartermade in South Africa. This has resulted in a hotch-potch of different coloured sheaths or just boxes to store them in, which is far from ideal. So I decide to make a uniform set of sheaths in burgundy Lamport hide from Metropolitan Leather. Ultimately the plan is to make a suitable case for all the knives.

Some of the collection of leather knives built up over the years
A paper template was made for each knife by first tracing around the blade and then adding a 10mm allowance. Once the two halves of leather have been cut out, the blade area of the template was removed to provide a template for the welt, if required.
A welt is typically added to stop the blade from cutting the stitching and was needed for the thicker bladed knives, such as the Japanese style skiver
Both Chartermade skiving knives needed a welt to provide sufficient clearance when inserting the knife and to avoid the flat edge catching and cutting into the sheath. The welts are glued in place inbetween the two halves.
However it was a bit of trial and error. The blade of the Knip skiver is relatively thin in comparison so when a welt was used there wasn’t sufficient friction to hold the knife in the sheath and it would fall out. In the end most of the knives didn’t need a welt.
A #1 edge beveller was run around the cut edges and then burgundy edge dye applied
Toko Pro was also applied to the edges prior to burnishing
A creasing line was added between the edge and the stitch line for aesthetics. Strengthening loops were made at each end of stitching lines
Knip ‘ambidextrous’ skiver
Chartermade Original and Japanese Style skivers
Chartermade pattern knife (left) and Knip ’French’ head knife(right)
Left to Right: Knip ’Shark’ trim knife, Knip ’Clicker’ knife, Chartermade trim knife and Chartermade mini skiver
The ever-growing collection ….now just awaiting a suitable burgundy attache case!!