Thor's Hammer Custom Leather

Knife Sheaths... How creative do you want to get?

There are about as many ways to make a knife sheath as there are styles of knives out there. I don't limit myself to one style. There are also several ways of securing your knife in the sheath from traditional straps and thumb-breaks to snap locks and pin locks. How the knife is secured can depend on how the knife itself was constructed.

pricing at bottom of page.

Sidewinder inlay.
Jade inlay
Rattlesnake head... not for the feint of heart... or feint of wallet.
Monitor lizard inlay.
Persian python.
Plain old leather. Ho hum.
Monitor lizard inlay.
American alligator saya style.
Rattler inlay.

Most often I will need your knife, or at the least, several pictures that include the knife next to a ruler and the thickness of the blade. It is much preferable to have the knife in hand when making a sheath. If you send a knife, wrap and package it carefully before shipping. Two knives have been lost in the mail that were sent to me because they cut their way out of the package. Tape is also your friend on the outside of the box.

If you elect to have me make the sheath using photos of the knife next to a ruler, there is a LARGE extra charge for this. I don't like charging extra for that, but it takes nearly twice as long to make the sheath this way and some retention systems can not be made without the knife in hand.

Pin Lock

A knife with a choil, even a small choil can use this method. A pin passes through the front of the sheath and into the leather in the back of the sheath. When in place, the choil catches on the pin and the knife can not be removed from the sheath.

Thumb-Break Style Knife Sheath

Knives that have hollow pins in the handles can have sheaths made with a thumb-break style retention. This is where the back of the sheath comes up just past the first hollow pin in the handle, and a copper or other metal rod is placed so that it fits into the hole. You push the top of the sheath away to release the knife.

Snap Lock.

This is done using a military pull the dot snap that when snapped prevents the choil of the knife from coming out of the sheath. Works well on knives with larger choils. Shown on a modular sheath below. Not as secure as a pin-lock.

Lanyard Post retention

A Sam Brown post is put on the back of the knife sheath. If you use a lanyard on your knife, you simply tie a knot in the lanyard so that the first section of the lanyard goes snugly around the post.

Saya/Frog Knife Sheath

I make a Japanese style leather saya with a frog that holds the saya. This can be done in different ways depending on the size of the knife.

Modular Knife Sheaths (Sheath and Frog)

Probably the best system. It can be done severall ways but the main way is make the basic sheath with screw attachments in the back that allow a lot of options for how you want to carry the knife. It comes standard with an adjustable fold over sweat guard/loop but this can be changed to whatever system you would like i.e. cross draw instead of sweat guard, or dangler, or whatever. This is the way to go if like to change up how you carry.

The "Taco" or pouch sheath often used for puukko style knives.

While I am not personally a huge fan of these, for some smaller knives they work quite well. Makers love them because they require a LOT less leather and a lot less time to make. If you notice my style of knife sheaths, you don't see this style being real common to what I make. I don't sit down and try to figure out what is the fastest easiest sheath to make... I sit down and think about what is the most robust and versatile sheath... what is the best way to make it, not what is the fastest or cheapest. Also, if you happen to fall on this style sheath, there is a good chance you are going to stab yourself as the knife pushes out the end. I already have to worry about breaking a hip if I fall, I don't want to consider getting stabbed at the same time.

Loki Strap

Carry that knife on your chest... or shoulder... or whatever. The modular style sheath can attach securely anywhere on the strap.

Pricing

Traditional Knife sheaths start at $75 for up to 6 inch blades. Every extra inch is $10.

Japanese saya style with frog start at $125 for up to 6 inch blades. $20 extra per inch over 6 inches.

Modular sheaths start at $125 and include the fold over sweat guard/belt loop.

Basic Retention straps and snap locks are $25. Snap locks only work on certain blade styles.

Pin-lock $45

Sweat guard (leather behind the knife handle $20

Ulticlip: $12-$15 depending on clip size.

Ultilink system incorporated into sheath $30

Loki Strap with lined shoulder pad $125

Basic tooling and stamping is free.
Dragon Scales, Basket Weave, and repetitious patterns are $15 for up to 6 inch blades. $5 per inch over 6 and only covers one side of the sheath. See this page for photos.
Thumb-break style with Kydex sandwiched in the leather backing $25

Two-tone color: $20

Exotics: Rattle Snake, American Alligator, stingray, and beaver tail: add $100

Most other exotics add $50

Exotic prices are for up to a 6 inch blade. Longer blades may be extra.

Danglers and straps are $25 each.

Spots .30 each

Belt loops $10 each (this includes the belt loops for the modular sheaths)

Note on Exotic hides: I can get my hands on lot's of different hides like beaver tail, Teju lizard, crocodile, ring lizard, shark, etc. I keep a limited stock of these because, well darn it, they are expensive. Contact me for what you would like and price... these are generally not cheap. If I need to order it in, it usually only takes a week as my supplier is pretty quick.

How long is this going to take?

Two weeks. Usually less.

When an order comes in, and I don't have to order an exotic hide to complete it, it gets started right away. I don't sit on orders. I do leather work full-time. It isn't something that is "worked into my schedule". It IS my schedule. When you ship a knife to me, I want it out of my shop ASAP. I don't want your things sitting around in my shop. I don't want my things sitting around in someone else's shop so why would you?

When you send something out to have a maker do custom work for you, if it takes a long time, that isn't a testament to the makers skill, it's a statement to his priorities to your project.