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Leather sheath work in a working knife shop

ForgeBrain

Leatherwork

The knifemaker’s second craft: leather types and weights, cutting and saddle stitching, wet-formed sheaths that fit like they grew there, edges and dyes, and strops for the bench.

12 guides in this section · free to read

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Start where the work is

Every guide on this shelf, with the question closest to your bench first.

  • Leather sheath work in a working knife shop
    Leatherwork

    The Fold-Over Knife Sheath, Step by Step

    The fold-over (or centerback) sheath is leatherwork’s first-knife project: one piece of leather folded around the blade, a welt guarding the stitches, one…

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  • Abrasives and belt grinding in a working knife shop
    Leatherwork

    Kydex vs Leather: The Honest Comparison

    Every sheath conversation eventually arrives at the fork: kydex or leather? The honest answer is unfashionable on both sides of the argument — they are…

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  • Beginner knifemaking in a working knife shop
    Leatherwork

    Leather Edges, Dyes & Finishes

    Two details tell every experienced eye whether leatherwork is amateur or professional: the edges and the finish. Neither requires talent — both require…

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  • Polished aluminum drive wheel with keyed bore, three-quarter view of the dished face, on black with a purple glow
    Leatherwork

    Leatherworking for Knifemakers: Start Here

    Every knifemaker meets the same moment: a finished blade, a proud photo — and nothing to put it in. A knife without a sheath is half a product, and…

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Same bench

Put the reference to work

I machine the parts, hand-assemble, track and test Torus grinders in Sterling, Illinois. Most orders ship in seven to ten business days from time of order.

  • Classic aluminum 2x72 grinder, side view with flat-platen tool arm and yellow Safety Rules label, on black with a purple glow

    Torus 2×72 Classic Aluminum Belt Grinder

    Prior-design aluminum chassis, 90-degree tilt and 1.5-inch tooling arms.

    Starts at$995View

One-man shop

Ask about a missing topic

I answer my own email. Tell me what you are building and what the steel is doing, and I will tell you what I would try.