DIY Hatchet sheath. (first attempt)

[Hills Hoard]

So i have this hatchet that I keep in a tub in my 4x4...I decided to give it some love this afternoon and after i sharpened it to the point where i could shave the hair off my arm i realized I needed to protect the edge. After a quick scrounge through the shed I found some thick ridged plastic (used for garden bed edging) chopped off a length and headed inside to start work on my first sheath....

The hatchet







I heated up the plastic over the stove and folded it then ran it under cold water to hold the shape.....i then drilled out the slots....to finish off the slots i used a screw driver that i had heated over the stove to melt and form the shape....i did my best to chamfer the edge with a knife after it cooled...not knowing how the project would turn out I didn't spend too much time worrying about how good it looked..








I then threaded though this strap that had a buckle used for tightening the sheath...I wasn't happy with how secure it was so I drilled 3 holes and used cable ties to stitch it tight.....i will eventually swap the cable ties for some paracord..







all wrapped up and secure....im stoked with the outcome...i feel confident in throwing it in a tub or in the back of the ute without destroying the fine edge!




Finally a shot with my spyderco cali .....i love this knife!

 

[1750]

Well done, sir!

I've been trying to come up with something DIY for my splitting axe (alas, not a Fiskars with the sexy production sheath). You've inspired me to look around for some other materials.

 

[Gunny]

Very nice job!

 

[Hills Hoard]

Cheers guys. i was originally going to just slice down a length of hose and slip that over the edge but then i thought why not attempt a sheath...and decided on the thick plastic because it was going to be getting knocked around a fair bit....

I would like to make another one and also try a larger one for the axe too....

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Cheers guys. i was originally going to just slice down a length of hose and slip that over the edge but then i thought why not attempt a sheath...and decided on the thick plastic because it was going to be getting knocked around a fair bit....

I would like to make another one and also try a larger one for the axe too....

We used rubber hose for years on axes and chain saws. Sometimes we'd just tie the top and bottom with string. Sometimes we'd find rubber the right size. But in the long run we found leather to work the best. It's been a long time since I've made one but might do one sometime this winter just for kicks.

 

[BobUrban]

Essentially what you have there is Kydex and a great choice for sheaths. I use a hot plate like the one I make pancakes on and the best part is if you screw up you just reheat and re-form. Much more forgiving than leather work.

 

[Hills Hoard]

Essentially what you have there is Kydex and a great choice for sheaths. I use a hot plate like the one I make pancakes on and the best part is if you screw up you just reheat and re-form. Much more forgiving than leather work.

Just googled kydex and gave me some great ideas for my next one...i was talking to a mate about my atgempt and he suggested using rivets to hold it together.

I think i have just found a new hobby..

 

[BobUrban]

well if you have any questions feel free to PM me. I am not expert but I do forge a lot of knives and hawks that need sheaths so I have some experience. If you pursue the hobby google knife making supplies and there are tons of stuff available. Check prices because they can vary and sometime dirty ole Ebay is the way to go for kydex. The rivets and tool for attaching them is pretty cheap.

 

[Hills Hoard]

well if you have any questions feel free to PM me. I am not expert but I do forge a lot of knives and hawks that need sheaths so I have some experience. If you pursue the hobby google knife making supplies and there are tons of stuff available. Check prices because they can vary and sometime dirty ole Ebay is the way to go for kydex. The rivets and tool for attaching them is pretty cheap.

This is a can of worms and a whole other world!!....im really keen to try molding plastic to the shape of the hatchet...thanks for your help!