A Carved Knife Sheath

Oak leaves and acorns is one of my favorite patterns to carve into leather. It’s a pattern that has Germanic influences and is used on a lot of hunting items. So here I’m making a fully carved “taco-style” wrap around knife sheath.

Oak leaves and acorns motif

The motif is initially cut into the leather with a swivel knife.

Adding the finer details

The stippling and the back ground is hammered into the leather surface and the initial coloring is added to bring out the details.

Carving is finished

Once the shading is completed the entire sheath is coated in preservative oil before being folded over and a welt glued in place.

Stitched and riveted

The sheath is glued, then stitched, along the length. Rivets are added top and bottom for reinforcement.

The back of the sheath

The carving wraps all the way around the knife sheath. The belt loop is glued and riveted in place. This is a simple slip fit sheath that comes at least halfway up the handle.