Found extra time: Sgian

[Tarheel]

This project is more of a pictorial than a tutorial process. I started with a gift. A blank stainless blade.

I ground the handle to fit my design and included some notches to hold when I set it in the handle.

I found a Black Cherry tree that had been recently felled and took a limb. I cured the block for two months.

I split the limb to decide my handle section.

I made a blank (two sides) of the handle. I started rasping the shape I wanted and then began with my knife to better the edges.

I decided on a dark walnut stain and placed an medallion (Mary of Nazarene) in the handle before I sealed the exterior.

On to page two of my process.

[Tarheel]

The handle is sealed.

The sheath is from extra plywood that was in the garage. I made layers (including a relief of the blade shape) that incorporated a magnet (black layer in photo) next to the blade.

Two-part epoxy filled the blade edge within the sheath (dark area of photo left above) and presses the blade against the magnet (solid dark area in photo right above).

This photo shows the fit of knife in sheath before I add black leather covering.

I will post the remainder of the project when I attach the leather covering.

[kiltedsniper]

Love the black cherry.....I'll take a wooden handle any day to a rubberized one. I re did a sgian dubh that I bought from Cold Steel...I did my handle out of cherry as well, and added a few embellishments to the handle too. Beautiful work...

[Lake Mist]

I have a broken 'katana' ... practice blade ... I may try to follow your lead here ... very nicely done ...

[Liam]

Very nice and very traditional looking!

[kiltedcontractor]

Nicely done. Next you'll be getting a forge and digging ore.

[Tarheel]

Nicely done. Next you'll be getting a forge and digging ore.

The wife won't let me go underground and has 7 animated dwarfs on retainer.

[Tarheel]

I've been working on the sheaf. I found a "thrift store" Coach bag (good quality leather) and cut the panels to cover the wood case.

I stitched the face side (dressed leather) with cotton thread and used water soluble paste and pins to hold the form until the stitching was done.

The pins gave me the pattern for the back being textured cover leather.
I glued the back after cutting the leather. I chose two threads to sew the front and back panels together. The gold color is a metallic alloy and the black spool is 10 pound test strength of "beading" thread.
Here is the pattern I picked to bind the front and back.
I used two needles, doubled the thread and crossed stitched along the sides (using the pin holes as guides).

I'll post more photos as I work. Thanks for the comments. Even though this project is not the quality of other craftsperson among us, I am pleased so far.

[Tarheel]

I finished the stitching and here's a photo of the side and front view.

I choose a Topaz from my collection of raw minerals to set in the handle. I plan to inset the stone with a flat surface exposed.
It helps that I have an entire weekend to finish the project. Gardening and migratory bird watching season is nigh.

[Tarheel]

Last photos. I took a jeweler's file and cut a groove along each end of the Topaz. I wrapped stainless steel wire and pig-tailed the end. I cut a relief to match the stone size and drilled a hole to accept the pig-tail. A dap of two part epoxy holds it in place.
Finally, the sgian is ready to wear.
It's noon, Sunday. Time to mow the yard.