Skin and Bones - - and Metal

[Big Homestead]

Your the man, thats awesome.

[ardchoille]

As I was looking at that second picture, I could already envision a beautiful sgian, I never thought about leather for the handle. Great job there!

[Yaish]

Awesome work Jay. I'm reminded of the leather washer Kabar handles. I never thought to try and shape them that way, I always figured on cutting them to size first.

How's the quality on those blades? Do they take a keen edge? It sounds like some more projects I'll have to try.

[James MacMillan]

Awesome work Jay. I'm reminded of the leather washer Kabar handles. I never thought to try and shape them that way, I always figured on cutting them to size first.

How's the quality on those blades? Do they take a keen edge? It sounds like some more projects I'll have to try.

In my youth, all the old woodsmen seemed to carry a version of a knife with a handle like this. The Kabar is such, but it isn't as compressed, and will dry out if the leather is not renewed with hand oil and sweat.

If you cut the leather to size first, you still have to do some sanding as the leather bulges out as it is compressed and gives a ribbed appearance - not bad in it self, but I like the smoother appearance. -And since I had access to a belt sander it made fast work on the rough shaping.

The sgian dubh blades from Atlanta Cutlery are only listed as "High Carbon" and doesn't list the Rockwell, but I tend to use my sgian as I used to use a common pocket knife, just for small tasks. I doubt that the blade would stand up to dressing out a deer, but I have used one for a squirrel and rabbit, and they held up well. I keep all my blades sharp, and while using them I strop them on a belt or even the side of a shoe. Works for me.