Fabric mouse pad, they're usually some sort of neoprene.

Trim a strip off for a welt, and then just fold it over, like a traditional Scandinavian sheath.

Mark R, beat me to the punch. A PVC sheath will work very well. Made one for a Cold Steel "Bushman" and it works very well. When traveling by air you can have knives in check in baggage. You just can't have it on carry on. I wouldn't take an expensive knife in case luggage gets lost. A MORA HD or Bushcraft Black would be perfect. Used to "check on" knives all the time while in the Naval Reserves. Hunters do it with firearms as well. If your baggage gets lost then I would go the improv route.....


BOATMAN
John

There is that. It'll cost less then $10 for two padded envelopes and stamps to ship a good knife there and back. Besides, you should already have a S.A.S.E. in case of TSA capricious.

Buy a $12 mora.

qjs

Agreed. I am totally digging this thread, Doug!

IMHO, there is something very satisfying about turning something into something else, especially when done frugally. It saves money, doesn't put a valued tool at risk of being lost in the mail, it's fun, it's better for the environment, and I think it'll make you more adaptable in the end.

Improvisation is a good skill to have. Some sort of retail-halting disaster aside, we don't all have the disposable income for the buy new and mail it to yourself strategy, and not all destinations are places where you can easily pick-up a Mora, nevermind for $12. (Moras only seem ubiquitous. Good news for Canadians though! Can Tire is now carrying the Mora LMF Fireknife or $40.) Cheap knives, on the other hand, are a dime a dozen, but buyer beware.

It seems to me that a great solution, is an old well-made kitchen knife. That $12 can stretch a long way at a second-hand store, and you are more likely to get something good quality for that low cost. It seems like a no-brainer if we're talking about something that you plan to possess only temporarily.

The Mora LMF is 23.73 at REI outlet. I have two and they are great!

I totally agree with your thoughts about improvisation. You can't always anticipate precisely what will be needed....

The Mora is around $11 on Amazon. If you have Amazon Prime (in the US anyway), they'll ship it to a domestic destination in two days, no extra shipping charge. With this in mind, I probably won't spent more than 20 minutes (1) looking for a knife in a thrift store, and (2) making a sheath, especially in an unfamiliar location. Imagine the driving around to find a thrift store, seeking materials and the tools with which to make the sheath... I feel like if I'm on vacation, my time is worth more than $11 per hour (or $33 per hour, since I feel like 20 minutes is the max I'd spend doing something like this).

Improvisation is always fun and good training, but you have to admit to yourself, after a certain point, it's a hobby in itself. There is nothing wrong with that, of course, and it's an exercise I enjoy from time to time for sure. If I were in Doug's situation, I'd probably just do cardboard and duct tape. Some Filipino tribesmen from the old days carried their bolos/goloks/whatever in a sheath where the cutting edge side is held together by strings. So in an emergency they can just get the bolo out by cutting through the sheath. Probably unnecessary for a short knife.

Fair enough. Not everybody walks through thrift stores for amusement. I do, both to sniff out hidden gems and to conduct the modern-day equivalent of an archaeological dig. In short order, I can glean more information about an area and its inhabitants than the local tourist bureau could ever provide.

Note that the math works out differently when you cross the border -- the numbers for purchase and shipping are substantially higher. So, there's more incentive to seek creative solutions.

I have to grin (widely) at your allusion to an archaeological dig. As an archie myself, I have long enjoyed prowling through military surplus shops. And you are absolutely correct, you can learn a lot about the local situation....and you don't have to shovel any dirt.

at point zero?


Hmm, got any exampleS?