How would you make a quick sheath for a fixed blade using only scrounged materials when you're far from home?

The scenario: I'm travelling by air, carry-on only. I get an unexpected invitation to see a really neat trail in a wilderness area, or go on the water for some fishing/crabbing. I have some airline-acceptable gear to take along, but no sharps, and that's uncomfortable. (This scenario has happened several times.)

So, I head to the local thrift shop and grab the best I can get, often a butcher, chef, or boning knife for a couple of bucks. It's not sexy, but I can put a coarse edge on it PDQ, and since I've practiced with these I know what it can do, and what its limits are.

After I'm done, I'll just donate it back to the same shop. Easy as pie.

But I need a way to protect the blade (and myself) while I carry it. Probably in a fanny pack etc. rather than on my belt.

Ideas?

Cardboard and duct tape? Quick & dirty, but you don't need it to last forever or look good.

Cardboard and duct tape; it's a wrap...

Russ, you edged me out. I hadn't read your post when I did mine....

Great minds? nahh

Gee, never would have thought of that!

Okay, great minds, here's the rub:

My "coarse edge" will go through cardboard and tape like butter. I could butcher a deer if needed (with regular touch-ups).

Cardboard won't survive a 3' fall, and won't survive a swim.

There has to be a way to protect against the edge and point penetrating into my tender hide.

Pretty sure it can be made such that the edge doesn't contact the cardboard. Wrap around the back of the blade and long enough that the point is protected. The handle should allow the cardboard to stay in place.

Something else to consider if you want high tech is to pick up a few of the very strong neodymium magnets, enough such that they can pinch the cardboard to the carbon steel blade. Duct tape the magnets and the cardboard should stay in place nicely. Haven't done that but it works great in my mind

Scrounge some sheet plastic and tape that. Aluminum sheeting (roofing material) would also work. Or you could always carry leather pieces, some rivets and a Speedy Stitcher and with an evening's work, you will have a real sheath

wood ?
chopping board/mat?
soda bottle?

Some dollar store knives come with plastic sheaths ... or very close to sheaths .. they also sell sandpaper , dollar tree sells sharpening stones


Speaking of cardboard,
A three foot fall and the sheath breaks really?

Try this,
wrap packing tape sticky side out around edge+handle
then stick to the tape and
wrap a full sheet of paper around blade only,
tape a little so it doesn't unroll
then fold/roll the excess paper so the knife tip has cushion,
then two-three wraps of non-corrugated cardboard around up to blade only, and add some cushion to the edge side
then fold over the packing tape
then final layer of cardboard but wrap around the handle
then packing tape all over
should survive a 1000 foot drop
and a dunking if the fit is tight enough
should last a long time if you slide the blade in spine first

In the dollar stores / thrift shops, you can often find the thin 1/16" polypropylene cutting sheets that can be rolled up:

Using a hair dryer you should be able to heat it enough to fold it, then sew it with a heavy needle and floss.
Add tape if required.
Reheat the plastic to conform to the knife profile.
Cut a couple of slots for a belt loop, then thread it onto your belt.

If the white plastic offends you then wrap everything in cardboard or tape (cammo tape?)

Doug, glad you are not the only one who has ever thought of this!

Here is my idea from sometime ago. Get a pool noodle (3.5" diameter size) from the Dollar store, Canadian Tire, Walmart etc. Cut a section length to fit the knife then cut the noodle in half lengthwise then trim to your needs. You could also cut a slit in the side of the noodle for an improvised belt loop attachment point.

Slip the knife into the noodle then press in so the handle is also in the noodle. The fit is so tight that you do not have to worry about the knife slipping out. Another good factor is the if you drop the knife into the water, it will float.

This depends on the trip and upon circumstances, but other options include 1) for repeated trips to one location - just buy a knife and leave it with a friend between trips 2) mail a CARE package full of forbidden fruit to your destination and mail it back after the trip. These strategies aren't workable for every trip, but I have used them successfully...

In that same thrift shop, buy a cheap belt and tube of good glue (or JB Weld). A leather sheath doesn't have to be stitched. You can glue it up.. and even leave enough buckle to have a way to attach/carry it.

Nice suggestions, thanks!

Cardboard by itself isn't entirely trustworthy (all bets are off should I fall on the blade at an unlucky angle). But reinforced with other materials as suggested, it should be a considerably more robust.

The polypropylene cutting mat is an option I hadn't thought of. Nice touch using the hotel hair dryer to shape it! I imagine very hot water might work also.

The leather belt is a good approach, either by itself or combined with tape and other materials. Better still: thrift shops often receive belts that aren't good enough to resell, and if you ask in the back you can have them for free.

One thing I have used successfully is 1/2" PEX tubing (cross-linked polypropylene) used for water lines in new construction. There are often discarded chunks at construction sites. This stuff is super tough to cut (hacksaw preferred) but if you can make a slit, it's good protection for any edge including machetes and axes. I imagine you could melt a slit into it with a nail and a heat source.

I agree.


You mean just cardboard and tape isn't trustworthy?

I've made a sheath the way I described above ,
with just one wrap (three blade widths)
of brown cardboard from a crackers box
about 1/32inch(~.8mm) thick
I stabbed the sheathed knife into the floor several times,
it didn't poke through,
I stabbed at an angle, no pokes,
I pushed the edge into a table, edge didn't cut sheath

How do I get it to fail?

The only way I think its possible, aside from slicing it intentionally, is impact with hammer against anvil

cardboard from tetra-pack box of milk ought to be waterproof

How about just sending a Mora to the destination? We're spending quite a bit of effort to figure out an improvised sheath, and unless it's made from conveniently available materials in a convenient manner, it doesn't seem worthwhile -- especially when you can get a Mora for perhaps ten dollars more. I guess it's up to you to decide how much value your time has.

If you access to a stove, you can dip PVC conduit in boiling water to soften it and form it around the knife while it cools. Use a towel to protect your hands while forming it. Caveat Emptor: I'm not sure I would use the pot for food afterwards...

Or just get a knife that's safe for pack carry to begin with

http://www.target.com/p/farberware-3-5-i...er/-/A-50424185

http://www.target.com/p/folding-knife-gerber/-/A-14898467

Hmm! It seems you've had better luck than I have. I've had knife points penetrate tape-and-cardboard in soft-sided checked luggage. But it could be my lousy construction skills . I'll give your method another look.



Good idea.

Maybe, but it's a thought exercise that interests me. The "garbage commons" has tons of useful stuff that can be repurposed, and many times that's more satisfying than whipping out a credit card. And anyway, it was too quiet around here.

From my POV, the ability to improvise "found" materials in an effective way is an invaluable skill set in survival situations (or more importantly, in preventing them).

Buy a decent folder?

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?

Let me give this a try. For the most part, archaeologists dig and study trash, the things discarded and left behind by people. For that matter,so do crime scene investigators. The methodologies and techniques of these two groups are surprisingly similar.

It is no surprise to me that looking at the material in a second hand store would reveal a lot about the community and their choices and preferences.

Like any investigative technique, analysis of trash, either modern or prehistoric, is not infallible. Trash and residue analysis works best when combined with other analytical techniques.

Examples? Let me flip the question around.

Consider this challenge: if I were to magically plunk you down in any thrift shop on Earth, with no-one around, the windows and your smartphone blacked out, how long would it take you to find suggestive clues regarding:

- what continent and nation
- rough latitude
- local climate
- proximity to ocean
- languages commonly spoken/written
- general condition of the local economy
- trading partners
- ethnic mix
- leisure activities, sports, hobbies, entertainment
- prominent local employers
- what kinds of foods people eat in this area
- how do they cook
- mix of local politics
- mix of education levels
- high or low crime/violence rate
- predominance of young families or retirees

And that's just a few coarse indicators, off the top of my head. The unsorted donations in the back will tell you even more.

If hikermor's archaeological successors, 10,000 years from now, found a thrift shop encased in amber (or peat or volcanic ash), they'd be over the moon.

You would not have to wait even 10,000 years. There are folks who examine contemporary trash, with interesting results. People don't always give a written record that corresponds with the physical evidence they leave behind.

I suppose this thread is OK as an exercise in improvisation.

However, regarding the initial scenario, I wonder why not just check a bag with your sharps?

Before you all flame me with the "a checked bag is a lost bag" meme, let me relate my personal experiences. I typically fly commercial air about 3-5 times a year, and have been doing so for well over 30 years. In all that time I can remember only two occasions when a bag was delayed. One of those times was at least partly my fault. In both cases I got the bag within 24 hours. I have yet to lose a bag checked on a commercial flight.

I don't quite understand the reluctance to check luggage on flights.

For me there is an economic consideration. Most of the domestic airlines I've flown charge a fee for checked baggages. Roundtrip comes up to be $50 extra on top of your airfare. So for me, unless I happen to have hankering for thrift shop archeology or improvisation, the $11 Mora from Amazon Prime looks like a simple, cheap solution.

At the end of the trip you can donate it to the thrift shop. As you leave more and more of these knives around the world, you are basically giving future archeological graduate students dissertation topics: "Population Movement or Trans-National Trade Pattern? A Statistical Study of the Distribution of Swedish Survival Knives in North America 2015-2040."

I fly much less now, but I flew about fifty segments for work in one year recently. I don't check bags when I can avoid it due to expense and time delay waiting for bags. While I've had only one bag lost for good that was pretty challenging to deal with. Far more common for me has been 30-60min delays in getting my bag.

Yes, that surcharge has hit me too, and it has changed my approach. I doubt I could sweet-talk a ticket agent into a free checked anything, no matter how small. So, I now have good sharps stashed with friends in places I regularly visit. And, of course, if I expected to need sharps in another location I would just ship them ahead.

My "improv" approach is for the unexpected opportunity, where I never expected to need sharps. I have pulled all sorts of great carbon steel blades, including Ontarios and Moras, out of thrift shops, and it's rare that I can't find something worth taking along. (And it's a scavenger hunt, which amuses me to no end. YMMV.) So, I'm just trying to connect the dots.

I like it. Need to remember to scratch "ETS" into each blade. I'd love to be a fly on the wall as hypotheses are proposed to account for that.

That is a very valid point.

I tend to forget that sometimes, since I do most of my travels on one airline (Alaska Airlines), and usually manage to get enough miles to make the lowest tier of frequent flyer ("MVP" on Alaska). That gets me two checked bags for free. Alaska Air also does quite well on getting your bags to the carousel in a timely manner.

(All the usual disclaimers that I've no connection to the airline, except as a satisfied customer...yada....yada.)

I am a very old, elderly geezer, old enough to remember days when flying was actually fun. Perhaps you know this already, but it isn't anymore....Just one big, fee-ridden hassle.

There is the $50 baggage charge, but more so is the egregious baggage handling practices. And, a refusal to cover nearly everything that isn't clothing. It's caveat emptor.

I flew Alaska only once, and I had a great experience. They handled the second leg of a work trip I took, and a different airline handled the first leg. Well, first leg airline misplaced my checked luggage, and I needed to do a presentation for work. Alaska took responsibility -- yes, they took responsibility for another company's goof up -- and bought me the whole professional getup -- suit + shirt + belt + shoes. I'll definitely fly Alaska again.

Alaska Airlines has won numerous awards for customer service.

I highly recommend Alaska/Horizon Air for ETS members based in the far western states.

By the way, I had a checked bag with the first leg airline because I wanted to have a knife at my destination. What's a suit without my Benchmade?

The first leg airline was Frontier. My experience with them hasn't been so great.

Going in a different direction, Walmart has
Faberware Edgekeeper knives


6 inch Chef's knife with a sheath with built in sharpener for us $8.97. Free pick up from any store in US. Order 3 days in advance, fly in. Go to Walmart.


http://www.walmart.com/ip/Farberware-Edg...dingMethod=p13n