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#280693 - 05/17/16 10:40 PM Improvised knife sheath?
dougwalkabout Offline
Crazy Canuck
Carpal Tunnel

Registered: 02/03/07
Posts: 3219
Loc: Alberta, Canada
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?

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#280694 - 05/17/16 10:47 PM Re: Improvised knife sheath? [Re: dougwalkabout]
Russ Offline
Geezer

Registered: 06/02/06
Posts: 5357
Loc: SOCAL
Cardboard and duct tape? Quick & dirty, but you don't need it to last forever or look good.
_________________________
Better is the Enemy of Good Enough.
Okay, what’s your point??

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#280695 - 05/17/16 10:50 PM Re: Improvised knife sheath? [Re: dougwalkabout]
hikermor Offline
Geezer in Chief
Geezer

Registered: 08/26/06
Posts: 7705
Loc: southern Cal
Cardboard and duct tape; it's a wrap...
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Geezer in Chief

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#280696 - 05/17/16 10:52 PM Re: Improvised knife sheath? [Re: hikermor]
hikermor Offline
Geezer in Chief
Geezer

Registered: 08/26/06
Posts: 7705
Loc: southern Cal
Russ, you edged me out. I hadn't read your post when I did mine....
_________________________
Geezer in Chief

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#280697 - 05/17/16 11:07 PM Re: Improvised knife sheath? [Re: hikermor]
Russ Offline
Geezer

Registered: 06/02/06
Posts: 5357
Loc: SOCAL
Great minds? nahh smile

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#280698 - 05/17/16 11:14 PM Re: Improvised knife sheath? [Re: dougwalkabout]
dougwalkabout Offline
Crazy Canuck
Carpal Tunnel

Registered: 02/03/07
Posts: 3219
Loc: Alberta, Canada
Gee, never would have thought of that! laugh laugh

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.

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#280699 - 05/17/16 11:38 PM Re: Improvised knife sheath? [Re: dougwalkabout]
Russ Offline
Geezer

Registered: 06/02/06
Posts: 5357
Loc: SOCAL
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 wink

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#280700 - 05/18/16 12:30 AM Re: Improvised knife sheath? [Re: Russ]
hikermor Offline
Geezer in Chief
Geezer

Registered: 08/26/06
Posts: 7705
Loc: southern Cal
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
_________________________
Geezer in Chief

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#280701 - 05/18/16 12:54 AM Re: Improvised knife sheath? [Re: dougwalkabout]
EMPnotImplyNuclear Offline
Enthusiast

Registered: 09/10/08
Posts: 382
Originally Posted By: dougwalkabout
Gee, never would have thought of that! laugh laugh

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.


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 smile
and a dunking if the fit is tight enough
should last a long time if you slide the blade in spine first

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#280703 - 05/18/16 01:59 AM Re: Improvised knife sheath? [Re: dougwalkabout]
Roarmeister Offline
Old Hand

Registered: 09/12/01
Posts: 960
Loc: Saskatchewan, Canada
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?)

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