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#280716 - 05/18/16 11:38 PM Re: Improvised knife sheath? [Re: dougwalkabout]
Ren Offline
Addict

Registered: 11/05/07
Posts: 522
Loc: Wales, UK

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.

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#280717 - 05/19/16 12:29 AM Re: Improvised knife sheath? [Re: dougwalkabout]
boatman Offline
Addict

Registered: 03/10/03
Posts: 424
Loc: Michigan
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

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#280720 - 05/19/16 03:15 AM Re: Improvised knife sheath? [Re: hikermor]
Mark_R Offline
Old Hand

Registered: 05/29/10
Posts: 863
Loc: Southern California
Originally Posted By: hikermor
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...


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.
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#280723 - 05/19/16 11:23 AM Re: Improvised knife sheath? [Re: dougwalkabout]
quick_joey_small Offline
Addict

Registered: 01/13/09
Posts: 571
Loc: UK
Buy a $12 mora.

qjs

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#280724 - 05/19/16 01:04 PM Re: Improvised knife sheath? [Re: dougwalkabout]
bacpacjac Offline
Carpal Tunnel

Registered: 05/05/07
Posts: 3601
Loc: Ontario, Canada
Originally Posted By: dougwalkabout
Originally Posted By: Bingley
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 --


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. grin

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).


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.
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#280728 - 05/19/16 03:56 PM Re: Improvised knife sheath? [Re: bacpacjac]
hikermor Offline
Geezer in Chief
Geezer

Registered: 08/26/06
Posts: 7705
Loc: southern Cal
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....
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#280730 - 05/19/16 05:20 PM Re: Improvised knife sheath? [Re: dougwalkabout]
Bingley Offline
Veteran

Registered: 02/27/08
Posts: 1576
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.

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#280731 - 05/19/16 08:52 PM Re: Improvised knife sheath? [Re: dougwalkabout]
dougwalkabout Offline
Crazy Canuck
Carpal Tunnel

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

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#280732 - 05/19/16 09:16 PM Re: Improvised knife sheath? [Re: dougwalkabout]
hikermor Offline
Geezer in Chief
Geezer

Registered: 08/26/06
Posts: 7705
Loc: southern Cal
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.
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#280733 - 05/20/16 02:08 AM Re: Improvised knife sheath? [Re: dougwalkabout]
EMPnotImplyNuclear Offline
Enthusiast

Registered: 09/10/08
Posts: 382
Originally Posted By: Bingley
Improvisation is always fun and good training, but you have to admit to yourself, after a certain point, it's a hobby in itself

smile at point zero? laugh

Originally Posted By: dougwalkabout
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.

Hmm, got any exampleS?

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