Bees Wax-for sheaths.

[Rick Enos]

I'm told that to make a form fitting sheath. The best way is with hot Bees wax.Does anyone out there know what the steps are.Or is there a better way.I've only done it with hot water.

[madness522]

I've only used water. I do sometimes use bee's wax on the inside to help keep my high carbon blades from rusting when left in the sheath.

[OconeeDan]

I dampen with water then form fit sheaths. Make sure the sheath is perfectly dry with no remaining moisture before hot dipping them.
After they are complete, I hot dip them in a mix of equal parts of neats foot oil, bees wax, and pine pitch.  I use a big crock pot on the high setting.
Dan

[TheBigRedArcher]

I soak my formed sheaths in water and work them to get them soft then i form it over the knife, set them aside to dry and the dye them and seal the leather. If your knife is made of higher carbon steel and you are worried about rust I wrap my knifes in saran wrap and packing tape.

TBRA

[Rick Enos]

Dan.I've got bees wax.I can get neets foot oil--Where can I get the pine pitch..& do you plug up the the inside of the knife sheath with something or just submerge the intire sheath in the mixture.Is it just a quick dip or leave it in for 30 seconds??I just ruined a beautiful sheath by dipping it in just bees wax.I dont want to do that again.Sorry for all the questions& thanks for the advice....

[OconeeDan]

Rick, you can get pine pitch from Jas Townsend and Son, Inc.
800-338-1665
jas-townsend.com

Mix equal parts (1lb pine pitch, 1 lb beeswax, 1 lb neatsfoot oil) in a big crock pot.
A large crockpot will hold about 2 lbs of each.
Put it on "high".  Let it heat for a couple of hours, and make sure it's mixed up.  It stays mixed after that.
It should be "smoking hot".  Use a wire coat hanger hook, and dunk the sheath in the mix completely.  It'll start fizzing.  After about 5 seconds or so, remove the sheath, I catch the tip of the sheath on the edge of the crock pot, and dump any excess out.  Put sheath on paper towels and get a fresh paper towel and wipe off excess.  
After it cools, you can buff with loose wheel on your buffer or just a clean rag.
Wala, you are done.
caution, if there is moisture in sheath from wet forming, ugly things will happen.  The sheath will shrink up and curl like the shoe on an elf.  Don't ask me how I know.
Don't dip too long either.
Once dipped, you can not redip without making a mess.  
Leave the mix in the crockpot and unplug it, it'll cool to a solid.  Just reheat for next time.
Dan

[Rick Enos]

Thanks Dan,I tried your method with bees wax & neets foot oil no pitch & it worked much better than the first attempt with just warm bees wax.I will try the next with the mixture much warmer.What does the pine pitch do or is for color.

[OconeeDan]

Rick, the pine pitch probably doesn't change the color much.  What it does, is last longer, and feel less wet.  Pine pitch is much more of a solid than neats foot oil or bees wax.
Dan

[kbaknife]

How many feet does a neat have?
If it's a young neat do you have to use neatsfeet instead of a neatsfoot?

[Lin Rhea]

Oh... a funny man eh?
   
Spread out!


That's some good information there Dan.

[kbaknife]

Anything I can do to help.
Actually, I've acquired a few extra vertical quench tanks in my time and for about 5-6 years now I keep one full of little neatsfeet oil.
I sit it on a single burner electric coil and heat it to 200 degrees.
Full quench the sheath for only about 1.5 seconds.
Any longer and the leather soaks up too much oil.
But just for 1-2 seconds works fantastically.
Make sure to punch a hole down near the tip of the blade on the back side before you stitch up the sheath.
This allows for air to move through on the quench, and also allows for water to drain out should the sheath ever become filled with water during knife use.