Leather hatchet or ax head protector - PEP BB textile.straw.leather.ax-sheath

I just finished making an axe sheath. I didn't read the BB requirements beforehand - to be honest I didn't do it as a BB, but because I've just bought some beautiful, oak-tanned leather - so my sheath doesn't have a belt loop. I would actually argue that this isn't a necessary feature for an axe sheath as none of mine have one - perhaps this could be discussed as a requirement?

I made a second axe sheath, this time with a belt loop to satisfy the BB.

I made the sheath in the same way as the one I posted above so I'm hoping that those photographs will make up part of this BB submission as I neglected to take in-progress shots. I think it's obvious that the leather and other materials are the same, as well as the style of work - and thus that I made it!

I must confess, the belt loop is kind of nice. I'm still not certain that it should be a requirement but I will probably find it useful.

Nice work Luke. I really like what you’ve made. I’ll be going down this road one day.

Thank you! I'm just beginning the journey myself - I have a long way yet to go!

I've found it quite simple to pick up the basics and would encourage you to give it a go sooner rather than later.

I'm sure it'll take a life time to master but it seems that, with a bit of practice, it's not too difficult to make useful, functional objects.

I wanted to make a sheath or mask for the hatchet I recently rehandled for the make a handle bb but the belt loop requirement lead me to grab a different hatchet for this bb. I also would echo the detraction from that requirement as I don't like the uneven weight of anything but the smallest hatchet and can't really imagine anyone particularly wanting to carry any axe that way for much time at all. Also the only real universally applicable sheath pattern is the one shaped like an envelope with a hole in the bottom which the entire length of the handle must pass through. I find that pattern clunky and unappealing. I wonder if the edge protection and belt attachments were two separate pieces if that would still meet the bb requirements, I've seen that style and think it would be a less cumbersome way to go.

Anyway, I chose to make a mask for the lightest hatchet I had that needed one that also had enough material on the poll to allow for the two-strap style I devised. I used bark tanned cow hide that I tanned myself, this piece came from the belly area so wasn't overly thick. I did the usual process of tracing the hatchet and making a paper pattern and then transferring that to the leather. Once cut out I spent some time dressing the leather with neatsfoot oil and softening it to a more pliable condition. A welt was also cut out to be stitched in between the folded layers where the edge goes in the sheath, this is what protects the stitches from being cut. I had difficulty keeping the three layers lined up for punching stitch holes since they were not glued first. I don't really understand that requirement either as it is a very traditional method and traditional hide glue is essentially the same stuff as the sheath. I don't like all the chemical glues either but traditional glues are awesome and pretty much food grade. I had to re-punch some holes and the welt got a bit chewed up but in the end it still looks fine if you don't look too closely. I'd maybe recommend not trying to punch all the holes prior to stitching but to work with an awl and stitch each hole as you go if glue is not being used. I'm pretty amateur and haven't done leatherwork for a year or two though, so maybe I was just sloppy. I also made a groove for the stitches on the front and back edge before punching which was a mistake, the back edge should be grooved after punching so it's aligned and neat. Four holes were punched in the back and cut between them to make the slots for a belt to pass through. I waxed linen thread with beeswax and stitched with two needles, going through each hole with both needles and pulling tight, I forget what that stitch is called but it's commonplace for this task. I punched holes and set down the snaps similarly to how one would a rivet. A little clean up trimming and edge burnishing and it was all done.