How to buy the best leather sheath for a hunting knife

Posted by perkin steel on January 19th, 2021

A good hunting knife setup is incomplete without a proper sheath as the knife is not very usable without a sheath to cover it. 

A sheath is used to protect a knife and also acts as a carrier for the hunting knife. The sheath also protects the person carrying the knife from any serious injury arising out of the sharp edges of the knife. Usually, sheaths are made of soft material such as leather. There is a metal sheet on the outer side to give it the required strength. Based on the blade, the sheath can vary in size, shape, and construction.

While purchasing a leather sheath for a hunting knife, there are a few points one must keep in mind. 

Width of the leather sheath

Take a measurement of the widest part of the knife for which you are purchasing the knife. For a skinner’s knife, the widest part of the knife is normally the blade, but for others, it might be the tang. Your leather sheath must be at least 5 mm more than the size of the width. 

Length of the sheath

Next measure the length of the hide which should be able to hold the entire part of the sharp edge of the knife. 

Type of Leather

Choose the hunting knife sheath that has been made from any type of heavy leather. Vegetable-tanned leather which is commonly known as russet is the best type for a sheath.

Loop for Belt

Most people carry a hunting knife in their belt strap so the leather hunting knife sheath must have a loop for the belt.

Spacer, Steel

The leather sheath should have a spacer inside to hold the sharp edges of the knife. Also, the outer side should have steel pieces in front and back to have the strength to hold the knife. 

Purchase of best leather sheath

If you are wondering how you can buy the leather sheath for your hunting knife, there are several ways you can buy them.

Some useful tips while purchasing a sheath

• Avoid complicated sheath with “survival kits” attached

• Consider where and how you will mount the sheath 

Online Purchase

The best way to purchase the leather sheath is from online shopping sites. The shopping sites will give you a variety of options to choose from, based on your requirement. You can buy them from websites such as Amazon, ShopClues, Flipkart, OutdoorTravelGear.com, etc.

Offline Purchase

You can get a sheath from shops which deal in leather goods, outdoor clothing and equipments. Also, there are some supermarkets which also sell knife sheaths. 

Conclusion

If you have a hunting knife then you must have a leather sheath for holding it. Keep the above-mentioned points in mind and look out for the best one either in an online or offline store. A word of caution - while moving around with a hunting knife, it is essential to carry it in sheath, but while storing, do not keep the knife in the sheath as leather gathers moisture and the chemicals used in tanning can corrode the blade.