Cutting the leather and preparing it for stitching

This guide explains how I first position the template correctly on the leather and transfer the lines. It then describes how I cut the leather without shifting anything, and how I mark the stitching holes so they align neatly along the edge. Finally, it shows how the holes are pierced with an awl, preparing the leather for stitching.

I begin by drawing the template onto the outside of the leather using a fine marker or ballpoint pen. A grease pencil or similar tool can also be used, but I prefer a fine marker because it produces clean, precise lines that are easy to follow during cutting and later shaping.

The leather I use is firm, compressed front-quarter leather with a thickness of 2.2–2.4 mm. This thickness gives the sheath good stability while still allowing it to be shaped around the knife without difficulty.

Once the template is transferred, I cut the leather along the lines. Precision is important here – even small deviations become visible once the sheath is sewn. I hold the leather scissors at an angle of about 30 degrees to achieve clean cuts and use my Osborne scissors, which cut very accurately and leave minimal irregularities.

After cutting, the characteristic angled edges along the sides of the sheath become visible.

Next, I mark where the stitching will be placed. For this, I use a small homemade tool made from reindeer antler, but a crease iron or compass can also be used. I place the row of holes about 2.0 mm from the edge. A smaller distance creates a narrow and neat stitch, but if the spacing becomes too small, the leather may split when the holes are pierced.

I mark the holes with a 3.0 mm overstitch wheel, which works well for bead stitching, and I count them carefully to ensure the same number on both sides of the sheath.

The piercing itself is done with a round awl. I insert the awl at a slight angle from the top surface of the leather so that it exits at the centre of the leather’s thickness. This gives the stitching a stable and durable path, with the thread lying centrally and the leather not splitting during use.

The holes made with the awl must be placed precisely in the middle of the angled leather edges. When the holes follow this midline, the two edges meet cleanly when the sheath is stitched together. This ensures that the thread has the same distance to the surface on both sides, and the leather is pulled together evenly. The result is a tight, consistent and strong seam that does not pull to one side or leave small openings along the edge. This contributes to both durability and a neat, professional appearance in the finished sheath.

To make the sheath more flexible and easier to shape, I thin the leather at both the tip and the top using a leather skiver. This is especially important at the point, allowing the sheath to bend around the knife blade without the material becoming too stiff or too thick. At the same time, the sheath retains its strength and precise fit, which is essential for both function and appearance.

The wings at the top of the sheath are also thinned so the material gradually becomes more flexible toward the tip. The purpose is to ensure that the leather can later be folded closely around the handle without forming small bulges or resistance when the sheath is shaped during stitching. When the wings are thinned correctly, they overlap evenly, and the leather follows the contours of the handle more naturally. This creates a smooth and precise finish around the knife’s entry point. In another post, I go through the stitching and shaping process, where it becomes clearer how the thinned leather works during assembly.