Civil War Era Bowie Sheath

[Tim Adlam]

Made by knifemaker, Alex Daniels.
Based upon the bowie/sheath ensemble featured on pgs. 358-359 in the "Antique Bowie Knife Book".
Sheath fittings are nickle silver.

Whadda' ya know!...I made it into the sheath gallery on piggy-back!!... ... ...

Tim

EDIT/ got my pg. #'s mixed!...duhhh!

[whv]

beat me to it, tim
thanx

[Chuck Burrows]

Tim-
Anyway you get here is fine! That is fantastic work (I'm green with envy0] ? Metalwork like that isn't that easy to begin with and then to add the engraving......

I'm going to send a link to one of my collector customers, maybe I can send some business your way.

Do you have a pic of the back of the sheath?

[Tim Adlam]

Here's the backside seam.
Fittings removed to show where Alex shaved down the leather.
The throat and tip are a tight fit. The scalloped edge is inlet somewhat.

I gotta' tell ya, it's a lot easier engraving the fittings before they're mounted to the leather!

[Sandy Morrissey]

Thanks, Tim, for showng us how it is done by the pros! I once considered learning how to engrave but consideration is a long way from action. I tend to procrastinate. BTW thanks for the backup in reference to our friend from Mayo! Sandy

[Chuck Burrows]

Tim - Again outstanding work. How is the metal mounted to the leather - glue, pins, ....? I've always overengineered mine and lifted little teeth up on the inside of the metal with a graver, then glued them, and usually then used a pin through the metal and into the leather just to make sure. Also is there going to be a stud fitted on the front for use with a frog?


Sandy-
You old reprobate, did you get my email?

[Tim Adlam]

Thanks Chuck,

I'm not sure what Alex uses for adhesive. There's no pin holes on these.
The button wasn't sent to me because as, per the original, it was left undecorated.
A curious thing about the original knife is the square hole on the bolster.
It's been speculated that this was part of some kind of security clip system, now long gone.
Also, this knife was of the type awarded to Union troops by local communities that had cutlery mfgs. nearby.
The deep fullered blade and lanyard hole in the cap nut would bear out that theory nicely.
I would guess that because this particular knife was so highly embellished..it wasn't the property of an enlisted man.
The original has "T.C." in fine script on the reverse side of the bolster.
The engraving pattern is fairly sophisticated..."expensive"... for that period.

If these old knives could talk, eh?

Tim