New Product Survey - Leather Saya

Kitchen Knife Forums

Help Support Kitchen Knife Forums:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
I am thinking making sayas in these colors. What do you guys think? I can also make them in natural (vegetable tanned) leather, but coloring might be nicer.

Amber
amber.jpg

Dark Brown
dark brown.jpg

Black
black.jpg

Cognac
cognac.jpg
 
A drawback to wood sayas in a bag is that the pins can scratch other sayas. I recall reading about something in tanned leather deteriorating edges. Anyone have info on this, or is it an old wives tale? I do look forward to seeing some of these. The contrasting stitching sounds cool.
 
I think the safest leather to use is vegetable tanned tool leather, and do the coloring on the outside only. That's basically my intention. I would not use any acid tanned leather for the sayas, as those could in theory (and possibly in practice) corrode carbon blades.
I will use the tanned leather for the knife rolls though, but knives in those will be stored in their individual sayas (wood or leather), so there will no direct contact with roll leather.

Thanks for the tip on pins scratching. I will look into that.

M
 
Marko Tsourkan said:
I think the safest leather to use is vegetable tanned tool leather, and do the coloring on the outside only. That's basically my intention. I would not use any acid tanned leather for the sayas, as those could in theory (and possibly in practice) corrode carbon blades.
I will use the tanned leather for the knife rolls though, but knives in those will be stored in their individual sayas (wood or leather), so there will no direct contact with roll leather.

Thanks for the tip on pins scratching. I will look into that.

M
Click to expand...

I am just looking forward to this for my other knives coming in....my custom will have a wood saya thats for sure...Whats the list for like on wooden sayas im still a couple months out on my custom
 
I use 9oz vegetable tan leather, and the edges getting bent are the last thing you need to worry about. It's thick grade leather, that will basically get better with age as long as it is weather proofed. You can bevel the edges, but I haven't seen the need to on any of mine. I have kept my blades in the leather sheaths for some time, (I know I'm not supposed to, they can rust). I have a really reactive kuro ichi steel knife that I wouldn't use as a line knife because it's a bit too reactive, but it has no problems being stored in the leather as long as it's dry. (I have polished this blade numerous times, so I am hardly concerned about finding rust on it, so you might want to be wary if you don't feel you can fix the problem if it happens) At the same time, I feel the plastic edge guards with the little bit of felt on the inside is MUCH worse for trapping moisture and rusting knives out in your kit overnight.

Also, I agree with pins scratching sayas my Gengetsu saya looks like it's been hammered like a copper pot it's got so many indentations on it. I also get black marks from my mac bread knife handle on sayas, so I put it in my utility pouch. I like the slimmer profile of the leather, too bad I have Pirate tendencies and keep putting belt loops on mine, they don't exactly save space with belt loops hehe. Good luck with the new venture Marko, hope you are successful and find some enjoyment working another material, hmmm wood, steel, leather, you gonna start sewing egyptian cotton chef jackets next, or starting a farm, hehe have fun!
 
I understand that the price of the leather sayas might be higher than people expected, however, I had to factor in the cost of equipment, materials, additional overhead for an extra room I would need to rent (adding to my already high overhead), and cost of labor. I might discount a few of the first ones, but these are the prices I have to charge to be able to make this project work.

I removed a few fields from the survey form, so now it is just a survey on preferences. There is no obligation whatsoever for those of you who chime in (as with all of my products). If you like the sayas once I produce them, you can always give them another look.

Here are the colors that I like. Would like to hear your opinion on these. I think they can be matched to the handle material color. Natural color will also be an option.

Black
View attachment 19299

Cognac
View attachment 19300

Dark Brown
View attachment 19301

Amber
View attachment 19302
 
Those are some nice looking colours, I really like the cognac and amber.
 
Marko Tsourkan said:
I understand that the price of the leather sayas might be higher than people expected, however, I had to factor in the cost of equipment, materials, additional overhead for an extra room I would need to rent (adding to my already high overhead), and cost of labor. I might discount a few of the first ones, but these are the prices I have to charge to be able to make this project work.

I removed a few fields from the survey form, so now it is just a survey on preferences. There is no obligation whatsoever for those of you who chime in (as with all of my products). If you like the sayas once I produce them, you can always give them another look.

Here are the colors that I like. Would like to hear your opinion on these. I think they can be matched to the handle material color. Natural color will also be an option.

Black
View attachment 19299

Cognac
View attachment 19300

Dark Brown
View attachment 19301

Amber
View attachment 19302
Click to expand...


If I just filled out the survey/order form what does that mean now?
 
This gives me an idea on your (and hopefully others) preferences for look, design and and other characteristics, so I can plan accordingly. Once I start making those if you like them how they look in person, you will be welcome to commission some.

This surveys are mostly for me to better understand the preferences, so I can make product as close to what people want as possible. I have done this for all products (including knives) that I produced.

M
 
I took some time off while channeling all my time into western handles and change in my grinds for this type, but I am finally at a good stopping point to go back to leather. I think I will shipping sayas within a couple of weeks.


Marko
 
Marko,

Wanna do one sheath for the knife below?

It is with Dave now after a spa treatment. It is going to be shipped to me in Australia but I can wait if you can do one quickly. I understand if you are too busy.

Pls let me know, thanks.

Ferry
 
OK, I finally got this project off the ground. Leather is on order, snaps and rivet press is on order as well. need to order a few loose end things and tools, but the biggest hurdle is done!

For now I have ordered leather in only one color - Medium Brown. I find it go well with most colors of the handle material. Over time I will add up a few more colors, but since leather sayas is not a very high demand product, I can't stock leather in variety of colors. I selected some of the nicest grade (and some of the most expensive too) - English Bridle, so I am very anxious to make some good stuff out of it.

Prepaid sayas for DT blade as well as for my knives are up in the pipeline. I will post a production schedule once I get all the materials and start making them and sending them out.
 
The leather is here. Waiting for some tools to arrive before starting on the sheaths.

M
 
I need to get the paid ones out before taking any new orders, but I will keep posted when I reopen the order list.

Thanks,

M
 
finally started with the leather. Still working out some final changes and system, but there will be some pictures of finished product soon.

Pics below are WIP

20150207_191248.jpg

20150207_182627.jpg

20150207_191037.jpgI
 
Very nice. How do you prevent the blade from splitting the thread wide open?
 
There is a strip of leather that goes in between upper and lower layers, against which the knife edge and spine rests. The thread goes through three of these layers.

For scimitars, leather saya is the only option for a scabbard i if one is looking for a tight fit (it has to do with the blade curve), while other knives can have scabbards made out of wood.

The saya in picture is WIP. I still need to chamfer and burnish the edges.
 
Just want to remind that for leather sayas I don't need actual knives for fitting, just an outline of a knife on a (preferably) stiff cardboard, like cardboard from Priority Mail boxes.

Leather sayas would work particularly well for knives with Kramer and Harner profiles.

Thanks,

Marko
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Back
Top