Art Appreciation | Queen’s Mine

A classic work of artistic knives, almost a metal oil painting, with a high degree of creativity, it is the most outstanding work of Butch Beaver, a famous craftsman of the American Swordsmiths Association!

Butch started making dippers in 1965, retired in 2005, worked for 40 years, and passed away in 2019. He was good at making traditional dippers, artistic dippers, and skilled in titanium alloy carving and color plating. His traditional works also reveal a touch of modernity, which makes people deep impression.

The Queen’s Mine is the greatest copper mining camp in the United States. It was opened in 1875 and closed in 1975. In the past 100 years, the amount of copper mining in the Queen’s Mine has been the largest in the world. The nearby desolate areas have also formed a wealthy town because of the copper mine economy.

At present, the Queen’s Mine has become a famous scenic spot in the United States, receiving tens of thousands of tourists from home and abroad every year. The overall length is 18.5 cm, the blade length is 8.2 cm, and the naked weight is 133 grams.

The blade is made of 440C stainless steel with satin brushed finish. The production of handles can be described as a coherent process from material selection to carving to design, showing the ingenuity.

The frame is made of copper carved from the Queen’s mining area, and the inside is inlaid with Bibers ruby stones mined near the location of the Queen’s mining area. The mine carts and the scenery of the mining town are completely natural, perfectly demonstrating the charm of art.

Coupled with the natural oxidized color of copper, it forms a moving aesthetic feeling of time, and the side of the handle is also decorated with exquisite files. Complete with a handmade leather sheath, this is the perfect piece of steel art.

 

Hunting scabbard – choose the right scabbard

Three different styles of scabbards by ImageKenny Rowe, from left: plain plain sheath; floral hand-carved; full flap pocket, fully covered alligator sheath. (Kenny Rowe picture)

 

Expert craftsmen have in-depth knowledge on how to find the best hunting knife sheath for optimum protection, performance and appearance.

 

For hunters in the wild, a reliable and durable hunting knife is essential equipment, therefore, the scabbard must also be capable of carrying and practical.

 

Safe carry, protection for the blade and handle, easy access, and the ability to withstand the elements and hard use are essential. While there are a variety of sheaths to choose from, and each contributes to the protection and use of the knife, sheath makers have come to the eye-opening conclusion of crafting and deploying for hunting knives Correct scabbard. Personal preference is still the main driver, but fundamental factors determine cooperation and disaster in this field.

 

“The best style of hunting sheath is anything a hunter wants,” explains veteran sheath maker Paul Long. “Personal preference is very important. However, knives that are best described as hunters are best placed in a deep pocket with a loop that can be placed relatively high on the belt. In most cases, a deep pocket will rule out the need for a fixed Belt need. For the double shielded hunter, a belt sheath with a buckle loop is probably the best option for a secure fit.”

 

Depending on the style of knife, the guard usually determines the best pouch configuration. “I like pocket sheaths, and hunting knives usually have a single sheath rather than double,” says related sheath maker Paul Lebatard, who has also had success with his custom knives over the years. “I’ve also shot a lot of double sheaths and had to custom a snap-on sheath with a retaining strap, but on hunting knives with a single guard, the pouch style is always best.”

 

Knifemaker Paul Lebatard shows off one of his bespoke hunting knife and scabbard sets

 

As a sheath maker for over 50 years, Chris Kravitt focuses on the angle of personal preference. “First, it’s a matter of configuration of the knife, and then if more than one style works, it’s a matter of personal preference,” he observes. “I prefer the bag because it’s easier to pull out and re-snap the knife without having to worry about the strap.”

 

At the same time, Kravitt acknowledges the different configurations of hunting knives and their influence on the form and function of the scabbard. “If a knife has double guarding, it won’t work on a pouch sheath, and if you have a knife with an integral handle, probably,” he says. “Something doesn’t fit the traditional style, like the blade being the widest part of the knife, or not having a brace or the ricasso (that is, the uncut part of the blade near the hilt) extending beyond the blade.”

 

Kenny Rowe, owner of Rowe’s Leather in Hope, Arkansas, has added another option to hunting knife sheaths. “Ninety percent of these sheaths are the pouch type because they cover most of the knife, and with a guard, you can create a welt where there is some resistance for the knife to go in and out,” he points out. “Some jackets will have a cover with a snap on it, which is as secure as possible because the flap snaps onto the front of the jacket.”

 

Exotic leather is a good inlay material, Paul Long used a variety of animal skins, including snakes, lizards, ostriches and so on. He used an ostrich as the red inlay on the sheath of a Julian Antunes fixed blade utility knife. (SharpByCoop image)

 

For all the reasons hunters encounter in the wild, the consensus with the bag sheath makes sense. Cowhide reigns supreme among sheathing materials due to its toughness and ability to shape and mold the sheath as needed during construction. Most sheath manufacturers use 7 to 9 oz 100% vegetable tanned cowhide.

 

|——sheath leather type

The use of exotic leathers such as ostrich, stingray, crocodile, crocodile or other hides is a sustainable option, although in most cases they are used as decoration, usually in the form of inlays rather than on the hide Add any performance-related components on the.

 

“Exotics are very useful in sheathing, but mostly for aesthetics,” Long explained. “Elephant and Shark are two products that are tough enough to withstand very severe use and are often built as an overlay over a vegetable tanned sheath. I work with all kinds of snakes, lizards, ostriches and many other animals. ”

 

In addition to standard sheaths, Paul Lebatard also makes double sheaths, many in vegetable tanned leather. “A lot of people say not to put your knife in a sheath, but as long as the sheath is made of good quality vegetable-tanned leather, I’ve never had a problem,” he notes. (Photo by Paul Lebatard)

 

As Kravitt points out, “99% of the time the base sheath is cowhide, but for the overlays and inlays my favorite is stingray which is pretty much bulletproof but more expensive and harder to work with – but great stuff. Ostrich legs or shins are very good, Malaysian Horned Frogs are very good in texture. Snakeskin is not very durable but is fine for a scabbard for display as it won’t hold up to regular use.”

 

Tooling and sculpting also provide style points and can be pleasing to the eye. However, neither contributes to the performance of the sheath in field use. “I occasionally make tools out of steel nails, but sculpting is a talent I don’t have,” Lebatard said. “However, on almost every scabbard I put something that fits the theme of the knife, like a fawn. Someone might place an order and specify that they only want a bare, plain sheath, or they might just want Ask for their initials. That’s a good thing for leather. When it’s wet it can be molded and stamped, and when it’s dry it keeps that impression.”

 

|——tanning style

Vegetable tanning is essential when the blade is in prolonged contact with the sheath leather. In contrast to chrome tanned leather, vegetable tanned leather will not corrode or stain blades left in the sheath for any length of time. The old admonition to store the knife itself separately from the scabbard will get a longer look.

“A lot of people say not to put a knife in a sheath, but as long as the sheath is made of good quality vegetable-tanned leather, I’ve never had a problem,” Lebatard points out. “I made a knife for a friend a few years ago and he didn’t want a sheath. He was going to get someone to make him a sheath. Years later he brought the knife to me, and he put it in a chrome tanned leather sheath It’s almost rusted. The chrome-tanned leather is very corrosive.”

 

Klavett had a similar experience. “I’ve heard a lot of people say don’t keep knives in holsters, but I’ve kept knives in holsters for years and never had a problem,” he recalls. “My sheaths are all vegetable tanned, not chrome tanned. Chrome tanned leather may have salt and other substances in it.”

 

|——Sheath accessories

Waterproofing is another essential element, and there are issues surrounding scuppers and inserts in the building itself.

 

Kenny Rowe The different trims available with his sheaths include, from left to right: smooth; border embossed; basket weave; hand carved with acorns and oak leaves; beaver tail); and exotic skin full coverage (ostrich legs). (Kenny Rowe picture)

 

Most sheath manufacturers shy away from blades because contact with them can dull the edge. After all, welts and/or straps should be good enough for a snug fit. The insert itself can be judged to provide some measure of redundancy, but contributes little to the overall stability of the lock or to protecting the knife itself. “Even the best blades, even rigid ones, will do more damage to them than top-grain leather,” says Long.

 

At first glance, the drain holes seem like a good idea, helping to keep things clean and preventing moisture or debris from building up inside the sheath. Not so fast! “I don’t usually put a drain hole in my sheath,” Lang asserts. “I also didn’t do any waterproofing on the inside of the sheath. Instead, I relied on my client’s normal intelligence not to go swimming with their scabbard and at least try to clean the blade of blood and guts before reinserting it. mark.”

 

“I don’t think it makes any sense,” he commented. “I can count on one hand the number of jackets I’ve made with drainage holes, and I’ve been making jackets for at least 35 years. The only time I would ever expect someone to have a jacket in really wet conditions is if they Accidentally rolled into a deep river or their boat sank. I don’t want someone dragged neck deep in water with their hunting gear. For debris, it’s easy to take a wire with a little hook on the end and put the sheath is raked out, or blown off with air, or turned upside down and shaken or tapped on a table.”

 

Ultimately, Chris Kravitt – who makes the jackets in his shop – sticks to his own. “First,” he began, “it’s a matter of configuration of the knife, and then if more than one style works, it’s a matter of personal preference.” (Photo by Chris Kravitt)

 

Kravitt, on the other hand, would use drain holes and inserts from time to time. Usually, the blade itself is made of leather to avoid additional friction on the edge. The use of vent holes directly responds to the future use of the gear on site.

“If I knew the sheath was going to be used in harsher conditions, I thought it should have a drainage hole,” he says, “not just to drain water, but to remove debris—especially when the user is in a tree. ”

 

Sheath makers do tend to rely on product owners and knife owners for field responsibilities. “Explain to the client, if they’re new, about ‘the care and maintenance of the holster,'” Laughs.

 

 

Paul Lebatard put something on the theme of the knife, like a fawn, on nearly every scabbard. “That’s a good thing for leather,” he said. “When it’s wet it can be shaped and stamped, and when it’s dry it retains that impression.” (Photo by Paul Le Batar)

 

|——Find the best choice

A well-made scabbard is a constant companion to a hunting knife, and the best measure of a sheath’s contribution, whether in the field or in a collector’s cupboard, is its role in that partnership. In order for a scabbard to function properly, the owner must remember the fundamentals of hunting knife care. Keep your knife and scabbard clean. Wipe off moisture and other liquids. Maintain surface as needed. Don’t get your knife wet and expect the sheath to do more than it should.

Adhering to best practices will ensure a long life for your hunting knife and its all-important sheath.

 

 

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