I just bought a KA-BAR knife. It is really nice and feels good in my hand.

I have been around a good bit of nice leather. This sheath is not super nice, but I was wondering something. Most of my classic leather holsters have the edges burnished. To me, it looks finished and fantastic. The edges on this sheath are not burnished, and don't quite look finished to me. Should I do it and, if so, how? Here are some pictures:
Larry

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Miss My Buddy crsides!!

The problem with that knife is that it says USMC. It is never going to look good with that.

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Only a cold warrior

I made mostly all of my own holsters....I guess I made about 22. Anyway, I burnished all my edges using a dremel, bees wax, and a wooden wheel attachment for the Dremel that I ground a groove into.
Turn the Dremel on low and touch the wooden attachment to the bees wax and work the Dremel around the edges of the leather. Take your time and keep adding bees wax to the wheel.
Eventually you will get a smooth, shiny, rounded edge.

How I do it:

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Keep on Chooglin'

I use about a 6" piece of oak dowel in a drill press. Put it in the press and use files and sandpaper to cut different size grooves. Then rub bees wax on the edge of the leather and use the dowel turning in the drill press to burnish the edges. Easy and fast.

Edge burnishing serves two basic purposes: (1) to seal the leather fibers exposed at the edges, and (2) protect the edges from abrasion during use. The improved appearance of a nicely polished edge is a plus from the aesthetic viewpoint.

In the shop I used a 50-50 mixture of beeswax and paraffin wax rubbed into the leather edges, then burnished with a hard felt polishing wheel chucked into a drill press at about 1700 RPM. The friction results in heat and the wax is forced into the leather fibers to seal the edges while the surface becomes highly polished. In practice we have to keep the piece moving because the heat rises quickly (not difficult to scorch the leather otherwise). Result in very good moisture resistance and a surface that resists abrasion during use. Of course, I was usually doing 12 to 20 pieces at a time, and this process allowed me to complete each one in only a few minutes (20 pieces might take an hour to do).

For a single home project a decent result can be had using glycerin-based soap and a scrap of denim cloth. Not as durable over long use, so it may require touch-up from time to time.

You can also rub the edges with a piece of candle wax, then burnish with a rough cloth (old towel, denim, etc).

You don't need power/dremel tools for such a small project .
If any roughness sand lightly with 400 -600 grit black wet or dry abrasive until smooth , then apply warmed wax (bees or candle) and rub , burnish , polish it in with rough cloth , I back my cloth with something like a large rubber art eraser , do it with a fair amount of pressure until the surface is smooth and has some shine .
Nice Ka-bar
Gary

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Certified Cajun
NRA Member

Thanks for the info everyone. I don't own a dremel tool. I guess I will try some rough cloth or a piece of wood.
Larry

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Miss My Buddy crsides!!

You can get a burnishing wheel, called a slicker, at Tandy. They have
both wood and nylon.

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In Omnia Paratus

I got tired of the cheap sheaths that come with most knifes........

Check out Savagesheaths. com

He's in Va. and make a great custom sheath worthy of a good knife!!

He's made a half dozen for me

Is the sheath made in USA still?

I know new Bucks come with JUNKY Mexican leather sheaths. Hate it!

No, unfortunately not, made in Mexico. Knife,still thankfully, made here though.
Larry

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Miss My Buddy crsides!!

Sacrilege!!!! 🙃
Dremel tools, guns, and 'knifes', sledgehammers, etc. should be in ever armory!!!

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Wherever my mind isn't
Jim