D.I.Y. Knife Sheath Project with - Duct Tape.

 As I have said before, I volunteer in the Cafe at the Ancaster Seniors Achievement Centre one morning a week. As well as pouring coffee I help make soup and sandwiches and so I often need to cut up veggies and sandwich ingredients. I tried for several weeks to sharpen the knives that are at the centre but a combination of poor quality and abuse meant that every week I had a dull knife with which to work.  I hate using poor tools and so I began taking my own knives.

  I have been taking the Chinese Cleaver for a few weeks now, it is razor sharp and great for chopping and slicing veggies.  The other two are going tomorrow since we don't even have a decent paring knife to use.  The Ulu Knife is good for cutting pizza and sandwiches as well as anything else that needs a sharp knife. It is also a single bevel blade thus super easy to sharpen.

  What I was needed was a safe easy way to carry these knives forth and back.  I wrapped the cleaver in a tea towel and held the towel on with rubber bands and that worked okay, but the knife slid around in the carrying bag and I worried that it would cut it way loose.  I saw some DIY ideas on the net featuring Duct Tape projects and decided that it might work for me. Naturally I have duct tape in my shop, doesn't everyone?

  I made Duct Tape Cloth and in between layers, where the blade would rest I lined that section with leather. The first sheath I made uses rubber bands to stay in place but by the second and third I got wiser.

rare earth magnet
between the layers of tape.

  On the paring knife I used one magnet and on the cleaver I used six small magnets which holds the sheath on perfectly well.

  This is not as traditional as leather but for this application the double layer, leather re-enforced sheaths are exactly what was needed. The duct tape cloth is also quick and easy to do. The necessary tools are few and simple, duct tape, measuring tape,straight edge, really sharp knife.

  Another bit of work was a clamping project. I had a chair to repair. One of the rungs pulled loose on my Mom's kitchen chair.

  Having the clamps and glue available  makes this sort of job easy. 

cheers, ianw