Brass Leather Tacks....where to get them?

Skinny Preacher 66418 · February 12, 2008, 03:34:35 PM

Brass Leather Tacks....where to get them? Quality style for knife sheaths like these:

Ten Wolves Fiveshooter · February 12, 2008, 04:17:01 PM

Howdy Pard

check this web site , look under SPOTS, there are 3 pages of them , THEIR BRASS SPOTS ARE SOLID BRASS, and their nickle is nickle over SOLID BRASS, some places just give you brss platting over tin , and this stuff doesn't hold up very long I've bought from them before , good people. quality stuff..

tEN wOLVES

http://www.hansons.net/servlet/StoreFront

Skinny Preacher 66418 · February 12, 2008, 05:06:15 PM

Many thanks. I've contacted them about their construction and mounting capability.

Tandy Leather also has them in bulk.

Forty Rod · February 12, 2008, 05:31:38 PM

Crazy Crow Trade Company

ChuckBurrows · February 13, 2008, 07:10:53 AM

Yep I get my steel shank tacks from Crazy Crow and solid brass square shank tacks are available from www.thetruckshoppe.com, but they tain't cheap...

The ends are peened like the originals were. To do it properly you need a piece of brass flatstock say 2-3" wide by 3/4-1" thick by at leat 8" long (the wider and longer the better) to use as an anvil, a double thick piece of the rubber poundo board or similar, a light weight ball pein hammer, and a pair of end cutters ground so that the face is flat.
Lay out your pattern - I just sketch the lines in with either a red mini ball pen or a soft lead pencil. For spacing I put in a few of the major points and then eye ball to fill in the pattern.
Once the pattern is layed out use a leather awl to start the hole - BTW the leather needs to be a GOOD grade of veg tan and although I have used thinner I recommend it be least harness weight, 8/10 or 10/12 oz with a nice tight grain. Drive in three of four tacks at a time and then turn the piece over with the heads on your brass "anvil" - the anvil should be mounted on a heavy piece of wood or layed over a nice firm piece of poundo board. This cuts down on noise and also keeps it in place. Take your end cutters and clip the shank off flush with the surface of the leather. Then using the flat face of the hammer tap LIGHTLY on the shank until you flatten out the center ridge left by the cutters. Then using the ball end tap a few times to flare the end of the shank and drive it slightly below the surface. Run your hand over the piece and make sure the shank is not poking out. Turn the piece over and make sure the tack heads feel solid - no matter how careful you are some shanks will want to bend side wise - if they do yank em out and do it over. Still no matter what over time and with much uses some tacks will pop out - most original pieces are missing a few tacks here and there so it just makes the piece more authentic!
This sounds more complicated than it is and it goes pretty fast once you get the rhythm

Nice sheath pic.....

Skinny Preacher 66418 · February 13, 2008, 09:03:31 AM

Quote from: ChuckBurrows on February 13, 2008, 07:10:53 AM

Nice sheath pic.....

ChuchBurrows:

Is it one of yours? Wanna build me one? I'm working on a double edged knife, 9" blade, 13" overall. 15" wide blade, coffin handle, 'T' hand guard.

ChuckBurrows · February 13, 2008, 01:03:33 PM

Yeppers that's one of mine....

I'd be glad to build you one, but you may not want to wait - I'm currently back-ordered through December 2008!

If you're still interested give me a call 970-259-8396.

Skinny Preacher 66418 · February 13, 2008, 02:18:49 PM

Quote from: ChuckBurrows on February 13, 2008, 01:03:33 PM
Yeppers that's one of mine....

I'd be glad to build you one, but you may not want to wait - I'm currently back-ordered through December 2008!
If you're still interested give me a call 970-259-8396.

Well I can understand why. You do excellent work.