Leather sheath bleeding help?!?

[cal7.62x39]

So I picked up a couple of hawk bill knifes back at the Wanenmacher but the sheaths keep bleeding and staining my clothes. I can scrub on the sheath or wipe it on my skin and the dye comes right off. Any ideas on how to get it to stop? Anyone out there make a new horizontal sheath for a reasonable price?

 

[RickN]

Maybe spray it with Mink oil to seal it.

 

[Bocephus123]

mink oil might make it worse super sheen or satin sheen from tandy leather several coats with a makeup sponge of cut a piece of regular kitchen sponge. What i use on all the sheath’s i make. Seals very good

 

[Bocephus123]

Never had the die from Tandy wipe off like that even the darkest black. ( yes they have several blacks).

 

[Chuckie]

My parents owned an operated a shoe/saddle repair business for 30+ years. I was literally raised teething on leather skivings (strips) and learning shoe repair as a kid.

What is happening is that the tanning oils and salts are leeching out of the badly tanned leather, which was then coated with a dye that did not penetrate well because of the underlying oils, then it was polished using a low quality coating/wax.
Because of the bad tanning job you may never fully be able to prevent the oil/salts from leeching, BUT, you can reduce it to a negligible level.
Thoroughly clean the knife sheath with Saddle Soap, let it air dry at room temperature away from direct sunlight, then do it again. It may take several times before the [Saddle Soap] foam no longer shows any (or very little) color from the leather - let it air dry well.
After it's dried well, test the leather by rubbing a white microfiber cloth or cotton ball across it several times to see if and how much color comes off. If the amount is 'livable' then you can redye the leather if desired, let dry, then rub in a couple of light coatings of Mink Oil, polishing between applications. Finely coat with a good leather (not liquid) polish and buff to desired shine level.

 

[RickN]

I need someone to make a sheath for me cheap or find a big enough kit and try it myself. I took a knife in trade a couple years back and while cheap, it is purdy. Sadly the sheath that came with it is even cheaper. I tried a Ka-Bar sheath I have but the blade is to deep for it.

 

[Bocephus123]

My parents owned an operated a shoe/saddle repair business for 30+ years. I was literally raised teething on leather skivings (strips) and learning shoe repair as a kid.

What is happening is that the tanning oils and salts are leeching out of the badly tanned leather, which was then coated with a dye that did not penetrate well because of the underlying oils, then it was polished using a low quality coating/wax.
Because of the bad tanning job you may never fully be able to prevent the oil/salts from leeching, BUT, you can reduce it to a negligible level.
Thoroughly clean the knife sheath with Saddle Soap, let it air dry at room temperature away from direct sunlight, then do it again. It may take several times before the [Saddle Soap] foam no longer shows any (or very little) color from the leather - let it air dry well.
After it's dried well, test the leather by rubbing a white microfiber cloth or cotton ball across it several times to see if and how much color comes off. If the amount is 'livable' then you can redye the leather if desired, let dry, then rub in a couple of light coatings of Mink Oil, polishing between applications. Finely coat with a good leather (not liquid) polish and buff to desired shine level.

Not how id do it but have at it .

 

[Bocephus123]

My grandfather was a shoe cobbler and raised 7 children

 

[GeneW]

I need someone to make a sheath for me cheap or find a big enough kit and try it myself. I took a knife in trade a couple years back and while cheap, it is purdy. Sadly the sheath that came with it is even cheaper. I tried a Ka-Bar sheath I have but the blade is to deep for it.

Can you send me a pic of it, with a ruler next to it. I’m a amateur hobbyist leather worker, I may be able to help.

 

[emapples]

So I picked up a couple of hawk bill knifes back at the Wanenmacher but the sheaths keep bleeding and staining my clothes. I can scrub on the sheath or wipe it on my skin and the dye comes right off. Any ideas on how to get it to stop? Anyone out there make a new horizontal sheath for a reasonable price?

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@Cowcatcher does leather work