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Hey guys,

I'd like to give a felt lined wood sheath a go, I'm just wondering what kind of oil to charge the felt with and how much for that matter? Is it a saturation kind of game or do we merely spritz? The blade going in it will be antiqued finish and is destined for hard use, if that is a contributing factor.

Also at what point is the oil added? Before the halves are glued up, or drip drop it down the mouth of the finished product and run the blade in and out to disperse?

Jesse,

I wouldn't be overly concerned with adding anything to the felt liner were it me as I've never known anyone to do so. If you feel it necessary, then I would use something that will neither get sticky over time like WD 40 or anything that will turn rancid with age like a cooking oil. Mineral oil is something that may be an option though I'm not convinced that it is necessary.

Maybe Dan Petersen will chime in here as he makes more wooden sheaths than anyone that I know.

Gary

I've never oiled the felt in lined sheaths.

Gary,

Mineral oil was what i was thinking too, no odor and won't turn "bad" on a fella.

I haven't seen many felt lined sheaths personally, just upon my searches i happened upon Jesus hernandez lined and oiled a nice burl saya for a wakisashi, and our own kevin cashen did so to for his 2013 board knife, i just assumed it was par for the course. But if it's just an insurance step for highly finished knives maybe i won't worry about. Thanks Gary and Steve.

My two cents,.

I've provided a hardwood lined sheath for every knife I've made for about eighteen years now and the only ones I've felt lined were collector pieces, and those I only spritzed with a silicone spray just before gluing them up.Keep in mind that a heavy using knife will be carrying elements into the sheath unless it's cleaned "every" time it's put back in, and this will always be scoring your blade finish.Felt liners are also prone to knife points catching and digging on the felt after much repeated use, then pretty soon you have either shredded felt, or, the entire felt strip pulling apart and either way your left digging the felt out so the knife will fit completely again.Wood liners, or even wood sheaths themselves, for using knives, should not be made too snug as one instance of wet will swell the fit and make it unusable. On the sheaths say for a double sided guard, I will top the wood liner with a thick leather cap that helps snug up on the riccaso and it's then covered by the sheath leather covering.