Belt Sheath Types

Sheath Types

There are four basic sheath types for belt carry: vertical, horizontal, canted and cross-draw. The illustrations show the sheaths designed for a right-handed person (as when the person is facing you), but the lefty-friendly versions of any of these sheaths can definitely be made as well.

	Vertical sheaths are normally made with a loop for the belt on the back of the sheath, although they can also be held on it with a belt clip. The belt loop I usually make allows belts up to about 2 1/2" wide to fit fine. This is done for a number of reasons. First, with this loop type the smooth grain side of leather is always on the outside, making it much more wear-resistant. And secondly, with some additional space the sheath can be tilted when you have to sit down, and then the sheath doesn't get in the way.
	Canted sheaths are made the same way as the vertical sheaths, but at an angle to the belt. Although the canted sheaths take up more belt space, they generally get in the way a little less.
	Cross-draw sheaths are practically identical to the canted sheaths, except that these are worn on the weak hand side (non-dominant hand side). This offers several advantages, such as easier access and ease of getting at the knife, and since it is on the weak hand side it is less likely to get in the way when you are doing something.
	Horizontal sheaths are subdivided into regular and low carry sheaths. Basically, the regular sheath rides almost level with the belt, while the low carry sheath hangs a little lower, for those of us with excessive...er...insulation. The horizontal sheaths almost never get in the way, which is a big plus, although they do take the most room on the belt compared to other sheath types. But they can be worn practically anywhere: on the front, on the side or even on the small of your back. The only issue with horizontal sheaths is that they sometimes bump into things are you turn, although this can happen with any sheath to some degree. Horizontal sheaths usually have belt loops of about 1 1/2", but other sizes can be done too.

*Note:* There are other specialized types of sheath orientations, such as in-waist-band. These make sense for only some knives, and can be done on request. So if you need something totally different from what is described above, email me and I will probably be able to make one just for you.