This article focuses on cleaning and protecting your leather sheaths and pouches for valuable or old knives. For more information on leather sheath care for regular work knives, take a look at our When & How To Take Care Of Your Leather Sheaths article on the A.G. Russell website.
Storing Leather Sheaths & Pouches
For use, leather sheaths are functional and look knife, but for long term storage, keep your blade away from leather.
Keep Knives Separate from Leather Sheaths / Pouches
The oils in your leather will encourage your blade to rust, and leather attracts and retains moisture.
When you put the knife away for storage, do not let your knife touch the leather.
Store your blade in a cardboard sheath instead, see the Storage article for more information.
Leather Sheath Cleaning & Maintenance
Keep an eye on your Leather – watch for drying out, cracks, or mold and mildew.
- Apply leather conditioner on your leather sheath every 6-12 months.
- Leather will need extra care if you live in a dry region.
- Don’t use any leather products with petroleum ingredients.
- For more information on leather sheath care for regular knives, take a look at our When & How To Take Care Of Your Leather Sheaths article on the A.G. Russell website.
Dealing With Mold
Since white vinegar is readily available, we will recommend using a 1:1 ratio of white vinegar to water. White vinegar will kill most mold if you can catch it early. Apply the diluted vinegar to a rag and wipe down the leather, then let it dry. Don’t soak the sheath in vinegar – it is rough on the leather and stitching both, especially if the sheath is older. You may need multiple applications. Use a leather cleaner or Saddle Soap to clean the sheath up. If that doesn’t kill your mold, you may need to purchase Leather Master Mold Cleaner.
Sometimes the mold may be dead, but its remains are still visible. Removing it can result in damage to the leather, take care. I use wooden or plastic tools to scrape off dead mold.
Sheath Restoration – Don’t do it.
Don’t try to restore old leather sheaths (or knife handles).
- If your sheath is old, restoration work will reduce the value.
- Don’t replace the sheath with a new one, or restitch the old sheath, or replace patches of old leather with new leather.
- Original handles and original sheaths are worth more, even if they are in poor condition. For old knives, buyers expect old sheaths.
- Use leather care products to maintain its current condition. Do not overuse leather care products – too much can be just as much of a problem as none.
Thanks for reading!
Look at our other articles about valuable and antique knives:
- General Care Principles For Valuable & Antique Knives
- Cleaning & Protecting Blades & Handles For Valuable & Antique Knives
- How to Care for Leather Sheaths & Pouches For Valuable & Antique Knives
- How to Store & Keep Records of Valuable & Antique Knives
- How to Properly Ship Knives
