Custom Fitted Knife Sheaths, How it All Began!

Building a knife sheath is how the idea for Anawan Leatherworks was sparked. My good friend had a custom knife built from one of his Dad’s old farrier rasps and needed a sheath for this big, heavy knife. Without really putting much thought into it, I told him that I could do it. After purchasing the necessary leather and tools, and many hours of trial and error later I had created my first sheath! I mentioned that I had spent quite a bit of money on the supplies needed for that sheath, thinking maybe he would get the hint and cover the cost, but instead he said “Great, now that you have the tools you can start a little business!”

A couple of months later, standing in a barn on a chilly Massachusetts November evening celebrating a friend’s successful deer hunt, the topic of starting a custom leather business came up again. After toasting with a few rounds of Bulleit bourbon, what began as a seed planted with that first knife sheath became a firmly rooted idea for a small business centered on providing rugged, no nonsense leather goods for people who live a rugged and hard working lifestyle that value quality gear that works as hard as they do. 

Although the line of offering has expanded past knife sheaths, I still do take in a limited number of custom sheath projects. Our goal is simple, to build a perfectly matched sheath for your knife. As a hunter and outdoorsman myself, I build each sheath with the goal of a perfectly snug fit so that your trusted companion is never lost in the woods. Each sheath is built from genuine Hermann Oak leather, the finest sheath making leather in the world. Hermann Oak leather is tanned in St. Louis, MO, and I use Maine Thread Company waxed polycord, so you can rest assured that your sheath is 100% USA made.

I hand stitch each sheath using the traditional double needle saddle stitch method. Saddle stitching is superior to machine stitching as each stitch is individually locked in, so if a stitch were to ever break the thread will not continue to unravel. After each sheath is built, I saturate it in pure beeswax to provide protection from the elements. You can rest assured that your sheath will provide you with a lifetime of service. Leather goods that don’t quit on you, that’s our promise!