While we’re very proud of the effort and quality that we put into the steel, geometry and balance of our blades it is perhaps in our sheath design and construction where we are the furthest ahead of other Nepalese makers.
Rather than being an afterthought cobbled together to get the knife ready for sale our sheaths are quite refined and detailed. We can’t have them letting down the overall package after all the work that’s gone into the blades.
On this page you’ll learn more about our various sheath options and what is best for your needs.
This style of traditional sheath is known as a Dap and is made of two hand carved wooden blocks that are then wrapped in soaked buffalo leather, and stitched up so that when dry they fit extremely tightly. The sheath is formed with a ridge around the throat, below which sits a tight belt loop strap known as a Frog.
This frog has loops for both vertical and horizonal carry and (with some effort) can be removed and rotated around on the belt to permit right handed or left handed draw, though the stitching will be facing outwards when run left handed. If you would like a left handed native dap just let us know and we will stitch it backwards. Many sheaths on the market feature a kothi (metal sheath tip) however these have a habit of falling off randomly and getting lost. We instead spec a leg tie loop at the tip for added functionality.
People love these sheaths for their simplicity, elegant traditional looks and value. They’re also impressively lightweight. Howeverwhen viewed in the context of our other sheaths they are comparatively fragile and the wooden core can crack and collapse internally if dropped onto a hard surface or crushed. Furthermore they are the most susceptible to the elements of our sheath options. The interior is exposed wood which can rot if given prolonged exposure to moisure/insects and the exterior leather also does not hold up well to repeated soaking and drying.
This style of sheath also relies on a tight fit to keep the blade in place and so doesn’t offer the same level of postive blade retention as our other designs. Depending on the model, the blade may be able to be somewhat “locked” into place by inserting to full depth then pulling the handle perpendicularly towards the edge. This fit can also change and become overly tight, loose or warp slightly depending on if the leather/wood has swollen/shrunk due to moisture/dryness.
This style of sheath has a poor reputation for the blade cutting through the sheath when being drawn or stored due to the knife wedging the wooden halves apart and then slicing through the leather at the waist/the tip poking through the spine. Aside from ruining your sheath this can pose a serious risk to your hands also. At Kailash we have a special cut resistant design that almost eliminates this issue on our Standard Daps without changing any of the materials, tools or processes involved. This aims to strike a balance between existing traditions and keeping both you safe and your sheath serving well for many years to come.
We need the actual blade in hand to make a dap that you can trust to fit well. If you have a design of ours that you’d like another dap made for we can wait until the same model and length comes through the workshop and use that as reference but we can’t make any promises about fit- these knives are handmade and even small changes to thickness and profile can make a big difference. The best time to get a dap made is when the knife is still in Nepal. If you’re on the fence don’t regret skipping an additional sheath when you order.
We have two dap variants. The first is the Military Dap. This is a standard option on 20th century military blades like the Pensioner, Mk1 and Service issue blades on which it is historically accurate but is also available on any blade that has a dap as an option. The body of this sheath is identical to our standard dap but it features a laceup frog as well as twin adjustable vertical loops. These can be fully undone to remove the blade from the sheath without undoing your belt and any other gear that may be attached. The downside is that it is a more complex setup to both make and use but it lacks the capacity for horizontal carry that our standard frog features.
Secondly we have the Salyani or Rubbed Leather sheath as seen on its namesake model. This scabbard is highly ornate and requires the highest level of craftmanship of any traditional sheath option. The buffalo leather used is not from a factory, but is instead handmade by sisir’s father using laborious and slow, pre-industrial methods. The skin is soaked in a concoction of brine, lime, crushed roots and herbs for up to 4 weeks, while periodically being scrubbed, kneaded and rubbed with his feet. Finally it is removed and treated with mustard paste then given a final kneading and scrubbing process which goes on for hours.
The end result is a highly malleable and soft leather that dries to give a very thin, hard and refined product. It also has a beautiful mottled texture that changes from piece to piece, which when embossed with subtle traditional patterning gives this scabbard a look and feel unlike anything else available.
This leather is slightly thinner and less resistant to the elements than our Standard Dap leather though. To keep it as authentic and historical as possbile we also use a slimmer and slightly more delicate wooden core that does not feature the Cut Resistant design features of our standard dap. While this ensures the slimmest and most authentic sheath possible it means that care must be taken when drawing and storing to avoid damaging the blade or yourself. Always hold the sheath by the spine near the bolster and follow apply gentle upwards pressure so the spine gently tracks along the back of the cavity when drawing or storing.
As a further historical feature these sheaths come with Patuka buttons which help to stop the sheath from slidng down when tucked under a traditional waist sash. These are tight enough to help locate the vertical only frog that it ships with, however this frog can be removed for a patuka only setup. The combination of these factors makes it the least well suited for hard working outdoors blades. In fact often blades are ordered with a salyani sheath for display/sunday driver duties with an additional modern sheath for the hard yards.
Aside from the usual black or brown there is some ability for us to custom dye Rubbed Leather by semi custom request- do note that we cannot colour match with precision and will not know the final colour until it is made. The embossing step can be customised here also with initials or simple geometric designs.
If you would like us to make you a Cut Resistant Dap with our more ornamental Salyani leather, a military dap without these cut resistant features or some kind of custom frog just send an email through out contact form 🙂
Our second sheath type is what we call Western Leather. It consists of 3 or more layers of thick buffalo leather stacked on top of each other which are then glued and stitched with synthetic line, with the middle layer having a snug fitting cavity to hold the blade.
This sheath design has become highly refined over the years with the specific layout changing between models and even between blade lengths. It will always feature snap studs for locking the blade in, a fixed vertical belt loop that is intelligently placed for correct carry height, a fixed horizontal loop well located at the point of balance, a four snap dangler and a leg tie to best utilize that dangler.
A dangler and leg tie can enable a greater level of freedom of movement while wearing while keeping the blade restrained solidly to your body. The snaps allow the dangler to be clipped onto/off of a belt without needing to undo your belt and any other gear that may be attached. It is attached to a Split Ring that can be threaded out of the vertical loop and onto the horizontal loop for horizontal dangler setup. It can also be removed completely for a more streamlined setup.
It is not ambidextrous and needs to be ordered in left handed or right handed. Horizontal is optimised for crossdraw. For Scout carry you will need to order for whatever hand is non-dominant for you. Depending on the specific knife it may have an open spine with spine retention, closed spine with heel retention or closed spine with removable handle retention. Some sheaths even use wet forming techniques which we have only recently introduced to the country and are very challenging in buffalo leather.
Our buffalo leather is super thick, tough as nails and much more water resistant than most sheath leather. It can be bent and crushed without issue and is very resilient to high heat, freezing cold, dry desert air and humid tropical environments. With this said, you should avoid soaking it for extended periods of time, let it dry slowly when it does get soaked and lightly condition the exterior when needed with mineral oil or a similar product.
In terms of practicality, function and ruggedness this is miles ahead of our daps at only a moderate price increase. While heavier than kydex it benefits from a warmer, softer and quieter feel in use, more subdued looks and is also one solid piece with no reliance on nuts and bolts.
As with all our leather sheaths it is available as standard in black or brown. We have made many custom carry setups using this sheath and can adapt it to suit your needs through semi custom setups. Examples include baldric rigs, snap strap scout, sling carry, ambidextrous 45 degree loop, snapless pouch style, winged angled and many more. We don’t need the blade in hand to make a western leather sheath– we can make you an excellent new sheath for an existing model of ours or even a decent one for an antique khukuri just from photos and measurements 🙂
Our Final sheath type is of course Kydex. These are made of thermoplstic that is heated up and pressed to conform it to the blade perfectly. This is held together with metal eyelets along the sides which double as mounting points for loops and accessories.
It’s completely waterproof, very slim, can be drawn easily with one hand and does all this with the lowest weight out of any of our sheath styles. It’s got stacked leather beat at basically all but one thing- temperature. In arctic conditions (-20c) the extreme cold can make kydex brittle and if its kept at 65c+ for extended periods it can lose its shape (on your car’s dashboard in summer for example).
Our standard kydex sheaths have a modular setup so that you can use only the loops you need and place them exactly where you want with only a screwdriver.
It features a 1.75″ base loop that can be set up for snug horizontal, vertical and 60 degree carry as well as a “clip” style horizontal and vertical that can slide straight onto the belt (best for smaller blades).
It also has a 1.75″ drop leg loop. This bolts through the actual loop of the base loop to provide a vertical or diagonal carry that sits lower down on the leg. The actual height is adjustable and it can be bolted straight to the sheath for a dropped horizontal setup also.
Finally we have the 2″ snap dangler. This has 4 snaps on it for a solid dependable connection and can be clipped straight on or off a belt as large as 2″ to save you undoing your belt and removing any other gear. The dangler’s D ring can be put through the drop leg or the base loop to get all sorts of different heights and angles. A dangler and leg tie can enable a greater level of freedom of movement while wearing while keeping the blade restrained solidly to your body.
Looking to use a 3rd party clip or add on? We use standard 3/4″ spacing and 6mm hole sizing so it’ll fit straight on. While we offer dedicated piggyback kydex integration that is thinner and more stable, you can bolt smaller kydex sheaths straight onto bigger kydex sheaths if you want. Our sheaths come with quality chicago screws and rubber washers to help quieten the setup during movement. These washers along with professional thread retention compounds we use means that once tightened you can depend on these bolts not to rattle free in usage.
We’ve recently expanded our kydex colour options to ensure the perfect match for your kit and needs.
Desert:
If you’re in very arid, rocky & sandy environments this will be the choice for you. A washed out earth tone brown with a touch of warmth to it. In bright light the yellow is brought out to almost a sandy tone.
Olive Drab:
OD the OG. The perfect mix of unsaturated browny green used in militaries worldwide. Our OD has a touch more green than brown to help it out in woodland settings but remains quite dull to give it versatility for dry & urban areas also.
Blaze Orange:
While blending in is fine, there’s a lot of situations where visibility is crucial such as hunting on public land or emergency situations where being noticed from a distance can be the difference between life or death. It’s here that Blaze Orange reigns supreme.
Aside from being safe it’s also a very practical colour. Camo or black is all well & good but when you’re trying to find your knife in the dark, in leaf litter or in the bottom of a pack you’ll be wishing your sheath was orange.
For a colour comparison check out this image here that was taken in moderately bright light against an OD background. Currently we only have the correct thicknesses to make loops out of Black or OD. If you’d like to mix & match colours of individual sides or loops just let us know in the order notes.
Our Craftsman Siru is the most skilled kydex worker in the country- having honed his skills for the last 12 years after being taught the basics by Andrew. Each sheath is thermally formed perfectly to every blade for the ideal balance of retention and ease of drawing. Need a custom belt loop? Open spined blade with a retention strap? Got a rod of your own or special storage tin you need a hoslter made for? Email us through our contact section and he’ll make it a reality.
As of mid 2026 all of our sheaths are now made with closed spine construction. Blades of 13″ and under except knout and bush cleaver get Taco construction (folded style) while everything else gets pancake (2 piece with eyelets the whole way around). This pancake construction gives them compatibility with our Advanced Carry Setup, which comes standard on these larger blades. For more info on advanced carry check the Deeper Customisation section below.
Compared to our previous open spined construction the benefits are many.
It is much harder for rain to get inside-all sheaths feature formed drainage tubes at the top to clear out any moisture that does get in. It is also much more rigid when the blade is not inside– this is crucial on wide or long blades where they could previously feel a bit floppy. Finally this rigidity allows us to move retention to the bolster and handle rather than the sides of the blade. This makes for a blade that gets scratched less easily and that has a more positive and satisfying draw & store experience as it snaps in and out of final position. On blades with curved spines the blade draws and stores in that arc- this helps with retention but requires a little more skill, particularly with long blades. If you have a long blade open spines will draw more quickly and easily but that is the only notable benefit- if this is crucial to your martial arts application then we can organise this by semi custom request.
We need the actual blade in hand to make kydex that you can trust to fit well. If you have a design of ours that you’d like another sheath made or K&C or piggyback cursive/spur we can wait until the same model and length comes through the workshop and use that as reference but we can’t make any promises about fit. These knives are handmade & even small changes to thickness and profile can make a big difference. For the Sheath addons for example you might need to drill your own eylet holes to get them perfectly lined up. While there’s likely talented kydex makers local to you that can make a new sheath, making one that works well for a khukuri is not a common skill. If you’re on the fence don’t regret skipping an additional sheath or Sheath Add-on when you order.
This style of traditional sheath is known as a Dap and is made of two hand carved wooden blocks that are then wrapped in soaked buffalo leather, and stitched up so that when dry they fit extremely tightly. The sheath is formed with a ridge around the throat, below which sits a tight belt loop strap known as a Frog.
This frog has loops for both vertical and horizonal carry and (with some effort) can be removed and rotated around on the belt to permit right handed or left handed draw, though the stitching will be facing outwards when run left handed. If you would like a left handed native dap just let us know and we will stitch it backwards. Many sheaths on the market feature a kothi (metal sheath tip) however these have a habit of falling off randomly and getting lost. We instead spec a leg tie loop at the tip for added functionality.
People love these sheaths for their simplicity, elegant traditional looks and value. They’re also impressively lightweight. Howeverwhen viewed in the context of our other sheaths they are comparatively fragile and the wooden core can crack and collapse internally if dropped onto a hard surface or crushed. Furthermore they are the most susceptible to the elements of our sheath options. The interior is exposed wood which can rot if given prolonged exposure to moisure/insects and the exterior leather also does not hold up well to repeated soaking and drying.
This style of sheath also relies on a tight fit to keep the blade in place and so doesn’t offer the same level of postive blade retention as our other designs. Depending on the model, the blade may be able to be somewhat “locked” into place by inserting to full depth then pulling the handle perpendicularly towards the edge. This fit can also change and become overly tight, loose or warp slightly depending on if the leather/wood has swollen/shrunk due to moisture/dryness.
This style of sheath has a poor reputation for the blade cutting through the sheath when being drawn or stored due to the knife wedging the wooden halves apart and then slicing through the leather at the waist/the tip poking through the spine. Aside from ruining your sheath this can pose a serious risk to your hands also. At Kailash we have a special cut resistant design that almost eliminates this issue on our Standard Daps without changing any of the materials, tools or processes involved. This aims to strike a balance between existing traditions and keeping both you safe and your sheath serving well for many years to come.
We need the actual blade in hand to make a dap that you can trust to fit well. If you have a design of ours that you’d like another dap made for we can wait until the same model and length comes through the workshop and use that as reference but we can’t make any promises about fit- these knives are handmade and even small changes to thickness and profile can make a big difference. The best time to get a dap made is when the knife is still in Nepal. If you’re on the fence don’t regret skipping an additional sheath when you order.
We have two dap variants. The first is the Military Dap. This is a standard option on 20th century military blades like the Pensioner, Mk1 and Service issue blades on which it is historically accurate but is also available on any blade that has a dap as an option. The body of this sheath is identical to our standard dap but it features a laceup frog as well as twin adjustable vertical loops. These can be fully undone to remove the blade from the sheath without undoing your belt and any other gear that may be attached. The downside is that it is a more complex setup to both make and use but it lacks the capacity for horizontal carry that our standard frog features.
Secondly we have the Salyani or Rubbed Leather sheath as seen on its namesake model. This scabbard is highly ornate and requires the highest level of craftmanship of any traditional sheath option. The buffalo leather used is not from a factory, but is instead handmade by sisir’s father using laborious and slow, pre-industrial methods. The skin is soaked in a concoction of brine, lime, crushed roots and herbs for up to 4 weeks, while periodically being scrubbed, kneaded and rubbed with his feet. Finally it is removed and treated with mustard paste then given a final kneading and scrubbing process which goes on for hours.
The end result is a highly malleable and soft leather that dries to give a very thin, hard and refined product. It also has a beautiful mottled texture that changes from piece to piece, which when embossed with subtle traditional patterning gives this scabbard a look and feel unlike anything else available.
This leather is slightly thinner and less resistant to the elements than our Standard Dap leather though. To keep it as authentic and historical as possbile we also use a slimmer and slightly more delicate wooden core that does not feature the Cut Resistant design features of our standard dap. While this ensures the slimmest and most authentic sheath possible it means that care must be taken when drawing and storing to avoid damaging the blade or yourself. Always hold the sheath by the spine near the bolster and follow apply gentle upwards pressure so the spine gently tracks along the back of the cavity when drawing or storing.
As a further historical feature these sheaths come with Patuka buttons which help to stop the sheath from slidng down when tucked under a traditional waist sash. These are tight enough to help locate the vertical only frog that it ships with, however this frog can be removed for a patuka only setup. The combination of these factors makes it the least well suited for hard working outdoors blades. In fact often blades are ordered with a salyani sheath for display/sunday driver duties with an additional modern sheath for the hard yards.
Aside from the usual black or brown there is some ability for us to custom dye Rubbed Leather by semi custom request- do note that we cannot colour match with precision and will not know the final colour until it is made. The embossing step can be customised here also with initials or simple geometric designs.
If you would like us to make you a Cut Resistant Dap with our more ornamental Salyani leather, a military dap without these cut resistant features or some kind of custom frog just send an email through out contact form 🙂
Our second sheath type is what we call Western Leather. It consists of 3 or more layers of thick buffalo leather stacked on top of each other which are then glued and stitched with synthetic line, with the middle layer having a snug fitting cavity to hold the blade.
This sheath design has become highly refined over the years with the specific layout changing between models and even between blade lengths. It will always feature snap studs for locking the blade in, a fixed vertical belt loop that is intelligently placed for correct carry height, a fixed horizontal loop well located at the point of balance, a four snap dangler and a leg tie to best utilize that dangler.
A dangler and leg tie can enable a greater level of freedom of movement while wearing while keeping the blade restrained solidly to your body. The snaps allow the dangler to be clipped onto/off of a belt without needing to undo your belt and any other gear that may be attached. It is attached to a Split Ring that can be threaded out of the vertical loop and onto the horizontal loop for horizontal dangler setup. It can also be removed completely for a more streamlined setup.
It is not ambidextrous and needs to be ordered in left handed or right handed. Horizontal is optimised for crossdraw. For Scout carry you will need to order for whatever hand is non-dominant for you. Depending on the specific knife it may have an open spine with spine retention, closed spine with heel retention or closed spine with removable handle retention. Some sheaths even use wet forming techniques which we have only recently introduced to the country and are very challenging in buffalo leather.
Our buffalo leather is super thick, tough as nails and much more water resistant than most sheath leather. It can be bent and crushed without issue and is very resilient to high heat, freezing cold, dry desert air and humid tropical environments. With this said, you should avoid soaking it for extended periods of time, let it dry slowly when it does get soaked and lightly condition the exterior when needed with mineral oil or a similar product.
In terms of practicality, function and ruggedness this is miles ahead of our daps at only a moderate price increase. While heavier than kydex it benefits from a warmer, softer and quieter feel in use, more subdued looks and is also one solid piece with no reliance on nuts and bolts.
As with all our leather sheaths it is available as standard in black or brown. We have made many custom carry setups using this sheath and can adapt it to suit your needs through semi custom setups. Examples include baldric rigs, snap strap scout, sling carry, ambidextrous 45 degree loop, snapless pouch style, winged angled and many more. We don’t need the blade in hand to make a western leather sheath– we can make you an excellent new sheath for an existing model of ours or even a decent one for an antique khukuri just from photos and measurements 🙂
Our Final sheath type is of course Kydex. These are made of thermoplstic that is heated up and pressed to conform it to the blade perfectly. This is held together with metal eyelets along the sides which double as mounting points for loops and accessories.
It’s completely waterproof, very slim, can be drawn easily with one hand and does all this with the lowest weight out of any of our sheath styles. It’s got stacked leather beat at basically all but one thing- temperature. In arctic conditions (-20c) the extreme cold can make kydex brittle and if its kept at 65c+ for extended periods it can lose its shape (on your car’s dashboard in summer for example).
Our standard kydex sheaths have a modular setup so that you can use only the loops you need and place them exactly where you want with only a screwdriver.
It features a 1.75″ base loop that can be set up for snug horizontal, vertical and 60 degree carry as well as a “clip” style horizontal and vertical that can slide straight onto the belt (best for smaller blades).
It also has a 1.75″ drop leg loop. This bolts through the actual loop of the base loop to provide a vertical or diagonal carry that sits lower down on the leg. The actual height is adjustable and it can be bolted straight to the sheath for a dropped horizontal setup also.
Finally we have the 2″ snap dangler. This has 4 snaps on it for a solid dependable connection and can be clipped straight on or off a belt as large as 2″ to save you undoing your belt and removing any other gear. The dangler’s D ring can be put through the drop leg or the base loop to get all sorts of different heights and angles. A dangler and leg tie can enable a greater level of freedom of movement while wearing while keeping the blade restrained solidly to your body.
Looking to use a 3rd party clip or add on? We use standard 3/4″ spacing and 6mm hole sizing so it’ll fit straight on. While we offer dedicated piggyback kydex integration that is thinner and more stable, you can bolt smaller kydex sheaths straight onto bigger kydex sheaths if you want. Our sheaths come with quality chicago screws and rubber washers to help quieten the setup during movement. These washers along with professional thread retention compounds we use means that once tightened you can depend on these bolts not to rattle free in usage.
We’ve recently expanded our kydex colour options to ensure the perfect match for your kit and needs.
Desert:
If you’re in very arid, rocky & sandy environments this will be the choice for you. A washed out earth tone brown with a touch of warmth to it. In bright light the yellow is brought out to almost a sandy tone.
Olive Drab:
OD the OG. The perfect mix of unsaturated browny green used in militaries worldwide. Our OD has a touch more green than brown to help it out in woodland settings but remains quite dull to give it versatility for dry & urban areas also.
Blaze Orange:
While blending in is fine, there’s a lot of situations where visibility is crucial such as hunting on public land or emergency situations where being noticed from a distance can be the difference between life or death. It’s here that Blaze Orange reigns supreme.Aside from being safe it’s also a very practical colour. Camo or black is all well & good but when you’re trying to find your knife in the dark, in leaf litter or in the bottom of a pack you’ll be wishing your sheath was orange.
For a colour comparison check out this image here that was taken in moderately bright light against an OD background. Currently we only have the correct thicknesses to make loops out of Black or OD. If you’d like to mix & match colours of individual sides or loops just let us know in the order notes.
Our Craftsman Siru is the most skilled kydex worker in the country- having honed his skills for the last 12 years after being taught the basics by Andrew. Each sheath is thermally formed perfectly to every blade for the ideal balance of retention and ease of drawing. Need a custom belt loop? Open spined blade with a retention strap? Got a rod of your own or special storage tin you need a hoslter made for? Email us through our contact section and he’ll make it a reality.
As of mid 2026 all of our sheaths are now made with closed spine construction. Blades of 13″ and under except knout and bush cleaver get Taco construction (folded style) while everything else gets pancake (2 piece with eyelets the whole way around). This pancake construction gives them compatibility with our Advanced Carry Setup, which comes standard on these larger blades. For more info on advanced carry check the Deeper Customisation section below.
Compared to our previous open spined construction the benefits are many.
It is much harder for rain to get inside-all sheaths feature formed drainage tubes at the top to clear out any moisture that does get in. It is also much more rigid when the blade is not inside– this is crucial on wide or long blades where they could previously feel a bit floppy. Finally this rigidity allows us to move retention to the bolster and handle rather than the sides of the blade. This makes for a blade that gets scratched less easily and that has a more positive and satisfying draw & store experience as it snaps in and out of final position. On blades with curved spines the blade draws and stores in that arc- this helps with retention but requires a little more skill, particularly with long blades. If you have a long blade open spines will draw more quickly and easily but that is the only notable benefit- if this is crucial to your martial arts application then we can organise this by semi custom request.
We need the actual blade in hand to make kydex that you can trust to fit well. If you have a design of ours that you’d like another sheath made or K&C or piggyback cursive/spur we can wait until the same model and length comes through the workshop and use that as reference but we can’t make any promises about fit. These knives are handmade & even small changes to thickness and profile can make a big difference. For the Sheath addons for example you might need to drill your own eylet holes to get them perfectly lined up. While there’s likely talented kydex makers local to you that can make a new sheath, making one that works well for a khukuri is not a common skill. If you’re on the fence don’t regret skipping an additional sheath or Sheath Add-on when you order.
Deeper Customisation
The following options can be found in the Deeper Customisation dropdown.
These specific options all pertain to optional sheath customisations and are tucked away in this dropdown as they could otherwise add a level of complexity to the decision making process that we think could overload many customers.
If you’re already feeling information overload and decision paralysis then don’t even worry about this section- focus on the basics 🙂
Chapes / Kothi
Daps can sometimes be found with formed sheet metal caps on their tips called Kothi or in English- Chapes. These can be added to any of our Daps through the deeper customisation section to bring an elevated look to these already beautiful sheaths. Aside from their ornamental value they also protect the exposed sheath tip from abrasion or impacts and can help to stop the tip of the blade from piercing out the end of the sheath.
We have a mixed opinion of the functionality of chapes at Kailash though. They are usually held on with steel pins that are hammered through the chape into the wooden core of the dap along with a hearty dose of adhesive between the inside of the kothi and the surface of the leather. We find this a bit problematic and potentially not up to expectations of modern users. These pins introduce weaknesses in the leather from which tears can form as it shrinks. They also create points of moisture ingress which can accelerate rust. These pins are very thin and can rust away rapidly especially when embedded in leather or wood that gets rain soaked leaving the kothi held on with just the adhesive (if used at all). The type of adhesive is important here as metal on leather joints are very tricky- daps shrink and swell with moisture and dryness- an adhesive that forms a flexible, durable bond is crucial or it will delaminate.
If we combine the fickleness of these attachment method with the fact that these are worn tip down and it’s no surprise that many Kothi have a “temporary” relationship with the sheath, dropping off in the woods somewhere and not being noticed until far too late. It is for this reason that we do not spec them as standard on our daps- the risk of them failing and falling off is in our experience higher than the risk of the tip cutting through the sheath. The broad, curving shape of the khukuri itself makes this less of a risk as it would be on say a thin, straight, pointy longsword. A tight fit between bolster and throat also helps fight any downards movement at the other end. On our smaller standard daps this also allows us to spec a leg tie at the tip instead for greater stability in use.
When we make a sheath with a kothi we feel that the best route is to not pin the Kothi down at all and instead rely on a snug, accurate fit, a keyed internal chape surface and an appropriate adhesive. With this said it’s not a bad idea to inspect your chape every now and again with a gentle tug to see if the adhesive bond is still strong. If it comes free you can glue it right back down with barge cement or plumbers goop.
The first type of Chape we have is Plain- seen above in white metal but will match your chosen hardware. This is a simple, understated chape with some elegant scallops along the mouth and a smoothly rounded tip.
The second type is Ornate- seen here in brass but will match your chosen hardware. These are hand engraved in-house by our smith Keshu and are very beautifiul. Blades that are made with ornate, engraved kothi (and generally throad band also) are known as Kothimora. Historically such blades showcased expensive metals and laborious craftmanship on the sheath, handles to communicate the wealth or status of the wearer- a Himalayan Rolex. As the blades are hidden from view in wear these are often more plain. Kothimora were most commonly presented to soldiers to recognise their service or specific acts of valor but are also associated with nepali nobility, government/military officials or even presented to foreign dignitaries and diplomats.
Some historical examples are incredibly ornate and detailed masterworks with highly intricate piercing and engraving. It is in open question whether craft at such a high level still remains alive in Nepal. The finest kothi work by traditional goldmsiths and silversmiths costs hundreds of dollars today and we can look into this by custom request if you’re a serious buyer. However for our primary offering we would rather make a slightly more humble but nonetheless beautiful kothi from our own smith. Not only does this support his talents it also makes this a more accessibly priced option for customers.
Daps can sometimes be found with formed sheet metal caps on their tips called Kothi or in English- Chapes. These can be added to any of our Daps through the deeper customisation section to bring an elevated look to these already beautiful sheaths. Aside from their ornamental value they also protect the exposed sheath tip from abrasion or impacts and can help to stop the tip of the blade from piercing out the end of the sheath.
We have a mixed opinion of the functionality of chapes at Kailash though. They are usually held on with steel pins that are hammered through the chape into the wooden core of the dap along with a hearty dose of adhesive between the inside of the kothi and the surface of the leather. We find this a bit problematic and potentially not up to expectations of modern users. These pins introduce weaknesses in the leather from which tears can form as it shrinks. They also create points of moisture ingress which can accelerate rust. These pins are very thin and can rust away rapidly especially when embedded in leather or wood that gets rain soaked leaving the kothi held on with just the adhesive (if used at all). The type of adhesive is important here as metal on leather joints are very tricky- daps shrink and swell with moisture and dryness- an adhesive that forms a flexible, durable bond is crucial or it will delaminate.
If we combine the fickleness of these attachment method with the fact that these are worn tip down and it’s no surprise that many Kothi have a “temporary” relationship with the sheath, dropping off in the woods somewhere and not being noticed until far too late. It is for this reason that we do not spec them as standard on our daps- the risk of them failing and falling off is in our experience higher than the risk of the tip cutting through the sheath. The broad, curving shape of the khukuri itself makes this less of a risk as it would be on say a thin, straight, pointy longsword. A tight fit between bolster and throat also helps fight any downards movement at the other end. On our smaller standard daps this also allows us to spec a leg tie at the tip instead for greater stability in use.
When we make a sheath with a kothi we feel that the best route is to not pin the Kothi down at all and instead rely on a snug, accurate fit, a keyed internal chape surface and an appropriate adhesive. With this said it’s not a bad idea to inspect your chape every now and again with a gentle tug to see if the adhesive bond is still strong. If it comes free you can glue it right back down with barge cement or plumbers goop.
The first type of Chape we have is Plain- seen above in white metal but will match your chosen hardware. This is a simple, understated chape with some elegant scallops along the mouth and a smoothly rounded tip.
The second type is Ornate- seen here in brass but will match your chosen hardware. These are hand engraved in-house by our smith Keshu and are very beautifiul. Blades that are made with ornate, engraved kothi (and generally throad band also) are known as Kothimora. Historically such blades showcased expensive metals and laborious craftmanship on the sheath, handles to communicate the wealth or status of the wearer- a Himalayan Rolex. As the blades are hidden from view in wear these are often more plain. Kothimora were most commonly presented to soldiers to recognise their service or specific acts of valor but are also associated with nepali nobility, government/military officials or even presented to foreign dignitaries and diplomats.
Some historical examples are incredibly ornate and detailed masterworks with highly intricate piercing and engraving. It is in open question whether craft at such a high level still remains alive in Nepal. The finest kothi work by traditional goldmsiths and silversmiths costs hundreds of dollars today and we can look into this by custom request if you’re a serious buyer. However for our primary offering we would rather make a slightly more humble but nonetheless beautiful kothi from our own smith. Not only does this support his talents it also makes this a more accessibly priced option for customers.
Karda And Chakmak
The Karda and Chakmak (Chahk-mahk) are the classic companion tools seen on so many khukuris. Indeed if we look at the earliest dated khukuris we have access to these two little tools have been there since the very beginning.
The Karda is a small utility knife– with a fine tip and thin slicey geometry. This small knife helps with all the finer, fiddly tasks that the larger khukuri itself struggles with. The Chakmak is a traditional sharpening tool. It is stroked along the edge of the blade to produce a very sharp edge in much the same way a kitchen steel does. While it generally has the same shape as the karda it is not sharp, though can be useful for detailed prying and digging.
Antique examples are often examples of great craftsmanship. raw antler handles, engraved silver handles to match the main blade and sometimes even blades shaped like mini khukuis with tiny cho. Modern K&C sadly do not often show a high degree of craftsmanship. With these tools being included on nearly every blade and costs always pushed downwards these tools are the first place corners are cut. They are generally made in large batches by apprentice smiths, often with no bolster or buttcap. The tools are shrunk also to further save materials. Not only are they almost universally untempered it is common for them to be unhardened also. It almost seems that these houses have forgotten that they are supposed to be functional, comfortable tools and instead they are treated like dinky curiosities that must be included to complete the package for no considered reason, destined to be lost or forgotten about.
Our K&C are different- we will either make these tools properly or not make them at all. They are 2.5″ blades with 2.5″ handles– slightly larger than the historical average but this helps ensure a usable grip and proper function. They feature front bolsteres and peened buttcaps just like the main blades. They are made by the same blacksmiths that make your main blades with all the same HT processes except a lower temper to give enhanced hardness for their respective tasks. The Karda is 2mm thick, tapered with a very lean slicey grind. The chakmak is 3mm thick and left untapered for extra rigidity. Finally they are made to match the hardware, finish and handle material of your main blade.
Another key difference is that we don’t include them as standard on any blades. Not only does this lower costs for people who don’t want them but they also benefit from a lighter, simpler and lower profile sheath.
Depending on the sheath style that you choose the K&C will be integrated with different methods and in different places.
K&C are available on all types of Dap (Standard, Military and salyani). For these traditional sheath styles two special leather tubes are made behind the throat of the sheath that friction fit the handles snugly with the blades themselves sitting beneath the leather of the dap’s body and underneath the frog/belt loop.
We do not offer K&C on any dap under 5″. If your sheath also includes a firesteel/ceramic rod these rods will be moved to the spine and edge side of the frog in little holsters much like they are on western leather. Refer to the Sheath Accessory Interactions table at the bottom of this page for greater clarity. *COMING SOON*
On Western leather the Karda and Chakmak are placed on the front face of the sheath near the tip. hey will be placed slightly higher up on narrow blades if additional width is needed. An example of this narrower setup can be seen in the kydex picture. That is on a 14″ sirupate. Leather is wet formed over the two tools for a snug, dependable fit. These pockets also feature wet formed drainage tubes at the tip as well as thin welts on all stitching to protect it from damage.
This is only available on blades 7″ and over for handle clearance reasons. In this picture you can see K&C integrated on a 9″ Gainda- the retention strap may need to be undone to remove one tool. Larger blades do not have this issue. On sheaths where Piggyback Blades are also specified, the piggyback blade takes the front face of the sheath while the karda and chakmak move to the rear face of the sheath.
For Kydex they are placed on the front of the sheath in just the same way.
A single sheet of hot kydex is pressed over the two tools for a firm, precise fit with tubes at the tip for drainage. The back side of the K&C press directly against the front face of the main sheath and can produce scratches over time.
These integration plates are not ambidextrous– when ordering you need to specify your dominant hand (or non dominant hand if optimising for scout carry use) so we can make the plate to suit the correct side. Alternatively you can order a plate for both sides and choose a plate as needed.
These are only available on blades 7″ and over for handle clearance reasons. On sheaths where Piggyback Blades are also specified, they take the front face of the sheath while the K&C move to the rear face of the sheath.
The Karda and Chakmak (Chahk-mahk) are the classic companion tools seen on so many khukuris. Indeed if we look at the earliest dated khukuris we have access to these two little tools have been there since the very beginning.
The Karda is a small utility knife– with a fine tip and thin slicey geometry. This small knife helps with all the finer, fiddly tasks that the larger khukuri itself struggles with. The Chakmak is a traditional sharpening tool. It is stroked along the edge of the blade to produce a very sharp edge in much the same way a kitchen steel does. While it generally has the same shape as the karda it is not sharp, though can be useful for detailed prying and digging.
Antique examples are often examples of great craftsmanship. raw antler handles, engraved silver handles to match the main blade and sometimes even blades shaped like mini khukuis with tiny cho. Modern K&C sadly do not often show a high degree of craftsmanship. With these tools being included on nearly every blade and costs always pushed downwards these tools are the first place corners are cut. They are generally made in large batches by apprentice smiths, often with no bolster or buttcap. The tools are shrunk also to further save materials. Not only are they almost universally untempered it is common for them to be unhardened also. It almost seems that these houses have forgotten that they are supposed to be functional, comfortable tools and instead they are treated like dinky curiosities that must be included to complete the package for no considered reason, destined to be lost or forgotten about.
Our K&C are different- we will either make these tools properly or not make them at all. They are 2.5″ blades with 2.5″ handles– slightly larger than the historical average but this helps ensure a usable grip and proper function. They feature front bolsteres and peened buttcaps just like the main blades. They are made by the same blacksmiths that make your main blades with all the same HT processes except a lower temper to give enhanced hardness for their respective tasks. The Karda is 2mm thick, tapered with a very lean slicey grind. The chakmak is 3mm thick and left untapered for extra rigidity. Finally they are made to match the hardware, finish and handle material of your main blade.
Another key difference is that we don’t include them as standard on any blades. Not only does this lower costs for people who don’t want them but they also benefit from a lighter, simpler and lower profile sheath.
Depending on the sheath style that you choose the K&C will be integrated with different methods and in different places.
K&C are available on all types of Dap (Standard, Military and salyani). For these traditional sheath styles two special leather tubes are made behind the throat of the sheath that friction fit the handles snugly with the blades themselves sitting beneath the leather of the dap’s body and underneath the frog/belt loop.
We do not offer K&C on any dap under 5″. If your sheath also includes a firesteel/ceramic rod these rods will be moved to the spine and edge side of the frog in little holsters much like they are on western leather. Refer to the Sheath Accessory Interactions table at the bottom of this page for greater clarity. *COMING SOON*
On Western leather the Karda and Chakmak are placed on the front face of the sheath near the tip. hey will be placed slightly higher up on narrow blades if additional width is needed. An example of this narrower setup can be seen in the kydex picture. That is on a 14″ sirupate. Leather is wet formed over the two tools for a snug, dependable fit. These pockets also feature wet formed drainage tubes at the tip as well as thin welts on all stitching to protect it from damage.
This is only available on blades 7″ and over for handle clearance reasons. In this picture you can see K&C integrated on a 9″ Gainda- the retention strap may need to be undone to remove one tool. Larger blades do not have this issue. On sheaths where Piggyback Blades are also specified, the piggyback blade takes the front face of the sheath while the karda and chakmak move to the rear face of the sheath.
For Kydex they are placed on the front of the sheath in just the same way.
A single sheet of hot kydex is pressed over the two tools for a firm, precise fit with tubes at the tip for drainage. The back side of the K&C press directly against the front face of the main sheath and can produce scratches over time.
These integration plates are not ambidextrous– when ordering you need to specify your dominant hand (or non dominant hand if optimising for scout carry use) so we can make the plate to suit the correct side. Alternatively you can order a plate for both sides and choose a plate as needed.
These are only available on blades 7″ and over for handle clearance reasons. On sheaths where Piggyback Blades are also specified, they take the front face of the sheath while the K&C move to the rear face of the sheath.
Advanced Carry Kydex
As noted in the kydex section further up this page we have a new Kydex option called Advanced Carry- a modular, adjustable webbing based carry rig that is designed to get the blade off your belt and onto your body.
This unlocks a bunch of awesome new carry setups some of which are big upgrades in terms of controlling blade movement, dispersing weight across your body and unlocking greater freedom of motion while wearing the blade. The tabs and the webbing will be colour matched to your sheath- Pics & vids here are in OD for better visibility when demonstrating.
This page only covers the absolute basics of this sheath setup and what it is capable of. For FULL INFO on the different carry setups this is capable of and how to set them up CHECK OUT THIS VIDEO HERE
Advanced Carry comes as standard on any kydex sheath with a blade length of 14” and over as well as the bush cleaver and knout due to their weight and size. On blades of this size our existing kydex loops begin to struggle- they’re too long for vertical carry on the belt, put too much pressure on a single point on your waist and need more stability in movement than what our normal belt loops can offer. Advanced carry does an amazing job of fixing these issues and we think it is 100% essential for these larger blades.
For all other blade sizes it is available as an optional extra in “Deeper Customisation”.
These small and medium blades benefit from improved comfort, greater freedom of movement and enhanced concealability. We should also mention the elephant in the room here- this setup has a heavy cool factor and is a lot fun to set up, wear and draw!
Any blade that is ordered with Advanced Carry gets made as a pancake style sheath with eyelets all the way along the spine until the throat. This allows for the straps to be bolted down to all sorts of locations with full freedom of placement- essential for compatibility.
Unfortunately that means this setup is not natively compatible with any existing taco style sheaths or open spined sheaths. If you have an existing kydex sheath from us that you want to run this setup on reach out to us through the contact form on the website. We should be able to create an adapter plate for your specific blade. It will not be as clean looking but should be pretty functional. The best time to order advanced carry is at the same time the sheath is made to ensure the best setup possible.
As noted in the kydex section further up this page we have a new Kydex option called Advanced Carry- a modular, adjustable webbing based carry rig that is designed to get the blade off your belt and onto your body.
This unlocks a bunch of awesome new carry setups some of which are big upgrades in terms of controlling blade movement, dispersing weight across your body and unlocking greater freedom of motion while wearing the blade. The tabs and the webbing will be colour matched to your sheath- Pics & vids here are in OD for better visibility when demonstrating.
This page only covers the absolute basics of this sheath setup and what it is capable of. For FULL INFO on the different carry setups this is capable of and how to set them up CHECK OUT THIS VIDEO HERE
Advanced Carry comes as standard on any kydex sheath with a blade length of 14” and over as well as the bush cleaver and knout due to their weight and size. On blades of this size our existing kydex loops begin to struggle- they’re too long for vertical carry on the belt, put too much pressure on a single point on your waist and need more stability in movement than what our normal belt loops can offer. Advanced carry does an amazing job of fixing these issues and we think it is 100% essential for these larger blades.
For all other blade sizes it is available as an optional extra in “Deeper Customisation”.
These small and medium blades benefit from improved comfort, greater freedom of movement and enhanced concealability. We should also mention the elephant in the room here- this setup has a heavy cool factor and is a lot fun to set up, wear and draw!
Any blade that is ordered with Advanced Carry gets made as a pancake style sheath with eyelets all the way along the spine until the throat. This allows for the straps to be bolted down to all sorts of locations with full freedom of placement- essential for compatibility.
Unfortunately that means this setup is not natively compatible with any existing taco style sheaths or open spined sheaths. If you have an existing kydex sheath from us that you want to run this setup on reach out to us through the contact form on the website. We should be able to create an adapter plate for your specific blade. It will not be as clean looking but should be pretty functional. The best time to order advanced carry is at the same time the sheath is made to ensure the best setup possible.
Ceramic Rods & Firesteels
We recently have gained the capability to make our own matching Ceramic rods and Firesteels. These are made to order along with the knives which allows us to make them in handle materials, hardware and finish to match the blade itself!
We have collaborated with a local traditional flute maker to get these handles made- we provide him with the dimensions and materials and he has the right gear to get these handles turned accurately and also drill the lanyard holes in perpendiculalry and neatly. We then fit the matching lanyard tube, glue up and finish in house 🙂
The Firesteel can be scraped on the spine of any of our knives to throw a shower of very hot sparks to light a fire. If you order a sheath with a firesteel we will ensure that the first inch of the spine’s corners are sharp enough to throw excellent sparks even if that blade has a polished finish. They come with black paint on them to protect the material (ferrocerium) from reacting with the atmosphere and very slowly degrading. Once used this coating is lost so it is best practice to lightly cover exposed areas with clear nail polish, lip balm or similar after a trip- particularly if you are in a hot humid environment or storing it for a long time.
The Ceramic rod is an amazing tool for sharpening your blade. It is rubbed along the edge between jobs to keep your knife razor sharp, deals with convex edges no problem and due to its round shape it does a fantastic of getting into the waists of recurved blades.
It is an improvement over a Chakmak in a few key ways. A chakmak sharpens through “Adhesion” also known as burnishing. At a microscopic level it touches the steel at a very small and focused area creating huge pressures. This deforms the steel which does a very small amount of “realigning” but it also removes steel at the same time. An issue though is that in the process of smooshing that steel around it induces stresses and creates a slighlty weaker apex. Adhesion only really works for keeping sharp knives sharp. Once a knife is blunt there is too much surface area to generate the focused force required for adhesion. Eventually an abrasive tool is needed to bring it back to proper sharpness.
A ceramic rod is also capable of sharpening through adhesion, in fact it can do a faster job for a longer time due to the higher hardness of the ceramic and lower deformation. Crucially though the surface of a ceramic rod is like very high grit sandaper so it also sharpens through abrasion at the same time. This combination makes it sharpen very quickly and keep sharpening long after a chakmak has stopped being effective. It is a very fine abrasive so the edge that is produced by a ceramic rod is fresh metal and not toothy at all. This makes for a very strong and refined apex in comparison to the more jagged and wiry edge produced by a chakmak. It will slice well but most importantly is very strong for impacts into hard surfaces.
These rods can be added as a pair or individually to any sheath we make. On a Dap they will sit behind the throat where a Karda and Chakmak would usually go (with no retention lanyard). On Western Leather they sit in holsters along the sheaths edges near the belly. On Kydex they come in holsters that can be bolted along the edge wherever suits you best.
We cover as much of the working face of these rods as possible to protect them from damage- both rods are capable of snapping under high forces.
At Kailash we hate elastic materials like bungee cord. Don’t get us wrong- while they work they’re awesome but they lose springiness and become useless over quite a short period- they’re far from a lifetime material like we aim for.
Instead we spec these rods with paracord tension lanyards that feature a tight, high friction sliding knot and an ornate stopper knot. This can be pulled snug against the holster to lock them firmly in place. Excess can be left dangling or can be tucked between the handle and sheath to make tidy. When sharpening or striking they can go over your palm to ensure you don’t drop the rods- especially useful in cold weather. They will not work loose in vibration and if they are ever damaged or lost you can make a new one in 10 minutes with whatever cord you have on hand.
We recently have gained the capability to make our own matching Ceramic rods and Firesteels. These are made to order along with the knives which allows us to make them in handle materials, hardware and finish to match the blade itself!
We have collaborated with a local traditional flute maker to get these handles made- we provide him with the dimensions and materials and he has the right gear to get these handles turned accurately and also drill the lanyard holes in perpendiculalry and neatly. We then fit the matching lanyard tube, glue up and finish in house 🙂
The Firesteel can be scraped on the spine of any of our knives to throw a shower of very hot sparks to light a fire. If you order a sheath with a firesteel we will ensure that the first inch of the spine’s corners are sharp enough to throw excellent sparks even if that blade has a polished finish. They come with black paint on them to protect the material (ferrocerium) from reacting with the atmosphere and very slowly degrading. Once used this coating is lost so it is best practice to lightly cover exposed areas with clear nail polish, lip balm or similar after a trip- particularly if you are in a hot humid environment or storing it for a long time.
The Ceramic rod is an amazing tool for sharpening your blade. It is rubbed along the edge between jobs to keep your knife razor sharp, deals with convex edges no problem and due to its round shape it does a fantastic of getting into the waists of recurved blades.
It is an improvement over a Chakmak in a few key ways. A chakmak sharpens through “Adhesion” also known as burnishing. At a microscopic level it touches the steel at a very small and focused area creating huge pressures. This deforms the steel which does a very small amount of “realigning” but it also removes steel at the same time. An issue though is that in the process of smooshing that steel around it induces stresses and creates a slighlty weaker apex. Adhesion only really works for keeping sharp knives sharp. Once a knife is blunt there is too much surface area to generate the focused force required for adhesion. Eventually an abrasive tool is needed to bring it back to proper sharpness.
A ceramic rod is also capable of sharpening through adhesion, in fact it can do a faster job for a longer time due to the higher hardness of the ceramic and lower deformation. Crucially though the surface of a ceramic rod is like very high grit sandaper so it also sharpens through abrasion at the same time. This combination makes it sharpen very quickly and keep sharpening long after a chakmak has stopped being effective. It is a very fine abrasive so the edge that is produced by a ceramic rod is fresh metal and not toothy at all. This makes for a very strong and refined apex in comparison to the more jagged and wiry edge produced by a chakmak. It will slice well but most importantly is very strong for impacts into hard surfaces.
Piggyback Cursives & Spurs
Karda aren’t the only companion knives we have available though! Through “Deeper Customisation” you have the option to add a “Piggyback” Cursive EDC or Spur onto the sheath of your large, main blade. This option is only available on sheaths 7″ or larger. In order to access this option you MUST have a Cursive or Spur in your order also.
Step 1: Choose the options you want for your cursive/spur and add it to your cart. A cursive is lighter, thinner and slicier and sits flatter against the sheath. The spur has a larger blade, larger more comfortable handle and is better for prying tasks. Your cursive/spur will still receive its own sheath- choose this just like any other sheath in the main options. It does not need to match the main blade. If you don’t have a cursive in your order we will email you to organise adding one to your order through a custom invoice.
Step 2: Choose whatever options you want for your main blade (the bigger one). In deeper customisation you can select “piggyback my cursive/spur?”. When you select this option we will modify the sheath of your main blade (the bigger one) so that it can also hold your “piggybacked blade” (the cursive or spur). This will work differently depending on the sheath style as well as the other sheath addons that are on your blade.
Standard, Miltary and Salyani daps will put a piggybacked blade behind the throat by default. If your sheath is standard or salyani and also kas K&C added then they will go behind the throat while the piggybacked cursive moves to the front of the frog, protruding downwards. If you are looking for the most authentic traditional blade possible you should stick to a single addon for frogs to ensure it goes behind the throat.
A Military Dap cannot take both a K&C and a piggybacked blade. You need to choose.
Western Leather sheaths put a piggybacked blade on the front face of the sheath near the tip. If the sheath also has a karda and chakmak specified these will isntead get moved to the back face of the sheath near the tip. Leather is wet formed over the blade, bolster and part of the handle for a snug, dependable fit. This pouch also features a drainage hole at the tip as well as thin welts on all stitching to protect it from damage.
Western Leather sheaths put a piggybacked blade on the front face of the sheath near the tip. If the sheath also has a karda and chakmak specified these will isntead get moved to the back face of the sheath near the tip.
For Kydex they are placed on the front of the sheath in just the same way.
A single sheet of hot kydex is pressed over the blade, bolster and part of the handle for a firm, precise fit with a formed tube at the tip for drainage. The back side of the piggybacked blade presses directly against the front face of the main sheath and can produce scratches over time.
These integration plates are not ambidextrous– when ordering you need to specify your dominant hand (or non dominant hand if optimising for scout carry use) so we can make the plate to suit the correct side. Alternatively you can order a plate for both sides and choose a plate as needed.
While the Cursive remains unchanged when piggybacked the Spur is given a new handle shaping. Rather than the thick, oval shape it gets usually it instead is reduced in thickness to 15mm and given a flatter, boxy profile with rounded corners. This helps it have a lower total thickness but still fill the hand as much as possible at the same time. Hotspurs are generally too large to piggyback, however feel free to confirm for your specific blade if interested and we can arrange.
Karda aren’t the only companion knives we have available though! Through “Deeper Customisation” you have the option to add a “Piggyback” Cursive EDC or Spur onto the sheath of your large, main blade. This option is only available on sheaths 7″ or larger. In order to access this option you MUST have a Cursive or Spur in your order also.
Step 1: Choose the options you want for your cursive/spur and add it to your cart. A cursive is lighter, thinner and slicier and sits flatter against the sheath. The spur has a larger blade, larger more comfortable handle and is better for prying tasks. Your cursive/spur will still receive its own sheath- choose this just like any other sheath in the main options. It does not need to match the main blade. If you don’t have a cursive in your order we will email you to organise adding one to your order through a custom invoice.
Step 2: Choose whatever options you want for your main blade (the bigger one). In deeper customisation you can select “piggyback my cursive/spur?”. When you select this option we will modify the sheath of your main blade (the bigger one) so that it can also hold your “piggybacked blade” (the cursive or spur). This will work differently depending on the sheath style as well as the other sheath addons that are on your blade.
For Kydex they are placed on the front of the sheath in just the same way.
A single sheet of hot kydex is pressed over the blade, bolster and part of the handle for a firm, precise fit with a formed tube at the tip for drainage. The back side of the piggybacked blade presses directly against the front face of the main sheath and can produce scratches over time.
These integration plates are not ambidextrous– when ordering you need to specify your dominant hand (or non dominant hand if optimising for scout carry use) so we can make the plate to suit the correct side. Alternatively you can order a plate for both sides and choose a plate as needed.
While the Cursive remains unchanged when piggybacked the Spur is given a new handle shaping. Rather than the thick, oval shape it gets usually it instead is reduced in thickness to 15mm and given a flatter, boxy profile with rounded corners. This helps it have a lower total thickness but still fill the hand as much as possible at the same time. Hotspurs are generally too large to piggyback, however feel free to confirm for your specific blade if interested and we can arrange.
On-Sheath Storage
We are proud to announce that our sheaths can now be configured with both Small And Large Storage Pouches! Check out a video of them in action here. These are a great place to store tinder or survival gear and are always on your sheath ready to go as soon as you need them. These are available on all sheath types except Military dap-The lacing on the front of the military dap makes it impossible to integrate. The specific designs of these pouches and the means by which they are integrated differs by both the size of the pouch and by the sheath style.
First off we have the Large Storage Pouch for Western leather. This pouch is made of 2mm thick buffalo leather of matching colour and is riveted together for a rugged and dependable construction. It has 4 snaps for security and redundancy to ensure the lid won’t come undone by accident. The internal space is perfectly sized for a regular Altoids Tin which fits in very snugly- so snugly that with the lid off it won’t come out no matter how hard you shake it. For easy removal it features a leather pull-out liner. Just pull the tab and the tin gets pushed out from underneath.
All storage pouches and holsters comes with their own tin, empty & unbranded. These tins are made of tin plated steel and are very durable-they keep the contents safe from bugs and rain. It is not completely waterproof though and should not be fully submerged. Beneath the tin coating is mild steel so any scratched areas should be cared for with rust in mind. New tins are easily replaceable by either buying altoids mints or buying another unbranded tin by itself. These specific tins have a cult following as mini gear storage containers. The pouch does not need to be used with the tin though and can be filled with multiple loose items. If packed loosely then the lid being closed is much more crucial here. If packed tightly then the pull-out liner will get the items out just the same .
Next up we have the Small Storage Pouch for Western Leather. This has a nearly identical construction but just scaled down. It has 2 snaps instead of 4 and still features the same pull-out liner. Historically an Altoids Smalls tin would be a good choice here but these are now discontinued and their dimensions are not common on smaller storage tins today. As a result we have gone with a slightly wider tin that is almost standard these days. Click this link for full internal and external dimensions of the small and large tins to plan your kit 🙂
Don’t get it wrong- this is an absolutely microscopic tin. it is strongly recommended that you get a piece of paper and draw out these measurements to see just how small it is and what will or won’t fit inside. While these are still used for micro survival kits we feel that they are mostly useful to keep tinder dry in. This pouch comes with an empty, unbranded tin.
The actual internal space of this pouch is 60x45x21mm- with an extra 5mm of thickness. This gives a little bit of extra storage space for cordage or tinder outside of your tin or helps you fit some larger objects in when not using the tin. The tin still fits snugly despite this vertical room and won’t fall out on its own.
On Western Leather, both the Small and Large pouches are aligned with the small side facing the bolster (vertical) and all open from the wide side of the pouch out towards the spine to avoid bolster clearance issues.
The Large Storage pouch For Daps is almost identical to Western leather with the main difference being where it is integrated. It gets placed on the front of the frog with the short side in line with the frog ridge (vertical). It opens up from this short side up towards the handle- no bolster clearance issues here. The internal space on a dap is 95x60x27mm with the extra 6mm of vertical clearance helping accommodate the curvature of the frog. In practice the regular altoids tin fits just as snugly as on WL as a result. You can maybe poke a bit of tinder or cordage underneath it at the corners. The vertical arrangement here means that the frog has an extended portion that comes further down towards the tip on the front so that the pouch can be attached properly.
A similar story for Small Storage Pouches on Daps. This sit on the frog and opens up towards the handle. On almost all blades its sits horizontally (wide side along frog ridge), but on particularly narrow blades (all sirupates of anylength, non sirupates below 9″) they are laid out vertically (short side along frog ridge). Horizontal lets us keep the frog a normal size and shape for a more traditional and clean look. It is the same size as WL small pouch- 60x45x21mm. It already has extra space to account for curvature and snugly fits an Altoids Smalls tin.
On kydex there is no capability to store things without the tin- for this reason on kydex they are called Tin Holsters rather than pouches. These are a single strip of kydex that has been heated up and wrapped around itself. A flap is bent down to stop the tin coming downwards. The mouth has a small bent tab to apply spring pressure down onto the tin- this stops it from coming out unless firmly pushed out through the thumb hole at the bottom. To bolt them to the sheath they have mounting holes on the opposite side from the mouth. They are fully ambidextrous and can be mounted on the edge eyelets or spine eylets.
The Large Tin Holster is 95x60x21mm internal and fits a regular altoids tin (or the provided unbranded tin) perfectly. It opens up from the wide side of the holster towards spine/edge to help with bolster clearance. It is laid out with the small side towards the bolster (vertical).
The Small Tin Holster on the other hand is laid out with the wide side towards the bolster (horizontal). This is okay as it is much shorter and it helps free up blade space for other Addons. It opens from the short side out towards the spine/edge to help with bolster clearance. The internal space of the Small Tin Holster is the exact dimensions of the tin with no extra space -60x48x16mm.
There is only so much space on a sheath for addons and naturally there are a lot of complex interactions dependent on both blade length and sheath width. These are all taken into account in the programming of the product pages- there is no option available to you which won’t work. Similarly there are no options that will work we have hidden from you.
Some combinations of addons will impact the locations which other addons are placed. It is up to you to decide whether you still want those addons if they are placed in these alternative locations. This sheet here shows a list of where addons will be placed on the sheath for each specific combination of addons for a given sheath type and a certain blade length. It is important to read before ordering combinations of addons but is a a dense document. Take your time with it.
As orders come in for these combinations we will strive to provide links to media showing the different layout combinations in each sheath style. There are 60 of them and we only make what is ordered- some may never get ordered so may never get made. Think about how this applies to getting a photo of your specific desired model+blade length+ addon combination- it is not possible. You will need to look at existing similar examples to get an idea for what your exact setup will look like. This is the nature of custom work.
There is also the question of functionality once you get into these 3x or 4x addon combinations. With lots of addons your sheath can end up significantly bulkier. If you have a ceramic rod to sharpen and piggyback cursive to cut do you want a K&C on your sheath too? If you have a large storage pouch do you want a ceramic rod/firesteel/karda too? Or would you rather source some tiny sharpening/cutting/firelighting tools and store them inside? Maybe on a certain trip you leave your ceramic rod and piggyback blade at home- even an empty pouch or rod holster will increase the overall size of the sheath somewhat. Here kydex has a big advantage in that you can take off what you don’t want for a given day to keep the setup as lean as desired.
We are proud to announce that our sheaths can now be configured with both Small And Large Storage Pouches! Check out a video of them in action here. These are a great place to store tinder or survival gear and are always on your sheath ready to go as soon as you need them. These are available on all sheath types except Military dap-The lacing on the front of the military dap makes it impossible to integrate. The specific designs of these pouches and the means by which they are integrated differs by both the size of the pouch and by the sheath style.
First off we have the Large Storage Pouch for Western leather. This pouch is made of 2mm thick buffalo leather of matching colour and is riveted together for a rugged and dependable construction. It has 4 snaps for security and redundancy to ensure the lid won’t come undone by accident. The internal space is perfectly sized for a regular Altoids Tin which fits in very snugly- so snugly that with the lid off it won’t come out no matter how hard you shake it. For easy removal it features a leather pull-out liner. Just pull the tab and the tin gets pushed out from underneath.
All storage pouches and holsters comes with their own tin, empty & unbranded. These tins are made of tin plated steel and are very durable-they keep the contents safe from bugs and rain. It is not completely waterproof though and should not be fully submerged. Beneath the tin coating is mild steel so any scratched areas should be cared for with rust in mind. New tins are easily replaceable by either buying altoids mints or buying another unbranded tin by itself. These specific tins have a cult following as mini gear storage containers. The pouch does not need to be used with the tin though and can be filled with multiple loose items. If packed loosely then the lid being closed is much more crucial here. If packed tightly then the pull-out liner will get the items out just the same .
Next up we have the Small Storage Pouch for Western Leather. This has a nearly identical construction but just scaled down. It has 2 snaps instead of 4 and still features the same pull-out liner. Historically an Altoids Smalls tin would be a good choice here but these are now discontinued and their dimensions are not common on smaller storage tins today. As a result we have gone with a slightly wider tin that is almost standard these days. Click this link for full internal and external dimensions of the small and large tins to plan your kit 🙂
Don’t get it wrong- this is an absolutely microscopic tin. it is strongly recommended that you get a piece of paper and draw out these measurements to see just how small it is and what will or won’t fit inside. While these are still used for micro survival kits we feel that they are mostly useful to keep tinder dry in. This pouch comes with an empty, unbranded tin.
The actual internal space of this pouch is 60x45x21mm- with an extra 5mm of thickness. This gives a little bit of extra storage space for cordage or tinder outside of your tin or helps you fit some larger objects in when not using the tin. The tin still fits snugly despite this vertical room and won’t fall out on its own.
On Western Leather, both the Small and Large pouches are aligned with the small side facing the bolster (vertical) and all open from the wide side of the pouch out towards the spine to avoid bolster clearance issues.
The Large Storage pouch For Daps is almost identical to Western leather with the main difference being where it is integrated. It gets placed on the front of the frog with the short side in line with the frog ridge (vertical). It opens up from this short side up towards the handle- no bolster clearance issues here. The internal space on a dap is 95x60x27mm with the extra 6mm of vertical clearance helping accommodate the curvature of the frog. In practice the regular altoids tin fits just as snugly as on WL as a result. You can maybe poke a bit of tinder or cordage underneath it at the corners. The vertical arrangement here means that the frog has an extended portion that comes further down towards the tip on the front so that the pouch can be attached properly.
A similar story for Small Storage Pouches on Daps. This sit on the frog and opens up towards the handle. On almost all blades its sits horizontally (wide side along frog ridge), but on particularly narrow blades (all sirupates of anylength, non sirupates below 9″) they are laid out vertically (short side along frog ridge). Horizontal lets us keep the frog a normal size and shape for a more traditional and clean look. It is the same size as WL small pouch- 60x45x21mm. It already has extra space to account for curvature and snugly fits an Altoids Smalls tin.
On kydex there is no capability to store things without the tin- for this reason on kydex they are called Tin Holsters rather than pouches. These are a single strip of kydex that has been heated up and wrapped around itself. A flap is bent down to stop the tin coming downwards. The mouth has a small bent tab to apply spring pressure down onto the tin- this stops it from coming out unless firmly pushed out through the thumb hole at the bottom. To bolt them to the sheath they have mounting holes on the opposite side from the mouth. They are fully ambidextrous and can be mounted on the edge eyelets or spine eylets.
The Large Tin Holster is 95x60x21mm internal and fits a regular altoids tin (or the provided unbranded tin) perfectly. It opens up from the wide side of the holster towards spine/edge to help with bolster clearance. It is laid out with the small side towards the bolster (vertical).
The Small Tin Holster on the other hand is laid out with the wide side towards the bolster (horizontal). This is okay as it is much shorter and it helps free up blade space for other Addons. It opens from the short side out towards the spine/edge to help with bolster clearance. The internal space of the Small Tin Holster is the exact dimensions of the tin with no extra space -60x48x16mm.
There is only so much space on a sheath for addons and naturally there are a lot of complex interactions dependent on both blade length and sheath width. These are all taken into account in the programming of the product pages- there is no option available to you which won’t work. Similarly there are no options that will work we have hidden from you.
Some combinations of addons will impact the locations which other addons are placed. It is up to you to decide whether you still want those addons if they are placed in these alternative locations. This sheet here shows a list of where addons will be placed on the sheath for each specific combination of addons for a given sheath type and a certain blade length. It is important to read before ordering combinations of addons but is a a dense document. Take your time with it.
As orders come in for these combinations we will strive to provide links to media showing the different layout combinations in each sheath style. There are 60 of them and we only make what is ordered- some may never get ordered so may never get made. Think about how this applies to getting a photo of your specific desired model+blade length+ addon combination- it is not possible. You will need to look at existing similar examples to get an idea for what your exact setup will look like. This is the nature of custom work.
There is also the question of functionality once you get into these 3x or 4x addon combinations. With lots of addons your sheath can end up significantly bulkier. If you have a ceramic rod to sharpen and piggyback cursive to cut do you want a K&C on your sheath too? If you have a large storage pouch do you want a ceramic rod/firesteel/karda too? Or would you rather source some tiny sharpening/cutting/firelighting tools and store them inside? Maybe on a certain trip you leave your ceramic rod and piggyback blade at home- even an empty pouch or rod holster will increase the overall size of the sheath somewhat. Here kydex has a big advantage in that you can take off what you don’t want for a given day to keep the setup as lean as desired.