Native American knife sheathes
North American Indians were scarcely separable from beads of all kinds. The introduction of the glass beads opened the opportunity for the creation of a class of universally esteemed ornemented items, called beadwork. The most diverse and colorful items of Indian beadwork is the beaded knife sheath.
The raw materials for making knife sheathes
Commercial or tanned leather know as "white man's" leather. The Indian's source of this leather was through trade, salvage or scavenge.
Buckskin also know as brain tanned or Indian made leather.
Parfleche known as stiff dresses rawhide. Most parfleche items were painted with varying designs.
Sinew. Early beadwork and historically accurate reproductions are usually done with real sinew.
