HELLGATE HATCHET LEATHER SHEATH
MKC x Teton Leather Company
ONLY FITS THE HELLGATE HATCHET
Montana Knife Company™ Hellgate Hatchet leather sheath is made of premium Leather and handmade by Francesca at Teton Leather Company. The Leather sheath is a classic alternative to the stock Kydex Hellgate sheath.
- 100% USA MADE
- BELT LOOP
- HANDCRAFTED
- CUSTOM DESIGN TO FIT THE HELLGATE HATCHET
- WATER-RESISTANT
*HATCHET NOT INCLUDED*
ABOUT TETON LEATHER COMPANY AND FRANCESCA
From a true artistic beginning apprenticing with a master jewelry maker, to creating beautiful knives as a bladesmith, Francesca found her calling with the art of leather making. Her love for the craft began when one of her knife collectors asked her to make a high-end custom leather sheath for an art knife he had procured. Through trial and error, she created a beautiful piece of art, remembering “When my concept became a reality, and what I saw in my head was here physically in front of me, that was a life changing moment.”
She has been chasing that creativity induced high she felt in 2014 ever since. Designing custom leather goods out of a variety of exotic leathers, such as invasive python and alligator. “Often nature is imitated in the modern world” Francesca says “Nothing can truly capture the precise and perfect beauty that comes from natural materials. Each species offers its own texture, thickness, durability, pattern and characteristics, it’s the perfect challenge for me.”
Francesca is an avid outdoorsman, from hunting, fishing, camping, snowboarding, and surfing, she loves being outside in nature with her daughter Olivia. She often says, “When I’m not working on leather or designing, I’m outside pulling inspiration from the mountains and wildlife around me, then I take that home and create, it’s a cycle that I go through and it’s really fulfilling.”
Bringing to the table a versatile range of professional talent, Francesca is a full-time designer and leather artisan, specializing in high end custom bespoke products. She excels with hand dying hides and color matching, beautifully wrapped skulls, and design and concept consulting for some of the best brands in the industry. Her team of skilled and thoroughly trained leather artisans are proud to stand on her expectation of meticulous detail and deliver the best leather products on the market.
From a young age, Francesca has been fully immersed in the world of knives. Spending time in her Father’s bladesmithing shop, watching his finely tuned skills at work, Francesca developed an eye for detail and appreciation for the art of knife making. At the age of 15, Francesca made her first knife, starting with a bar of steel and a block of wood, she forged and ground her way to a fully functional and aesthetically appealing hunting knife.
Throughout the years Francesca has pushed to develop and refine her art. After marrying her Husband-and now coworker (Zach) in 2013, Francesca and her Husband prepared to welcome their little girl into the world, starting with a knifemaking hiatus in early 2016
"After having Olivia, I knew that most of my time would be in the house with her, but I also had this insatiable artistic itch and that's when I started ordering in leather hides and slowly acquiring tools and practicing on some crazy idea that had popped into my head. It's crazy how many random projects I completely failed on, but more and more often my projects were really coming to life. I spent my free time learning all that I could about leather, and my love for it grew, along with my artistic vision. Creating something unique that can be enjoyed by others is very fulfilling, I pour a piece of myself into every custom project."
Francesca is a full-time Leather Artisan, specializing in custom sheaths, hand dyeing, and commissioned high-end custom projects. She produces a limited batch of knives every year for her collectors & plans to continually expand her artistic repertoire.