Do any of yall work with Kydex(or similar)?

[martyfowler]

I'd like to make a couple Kydex knife sheaths and a few other random things. I have watched a few videos so i understand the basic process. I figured I should tap in to the vast knowledge of the folks here as well.

Any tips and tricks i should know?

Do you have a preferred vendor for materials and supplies?

Best foam to use for the press?

Thanks for any advice.

 

[Stuck]

Depends on how far down the rabbit hole you want to go. When I started i used an old sleeping bag mat. It was 3/8 thick so I used several 1'x1' squares stacked. I made a press out of 3/4 ply and 2x4s and a scissor jack. 18" square plywood with a 2x4 frame on top like a hydro press. Stack the foam then a 12" square ply.

Google "kydex press" or "kydex book press" for ideas on how to make an inexpensive press.

Ive since bought press foam and redid all my presses. I still use the sleeping bag foam in my book press for taco holsters because I like the detail it gives. The press foam was off of Amazon.

For kydex and other parts I just buy off of Amazon. I use a toaster oven to heat the kydex. Make sure you keep the temps right at or just under 400 and watch how long you leave it in the oven. It will curl and deform.

For the grommets I started with a hammer set. Now I use a harbor freight arbor press. If youre not doing a lot the hammer set works fine. Ive made close to 300 holsters and sheaths so it got a bit tedious.

A scroll saw or bandsaw is perfect for finish cutting but if you dont have one a jigsaw screwed to 1/2 plywood and turned upside down and screwed to the edge of your bench makes a redneck scroll saw. A belt or disc sander makes things easier to. I use a buffing wheel on my grinder to burnish the edges smooth.

A heat gun helps for minor corrections and can be used to heat the kydex before you press it but its easy to burn the plastic and get uneven heating.

If you have any questions ask.

 

[martyfowler]

Thanks for the info. I will hit up amazon and get some stuff on the way. Luckily i have a bandsaw and a nice belt sander to work with. Thanks for taking the time to reply.

 

[Stuck]

No problem Im happy to pass on the sickness. Half of the stuff I make I do just to see if can.

I use little puffball sanders and diamond wheels for my dremel from Amazon. It gets addicting. Ive made everything from knife sheaths to hatchet sheaths and holster for guns, m4 mags, single and double stack mags, handcuffs, flashlights, tourniquets, cell phones, even a zippo lighter for a molle vest.

Making the molding is the most time consuming. All my stuff is made to have adjustable tension so you have to take blocking into consideration if you do that.

 

[martyfowler]

Sounds awesome. Im looking forward to getting started!

 

[martyfowler]

So I bought this stuff from KnifeKits.com:

Products
------------------------------------------------------
1 x CKK Rivet/Eyelet Flaring Dies - Journeyman Series - #8 - (1/4) (KYRDJS-8) = $24.95
5 x KYDEX™ Sheet - Black - (.060) (KYSHE06) = $16.75
2 x KYDEX™ Sheet - Black - (.093) (KYSHE09) = $9.98
1 x Eyelets - #8-6 (1/4) - Black Finish - (for .060 KYDEX®/HOLSTEX®) - 100 Pack (AV-KYSR86-100) = $9.37
2 x Eyelets - #8-9 (1/4) - Black Finish - (for .080-.093 KYDEX®/HOLSTEX®) - 10 Pack (KYSR9-10) = $3.48
2 x Sheath/Holster Making Foam - Thermoform Molding - (Maxx Form) - (12x11.5x1) (HLX-SMFV1-12) = $22.90
2 x Eyelets - #8-8 (1/4) - Black Finish - (for .080 KYDEX®/HOLSTEX®) - 10 Pack (KYSR8-10) = $3.20
------------------------------------------------------
Sub-Total: $90.63
FedEx Smart Post---Approx. delivery time TWO - SEVEN Days: $9.22
Total: $99.85


And this kit from amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I think that will get me started good. I'm thinking I'm gonna build my press out of 1/4" steel plate instead of wood, and i will try out using my drill press to set the rivets. If that doesn't work out good i will buy and modify a small arbor press to hold the dies.

I will do my best to document the results, if anyone wants to see.

 

[Stuck]

And down the rabbit hole you go.

That will work. A lot of the stuff I order through Amazon comes from Knifekits. Its good stuff and their prices are decent. I should have mentioned it earlier. I use the .080 for just about everything. Ive used the .060 and I think its too flimsy and it didnt hold up well for what I needed. Im sure it will depend on what you make with it. The .060 gives better detail and it flexes more allowing for easier removal. For the items I was making retention and durability was a lot more important so I used thicker material.

As for the rubber washers/spacers with the Tnuts I use 1/8 or 3/16 (dont remeber which) fuel line. I kept running out of the thicker ones. I use it for my tensioning points.

Id say youre off to a good start. Post pics as you go.

 

[martyfowler]

Yep. I tend to jump in with both feet. Haha!

I'll get some .080 on order too.

I'll post pics of the progress.

 

[martyfowler]

I finally got a little bit done on this project! I made a press out of some scrap 1/8" wall 1" square tube i had. I also made a guide for the rivet dies. I drilled and tapped the end of the male die and threaded on an extension to give me a little more length to work with.

 

[martyfowler]

Im using this shitty little Ryobi drill press to crimp the rivets for now, but i am working on making a separate rivet press. I think its its gonna work good.

 

[martyfowler]

I cut out a piece of 3/4" UHMW to replace the bottom foam in case i need to make something with a flat back side.

 

[Stuck]

Well? We're waiting.

 

[martyfowler]

Disclaimer: I have always laughed at all the double stacked, goofy lookin', 10lb, operator AF, tacticool holsters I've seen built.

I made this for a specific purpose. It is not intended to be carried around on a daily basis. I will only use it when we butcher pigs/hogs. It has a quick detach belt clip, so that as soon as i shoot and then stick the pig I can take it off and get it out of my way. I think it will work great for my purposes.

I have had this big old bowie knife since i was a kid. It is a Western Cutlery W49. It came with a wall display plaque instead of a sheath. Now here i am going down the Kydex making rabbit hole. Haha!

The Bacon Maker!

 

[martyfowler]

I did not make the glock holster. it came from an old paddle holster i had laying around. I just made an adapter bracket to mount it to the sheath.

 

[martyfowler]

Some random pics during the process. I made molding fixtures out of 1/4" plywood and other scrap wood. I made a rigid belt loop first, but I quickly realized I needed it to pivot so I would be able to sit down with it on.

 

[martyfowler]

More pics.

 

[martyfowler]

More. You can see the original rigid belt loop I made in these pics.

 

[martyfowler]

More.

 

[martyfowler]

More.

 

[Stuck]

Nice work Alice! That is tacticool AF but I dig it. My first couple were not nearly that well thought out. If youre concerned about being pretty when making stuff for other people watch for any voids in your mold material. The one pic above I can see where there was a wrinkle or void in the plywood. Not critiquing just pointing out that kydex will pick up very small details.

 

[martyfowler]

Yep. There was a void in the plywood. Luckily it only shows ok the shiny side of that part and not on the outside of the sheath.

It has definitely been a learning experience. Im enjoying the hell out of it though.

Thanks for your advice.

 

[Pony_Driver]

Disclaimer: I have always laughed at all the double stacked, goofy lookin', 10lb, operator AF, tacticool holsters I've seen built.

I made this for a specific purpose. It is not intended to be carried around on a daily basis. I will only use it when we butcher pigs/hogs. It has a quick detach belt clip, so that as soon as i shoot and then stick the pig I can take it off and get it out of my way. I think it will work great for my purposes.

I have had this big old bowie knife since i was a kid. It is a Western Cutlery W49. It came with a wall display plaque instead of a sheath. Now here i am going down the Kydex making rabbit hole. Haha!

The Bacon Maker! filedata/fetch?id=76670&d=1595286449 filedata/fetch?id=76668&d=1595286453

Pics of the hog butchering?

 

[martyfowler]

Some pics of one of the last ones we butchered. She weighed 350lbs. (The pig, not my wife!) Thats me on the ladder. I weight around 250.

The pic of the pork chops and steaks may have been from a different pig.

 

[martyfowler]

Some bacon!

 

[Stuck]

I forgot about this thread. The sheath looks awesome! Nice detail! And the pig looks yummy!

 

[smurfblue40]

I’ve always wanted to try working with Kydex.

I have a modern version of a Kukri that was given to me years ago. The original scabbard was destroyed, so I booty-fabbed a leather one so I could use the knife out in the field (got a lot of looks when I’d pull it out). I’d love to make a new Kydex scabbard for it

 

[Aisin]

I’ve always wanted to try working with Kydex.

I have a modern version of a Kukri that was given to me years ago. The original scabbard was destroyed, so I booty-fabbed a leather one so I could use the knife out in the field (got a lot of looks when I’d pull it out). I’d love to make a new Kydex scabbard for it

Get to it! Or just buy one for $50.

 

[Fishnbeer]

Finally got some free time. Knife is a geber lmf. Version 1.0 went all wrong, popped it in the oven, popped a beer and forgot I put it in there. I managed to complete 2.0 with a longer attention span