8-9 eyelets splitting on .080 kydex

[milkyeye]

I am having significant splitting issues with these rivets from a supplier. I have recently purchased 2 sets of 100 Piece of these rivets about a month apart in 2 different colors. Each one is splitting almost every time where the 8-8 rivets I have in several finishes have No splitting issues. I am using the same die. What gives, I do not think it is my tools. The paint on these rivets is actually flaking off also. Any suggestions on what I could be doing wrong would be greatly appreciated.
Regards, Randy

 

[Kiah]

The further an eyelet sticks out from the material, the more likely it is to split. That said, I use 8-9 on .08 without too many issues.

Could be bad eyelets. I've had to return batches before when every eyelet split. Could be that your dies are picky about length. Maybe try putting a piece of something thin between a couple scrap pieces to bring the thickness up and see if they still split.

 

[David Brown]

also if it is not the eyelets it may be the dies.
I thought my dies were fine for years and blamed the eyelets (which when it is a bunch of them may be true) but turns out my dies were bad 15 years had wore them out

colored eyelets (other than black) are really bad about splitting though and the paint does come off, knife kits told me they are moving away from them.
Too labor intensive for the cost.

also FYI I have used 8-9 on .064" kydex with no problem

who are the eyelets from ?

 

[milkyeye]

I bought the eyelets from Knifekits, two colors brown and foliage green. The dies are new from Knifekits also, and I have no issues with black and gunmetal 8-8 rivets so far. Big issues with splitting and the color flaking off of the 8-9 eyelets. I like your idea about putting a spacer in there, I'll see what happens. I contacted knifekits, they asked me to send them some photos of the splitting. I had already removed the split rivets, and went on with the project using 8-8's. I put 2 scrap pieces of .080 together and pressed some rivets, got 1 split out of 4 but the paint flaking was bad on all of them. They offered to send me a set of 8-8's to replace them. I guess that's what I'll do. I was looking forward to using the colored ones for a more custom look, but I have no confidence in the colored 8-9 rivets from them. How about placing a piece of saran wrap on the die to protect the paint?

 

[Maineiac1]

I'm done buying eyelets from knifekits, I've had no problem with their black nor with 8-9 in .08 kydex. I use the arbor press with the good dies. Knifekits colored eyelets just suck, cannot get one to not chip the coating.

 

[milkyeye]

I'm done buying eyelets from knifekits, I've had no problem with their black nor with 8-9 in .08 kydex. I use the arbor press with the good dies. Knifekits colored eyelets just suck, cannot get one to not chip the coating.

I'm with you, I found another source of colored eyelets that are 8-8. I think I will give them a try.