Anyone know how to do ray skin over kydex?

Salem Straub

Salem Straub

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Oct 20, 2008
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I'm thinking over this project I may do, and it would be cool to do a real clean looking sheath, ray skin wrapped over kydex. I've seen a couple examples of this type of work, but wonder what adhesives and methods may be involved. Anyone?
 
First question - Are you going to be using same' , which is the traditional stingray rawhide, or the tanned and soft stuff.

If using same', I would make an exact size solid wooden model of the Kydex sheath. Give it a couple coats of lacquer to make it waterproof. Also, make a wooden insert to fit the kydex sheath ( basically, a wooden knife). This will prevent the Kydex from squeezing in when laminating the same'. Leave a handle on the insert, to aid in holding things later on.

Soak the same' in warm water for several hours. Shape the softened rayskin on the mandrel. After shaping and trimming, bind it in place with cotton cord from end to end and let dry for a week.You want the edges to overlap just a bit at this stage. Remove the cord and the skin will be shaped to the mandrel. Check the fit on the Kydex, and trim the seam as needed to allow the same' to fit edge to edge. Put the insert in the Kydex sheath. If the Kydex has gaps in its seams, carefully seal them with quick set epoxy now, and sand them smooth. You don't want epoxy getting inside the sheath later when you apply the rayskin. Using a good slow set epoxy , install the same' over the Kydex, using rubber bands as clamps. Clean up as much squeeze out as you can. The rest can be cleaned up after curing. This technique may work for your project.

If using the soft stuff, just treat it like leather and make a stitched cover for the Kydex liner...just like making a leather covered wooden sheath. I'm sure there is a "Leather Covered Wooden Sheath" tutorial showing how that is done.
 
OK..that sounded good...but how do people glue the skin to the outside of scales in a folding knife? It seems like it also conforms to the rounded edges. Hmmm?
 
Ok Stacy, that sounds like a good method- but what if instead of making a wooden mandrel I just put the wood insert into the kydex sheath and use the sheath for the mandrel?

Also, I'm a little concerned that over time the same' would tend to peel back from the edges of the sheath. How about if I left the same about 3/8" long all around the edges, (not at the mouth) and with the kydex not yet riveted, separate the sheath a bit around the edges so that I can fold the edge of the same' into it, glue it, then rivet the seam? Then you wouldn't see the edge of the kydex, and the edge of the same' would be really locked in.

I wondered about that too John L., after seeing Steve Schwarzer do it. It seemed like he just made scales by epoxying same' onto thin micarta.
 
I just like making wooden things, but you could use the Kydex with the plug.
Play with that tucked in idea some. I have made same' wrapped handle with the same' tucked in the joint exactly as you said. You will have to sand the same' down where it goes in the joint, as it is thick and a bit too stiff for that tight of a turn.
 
What stacey Said except you don't want to soak it. It should be thouroghly wetted and then wrapped in an old towel. this may have to be repeated one or more time. what you are looking for is the rawhide skin to be slightly samp and pliable enough so that if you bend it is will stay in the shape that you put it but you don't want it wet enough so that it feels slimey. soaking will make the rawhide skin way too soft and it will strech leaving gaps between all the nodes on the skin. It will then shrink excessively pulling and twisting your kydex out of shape. the tanned skins can be soaked more for easier working.
 
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