ASH-1 In A SPEC-OPS

Tyrkon Lawson

Tyrkon Lawson

Joined
Oct 31, 2003
Messages
8,583
Inspired by foxyrick's thread I decided to see if I could get my ASH into a Spec-Ops as well. I just received an awesome kydex sheath from a fellow HOG for my BATACSE so the Spec-Ops was empty. It is the smaller/short Combat Master sheath.

First, I had to take the liner out, soak it in boiling water, and slowly work my ASH in until it was a perfect fit. Not too tight either. This took about 10 min. to get it just right.

Then I drilled a hole beneath the original eyelet on the sheath as the ASH blade tip reaches that far. I used a screw/tube & ruber washer from a tech-lock. I actually inserted the rubber washer into the liner, inline with the new hole, and slid it into the sheath. That way if my blade gets too close in will bump the washer and not the screw/tube.

Once the liner was in line with the new hole I just inserted the tube on one side and the screw on the other and tightened everything up.

The blade comes in and out smoothly. Works great. You can see where the blade tip is in the original eyelet. I plan on covering that part up with perhaps a couple pieces of kydex or something. I'll use PVC glue or something. But it's no biggy right now.

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Thanks foxyrick, and others in that thread, for the great idea. :):thumbup:
 
That's great work Tyrkon. The colours work together too, that ASH looks the business in its new pants. That's so important, especially to my wife. It's amazing what I can get away with if she likes the colours!

So, the ASH fits in the small sheath, I was wondering about that. I need to get one then, for when mine come!

I'm tending to think that the Survival Sheath is a little bit overkill with the clasp and zip on the pocket. I don't think it holds much, if any, more than the Combat Master pocket but is much bulkier in itself.

Covering the original bolt hole is a good idea. Great minds think alike indeed! Knowing me, the first time I take this out I'll end up falling in mud or something and getting the hole full of it.

I think between us, we've probably just doubled Spec-Ops sales for the month.
 
Nice work Tyrkon.:thumbup:

It's good to know the Spec Ops can be modified if need be to work with the ASH1.
 
Tyrkon, I appreciate you writing this post. I am interested in squeezing my ASH into a Spec-Ops too and was wondering if it could be done. Now I know! Could someone provide a link or two to a Spec-Ops retailer?
 
Thanks for this post, I was on the fense about buying one of the Spec Ops for my ASH. Now I will.
 
Great job, Tyrkon! :thumbup: I'm in the "don't plug the hole" camp since realizing that draining = good. Now I wonder if that spare long sheath I have can be suitably modified.....:D
 
Beautiful set up, the ASH1 is growing on me more and more every time I see one. Come to think of it, so do all the other Busses I see !
 
Nice tutorial.

Personally, I would leave the open grommet as-is to serve as a drain point.
 
Hmmm, seems a lot of support for an open hole.

Are folks thinking of draining just water, like if it's raining or you take a dunk?

In that case, I would have thought it would drain reasonably well anyway given that the nylon outer isn't waterproof. Plus the water's got to get in there first, and there's not a lot of room left inside with the knife in. In its standard state, the fixing bolt would be effectively blocking the hole.

The only way I see the drain hole being useful is if mud/debris gets inside. In that case it could be flushed out through that hole. But it could just as easily get in through that hole I would think. So I would prefer to have a removable hole plug.

Just my thoughts...
 
Good job TL. I would cover thathole in the plastic before the eyelet scratches your blade. I thought the blade was too wide to fit. Maybe I will buy a large specops for mine
Nice solution to your sheathing issues!
 
I don't think the eyelet can touch the blade. The plastic liner comes between them - you just can't see it in the picture.
 
foxyrick said:
I don't think the eyelet can touch the blade. The plastic liner comes between them - you just can't see it in the picture.
Click to expand...

You are right I mis spoke or miswrote or misposted. In any case I had not thought it out correctly. Thanks.
I would still buy the large one
 
If you guys get a large one then you shouldn't have the eyelet issue and will probably just have to mod the liner to fit. The liner is thin enough that boiling water worked perfectly. Just do it a little at a time as you ease the thick ASH blade into the liner. And BE CAREFUL! I kept thinking, as I was pushing the ASH into the liner, that it would cut through the sheath. But it worked perfectly. No plastic smell either. :D

Anyway, post pics if you guys do the same. Let us know how the large Spec-Ops works. I think that will be a perfect fit. :thumbup:
 
Even though I have never tried working Kydex before, I feel kinda stupid asking this...hopefully its not a stupid question, but how long do you have to boil the liner to get it soft enough to mold? I am assuming you just wear some gloves and work it around the blade. Do you need to wrap the blade in anything so it won't be too tight?
 
Idaho Jarhead said:
Even though I have never tried working Kydex before, I feel kinda stupid asking this...hopefully its not a stupid question, but how long do you have to boil the liner to get it soft enough to mold? I am assuming you just wear some gloves and work it around the blade. Do you need to wrap the blade in anything so it won't be too tight?
Click to expand...

Ask away bro. All questions are good ! (Well almost. I have to add that. :p)

Here is what worked for me:

(1) What I did is fill a frying pan up with about 1" of water. I like the pan as it is wide enough for the whole liner to fit at one time. The density of the liner should make it sink but I had to push mine under a few times with the tongs.I used some tongs to remove the liner each time. I didn't have gloves on but that is definately a good idea. I just used a pot holder.

(2) When the water came to a boil I put the liner in the water and gave it a minute or two. Keep checking on it. I noticed that as my liner softened the end of the liner, where the tip goes, started to flare out. But you can just poke the sheath with the tongs and get an idea if it is soft enough.

(3) Once it was soft enough I quickly too out the liner and then pushed the blade in.

(4) Then slide the liner back off, dunk in boiling water again (usually for 20-30 sec.) and repeat. Each time the blade should move in a little more. I did not wrap the bpade but just bade sure I wiggled it around a little at the end to give it some room. Just be careful as I kept having nightmares that the ASH was going to cut through the liner and into my hand. But, of course, it never did.

The key for me is not to rush. Do not force the blade in if it won't budge. Just heat the liner again. Sometimes it only goes in a little and other times a lot.

Like I said, it fits perfectly now and moves in and out of the liner nicely. Let me know how it turns out.
 
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