Blade scratches

Joined
Feb 15, 2006
Messages
657
Hoping some wise heads here can offer some advice. I've made a few kydex sheaths, this about my sixth. Mostly they have been for rough use users and practicality comes before cosmetics. My question is how do I stop my kydex scratching my blades? I know its not the kydex but the little bits of grit that find there way in, but try as I might I cant get them out. I try to keep the shop clean when I'm working with kydex but shaping, sanding and finishing the edges of the sheath always leads to grit in there that just wont wipe, wash or blow out. I will try leaving more relief around the blade itself but was wondering if there was any tips you guys had for getting the grit out?
 
First tip is to use a layer or two of masking tape on the blade as a spacer. Leave 1/4" or so of the blade tip exposed though so it doesn't rattle in the sheath.
Second tip is to never get sandpaper near any opening in the sheath.

Hope that helps some.
 
Sage advice hoopster I'll try to reshape the one I'm working on tonight with the masking tape. Keeping sandpaper away from any opening in the sheath would surely solve the grit issue but how do I clean up the edges and mouth without it? Very carefully I suspect:(
 
I bevel the all the way around the outside edges with a wire wheel on the bench grinder. Then I sand the edges with 100 grit sandpaper by hand but not near the opening, followed by 400 grit paper by hand.
To get the interior bevel around the opening I use a knife, or bend it with the heat gun, or both.
 
To keep the dirt out I always sand the opening by hand, tip-up, under running water.
That said, I do all my kydex sanding by hand under running water :D:thumbup:
 
By hand under running water! now that's a good idea!. Will try that with the next one, thanks.
 
If you are making pancake sheaths you can do everything but the final adjustments before putting the two halves together and setting the eyelets.
 
I use one layer of tape on coated blades and two on bare blades. I have an air compressor that I use to blow the sheaths out and I wash them with soap and water before sheathing the knife.

I sand all my edges by hand but I make sure to sand along the edges at the opening instead of against it as not to knock any of the grit off into the sheath and always sand the opening upside down.

And even with all these precautions I get scratches on the blade every time.

I think it's just one of the downsides of kydex.
 
I've changed my assembly process to try and minimize scratches. I press, drill, use chicago screws to hold things together. I then grind and sand everything, and at the end I take it apart and scrub it clean. Then I rivet it together.

This only works for certain styles of sheaths though.
 
I do all the shaping/sanding with only a couple rivets holding the two halves together. I then drill out those rivets, clean both halves completely then reassemble with the full compliment of rivets. That way theres no grit or plastic dust stuck between the two halves anywhere.
 
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