Buy some Kydex and make your own sheaths!

Quiet Storm

Quiet Storm

Joined
May 17, 2002
Messages
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I recently ordered a sheet of CF-pattern Concealex and a sheet of black Kydex, plus Chicago screws. The guy I ordered from threw in a smaller piece of grey Kydex as well.

So I started making a Concealex belt sheath for my customized EKI Mini-CQC-7B, pancake style...what can I say, it works well. It doesn't take nearly as long as I suspected - and it's fun.
Well I did screw up my first attempt, but the second one worked out nicely. It sure as hell doesn't look anywhere near as clean and flawless as the ones the pros make and the knife does have some play in the sheath, but it works. Used two strips of high-quality nylon webbing to form belt loops that fit the belt I usually wear perfectly. Very sturdy construction too.

Then I went on to make a single-piece neck sheath for my Benchmade Mini-Pika - that one even looks reasonably nice. I also made a sheath for a custom a friend made for me about two years ago, always wanted to carry it, always wanted to start making my own sheath for it, just never got around to do so - until this weekend. Now it's got a black Kydex IWB scabbard (with a J-hook). The knife locks securely into the sheath, when you draw it you just have to press down with your thumb on the top of the sheath, I incorporated a "thumb ramp" to facilitate this.
Works very well considering that I'm a beginner, if I may say so myself. :)
I didn't even have to use a Kydex press.

Bottom line: I will still ask a sheath maker to build sheaths around more expensive customs I buy (simply because they look a lot better and work a bit better), but I will continue to make my own sheaths for more inexpensive knives. For example, I would never order a neck sheath for my Mini-Pika, simply because the sheath would cost as much as the folder itself and I rarely carry folders that way anyway, but the neck sheath for it was a nice evening project.
 
Sorry, I don't have a digital camera. They aren't worth showing anyway as they do look quite crude and unsophisticated (although my sheath-making skills have already improved a bit). But they work as intended, and that is my point here: you can make functional sheaths yourself without investing a lot of time, money or even effort.
 
Could you go over how you make them? I know it's probably covered somewhere on the forums, but I want to hear from somebody who just started.
 
Yes, I've been interested also in working a Kydex sheath but was unsure how to form them to the blade. Thanks.
 
The most common way is to heat the Kydex until it becomes pliable, like the feel of wet leather. Then most use a press which is just two boards with dense foam glued to them. Wrap the item and place it in the press. Apply pressure and wait. After it cools you trim to fit and finish with rivets/grommets etc...

There is a little more to it than that but not much. And you can use a TekLok or make your own paddle or belt loops the same way.
 
MrMojo summed it up nicely.

This tutorial by Jens Ansø is definitely the best I've seen.

I'd recommend warming up the Kydex before you cut it into shape, it's much easier that way.

As I said, I did not use the Kydex press he advocates. Just put on a pair of work gloves and simply press the warm Kydex into the shape you desire. I also had good success using a thick cloth to press down on the Kydex around the knife.
It's tempting to use a hard object (like a piece of scrap metal, a screwdriver or something) to form sharp corners...don't do that as it will damage the surface of the Kydex, leaving ugly marks.

Make sure that you don't burn the Kydex with the heat gun. I noticed that grey Kydex turns brown rather readily, CF Concealex curls up while black Kydex gets a shiny surface - IMO the trickiest part of making thermoplastic sheaths is preventing that from happening.

You can smooth the edges and corners with sandpaper. I've had good results with 40 grit to remove ragged edges and 240 to really get it smooth.
(I'm not sure if German and American grit standards are equivalent though.)

So far I've used Chicago screws to hold the stuff together, rivets complicate matters a bit.

Do not mold the retention device (a small bump keeping the knife from falling out) into place until the rest of the sheath is finished. You can adjust retention by tweaking the Chicago screws, one of the main reasons why I, as a sheath-making novice, avoid rivets.
Another advantage the Chicago screws provide is that you can easily attach nylon webbing strips (that serve as belt loops) or J-hooks.

Provide for proper ventilation.

I hope this helps.
 
You're welcome, hatchetjack.

ginshun,
definitely give it a try. Even if it doesn't work, you won't be out of much money. You might even be able to "recycle" the remaining Kydex sheet by giving it to a sheathmaker next time you order a custom sheath.
 
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