Can I store a D2 knife in a kydex sheath?

T

TheWildernessDude

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Mar 15, 2023
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Hello, I recently got the D2 Holtzman’s gorilla silverback knife and I’m wondering if I can store it in the kydex sheath it came with. Thanks!
 
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Probably.......

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What kind of climate do you live in?
where I live, and how I use knives, D2 is a nonissue for me maintenance wise. It's Almost like stainless.
 
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I think the key is keeping a thin film of grease on it. D2 doesn't need to get wet to explode into blooming rust! It can find enough moisture almost anywhere. The kydex may not help, but keeping oil on it is probably the best defense.
 
Crag the Brewer said:
Probably.......

*edit
What kind of climate do you live in?
where I live, and how I use knives, D2 is a nonissue for me maintenance wise. It's Almost like stainless.
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I live on the coast of CT, USA. I heard some people say that rust isn’t an issue with it, and others say it’s important that you keep it well lubricated so I’m kind of confused
 
I've had more than one in kydex for years without issue. YMMV.

(Both coastal FL and the rainy mountains of western NC.)
 
TheWildernessDude said:
I live on the coast of CT, USA. I heard some people say that rust isn’t an issue with it, and others say it’s important that you keep it well lubricated so I’m kind of confused
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Personally, I say...... Don't worry about it.
Yes there are less corrosive steels, but D2 can be pretty Great, if done right.

There are tribes in the rain forest jungles who use plain carbon steel Everyday, and it rains on them Everyday.

Use your knife, Alot, everyday, and it wont rust.
 
TheWildernessDude said:
I live on the coast of CT, USA. I heard some people say that rust isn’t an issue with it, and others say it’s important that you keep it well lubricated so I’m kind of confused
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Do you have high humidity? Does it rain often? Do you sweat a lot?

My answers here in Florida would be yes to all three of those questions. Every day for three months in the summer is wet. My D2 knives rusted so badly that I quit buying D2 a couple years ago. But now I use Froglube and have not had any rust recently with light use. Drying the blade promptly after use and keeping it oiled also works.
 
This was my work and daily carry knife for several years, D2, never had any issues with rust on any of the exposed steel, never applied oil, and it saw it's share of humidity here in San Diego. In fact, I've had this knife for almost 20 years now and never had any rust on it. I also regularly carried and kept it in it's kydex sheath with no issues. Experiences will vary.

My advice regarding kydex sheaths is- don't keep them anyplace where they will be exposed to high temperature, including in a vehicle in hot or warm weather as that can cause the kydex to warp.

Also, if you put an oiled knife in a kydex sheath some of the oil will transfer to the inside of the sheath and collect dirt/dust/grit/etc, and that will be undesirable.

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I have several D2 knives (Dozier) and have stored them in kydex sheaths for many years with no issues. I make sure the knife and sheath are dry prior to putting away.
 
Kydex does not attract moisture :
Leather on the other hand attracts moisture .. And in itself can absorb and hold that moisture against the knife blade .
Probably best to store knives in a cool dry place .. And if your knife has seen blood , then for long term storage , probably best not stored in a sheath that may have got some blood soak . ( Leather )
The kydex sheath , you can wash that & then hang it out to dry ..
 
Storing in leather can cause problems because of the kind of material it is. It is both porous and hard to clean out. Like O old4570 said, leather can pull moisture out of the air and hold it (plus whatever else might have gotten into it) against the steel. Forget D2. I've seen stainless steels rust in leather over time.

Kydex is effectively plastic. It's fine. Every knife I own that has a kydex sheath has been stored in that sheath without issue.

Of course, you still want to clean and oil a blade before storing it.
 
For those of you who don't have rusting problems with D2, which version of D2 is your knife made of?

Mine is ingot D2 and it will rust if not cared for.
 
Gil P. said:
For those of you who don't have rusting problems with D2, which version of D2 is your knife made of?

Mine is ingot D2 and it will rust if not cared for.
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Environmental factors are normally the key for D2. Whether you sweat a lot, or whether your sweat seems to promote corrosion, tropical climate etc. Some people struggle others have no issues.

Whether it is ingot or powder D2, the corrosion resistance should be the same. Different heat treatments can alter it though.
 
Just keep the blade and sheath as dry as possible. You shouldn't have any issues with rust.
 
chalby said:
Different heat treatments can alter it though.
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I have a few D2 that are much more corrosion-prone than others - unfortunately these are also the best performers in terms of edge retention. I've also always attributed this to heat treat.


That said, even the most easily corroded are a nonissue in a non-tropical environment. Don't put them in the sheath wet or moist and don't live in the rain forest and you'll be just fine :)
 
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