Can you heat weld/cut kydex?

M

majixmatrix

Joined
Jun 26, 2014
Messages
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I have a woodburning tool with a long thin tip and I was wondering if I could use it to cut a kydex sheath. I would be cutting in between the knife blade retention area and the flat portion that has the rivets. Obviously the rivets are what hold the two surfaces of the kydex together, but I'm wondering if the heat from the wooburning tool would just melt and weld the plastic together well enough where the kydex wouldn't split apart? I'm thinking of making the sheath on a crkt obake more minimalistic:

CR2367nd.jpg
 
two words: outdoors + fan. That's the least of my worries, I just need to know if this would work. It seems like this specific sheath is a polymer plastic injection molded by crkt it's not kydex brand....
 
Yep, that is an injection molded sheath that is becoming more and more popular in the bigger companies. The initial investment is large but from then on they are very cheap and easy to make.

Kydex and other similar plastics wont heat bond from what I have read, they will shrink substantially before melting. Not a good thing among such close tolerances as a sheath.
 
Nothing to offer, but I really like the knife. I had a Japanese style (ray skin under epoxy soaked wrap) crkt and it was pretty nice. The edge was way too thick, but it was nice to look at. The sheath was the same injection molded plastic. Kydex would have been a big upgrade.

How's the knife as an actual knife?
 
Kydex burning fumes can really really mess you up (some say deadly), do not burn it.

The CRKT sheath is not kydex. Looks like a regular plastic, for sure injection molded.

I work with kydex/boltron every day and I do not burn strange materials with out really checking them out first.
 
Thanks for the info. If I decide to go down this design route of making the sheath more minimal I will just use my dremel and play it safe. As for the knife itself, some bitch that it's only a fancy looking shank and is only a letter opener. After a good sharpening on my stones, this tool is more than capable to slice cardboard, make feathersticks, or in a pinch disable an attacker. Also the handle looks and feel amazing but the "acid etching" on the blade is already starting to come off when I oil it with mineral oil. But for under $40 you can't beat it!
 
No one criticized your knife choices here brother, and no one here will. No need for harsh language. We are a polite and considerate bunch. :)

Etching is a simple process, simply let the blade soak in some vinegar and you'll have a nice etched gray blade again. I do this process often. You can get nifty patterns if you use a thicker medium like ketchup (catsup) and/or mustard. You can turn the blade near black in the thinner areas of condiment. My Tracker is a good canvas and has served me well for experimental etching.
 
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