concealex/kydex

T

Tracy Dotson

Joined
Nov 19, 1999
Messages
121
what are you guys using to press this stuff,i bought some foam from blade-tech but it seems mighty stiff to me. i also built a small press that has 400lbs. of force but its not big enough to get a good form on the blade.

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Tracy Dotson
Dotson's Custom Knives
"Think sharp"
 
i made the same exp. with the blade tech foam. i use this stuff to make a rough form and then hand mold it. well the sheaths are not that super looking but they work. if i make a sheath for an art knife i still use leather.
 
I lined my press with layers of of a blue foam camping pad spray glued together.I got it at wal mart.It is a bit softer and conforms really well.It also seems to hold up to the heat pretty well.I got this tip from Normark
smile.gif
Thanks Normark,
troy
 
Hey Dots ????

What is the thickness of the foam you are using ???

Are you molding both sides of the knife or only one ?

How do you know your press is putting out 400lbs ?

My press is rated at 2-3000lbs,, but I doubt I'm using all of it...

What are you using for a press ???

I think the stuff from BT is 4" thick. you might want to fillet that piece in half and use the factory top/bottom to do your molds...

The foam they sell is Very good,, and will last quite awhile if you do it properly..

4" of foam is more for doing handguns than knives.

I use a few layers of blue on each side and it works well....


Ben...

Great.. I'm glad it's working for you...
smile.gif


ttyle Eric...

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Eric E. Noeldechen
On/Scene Tactical
http://www.mnsi.net/~nbtnoel
Custom made, High Quality
Concealex Sheaths and Tool Holsters
Canada's Only Custom Concealex Shop!

 
Dots go to your local Walmart's garden dept.
and get one of their knee pads for working in your garden . That is what I have been using and it works great and costs about $3.00

Steve45
 
Steve,,

That should work pretty good,, but it May impart a pattern onto the fininshed product..

Try different things,, you might find that something works really well..

ttyle Eric...

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Eric E. Noeldechen
On/Scene Tactical
http://www.mnsi.net/~nbtnoel
Custom made, High Quality
Concealex Sheaths and Tool Holsters
Canada's Only Custom Concealex Shop!

 
Been playing with this stuff off'n on a cpl. years now. Have used a variety of foam / closed cell products. Best stuff I found at a flea mkt. in a 4x4' sheet, bout 3/4" thick. I cut some pieces out about 9x12", use it on all kinds of projects. I hotglued a piece of steel plate the same size to my form foam. Got 2 of these made up to mold with. Sometimes I'll use another foam piece in my 'sandwich' depending on the work. Anyway I just lay my hot kydex w/mold in the middle, put the top of the 'sandwich' on,(steel plates on outside), stick it all in the big Wilton vice, crank her down to what I feel is needed....depending on what I want..and go about my next chore..pop her open a cpl. minutes later to inspect. So far so good...great definition if thats what I'm after. No special 'press' but works just fine. For gun holsters I either use double or more foams if using this thin stuff, or I have a set made up with 4" foam. For these I use an inner tube rubberband to hold my 'sandwich' together while I get in in the vice. Most fun project has been making all kinds of custom holders for the little naa mini & minimag revolver. Got em as neck holsters, desk holsters, iwb holsters. Course this stuff is best when used together with the ultimate in black tactical gear...What else.....Glock of course.
smile.gif
 
Earlier today I hit a couple of garden shops and looked at the knee pad things, they all had a textured surface.

But, as I was walking out of the garden shop at k-mart they had the summer play stuff out. What caught my eye was the foam rubber swim pads. They were about 2'x1', in packs of 2. I think they were about 6 or 7$.
Smooth surface too. They looked like they would work.
Thought I'd pass it on.

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~~TOM~~
 
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