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[C_Tanner]

Just get two boards and a C-Clamp...

 

[orangish ducktape]

There was a time in my life when I owned two Lotus Europas at the same time!

That is very very cool, that would be like living the dream...

---

-orangish ducktape

“Simplicate, and add lightness”
-Colin Chapman

 

[RoyalM]

Great work mate, always good to see someone having a go at making their own sheaths. Nicely done.

 

[Kabarcamper]

Is like me some of that OD kydex for my 14. Did a good job for your first try. Seems addicting , I think I would go nuts and start kydexing everything !!!
That gives me an idea..... Kydex wallet for CC cards with money clip on the back. Might have to hit Depot soon.

 

[Dave from State Farm]

I also dabble in the Kydex, and to press I just use 2 boards, a solid packing type foam, and a vise and clamps. I also prefer something less then .9, unless I'm making a clip. And those are fantastic sheaths! Lol, I'm not so sure I'd post pictures of my first!

 

[trailbum]

Messing around this afternoon with the HIPPIE.

The new press worked great.

The hippies BK2 sheath.
Did a pretty good job for third sheath ever.

I went with a BK9, BK2, and a mora.
I still need to trim up the Mora and BK9 sheaths, I ran outta time.

 

[NixKustoms]

Nice! I like how you finished that first one. Keep it up!

 

[Dave from State Farm]

My ghetto press:

Disclaimer- No Kydex was harmed in the making of this picture.

 

[daizee]

Trailbum, that stuff is looking GREAT and like your press.
Here's mine - I think the speed clamps are the way to go.


I need to cut an inch or two off the end of the top so I can get the speed clamp centered so I need only one - at least on this table...

This was really tough to get out... I had to flex it way open.

I had to shape the mouth way forward to get the retention right - it works REALLY well and I love the look. They all come out a bit differently, and this is the first I've done with a finger groove.

I continue to avoid the grommets because I like to be able to flex open, wash, dry, and completely blow out debris with air. All the knives I've squoze kydex for are uncoated carbon steel, so I prefer it that way for now.

You can see with this one that the spine of the blade is not all the way up in the fold the way I wanted it, but it came out so well in the end I'm not re-doing it.

 

[Dave from State Farm]

I just wish I had the testicular fortititude to try working with leather!

 

[DerekH]

Where my most recent attempt is at:

I still have quite a bit left to do with it, like trim the excess, put another two holes in the end for eyelets, then install the crap ton of eyelets it will need. Temperature made a huge difference in the amount of detail I was getting out of the kydex. If you open it up and look on the inside, you can see where the impression was made by Ethan's etched signature.

I am rather surprised it came out as well as it did considering that this was more of an experimental test run before I got my arbor press in.

 

[Zuluninja]

kydex is quite addictive, and the more sheaths you do the better they come out. The mouth is always the critical part. DerekH, although it is looking good so far you would have saved enough kydex for a 2nd sheath if you had folded a taco over the spine after measuring width of blade x 2 and adding an inch or 2 to allow for thickness and scales, but it does look cool so far. Arbor press is not completely necessary, a good hammer and riveting dies do the job nicely. In the same way, I try to keep it simple and just step on the top board for like a minute or the duration of whatever song is playing on the radio, haven't hinged my press yet and dont think I would. A heat gun and belt sander help a LOT with finishing and adjusting mouth retention.

Great job guys! your first tries are way better than mine. I didn't learn about taping till like my 4th. If u try doing a kukri...good luck. Remember to make a straight blade template out of thick cardboard and tape it to the blade.

 

[DerekH]

This one was more of an experiment than an actual attempt. It had already been shaped (poorly) so I wasn't going to use it for anything, but I popped it into the oven, watched it go back to a plain flat piece, then used it, and it came out much better. I had done a few attempts where I didn't leave enough room for the eyelets and stuff and had made them nigh impossible to use, hence all the extra space. Next one will probably see a smaller chunk used. The arbor press was ordered to make up the actual "press" portion of the setup, and is just a happy coincidence that it can be used for pressing eyelets as well. (Also have some other projects it will be useful for that are not knife related.)

A taco style sheath would offer less in the way of attachment options for what I am looking at, so I needed a pancake style.

 

[trailbum]

Nice work guys.
I need to shape mine more and round everything off.
The hippie keeps calling em caveman sheaths.
It is addicting and alot of fun.

 

[orangish ducktape]

I am going to try kydex in the next week or so, this thread has alot of great ideas, can't wait to give it a shot. What do you all use to heat up your kydex before putting it in the press?

---

-orangish ducktape

“Simplicate, and add lightness”
-Colin Chapman

 

[trailbum]

Heat gun or oven.

 

[daizee]

spare toaster oven down in the basement for all non-food heating needs...

 

[DerekH]

Actual oven, but I watch it like a hawk and keep the door open a crack so I can really see what is going on in there. If it bubbles, well, that is bad times. Specially when the missus finds out.

 

[trailbum]

Here is the finished product.
I like the rounded or square bottoms.