Does any vendor sell decent eyelets?????

J

JH225

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Feb 7, 1999
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I have pretty much come to the conclusion that the Black coated eyelets being sold by various vendors are a joke. I am not talking about the eyelets themselves, but the Black coating that is used.

It is really frustrating to spend time designing and building a Kydex/Concealex sheath, and putting in eyelets that are either anodized, or coated by whatever means, carry the knife or even worse, sell the sheath to a customer, and a day or two later, the coating has worn off the eyelets (mostly on the back side). It seems like it doesn't matter which vendor (Blade-Tech, Siska,etc), the coating comes off way too easy.

Is there any vendor out there who makes an all Black coated eyelet that actually retains its coating? I also have given some thought to powder coating, has anyone tried this yet? Powder coat is pretty tough when applied and I wouldn't mind doing it, but if someone has tried and failed, it would save me the trouble:)

I know this is a small issue in the overall scope of things, but it annoys the crap out of me.

HELP!!
 
I buy my brass eyelets from a fastener company in Ca. and then rinse them in acid to put a black patina on them. Takes about 5 to 10 seconds and then rinse and neutralize. Makes them look old and takes the shine off.
I forgot the name brand of the acid but it is selinous acid I think. I don't know if that is how you spell it or not but it works quick.
The good thing that I like about the pure brass ones is that the back doesn't split out like the steel ones. On a neck knife, the split ones pull hair and I would have to put "hard as nails" on them to prevent the hair pulling.

Ray Kirk
 
Hey Jail....

In real life I do custom plating,,so I've been playing around with coating on some Raw eyes,, but haven't had much luck with it as of yet..

I'm working on it though,,however slowly....:(

You gonna find that whatever you put on them to a varying degree is gonna come off in time,,especially stuff thats worn under clothing.. It's not something thats gonna be fixed any time soon....

The problem with powder coating is that it's more or less a paint, however you look at it...
The minute you run it through the eyelet machine or whack it with your die,, thats the end of the finish,,Especially on the back...
In this case the black Ox on the Blade-tech eyes will win hands down...

Best of luck finding something, I've been looking since I started,, and have now learned to live with it....

ttyle

Eric...
 
While I will say that the Blade-Tech ones are a little better overall than others I have tried, the coating will come off after a short time. I guess it is all due to the inherent nature of Brass not taking coatings well.

I am intrigued by Ray's idea though. If you take the Brass eyelet and actually etch it with an acid type of solution, that etching should last indefinitely. I don't need the look of shiny Black or even dull Black eyelets, just as long as it is not Brass colored will be fine with me.

Ray,
Do you feel that the etching process that you use, in any way compromises the integrity of the eyelets? Do they become brittle? And finally, when the eyelet is "rolled" upon fastening, does the etching remain intact, or does the stretching of the Brass(which I believe to be the main cause of the anodized eyelets flaking) cause the etching to stretch and show Brass coloring?
 
Jailhack, why don't you try etching them after you put them on. It sure isn't going to hurt the Kydex. I think I'll try it with the white Kydex. If anything will show it will be on that stuff!
 
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