Finally Placed an Order for Kydex

http://www.kydex.com/technical_faq.asp

Click 'Thermoforming'
It's what I use as a guide.

Experiment a lot to find out what works best.

Don't heat it too fast
Don't heat it too long
Don't heat it too much

One of the above is happening when you let your edges curl up.


After visual inspection I always grab the heated piece barehanded and will feel if it's hot enough by judging the amount of flexibility. (You're hands will become heat resistant after a while.)

Hope this helps.
 
All ovens will vary with the accuracy of their temperature controls, so you have to experiment a little to see what works best with yours. Temp and time you need will vary with thickness of material used. 300-325 is a good place to start. Kydex should just lay there (no curl) when heated, unless you're making "crispy critters". Concealex will definitely curl when temp is right.
 
Thanks Martin and Mike:

Between your answers, I think I have figured out what I needed to know.
 
a common cooking practice is an oven thermometer.its simple , cheap , and reliable .

hasn't anyone ever made a vacuum rig ? that's what ive been pondering for some time now . cheap and gives you good forming .

i always wear a respiator when sanding everything . and goggles .
-j
 
I use a pair of those mechanics gloves to handle the hot kydex. Cotton gloves would work fine too.

Try setting the toaster oven to about 300F. Put the kydex in and check it about a minute later. It will be nice an flexible when its hot. As you work with it, you'll get a better feel for how long to heat it.

Cut the Kydex over sized, then after forming trim off the excess.

If you from it and it didn't form the way you wanted it to, put it back in the oven and try again. Sometimes it takes me at least 3 or 4 tries to get it the way I want it (too much of a perfectionist). That is one of the nice things about Kydex, you get a second chance.

I sand edges to 320 grit, then carefully clean out the sheath so there isn't any stray grit to scratch up your blade. I usually wipe the sheath down with some Armour All. This evens out the color.

I will often times wrap my blade in a single layer of masking tape to give the blade some clearance in the sheath.

My personal preference to cut the kydex is the table top band saw.

Hope this helps.

Ric
 
Kydex cuts easily with tin snips or wire cutters for small sections. An electric fry pan heats it evenly to 270 F so it softens and flows over curves. Files and sandpaper can easily smooth the edges and a cotton buff in an electric drill will polish the edges smooth.
 
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