For Kydexperts!

[Daniel Moore]

I have a fixed blade in a kydex sheath and I was wondering what I should to avoid the blade from cutting into the kydex on insertion and getting snagged? 1/5 times I insert the blade, it's slightly twisted and ends up getting jammed in the sheath. Is there any good solution?

 

[Normark]

Hey Needle..

Shoot me an email

ericn@mnsi.net

Basically whats happening is the mouth of the sheath isn't wide enough,, and when you insert the blade,, it's hitting the side of the mouth..

This can easily fixed by making the mouth wider...

What kind of knife is it,, and can you take some detailed pictures of it for me ??

ttyle

Eric...

 

[Ilovetoolsteel]

I have a fixed blade in a kydex sheath and I was wondering what I should to avoid the blade from cutting into the kydex on insertion and getting snagged? 1/5 times I insert the blade, it's slightly twisted and ends up getting jammed in the sheath. Is there any good solution?

When I make a Kydex sheath I bevel the mouth. It's eaiser to do before the sheath is assembled, But, You can do it on a completed sheath with a small flat file.

 

[Daniel Moore]

Hi Eric,

The mouth looks wide enough to me. or more precisely as tight as it can be in order to still hug the handle.

 

[Chiro75]

Needle, I know what you're saying, and I think it may be different from what Normark thinks the problem is. I haven't seen this happen on any of my own knives and sheaths, but I have encountered this from time to time with other maker's sheaths. I have a theory, but pictures say a thousand words, so a decent pic of the knife on both sides and of the sheath as it is now would explain a lot. If the lip of the sheath is the problem, then that's where it would be catching/snagging, but I suspect the edge of the knife is catching further into the sheath for one reason or another...

 

[Daniel Moore]

Hope that helps. I wonder if it just might be me putting it in at an angle?

 

[Normark]

Hey NR...

I've looked at your pictures,, and unfortunately I can't give you a definative answer in what is causing it...

Could be a number of things.

Without holding it,, I can't give you the answer I would have liked to..

It could be, that you are twisting the knife as it goes into the sheath..

What part of the knife is causing it. ?
I suspect that it's the last part of the blade that is doing it...

When you insert the knife when it's in your hand,,not on your belt, are you still experiencing this problem ?

Does this happen on the draw,, or only on the re-sheathing ?

Try inserting the tip of the knife, holding both in the vertical position and let the knife fall into the sheath..
Does it still happen ??

Insert the knife by hand,,making sure it is going in absolutely straight..

Does it still happen ?

I've experienced this before,, and actually just went out to the shop and looked at a bunch of knives,, both early prototypes and newer styles,, and couldn't find one that does this...

If it becomes to be a real problem,, you can send it to me,, and i'll fix it for you at N/C..

Any other questions,, please feel free to ask...

ttyle

Eric...

 

[Chiro75]

Eric, none of mine do this, either. On other people's sheaths where I have seen this, it's further down the sheath and usually because the sheath is not a tight fit. The edge can rotate a little and it grabs and cuts the material. But, diagnosis is difficult without hands on assessment!

 

[Daniel Moore]

What part of the knife is causing it. ?
I suspect that it's the last part of the blade that is doing it...

You got it, it's the last two inches or so of the blade. It slices into the sheath/goes into pre-existing slices within that part.

When you insert the knife when it's in your hand,,not on your belt, are you still experiencing this problem ?

Yes, but it depends how carefully I insert it. If I insert it completely straight a little more slowly it does not happen.

Does this happen on the draw,, or only on the re-sheathing ?

It only happens on resheathing.

Try inserting the tip of the knife, holding both in the vertical position and let the knife fall into the sheath..
Does it still happen ??

Ah, it does not happen then!

Insert the knife by hand,,making sure it is going in absolutely straight..

Does it still happen ?

Nope.

I take it that means it's my fault?

 

[Normark]

Hey Needle...

Yaa it does sounds like it's going into the sheath a little cockeyed. Sounds like you are doing it, however it may not be always possible to put it in straight when it's on your belt...

Is the sheath when on your belt riding straight up and down?

If the sheath(mouth) is tilted in towards you body, this would/could cause the problem as well.

If it causes that much of a problem for you, send it over to me and I'll fix it for you at N/C..

What kind of knife is it ?

Hope this helps

ttyle

Eric...

You got it, it's the last two inches or so of the blade. It slices into the sheath/goes into pre-existing slices within that part.



Yes, but it depends how carefully I insert it. If I insert it completely straight a little more slowly it does not happen.




It only happens on resheathing.



Ah, it does not happen then!



Nope.

I take it that means it's my fault?

 

[Daniel Moore]

Worked it out!

Yesterday I sanded down the major slices (I made the finish smooth again, then I cleaned and dried it before putting the blade in) and I've been resheathing much better. I'm putting the blade in about one inch and then barely holding the handle so it pulls itself in. It's going great. I've heard a lot about Kydex scratching blades, but I'll be damned if I've seen any scratches as a result. Could it be people getting dirt/kydex powder trapped in there? I have a hard time believing that kydex itself is scratching, but maybe that's just me being naiive