Getting even flares on eyelets

Matt Rochester

Matt Rochester

Joined
Nov 28, 2014
Messages
1,864
I am working on my first kydex sheath for one of my camp knives. It's .060" kydex with #8-6 eyelets. I purchased the #8 hand setter kit and am using it in a drill press. If the backside doesn't split then the flare isn't even all the way around. Does this sound like a problem of low quality eyelets and dies or a technique issue? Thanks for any advice.
 
Last edited:
I would say it is the way you are pressing them or the hand setter.
It should roll the edges over.
 
David Brown said:
I would say it is the way you are pressing them or the hand setter.
It should roll the edges over.
Click to expand...

Thanks. So the back of the flare should roll close to the same amount as the front? If so, I think it's a die problem. This still wouldn't fix the splitting.
 
By hand setter, you mean the long setter with the small flat anvil, right?

The anvils on those are pretty wide and really made for leather and canvas. Place an eyelet in a sheath and stick the anvil over the pre-rolled end. Is it flat or is one edge trying to ride on the area where the edge or spine of the knife has formed in the Kydex? If it is, then that's likely your main problem. You'd need to grind down one side of the anvil so that it clears and lays flat (or try using a heavy piece of leather or something in it's place).

Also, check that your press table is level and that the head isn't going cockeyed when you press. When I used a drill press for dies, I had to put rods through the head and column to keep it from canting.
 
I will get a picture of my setup when I get home. I essential have a hand held punch with a ball on the end and a die. Its almost like the center of the die is too rounded and won't fit the eyelet.
 
This is what I'm using and it was purchased from knife kits. Can anyone answer if there are better quality eyelets or are they all the same?
 
Well sometimes the simplest tools can be the hardest to understand! It appears I was using it backwards! I will drill these out and give it a try the other way. Thanks Kiah!
 
Could be an eyelet size problem also. If they are not long enough (or too long) to achieve a nice even roll, they can end up with all kinds of odd shapes. Or if the mandrel is at a slight angle when malet hits, could go ski-whompie.
 
Matt R said:
Well sometimes the simplest tools can be the hardest to understand! It appears I was using it backwards! I will drill these out and give it a try the other way. Thanks Kiah!
Click to expand...

Yeah, that would do it. The anvil is basically just there to steady things. The long bit is the one that does the rolling.

IMO, KK's eyelets are second to none. You'll get an occasional split with any of them, but KK's have worked really well in my experience.

Let us know how it goes. You may wanna stick a piece of rubber or something against the back of the eyelets or grab 'em with some pliers or such when you drill them out so they don't spin and melt a bigger hole.
 
Kiah said:
Yeah, that would do it. The anvil is basically just there to steady things. The long bit is the one that does the rolling.

IMO, KK's eyelets are second to none. You'll get an occasional split with any of them, but KK's have worked really well in my experience.

Let us know how it goes. You may wanna stick a piece of rubber or something against the back of the eyelets or grab 'em with some pliers or such when you drill them out so they don't spin and melt a bigger hole.
Click to expand...

Thanks bud!
 
Here is my setter set up and the finished rivets









If you would like the link to the arbor press and the riveter just pm me
 
One more note with that your current riveter you will get results looking more like this



I just recently upgraded to a arbor press and nicer setter
 
Thanks James! Pm me that link if you don't mind as I am going to upgrade. I would like to offer kydex as an option for my knives and it needs to look professional.
 
That's fine hope it helps

you might consider getting the nicer ones sold at knife kits bit more expensive though but the arbor press has a hole in it and the setter goes into it so it's even easier. http://www.knifekits.com/vcom/product_info.php?cPath=41_526&products_id=634

You would still need to buy a setter http://www.knifekits.com/vcom/product_info.php?cPath=41_526&products_id=633. Has to be the more expensive one

Check it all out here http://www.knifekits.com/vcom/index.php?cPath=41_526&osCsid=ipv51ei7ef8tgcuuak9cl44ki1
 
For what it's worth, I bought the Knife Kits eyelet flairing dies (I already had the arbor press) but I was never satisfied with the results. Then I bought a set of eyelet dies from USA Knife Maker, and found they produced far superior results. (Read their explanation at the bottom of the page.) With the USA Knife Maker dies, I end up with a nice smooth roll on either side of the rivet (which I could never get the the Knife Kit dies). Please note that USA Knife Maker has their 3/16" dies in stock, but I believe their 1/4" dies have been out of stock for quite a while. Make sure you get the right sized dies for the rivets you are using. Good luck.
 
Last edited:
I have always used stimpson eyelets and good dies from knifekits.com. I have used over 2500 eyelets and never had one not press perfect. Maybe lucky?
 
Ditto on the USA knife maker dies they are the best. Also there was a bad batch of eyelets out about 6-12 months ago I know I got some bad ones from Index and also Knife kits they split really bad. I ground down about 1/32 inch and then the worked ok. You do want rolled edges. I actually hammer mine and I have made 1000+ sheaths by hammering with no problems until got the bad batches of #8 #8 eyelets. Last I ordered from Knife kits were good.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top