Have vice, need ADvice..

M

monsterdog

Joined
Oct 27, 2008
Messages
857
So, I made a vice for kydex forming (couple of bamboo cutting boards and a piece of 2x4, with hinges and L brackets and a clamp to hold it.) I bought the foam from knifekits. I also bought a cheap heat gun and some kydex/rivets/rivet-setter/drillbit.

So, thats the vice, now for the advice.

How do people fasten the foam to the vice (if at all)? Glue/doublesided-tape/velcro/what?

How hot should I set the heat gun (it only has two settings)?

How long does it take for the kydex to cool down again?

Do I have to cover the blade with tape, or should it be as snug of a fit as possible?

What kind of gloves to people use? I assume you use gloves..

Any other friendly advice?

Thanks :)
MD
 
Ive seen peter atwood just use a toaster oven and his bare hands. The stuff doesn't get that hot.
 
"Vice" is acceptable in Great Britain. Here it's a "vise."
Bad habits are "vices."
 
Language confusion aside, are there any more good answers to my questions?

Thanks for the video, it really showed the process clearly.
 
Last edited:
monsterdog said:
So, I made a vice for kydex forming (couple of bamboo cutting boards and a piece of 2x4, with hinges and L brackets and a clamp to hold it.) I bought the foam from knifekits. I also bought a cheap heat gun and some kydex/rivets/rivet-setter/drillbit.

So, thats the vice, now for the advice.

How do people fasten the foam to the vice (if at all)? Glue/doublesided-tape/velcro/what?

How hot should I set the heat gun (it only has two settings)?

How long does it take for the kydex to cool down again?

Do I have to cover the blade with tape, or should it be as snug of a fit as possible?

What kind of gloves to people use? I assume you use gloves..

Any other friendly advice?

Thanks :)
MD
Click to expand...

I made my Kydex press out of 1" ply wood and put two hinges on the backside. Pretty ghetto design, but it works well.

I put two pieces of duct tape to hold the piece of foam (which I also got from knifekits.com) to the top side of the press so it doesn't fall off when I go to clamp it shut. (You could also leave it un taped or glued)...you will eventually find what works best for you. The other piece of foam is held to the press via gravity ! :D

Here's the thing...Use the heat gun for final fitting and adjusting of tension. Personally I think the heat gun will only work for very small knives requiring very little kydex.

Get a EL CHEAPO toaster oven and set it to around 250 degrees. Watch the stuff and touch it. Peter Atwood wears a type of glove that looks like it's got some plastic dipped on the palm. That type of glove works way better than bulky leather gloves. DO NOT handle KYDEX out of the toaster oven with your bare hands...it will BURN you.

When its soft and bends well is when you want to form it around the knife. If you're doing a fold over type sheath, you want to make sure the knife tang is up against the fold ...or maybe you don't. Up to you. I always make it against the tang to fold.

54ms2.jpg
is what i'm talking about.

Depending on the thickness of kydex you use will depend on how fast it cools down. .06 cools ALOT faster than .08 or thicker......don't ask me why...cos it's thicker? lol.

I have always used two layers of masking tape or Blue painters tape. I use making tape (cos it's cheaper than painters tape). Sometimes it sticks...a little acetone and the crap comes off.

I like a little clearance between the kydex and the knife. Up to you if you want clearance or not. There's no WRONG way to do it. The more snug it is however, should you get a piece of grit stuck in there will scratch the finish easier.

Don't buff the sheath edge with any compound (unless you stuff that sucker full of something as compound will definitely get stuck in there). Use a scotch brite wheel or a hand scotch brite pad if you want to make the edge look nice. Sand paper works well too.

I always rinse out the sheath with water and pad it dry using a dish rag ..don't tell my wife...lol.

and most of all....wear a mask when you cut that stuff or sand it. will make you sick REAL fast.

If you're going to use Kydex rivets, don't bother using a hand jig. Use the kydex flaring dies with some sort of press.
 
Leu Custom said:
I made my Kydex press out of 1" ply wood and put two hinges on the backside. Pretty ghetto design, but it works well.

..

Here's the thing...Use the heat gun for final fitting and adjusting of tension. Personally I think the heat gun will only work for very small knives requiring very little kydex.

Get a EL CHEAPO toaster oven and set it to around 250 degrees. Watch the stuff and touch it. Peter Atwood wears a type of glove that looks like it's got some plastic dipped on the palm. That type of glove works way better than bulky leather gloves. DO NOT handle KYDEX out of the toaster oven with your bare hands...it will BURN you.

..

and most of all....wear a mask when you cut that stuff or sand it. will make you sick REAL fast.

If you're going to use Kydex rivets, don't bother using a hand jig. Use the kydex flaring dies with some sort of press.
Click to expand...

Yeah my press is a little ghetto too, but it seems to give me very good and consistent pressure.

Good point about the heat gun, unfortunately space is at a premium where I live, so a toaster oven might not be the best option, I will try the regular oven on a very low setting, its a gas oven, so lets see if it just screws up my kydex.

I purposely wanted to spend as little money as possible, since it will be a waste if I can't do it very nicely. I wanted to mainly use it to make a sheath for my mules and a couple of other small things.

This is the same reason I got the hand setting die things for the rivets, I guess I'll see how that works and if I get addicted, I might buy a press for it and a kydex press from knifekits.

I didn't think I had to wear a mask, but I bought a respirator in any case, will make sure to use it, thanks! :thumbup:

Very much appreciated information.
 
monsterdog said:
This is the same reason I got the hand setting die things for the rivets, I guess I'll see how that works and if I get addicted, I might buy a press for it and a kydex press from knifekits.
Very much appreciated information.
Click to expand...

I use my drill press to hold the die on the top and a piece of metal/wood with a hole drilled in it for the bottom die. Works great. That press at knifekits is a weeeeeeeeeee bit over priced.
 
Leu Custom said:
I use my drill press to hold the die on the top and a piece of metal/wood with a hole drilled in it for the bottom die. Works great. That press at knifekits is a weeeeeeeeeee bit over priced.
Click to expand...

Yeah I thought it was kind of expensive too. Have no drill press, the closest thing I have is a drill press setup for my dremel, but it won't be powerful enough I think. So its hammer and a steady hand for now.
 
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