How do i re-tighten a kydex sheath??

C

Cronx210

Joined
Apr 23, 2009
Messages
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I have a spyderco forager and it wiggles in the sheath a little and can fall out, i want to know if its possible to retighten, i don't have a heat gun or torch so what can i use?
 
Not the first time I've heard of this with those sheaths for the Forager (and the rest of the Hossom line from Spyderco). Usually they get left in a hot car....

The easiest might be to heat up with a heat gun and put a slight dimple in the middle of the sheath an inch or two below the top. Might also be able to heat the area near the top, insert the knife and mold the sheath back around the hilt area. Alternately,
heat the same area and overbend the area slightly.

Just my $.02
 
I use the heat from an incandescent 60 watt light bulb that's been on for a minimum of 10 minutes.

Hold the Kydex very close to the top of the bulb, about an inch away, for just about a minute.

At that point, it becomes flexible enough (depending on its thickness) to crimp with a Vise-Grip.

(Pre-set the Vise-Grip for the tightness you want, remembering that it's easier to tighten than to loosen a Kydex sheath.)
 
If it's the factory Spyderco Hossom series sheath then it is Boltaron not Kydex. My understanding is that they are both thermoplastics, but I not sure it will reshape like Kydex does. Just wanted to throw that out there.

Boltaron - A recycled ABS/acrylic PVS extruded alloy sheet material used for making sheaths. It has excellent impact strength and abrasion, chemical, and fire resistance properties.
Click to expand...
 
Brisket said:
If it's the factory Spyderco Hossom series sheath then it is Boltaron not Kydex. My understanding is that they are both thermoplastics, but I not sure it will reshape like Kydex does. Just wanted to throw that out there.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info about the material used for the Hossom sheath. :thumbup:


Still, though, Boltaron and Kydex are very similar (proprietary) products.
They're both technically called "Acrylic PVC" material, and they're both available in a variety of grades.

Kydex is a product of Kydex LLC, in Pennsylvania.
Boltaron is a product of Boltaron Performance Products LLC in Ohio.

More to the point, they're both thermoforming plastics, and the Boltaron sheath can be tightened just like Kydex (as I described in my post above).
 
More to the point, they're both thermoforming plastics, and the Boltaron sheath can be tightened just like Kydex (as I described in my post above).
Click to expand...

Good to know. I have been wondering about that myself as I have a few Boltaron sheaths and my Hossom has a little wiggle.

Thanks
 
You could also try a candle for spot heating, or throw it in the oven or toaster oven to redo the whole thing. Beware though you could totally ruin it no matter what you try if you haven't played with molding these materials before.
You may get multiple tries if you under heat it but if you overheat, you run the risk of melting it.
 
Just a thought:

If thermosetting doesn't work, pop your blade in and out a few times while looking down on the sheath opening - if the halves spring apart as the knife pulls out, maybe place a rivet closer to the top of the sheath (and slightly further in, closer to the back of the blade) could also help.

Good luck :)
 
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