Kydex..... HELP

[rachet197]

This is going to be my first kydex sheath.
I am ordering all of the parts tomorrow, so some questions are in order.
My sheath is going to be for a Mora MG, could the hot kydex hurt the handle? Later i'll be doing a sheath for some cold steel knives with kraton handles am I running the same risk?
Chicago Screws - Black Coated - #8 - (.1875 x .250) - 10 Pack
CKK Rivet/Eyelet Flaring Dies - Master Series - #8 - (1/4)
Rivets - (Black) - #8-9 (1/4) - (For .093 KYDEX™/Concealex)
Sheath Making Foam - (12x11.5x1) - (KYDEX™/Concealex)
KYDEX™ Sheet - (.093 Black)
Does everything work?
will this heat gun do the trick
Wagner Power Products 503008 HT 1000 1,200-Watt Heat Gun
http://www.amazon.com/Wagner-Power-...1?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1329803903&sr=1-1-catcorr

Is the KYDEX™ Drill - (#8) a 1/4 inch hole?

BTW thanks in advance!

 

[Remyrw]

Your list looks good to me. Make sure to get two of the foam sheets, an easy thing to miss while filling the cart. I'm not real up on the sizes, but the #6 is about a 3/16 hole and I'm pretty sure the #8 is a quarter inch on the eyelets. The Chicago screws there are the #8, but what they mean is that it fits through a #8 eyelet, it's up to you if that's ok. Depending on what you're attaching they might not be long enough. USA Knifemaker has some extra long ones with 3/8" shafts. I tend to use Chicago screws to attach the mounting hardware and don't have eyelets in those holes. I'll sometimes have multiple holes for different configurations and leave them bare. To each their own though, both ways work if you plan it out and make sure your retention is right with your setup.

For the handles, I always wrap in painter's tape, generally at least one layer. The kydex is pretty hot and stays hot quite a while. I'm just not sure how it effects materials other than the few woods I've used, micarta and G10. None of them were badly effected but I do occasionally have to give a little elbow grease to cleanup where the heat dried out the material more than the surrounding area. Generally a quick buff fixes it.

 

[rachet197]

Your list looks good to me. Make sure to get two of the foam sheets, an easy thing to miss while filling the cart. I'm not real up on the sizes, but the #6 is about a 3/16 hole and I'm pretty sure the #8 is a quarter inch on the eyelets. The Chicago screws there are the #8, but what they mean is that it fits through a #8 eyelet, it's up to you if that's ok. Depending on what you're attaching they might not be long enough. USA Knifemaker has some extra long ones with 3/8" shafts. I tend to use Chicago screws to attach the mounting hardware and don't have eyelets in those holes. I'll sometimes have multiple holes for different configurations and leave them bare. To each their own though, both ways work if you plan it out and make sure your retention is right with your setup.

For the handles, I always wrap in painter's tape, generally at least one layer. The kydex is pretty hot and stays hot quite a while. I'm just not sure how it effects materials other than the few woods I've used, micarta and G10. None of them were badly effected but I do occasionally have to give a little elbow grease to cleanup where the heat dried out the material more than the surrounding area. Generally a quick buff fixes it.

the foam is 12 x 11, can't I just cut it in half and use two 12x5.5 pieces of foam.

Is the KYDEX™ Drill - (#8) a 1/4 inch hole?

 

[Remyrw]

You can cut it, but when you are working with hot kydex cut oversized so you have room to work with it the extra foam is nice. Particularly if you do a sandwich style sheath or decide to try a holster.

I'm not 100% but I think the #8 bit is 1/4". Hopefully someone else can chime in. I've just got a #6 bit and a 1/4" kydex bit that is sold as 1/4" not a numbered size. I never use that one but figured it was best to have it around just in case.

 

[12345678910]

You can cut it, but when you are working with hot kydex cut oversized so you have room to work with it the extra foam is nice. Particularly if you do a sandwich style sheath or decide to try a holster.

I'm not 100% but I think the #8 bit is 1/4". Hopefully someone else can chime in. I've just got a #6 bit and a 1/4" kydex bit that is sold as 1/4" not a numbered size. I never use that one but figured it was best to have it around just in case.

Yes

The eyelets are sized in 1/32" 's
So an 8-9 eyelet is 8/32 in diameter and 9/32 long
so 1/4 in diameter and long 9/32

and the #6 eyelets are 6/32" so 3/16" diameter


The knife suppliers don't always give you the length numbers when they specify eyelets, but they should.



A brad point drill works best on Kydex
The eyelets are tapered, so a 1/4 drill on #8 eyelet size works ok.

.093 is pretty heavy
I think .060 has plenty of stiffness and snap.

Considering how cheap Kydex is, and how expensive shipping is, why not add some sheets of each size.
You won't really know how it works, until you have tried it yourself.

Once you get the hang of it, you will be using it for hundreds of things.
Everything you see will suddenly need Kydex.

Of course, thinner Kydex also means shorter rivets too.


You will need an oven too.