Kydex Question

[Andrew Lynch]

How do you kydex gurus get the knife to slide into the kydex sheath?

After the initial forming, I can't get the knife into the sheath properly because the knife hits the edge of the formed kydex and can't get in. I've been folding over the edges of the kydex at the mouth of the sheath so the knife slides in, but that has problems. First, it's painstaking work, especially with thicker kydex. Second, it's hard to heat just the small parts you want to fold over, so the part of the kydex that holds the knife in often looses its shape, or atleast is no longer quite perfectly formed. All the more professional sheaths I've seen don't have the edges of their mouths folded over, atleast not to the level that mine have.

So, how do you do it?

Thanks!

 

[peter nap]

Use a little masking tape in the blade to add clearance at the top. You should either tape or have some type of spacer over the entire blade during the forming stage but a little extra in front of the guard helps. Remember, a little goes a long way.

 

[Andrew Lynch]

Great idea! I have been taping my blades, but haven't taped the retention area. I don't think I'll tape the actual area of retention, but will put a lot of tape just above it.

Thanks!