Kydex question

blgoode

blgoode

Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
Joined
Oct 3, 2003
Messages
7,260
I found some 1/8" material that looks darn close to Kydex here at work. It is "bendy" in its 4 x 8 sheet. If I take a corner I can roll it over and make it crack with ALOT of pressure. I dont think that I could do this with a small piece. Its not lexan and I dont think its styrine. I'll ask around here but I thought it might be kydex. Its smooth on one side and shiny and textured like kydex on the other. I think the plastic supplier we use has kydex so thats why I am thinking it COULD be.

Anyone know what I should be looking for to identify it? Guess I could just make a sheath and see what it does :D
 
what colors does it come in? like Mark said heat with a heat gun and mold it around something to see if you can shape it. even if it isnt kydex, if you can shape it it should work.
 
It may be kydex. I just asked the guy who mold elf bodies here and he said its some kind of aircraft industrial plastic. HE doesnt think its styrine . I bet its kydex! Its a little thin. I know it will heat because we have a big heating oven and a vacume mold machine that its used in. IS 1/8" too thin? I am digging through the supplies lists here. I may be a happy little boy. It would work for smaller stuff anyways.
 
1/8" isn't too thin at all. Most supply houses don't carry it any thicker than .090". 1/8" would be indestructable :eek:
 
Thanks Matt - I'll get a piece to try it out. Now I need rivets but that will be down the road.
 
Well. I was wrong about the thickness. Most of it is about 1/16". He does have a small piece thats true 1/8". Will the thinner stuff work?
 
Yeah I've used .060" for smaller sheaths. It molds a little easier but isn't quite as tough when you start making belt loops and stuff. You just have to be careful how the sheath is designed so there isn't a weak spot getting bent back and forth with use or anything.
Be careful when you buy rivets. You want them matched for the material thickness, the .090" rivets don't work well on the thin stuff, and the smaller rivets will barely go through 2 layers of thicker material.
 
Ahh....Thanks. Looks like I have mainly small stuff. Only one piece is the thicker stuff thats about 10" x 20". Better than nothing ;)
 
10"X20" oughta make a few sheaths :)
Also, you might want to get some chicago screws also. I'm hooked on them for attaching belt loops and stuff now :cool:
 
Hey Buddie ole pal Brian :D
if you can have it for the grabing ;)
be sure to think of your ole pal buddy Dan won't you :D :D
 
I'll only be able to get a few smaller pieces. They keep track of the material :(

Next Christmas season I'll be sure to see what is here as far as scraps go. I didnt even see them using it or I would have been in hog heaven. I dont forget my friends so I'll post that ut it will be around the end of the year ;)

IF I AM STILL HERE!
 
blgoode said:
Looks like I have mainly small stuff. Only one piece is the thicker stuff thats about 10" x 20".
Click to expand...
Matt Shade said:
10"X20" oughta make a few sheaths
Click to expand...
Brian, You may want to save the 1/8" stuff for making belt loop hooks and other parts that will bend as Matt implied earlier. Making sheath bodies from the .060" (thinner) kydex is pretty common in the marketplace.
 
Thats all good news. I'll let you know how it goes. It will be a while. I have to get cought up and get to the soldier knife ;)
 
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