Kydex Questions

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knifezoid

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Apr 17, 2009
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I would like to get some Kydex to try to make some sheaths
and some other ideas I had.

I have a regular toaster oven. But I'm a little afraid to use
it as it is brand new and if I ruin it my wife will kill me.

So how messy is kydex? Will it melt and leave stuff all over
the place? Can you not toast food after heating kydex?

Or does it just get soft but does not leave any residue?
Also does it leave a bad smell?

I was thinking of using a layer of tin foil or something.

Thanks for your help.
 
There is no mess, you can use your toaster oven, Place some foil over the rack and check the heat does not need to be very hot to make pilable.. If you get it too warm its like working with spagatti.
 
Its pretty simple and only as messy as you want it to be....LOL Stay focused while the kydex is in the oven...ask me how I know:eek: There is a quick window to watch for when it starts going limp. Make sure you get a good fold and then press it up.

I learned to use blue masking tape over the blade to give it some wiggle room. 2 layers on each side should be plenty. If its too tight, stick the sheath back in, warm it up.....try again...it takes practice but far from difficult.

Have a good time, looking forward to seeing some kydex:thumbup:

Chris
 
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like any thermoplastic it'll get messy if you over heat it. Find out what the TG is (glass transition point = the temperature where you get chain sliding or "flow") and try not to go too high above that. but I'm sure if you ask around there is a general recommended oven temperature everyone uses.

its always better to heat the material up in an oven heated to the temperature you want to use it at than to put it in a very hot oven and just take it out when its ready. that way you can heat it longer and be sure its hot all the way through and not just on the surface.
 
I have heard that it does produce toxic fumes if heated to 400F. I would suggest looking at thrift stores or second-hand stores for a used one, you can pick one up dirt cheap if you find it in the right place.
 
Justin King said:
I have heard that it does produce toxic fumes if heated to 400F. I would suggest looking at thrift stores or second-hand stores for a used one, you can pick one up dirt cheap if you find it in the right place.
Click to expand...

dude if your going to 400 your going way to high
 
I would just find a cheap, used toaster oven somewhere. It can melt and stick to stuff so using a tray or foil is a good idea. I've found 290-300F ideal for my purposes.
 
Thats what I use! Works great for small and large sheaths! I still close to the temps you do, sometimes up to 350 for the thicker stuff. Just have to keep an eye on it:thumbup:

Chris

hoopster said:
I would just find a cheap, used toaster oven somewhere. It can melt and stick to stuff so using a tray or foil is a good idea. I've found 290-300F ideal for my purposes.
Click to expand...
 
Leatherface said:
dude if your going to 400 your going way to high
Click to expand...

I am not heating it that hot. But knowing the inaccuracies which toater ovens are capable of, and combining this with human error, there is no guarantee that it won't happen accidentally. I have read a number of threads where someone over-heated the stuff, either accidentally or because they just didn't know any better. Why take any risk at all when a used toaster oven can be had for 5 or 10$?
At any rate doing it in your kitchen is probably fine for bachelors, not so much for those of us who are married.
 
You can find a $5 toaster oven at any Salvation Army thrift store. I would buy a separate one for this application. The mess in Kydex is the dust from finishing.
 
I say set it at 300'F (or what appears to be that temperature :)) and watch it and occassionally touch it to see if it's rubberylike. When it starts to slightly curl is when it's good to go. I like to rotate the kydex piece 180 degrees and then take it out. should be like a limp noodle (almost). Put it in a press and then step on it! Even pressure makes a nice good mold. Home made presses that have hinges that don't allow for the press to be evenly closed will give less desired results ...so put the blade towards the opening in that case to solve the problem.

Drill holes (for rivets) first after the kydex hardens, then shape the sheath, that way you know how far to go before it looks like a mickey mouse job. Some guys don't leave enough meat and it just looks sloppy.
 
I use an electric skillet- I got one for $15 new. Presto brand- works great!

I just throw the plastic on smooth side down, turn it to @ 350 and when the edges lift a bit, it's ready.
 
Thanks for all the help guys. Dang I just threw out our old toaster oven
too! But I think we have one of electric skillets for sandwiches. Who said
wedding gifts were totally useless? lol

Also if you mess up kydex can you unbend it and try it again or is it kind of
a one shot deal?
 
knifezoid said:
Thanks for all the help guys. Dang I just threw out our old toaster oven
too! But I think we have one of electric skillets for sandwiches. Who said
wedding gifts were totally useless? lol

Also if you mess up kydex can you unbend it and try it again or is it kind of
a one shot deal?
Click to expand...

Kydex is very forgiving so long as you dont over-heat/melt it. Just make sure you keep an eye on it and keep checking it. You will do just fine. Have fun:thumbup:

Chris
 
I gave up on trying to use both my toaster ovens when I ended up with shrunken and curled up pieces. Oven wasn't that hot but somehow uneven.
You might try a heat gun. Seems to work well for me. Skillet sounds real good. I may give that a try.
 
It's been a while since I've done a Kydex sheath, but I have also found that a heat gun works well. One nice thing with using a heat gun is that you can localize the heat for any adjustments you need to make after the initial set.
 
I use a large griddle for kydex; works great. I stopped using a toaster oven after the kydex hit the element a few times.
 
Heat gun for me, I have found that it works really well, and you can keep the kydex from rolling up on you. Then like stated above you can direct the heat to specific areas for final tweaks of the kydex. I bought 2 heatguns at HF on sale, they were 9.99 each. Can't beat that with a stick, still using the one I started with having had no issues with it yet.
The next thing you need is a good way to mold or press the kydex. It can be as simple as two pieces of 3/4 plyboard, sleeping bag high density foam, (walmart) and a vice to clamp them down in. Of course you can make or buy a really nice press. The more pressure you can put on it while hot the better your sheath will look.
 
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