Kydex scratching blade?

[tedtf]

I made my first kydex sheath yesterday and the sheath is scratching my blade. Scracth is about 1/2 inch down from top of blade spine. What did I do wrong?

 

[Chris Meyer]

Probably nothing. Kydex sheaths are notorious for scratching blades. It's not the actual Kydex (which is just plastic) that scratches the blade, it's the contaminates that become embedded in the Kydex. No matter how hard you try to avoid it, there always seems to be some kind of grit that lodges inside the sheath and scratches your blade.

One thing you might try is to make your sheaths with Chicago Screws instead of rivets. Then at least you can spread the sheath open a bit an flush it out if anything gets inside. I usually use one or two rivets, strategically places to retain the knife should all of the screws somehow drop out at once.


Other people have lined their Kydex sheaths with thin layers of leather. I'm not sure how they do it, or whether it actually alleviates the problem.

 

[jll346]

Ditto.

 

[Chris Meyer]

Here are a couple of pictures that better show the "strategically placed rivets" I was talking about. (I didn't have time to take these photos this morning, but I did tonight.) With this design, even if the screws on the lower part fell out all at once, the rivets would still keep the knife in the sheath. I guess if the rivets fell out too, I'd be s.o.o.l. However, that doesn't seem a likely scenario.





By the way, if you scratch off the paint on your rivets or screws, Birchwood Casey makes a variety of metal blackening liquids that you can use to fix the. You just need the right one for the kind of metal you are using.

 

[tedtf]

Thanks very much for the advice and info. Much appreciated!

 

[Eric@DLT]

Are you building in any extra room between the blade and kydex? I've seen some people using a layer or two of painters tape so you don't get as tight of a fit on the blade. That only works if your retention isn't based on pressing on the blade.

 

[Spartan00]

I've got a custom from Rj martin. Sheath was wrecked this knife. Guess it just happens.

 

[NotSoSharpBob]

I've had Kydex mainly scratch the knife where the retention snaps in. If you're getting scratches all the way down the blade it made need to be formed a bit looser with a smaller retention area.

 

[David Brown]

Cool Idea

Nice work as well

Here are a couple of pictures that better show the "strategically placed rivets" I was talking about. (I didn't have time to take these photos this morning, but I did tonight.) With this design, even if the screws on the lower part fell out all at once, the rivets would still keep the knife in the sheath. I guess if the rivets fell out too, I'd be s.o.o.l. However, that doesn't seem a likely scenario.





By the way, if you scratch off the paint on your rivets or screws, Birchwood Casey makes a variety of metal blackening liquids that you can use to fix the. You just need the right one for the kind of metal you are using.

 

[hagatha]

Yes... if you are not careful when you clean the sheath there will be grit left from sandpaper or buffing compounds left behind. Its easier if you keep it clean from the beginning... I use a 50/50 solution of clean water and denatured alcohol, from a spray bottle... I don't use a belt sander at all... I trim with a band saw and then with a razor, followed by a light buff.

Another note from the original post. I knife is a tool, a scratch does not effect it's ability to do its job. A scratch like your experiencing can be buffed out easily.