Kydex Sheath - semi production

JTknives

JTknives

Joined
Jun 11, 2006
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So with blade west coming up I have started to get my ducks all lined up. One of these ducks is a knife I call the Q3. It’s from way back in the day when I was making the valor knives. The Q3 was a improved version of this blade. We are have a bunch lasered out of 15n20. But the question I have is doing production on kydex sheaths. Normally I cut out a chunk and heat and fold it in half and pop the knife in and press it. I fold it becaus I use the fold to hold the 2 sides togather till I get all the holes laid out and drilled. But it wastes material and takes time. So my thought is to cut out the 2.5”x2.5” square and drill the 4 corners and press in the eyelets. Then heat and slip the blade in while hot and press. Can you see any problems with this plan. Of corse I need to watch temps so I don’t over heat and shrink the kydex. But if it works it could save tons of time on the 100+ blades we are making. So yeah any tips you got would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

Ps the blade is quite thin. Around .080 after surface grinding.
 
The one time I tried that the eyelet holes stretched but the knife was thicker than yours. Usually when I'm doing a 2 piece and I don't want to fold for whatever reason I just pull out of the press, drill 2 holes before breaking that heat adhesion the 2 sides tend to get and pop the first 2 eyelets in. Then peel apart and remove the knife to finish.
 
Well I tryied it out and it worked perfect. We are in the game now, ready to rock and roll.
 
Use can use chicago screws as well. Just grind them down to the thickness needed for the kydex and bolt the 2 halves together.

Once you drill your holes for the rivets you can un screw the chicago screws and use them over and over again
 
IIRC, Murray Carter did a tutorial on kydex and said that he preferred Chicago screws because the require a smaller hole that can be closer to the edge, plus you will never split out a screw.
 
I do my eyelets before heating and never had a problem. just make sure you put a cloth of some type down so the eyelets don't melt the foam.
 
I do the two eyelets at the bottom of the sheath near the tip. Press them as well, then heat the kydex and press. Never had it streatch out, or melt at the holes. I'm pretty anal about not over heating though.
 
jdm61 said:
IIRC, Murray Carter did a tutorial on kydex and said that he preferred Chicago screws because the require a smaller hole that can be closer to the edge, plus you will never split out a screw.
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I don't know how they could be closer to the edge with huge heads most have.
 
jdm61 said:
You space on the shank, not the head. Head can be smaller, right?
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Well you kinda have to space based on the head diameter so it doesn't overlap your form or edge. They could certainly be smaller but I've never seen any with head diameters as small as flared rivets.

Or I'm misunderstanding your meaning.
 
No, you got it. I recall him using small headed screws. You don't need a big screw on kydex, do you?
kuraki said:
Well you kinda have to space based on the head diameter so it doesn't overlap your form or edge. They could certainly be smaller but I've never seen any with head diameters as small as flared rivets.

Or I'm misunderstanding your meaning.
Click to expand...
 
No you don't. I've really only seen ones meant for leather I guess.
 
I recall that he still used the grommets on the bottom because it was a neck knife and you can't run a lanyard through a Chicago screw.
kuraki said:
No you don't. I've really only seen ones meant for leather I guess.
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