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Kydex sheathing: a possible fix for the moisture issue?
- Thread starter Jim March
- Start date
Jim March
Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
- Joined
- Oct 7, 1998
- Messages
- 3,022
I'd pay a LOT to see Pala's look of sheer delight when he takes this stuff out of an oven with gloves on, molds it around a blade and sees the results.
No joke Pala, you're gonna *love* this stuff. Heat it in an ordinary oven at 350F, mold it to whatever shape you want, it cools fast and freezes in whatever position it's left in. And the thicker grades could be formed into armor that'll stop an Ang Khola chop dead in it's tracks. You get an incredibly tough yet THIN and light sheath that is virtually indestructable. It also drills and cuts fairly easily with drill and hacksaw, or my favorite is a Dremel tool with a cutoff wheel.
If you need to adjust one small area of the finished or nearly-finished sheath, heat just that area in the steam off a boiling teakettle spout. It won't turn totally limp like it does in the oven but it can be pushed into a new shape just out of the steam.
Good leather gloves are highly recommended for molding and hot-handling. I use my bike gloves, it doesn't take extreme gloves.
Jim March
No joke Pala, you're gonna *love* this stuff. Heat it in an ordinary oven at 350F, mold it to whatever shape you want, it cools fast and freezes in whatever position it's left in. And the thicker grades could be formed into armor that'll stop an Ang Khola chop dead in it's tracks. You get an incredibly tough yet THIN and light sheath that is virtually indestructable. It also drills and cuts fairly easily with drill and hacksaw, or my favorite is a Dremel tool with a cutoff wheel.
If you need to adjust one small area of the finished or nearly-finished sheath, heat just that area in the steam off a boiling teakettle spout. It won't turn totally limp like it does in the oven but it can be pushed into a new shape just out of the steam.
Good leather gloves are highly recommended for molding and hot-handling. I use my bike gloves, it doesn't take extreme gloves.
Jim March
- Joined
- Aug 12, 1999
- Messages
- 64
Namaste Radar and Jim:
Radar thank you for your offer to send me some kydex. We do not have this material available in Nepal and I an eager to experiment with it.
And thank you, Jim, for the instructions. Yangdu has a small electric oven which I think I will be able to use. If Radar sends enough I intend to make a sheath for a khukuri and either send it back for the shop people to see or take it with me. Maybe I will take it because I would like to see the sarkis reactions to my scabbard.
Pala
Radar thank you for your offer to send me some kydex. We do not have this material available in Nepal and I an eager to experiment with it.
And thank you, Jim, for the instructions. Yangdu has a small electric oven which I think I will be able to use. If Radar sends enough I intend to make a sheath for a khukuri and either send it back for the shop people to see or take it with me. Maybe I will take it because I would like to see the sarkis reactions to my scabbard.
Pala
Pala,
Since it is a full scabbard you will want to make I will call Kleerdex (the company that makes Kydex) in the morning and see if I cannot get a sample sheet of 090 sent to you. It generally takes a few tries to get this kydex stuff right.
In the meantime I will have some smaller samples shipped out tommorow. I will also include some eyelets and rivets, how you manage to peen them will be left to your creative genius. Maybe some one of you guys could donate some sex screws to the kind man?
Also, which one of you knows where the Kydex FAQ is that was floating around. I believe there was one written by A.T. Barr ???? this would help Pala out alot.
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>
-RadarMan-(<
age:38
Since it is a full scabbard you will want to make I will call Kleerdex (the company that makes Kydex) in the morning and see if I cannot get a sample sheet of 090 sent to you. It generally takes a few tries to get this kydex stuff right.
In the meantime I will have some smaller samples shipped out tommorow. I will also include some eyelets and rivets, how you manage to peen them will be left to your creative genius. Maybe some one of you guys could donate some sex screws to the kind man?
Also, which one of you knows where the Kydex FAQ is that was floating around. I believe there was one written by A.T. Barr ???? this would help Pala out alot.
------------------
>
-RadarMan-(<age:38
- Joined
- Jan 6, 1999
- Messages
- 146
Jim,
How about a thorough khukuri degreasing,followed by multiple coats of your favorite premium quality paste car wax. I believe this is an old Alaskan guide trick (Phil Shoemaker?) and I can tell ya, the rain just beads and runs off, just like your pampered car or motorcycle. I have used this on longarms for at least a season during inclement weather backpack hunting and it's suprisingly effective and ya can't beat the price. Might be worth a shot, but the practical long term aspects of the finish durability is of course open,particularly during unsheathing, but how many times is the Skinnybeast going to come out of his cave anyway?
One of these days,funds permitting, as I have posted long ago, I will attempt a Modern Tac Khuk, crafted out of the latest materials,i.e. CPM 3V,Armolloy coated,G-10/11 Scales on a Chiruwa pana butta handle style,Talonite Karda
,DMT/EzeLap diamond rod/ Chakma etc. all nestled in a versatile Kydex rig. I have decided that substantively altering my shop 1HI khukuri BAS, is not in the best interest of preserving the historical authenticity of a piece that represents the fine efforts of Kamis half a world away, and might someday be no longer available at any price.
Good Luck Jim, let us know how it goes.
Stay safe and all the best, Phil <------<
[This message has been edited by Phil Squire (edited 12 September 1999).]
How about a thorough khukuri degreasing,followed by multiple coats of your favorite premium quality paste car wax. I believe this is an old Alaskan guide trick (Phil Shoemaker?) and I can tell ya, the rain just beads and runs off, just like your pampered car or motorcycle. I have used this on longarms for at least a season during inclement weather backpack hunting and it's suprisingly effective and ya can't beat the price. Might be worth a shot, but the practical long term aspects of the finish durability is of course open,particularly during unsheathing, but how many times is the Skinnybeast going to come out of his cave anyway?
One of these days,funds permitting, as I have posted long ago, I will attempt a Modern Tac Khuk, crafted out of the latest materials,i.e. CPM 3V,Armolloy coated,G-10/11 Scales on a Chiruwa pana butta handle style,Talonite Karda
Good Luck Jim, let us know how it goes.
Stay safe and all the best, Phil <------<
[This message has been edited by Phil Squire (edited 12 September 1999).]
- Joined
- Mar 5, 1999
- Messages
- 34,096
Somewhere else I posted that Pala said he would try to make a scabbard from the kydex and if he's successful he intends to take it back to Nepal and tell the sarkis and kamis it is a "magic" scabbard.
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Uncle Bill
Himalayan Imports Website
http://members.aol.com/himimp/index.html
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Uncle Bill
Himalayan Imports Website
http://members.aol.com/himimp/index.html
Jim,
Have you tried Birchwood Casey's "Sheath". It is a spray on rust preventive. I belive it was originally developed for the aerospace industry. I use it on my .45 that I use for IPSC. The blueing is very worn, and I have no rust problems. I also use it on all of my knives. Birchwood Casey claims it will provide "over 7 days of protection in salt-fog tests". I think if you clean and dry your knife after use, and then treat with "Sheath", you won't be bothered by rust again. The idea of providing drainage holes in the kydex sheaths is probably a good idea.
I'm sorry if I sound like an advertiser for thier product, but I have found it works very well for me.
p1445
sorry I can't spell.
[This message has been edited by p1445 (edited 14 September 1999).]
Have you tried Birchwood Casey's "Sheath". It is a spray on rust preventive. I belive it was originally developed for the aerospace industry. I use it on my .45 that I use for IPSC. The blueing is very worn, and I have no rust problems. I also use it on all of my knives. Birchwood Casey claims it will provide "over 7 days of protection in salt-fog tests". I think if you clean and dry your knife after use, and then treat with "Sheath", you won't be bothered by rust again. The idea of providing drainage holes in the kydex sheaths is probably a good idea.
I'm sorry if I sound like an advertiser for thier product, but I have found it works very well for me.
p1445
sorry I can't spell.
[This message has been edited by p1445 (edited 14 September 1999).]