Kydex vs Leather

Brendan

Brendan

Joined
Feb 13, 2002
Messages
3,679
as the imminent arrival my my BWM & BOSS draws closer I find myself considering my next sheath dilemma !!

should I go leather (nice but $$$) or kydex. I've never ordered a kydex sheath (it's always been the kinky black stuff) but I'm thinking about it now. Smooth, concealable type for the BOSS and utilitarian for the BWM with the option to strap it to stuff (packs, inside of car door etc)

I'd like to deal with David Brown for the kydex (I just think he is the coolest dude on BF) or maybe mashed cat. My limited experience with kydex leaves me at a loss as to what to even look for.

Leather will be my good ole pal Dwayne, he's never let me down yet but I'll need to get him loan blade or maybe get Busse to ship direct to him like last time !!

what do you guys think
 
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IMO for strapping to packs and such, kydex can't be beat.
All my kydex Busse rigs are from Mashed Cat.

Here's my CGFBM on a Kifaru Zulu:

100_0094.jpg
 
Leather doesn't have to be super expensive, for what it's worth - there are leather makers who charge similar prices to what the kydex guys charge. And they put out very solid products, in my eyes. Harry Savage makes a heck of a leather sheath for the money, and he's a good guy to deal with.

Since he doesn't do super tight fits or anything, he can usually make his sheaths off of just a picture and some specs. I didn't have to send any knives to him, and he made sheaths for my SoD, Regulator, and Scrapper 5's.

Prices were slightly lower than a typical kydex sheath with tek lok - I saved a few bucks by having him leave off the sharpening stone pocket, which he usually includes.

3702241511_034e3285d0_o.jpg


3703048784_ae2dca4e03_o.jpg




That said, since I started bending my own kydex, I haven't bought a commercial sheath. My sheaths are ugly, and they don't fit all that well, but they are a lot cheaper than buying a new $50-$100 sheath every time I get a new blade.
 
mikeymoto said:
Both! (standard Kool Aid answer)
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mate - your sheaths are mint (I'm getting a little AD with one of your numbers for the pants department) Checked your stuff out loads but bugger me I'm a loyal customer and couldn't buy anything but Dwayne's leather !
 
MustardMan said:
Leather doesn't have to be super expensive, for what it's worth - there are leather makers who charge similar prices to what the kydex guys charge. And they put out very solid products, in my eyes. Harry Savage makes a heck of a leather sheath for the money, and he's a good guy to deal with.

Since he doesn't do super tight fits or anything, he can usually make his sheaths off of just a picture and some specs. I didn't have to send any knives to him, and he made sheaths for my SoD, Regulator, and Scrapper 5's.

Prices were slightly lower than a typical kydex sheath with tek lok - I saved a few bucks by having him leave off the sharpening stone pocket, which he usually includes.

3702241511_034e3285d0_o.jpg


3703048784_ae2dca4e03_o.jpg




That said, since I started bending my own kydex, I haven't bought a commercial sheath. My sheaths are ugly, and they don't fit all that well, but they are a lot cheaper than buying a new $50-$100 sheath every time I get a new blade.
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those are nice MM, I was thinking about the self bend option but it's another bit of kit to haul over the equator !!
 
Also notice those scrapper 5 sheaths have multiple holes in the belt loop, for lashing to a pack. I get those holes punched in any leather sheath I order now - really opens up your carry options.
 
Personal preference is Cordura Nylon. Kydex is rough on the finish, can be loud, and depending on who makes it, can be very difficult to withdraw. My old Busse SHBA had a kydex sheath that came from Busse, that I could never pull out. Leather is pretty, but rotting and mold are an issue, especially if your out in the rain and humidity much.
Love the cordura nylon with a pouch on it, only problem is that for the size blade on a Bush wacker, it will need to be custom.
my others in Spec ops sheaths.
Picture073.jpg
 
I do have one Chuddy Bear sheath that is leather and does well with my HOFSH. Only problem is that the catch is only made for one width of handle and works with some but not others. Sweet looking sheath on the side.. thick leather
toungeoutt009.jpg

at one time Busse's came with Kydex, "after they quit using the sweet Eagle Industries Nylon ones"
DSC00674.jpg
 
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I don't normally post here, but this one caught my eye. Give Martin Swinkles a call. He is a member here on BF and does some amazing sheath work. He can do a mixture of leather and kydex ( as well as other stuff). He just did a custom sheath for my RC-3 (will be posting pics soon). He is a great, friendly guy to deal with, fast shipping, competitive prices and the results are impressive. Here is a link to his blog where he showcases his work:

http://martinsheaths.blogspot.com/

Good luck in your quest!!
 
I prefer leather but Kydex is a DIY's dream. Pretty damn easy to work with and can be done with minimal $ to begin with.
 
FBUSMC touched on this but as I see it it comes down to what are your requierments, intended uses and climate conditions.

Kydex is great for moist and damp climates, hard outdoor use, is easier to adapt to different carrying options, upgrading and in my expereince has better retention. Also while neither sheath is easy to clean out kydex tends to be easier as many makers have drainage holes or in the case of my Okuden AK sheath can be disassembled for cleaning. Also another thing to note about kydex is that there are several ways of securing the blade. One way is to use friction on the blade itself and the other is to use other features of the knife to create retention. My Okuden sheaths do this and it provides a very positive retention and gives a tactile and audible indicator that my knife is secure. And yes in case you have not figured out i am a huge fan of Okuden's work.

Leather on the other hand has beauty even as a basic sheath and some of the stuff I've seen on here is just increadable. I am of the opinion that a high end leather sheath is a great complement to many of the custom shop blades. Also many of the leather benders have come up with some ingenious was of attaching their sheaths to other items.

A high quality sheath in either leather of kydex will give you many years of service so it really comes down to a matter of choosing what suits your needs and tastes best.
 
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Dis, Dat... I like Oku's Kydex. I might have a all Nylon sheath coming from a maker right here. ;)
 
Brendan said:
I'd like to deal with David Brown for the kydex (I just think he is the coolest dude on BF) or maybe mashed cat.
what do you guys think
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I can confirm from 1st hand experience and David Brown is a super cool guy:thumbup: When I was hunting down a sheath for my Desert DogFather I found out Dave and I are neighbors. My daughter & I went to his house to pick up a sheath, I was blown away by his craftsmanship and my 4 1/2 year about fell over when his bird started talking to her:eek:

Plus he has the same warranty as Busse
 
Longknife3 said:
I can confirm from 1st hand experience and David Brown is a super cool guy:thumbup: When I was hunting down a sheath for my Desert DogFather I found out Dave and I are neighbors. My daughter & I went to his house to pick up a sheath, I was blown away by his craftsmanship and my 4 1/2 year about fell over when his bird started talking to her:eek:

Plus he has the same warranty as Busse
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so he is a bloody pirate as well - he is super cool !
!
 
Here is my two cents.

If it's something I really, really like a lot and believe I may need it to accompany on some serious treks for who knows how long, then I suppose Kydex is worth the investment. It's more expensive I believe for the sole reason that they are custom fit to each individual knife (sometimes they won't even fit the same model)

Leather on the other hand has all the benefits mentioned in the previous post, plus they are more or less one size fits most. You could invest in one leather rig for a NMFBM and it will fit virtually all Battle Mistresses. Including the BWM (even if it is longer by a few inches). It's not difficult to rig up leather for different means of carry either.

In some cases I have bought lesser knives if they come with a quality leather sheath that may fit my knife. Take for example a scapper 5. You could by a kydex one off Brown for $50 or buy a Buck Special 119 with leather sheath (buck IMO uses good leather sheaths) for less money and use the supplied leather sheath for you scrapper 5. A Ka-Bar short with leather sheath would work as well if you want the tan color. For a leather sheath for the new BWM, you may find a condor machete of similar size who's leather sheath fits well enough for less then the cost of a kydex sheath alone..
 
Brendan, I ordered Kydex (Mashed Cat:thumbup:) for my BWM, thinking I would really like to keep the package lightweight and compact for outdoor use.

The BOSS Street will get leather, as I find it more comfortable for extended wear in EDC situations under my shirt with my firearm.
 
I definitely like some of the cordura sheath options, but I'm not willing to pay the prices charged for something like spec-ops, which I personally find to be way overpriced.

I'm hoping this one from RAT will come out soon, at a reasonable price. It would be a great BWBM sheath :thumbup:


junglas-survival-sheath.jpg
 
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