Kydex work something hit me last night.

[Bastid]

Most of you know I am a big fan of Bob Dozier and what he does to D2. Although there are a couple of younger guys that I am interested in , just can't bring myself to adding another working knife to the creche.

Last night I was talking with Calvin over dinner. I delivered a Dozier to him that another friend was selling. (Dang it, I forgot to hit Calvin up for the cash ) and mentioned that few give Bob credit for the quality of sheaths that he makes.

One of Bob's knives that I have came with three of his kydex sheaths. Of all the kydex/concealex (sp) sheaths I own. None come close (except for who ever is making those for Walter Brend) to these Dozier sheaths.

Who else is putting out those types of sheaths with excellent retention balanced to ease of draw with the knives they make? Bob certainly has the touch, who else has it?

 

[flava]

From my limited experience, I find the kydex sheaths made by Neil Blackwood and Jens Anso to be really good. They fit like a glove yet allow for a quick draw :thumbup:
The only downside I found about kydex is it's scratchy nature. A bead blasted knife in a kydex sheath will be scratched after a couple of draws. A hand rubbed finish, on the other end, is almost immune to kydex scratches

 

[T. Erdelyi]

I love Bobs knives and sheaths, he has probably the best retention designs of any kydex sheath available, I love the way it snatches the knife, kinda like sucks it back in and the piece that snaps over the belt without having to take the belt off is genius.

I carried his knife(Arkansas Toothpick) as part of my EDC ever since I bought it from him at the NY show three years ago, the sad part was the kydex beltclip snapped off when I was getting out of car, the handle of the knife got hooked on the seatbelt and busted the clip clean off, well almost clean.

I forgot about it till I read your thread Gus, now I'll have to send it back, think I should send it back with the knife?

Bob I'm not complainin', I love your stuff I'll be in touch.

 

[Grapevine]

I love Bob's sheaths because you can draw the knife without yanking. I always prefer kydex sheaths that have some sort of thumb push design that helps you draw the knife. I've seen so many neck knives and tactical belt knives at shows where the maker is very proud of how his sheaths hold the knife from coming loose, but it's so hard to draw the knife that you'd either end up cutting yourself or, in a situation of casual use, scaring people around you.

 

[T. Erdelyi]

....but it's so hard to draw the knife that you'd either end up cutting yourself or, in a situation of casual use, scaring people around you.

If you push with your thumb at the right place the knife nearly jumps into your hand, or if you have the sheath on a static cord and the knife is carried in the back pocket, you loop the cord through a belt loop and when you push the sheath of it stays with your pants, I'm not sure if that's good or bad, I guess it depends on your situation.

 

[joeshredd]

Tim Wegner has always done right by my knives - I own maybe 4 or 5, and they were all truly custom in that he built them from either my ideas or designs.. They retain and they allow for a quick draw...

Okuden is also another excellent maker out here in the Seattle area - I've got maybe three from him and two were to my design, and one is his standard IWB design - they all work, too...

And the oldest one I have is one of Bud Neely's (sp) original aikuchis in his concealable sheath package - pre-rare earth magnet style and it has never let me down!

And for possibly the most robust sheath I ever owned in kydex was, well... from Maddog McClung... bombproof!

 

[T. Erdelyi]

...And the oldest one I have is one of Bud Neely's (sp) original aikuchis in his concealable sheath package - pre-rare earth magnet style and it has never let me down!....

I have one of his Aikuchis too, it's one of the first seven or so he sold at the first ECCK shows, I showed it to him at the last show I saw him at in NY a couple of years back, one thing I did on Buds knife was to grind an index dent into the bolster then I heated the kydex up with a heat gun and pushed down to form it into the dent.

Bud lives 20 minutes from my house and he's a very friendly person, while visiting his shop to pick up a knife he let me borrow for a passaround on the forums he remolded a new kydex sheath based on my butcher job to fit his old knife.

Bud is definitely another kydex magician.

As you can see by the pics this knife is no Safe Queen.

BTW if anyone has one of his new sheaths, the notches on the sheath are so you know which way is blade down in the sheath.

 

[Bastid]

I forgot about it till I read your thread Gus, now I'll have to send it back, think I should send it back with the knife?

I would give them a call and ask. It won't hurt for him to have it since no two knives will be exactly the same. I guess the point is that Is there enough difference in the knives to make a difference with the sheath.

In my case it is an older model so I would send it. I have had the pup and have used it well for quite a few years, but the sheaths are still working great.

As far as kydex and the light scuffs and scratches it causes, my Doziers are users as opposed to some of the knives that are my "safe queens" that have never rested in their beautiful wood, leather or metal sheaths. I don't breath heavily around them . So in my case for a using knife, I like the durability and safety that kydex affords over the lack of abrasion some other sheath materials offer.

Thanks for the input guys, I really was taking Bob's sheaths for granted. It is good to see other makers are putting a lot into their carry systems and options.

 

[Thomason]

Here is a picture of a little David Mirabile with a kydex sheath I got from Bladegallery. I don't know for sure but am guessing he also made the sheath which has a rayskin overlay. Very well done and the rayskin adds a nice touch.

 

[djolney]

David Brown makes very good kydex sheaths: retention is great (even when being bounced around on horseback), and after 30 or 40 draws they are very smooth (slight thumb pressure, and a little pull).

 

[Grapevine]

If you push with your thumb at the right place the knife nearly jumps into your hand, or if you have the sheath on a static cord and the knife is carried in the back pocket, you loop the cord through a belt loop and when you push the sheath of it stays with your pants, I'm not sure if that's good or bad, I guess it depends on your situation.

Not sure if you misunderstood me. Bob's sheaths are great because of the thumb push, and so are other makers that have thumb push in their sheath designs. I was talking about the ones that don't. Their sheaths are flush with the spine of the handle, so the only thing you can do is yank the knife free. I've seen a surprising number of kydex sheaths like this.

 

[ksc73164]

I have a Bob Dozier Ranger with kydex sheath that I like very much and a Jim Hammond Cobra Gold with a sheath by Frank Sigman that is also very good. I think Mr. Sigman does sheaths for lots of makers including maybe Walter Brend. I handled a Bob Terzuola fixed blade with very stout kydex sheath he made for it. The sheaths Bud Nealy makes look good although I haven't handled one.

 

[Ebbtide]

T.E.
You could wait twenty something days and have him look at it in person at the Crowne Plaza

If it is just the clip piece that broke, I doubt that you'd have to send the knife, but if Mr. Dozier has to make a new wrap for the knife I'm sure he will need the knife.
Best to ask the man hisself

 

[T. Erdelyi]

T.E.
You could wait twenty something days and have him look at it in person at the Crowne Plaza

If it is just the clip piece that broke, I doubt that you'd have to send the knife, but if Mr. Dozier has to make a new wrap for the knife I'm sure he will need the knife.
Best to ask the man hisself

I thought about that, I just got my show notice in the mail the other day, hell I didn't go last year, and it is only 1 1/2 hrs away......

 

[Bob Dozier]

Terdelyi

Send the sheath now and Dan and I will return it at the N. Y. show. A few belt clips break if bent too far, but it is a small % in the over all number of sheathes that we make. We are allways glad to repair them.
We do not need your knife for this repair.

Bob Dozier

 

[Bud R.]

I have to add that the Mineral Mountain Kydex sheaths are among the best, most secure. Anything that can completely secure those fantastic, sometimes monsterous blades, swords, axes, etc, 10 years after they were made, deserve high praise here. Really too bad Mr. Frizzell is retiring.