kydex

sadiejane

sadiejane

Joined
Feb 6, 2009
Messages
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just picked up another izula with scales
(btw have any ya'll used blue loctite for yr screws? they have so very few threads holding the scales on-thought it would be a good idea to keep things from loosening)
for a neck knife project ive been wanting to do
the factory sheath doesnt have the right shape for what i have in mind
have a great izula sheath hoopster made
for the izula ive edc'd for nearly a year now
but now i need another
so went ahead and bought some kydex sheets
a toaster oven from the thrift store(4.99)
already have some eyelets, clamps, wood blocks etc
so we shall see
if anyone has any tips they'd like to pass along
i'd be most obliged
will post some pix
even if theyre crappy:o
as this new project/learning experience proceeds
 
No experience with the loctite but on my Izzy I have a hard time getting the scales off. I think if it were a survival situation and managed to lose both screws, you'd probably be okay. Pics required when you're done obviously.:D
 
I always use a small touch of blue loc-tite just b/c :D

I thinking of trying my hand at some kydexing as well,Please post some pics SJ :)
 
I’ve been playing with a little kydex. I posted my first sheath I made for my Izula. I need to edit that post, that thing looks like crap.

I’ve recently made one for my RC-3 and it turned out pretty good IMO. I am playing with the retention now, but I’ve been distracted the last couple nights. I will say this, I’ve learned something every time I’ve played with it. Don’t get discouraged if the first one doesn’t look good, try it again and move forward. I bet Shotgunner and Martin Swinkels even messed up a couple sheaths when they first started. I’ll snap a pic of my second sheath tonight if I think about it. The issue with this one was that it rubbed the blade a little bit.
 
texastonydobbs said:
I always use a small touch of blue loc-tite just b/c :D
Click to expand...

yeah me too.
after 20+ yrs working on bicycles. it was a constant on my bench.
it works really well for things you might wanna get undone at some point
but helps keep them from vibrating loose. actually many bolts on bicycles come coated with blue loctite.
at a bicycle swap meet last year
this kid had three giant bottles for $3 each!!!!
i typically use one of the medium size(probably about 6 or 8 oz.-about 1/4 the size of these i bought at the swap, which cost me with commercial acct at the local hardware store a tad over $30) about once a year working on bicycles
those will last forever!
and CHEAP!!!!(hope he didnt steal em from someone....:(
he seemed to have no clue what they cost)

yup i'll post some pix even if they're crappy to start with. im sure there is a learning curve. please post yr adaman. the good the bad and the ugly if ya will. thanks
 
Sadie - I use 2 layers of 1/2" sleeping mat foam on each side of my press - seems to give good compression. (and cheap if you have scraps)
 
i use the blue masking tape on the blades to keep the kydex from being too tight on the blade. if you have a heat gun you can really have fun adujustng the mouth of the sheath and the retention. also you can cut a slot and add a screw and nut with a rubber spacer to increase or decrease the amount of retention.


good luck
cricket
 
Pic/lighting sucks but it's storming out so no outside pics. I like te basic shape of this one, but it didn't turn out how I wanted. I should have snapped a pic of the edges, I was proud of how it turned out. Cut it on the band saw, shaped it on the grinder, then wet sanded the edges smooth. As Dave mentioned, I should have taped the blade when I molded it. I've played with it with the heat gun some and got it pretty close, but this is just another paver in the road of practice. Not too bad for my 2nd try and definitely better than my first, lol.

2r43amo.jpg
 
ditto ttd - i always use blue loctite on screws. now if only i can find that loose screw somewhere around my head others have been referring to i'd loctite it as well :p
 
Make sure you have the right die to peen the rivets - they're hard to roll with just a hammer.

That's about all I have to offer above what's been said here.

I, myself, started playing with Kydex - I need to get a cheap toaster oven next - my first experiments were with a torch and now I've moved up to a heat gun.
 
sadiejane said:
just picked up another izula with scales
(btw have any ya'll used blue loctite for yr screws? they have so very few threads holding the scales on-thought it would be a good idea to keep things from loosening)
for a neck knife project ive been wanting to do
the factory sheath doesnt have the right shape for what i have in mind
have a great izula sheath hoopster made
for the izula ive edc'd for nearly a year now
but now i need another
so went ahead and bought some kydex sheets
a toaster oven from the thrift store(4.99)
already have some eyelets, clamps, wood blocks etc
so we shall see
if anyone has any tips they'd like to pass along
i'd be most obliged
will post some pix
even if theyre crappy:o
as this new project/learning experience proceeds
Click to expand...

DEFINITELY use the blue tape, as others have mentioned. The BEST hint that I can think of. I typically just do one side at a time, from spine down to the edge, then take either a wooden dowel or the plastic handle of a screwdriver and rake it along the edge, cutting the tape with the edge of the knife being wrapped. I don't overlap the tape at all, if I can help it. One layer has been enough for me to have just the right amount of extra space between the blade and the kydex. Then I'll repeat on the other side. This has given me good results on every knife I've used it on.

GLOVES! I highly recommend gloves. I don't THINK my hands are exactly ... errr... soft.... but I really need gloves when working with the hot kydex. It really helps being able to handle the kydex properly while getting everything set to clamp.

Don't be afraid to re-heat and try again if it really isn't what you want. I think I've heated the same sheet of kydex probably 8 times before I got what I wanted.

I'd really love to see how it turns out for you, so please post pictures of your results.
 
adaman04 said:
Pic/lighting sucks but it's storming out so no outside pics. I like te basic shape of this one, but it didn't turn out how I wanted. I should have snapped a pic of the edges, I was proud of how it turned out. Cut it on the band saw, shaped it on the grinder, then wet sanded the edges smooth. As Dave mentioned, I should have taped the blade when I molded it. I've played with it with the heat gun some and got it pretty close, but this is just another paver in the road of practice. Not too bad for my 2nd try and definitely better than my first, lol.

2r43amo.jpg
Click to expand...

I think it's excellent for a 2nd try! :thumbup:

Doc
 
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