Making a kydex/leather sheath for my Machax

T

tobiism

Joined
Jun 28, 2013
Messages
1,285
I started making my own kydex sheaths awhile back because I have too many knives to pay someone to make them! LOL. The one problem with kydex though, it can be difficult to design the sheath so the knife inserts with no resistance whatsoever until you get to the point where it locks onto the handle. Im very picky about this. I like to be able to pop the knife loose with my thumb and draw the knife with zero resistance. On a recurve blade this is tricky. I decided to make a kydex over garment for the knife that is as wide as the widest point of the blade. This will be on the knife when the kydex sheath is made and then removed afterward. This should make the recurve portion of the blade irrelevant, I hope. LOL.
This probably isnt news to anyone who makes kydex sheaths, but its the first time Ive tried it.
First step, make the insert and shape to the spine profile


I like this way because you still get to see the shape of the blade after youve heated the actual sheath around the insert.

drill your holes, clean out the swarf in the holes with a step bit(by hand!)

cut and sand your sheath to shape and boom!

Next installment is a leather frog and a dangler.
 
Nice job! Thanks a lot for sharing this. That looks really nice. HappyI really want to try some kydex soon. How do you do your eyelets?
 
NCSlice said:
Nice job! Thanks a lot for sharing this. That looks really nice. HappyI really want to try some kydex soon. How do you do your eyelets?
Click to expand...
thank you! I use the rivet setters that mount to an arbor press. it works really well.
 
Ahh I see. That's the one tool I'll need to acquire, think they're not cheap...I'll google it. Thanks!
 
NCSlice said:
Ahh I see. That's the one tool I'll need to acquire, think they're not cheap...I'll google it. Thanks!
Click to expand...

I caught a 1-tonner on sale for like $25 about a year ago at "Bay Trucking".

I had found a used one on craig's list for $35 but when I called, it was already sold. 2 days later, I got a flyer in the mail listing them as being on sale. One of the rare times missing out on a good deal paid off.
 
Yeah I bought the arbor press at Harbor Freight for right around $30 and the eyelet setter was around $25. I had to center drill the ram on the arbor press to accept the upper eyelet setter and then groove the same setter on the lathe to accept two orings for a nice friction fit in the ram.
 
That's really cool! I've been thinking about trying my hand at a couple of kydex sheaths as well. Definitely like the approach you took with the insert. Looking forward to seeing the finished product!
 
Semper Praesidio said:
That's really cool! I've been thinking about trying my hand at a couple of kydex sheaths as well. Definitely like the approach you took with the insert. Looking forward to seeing the finished product!
Click to expand...

Thanks!!! I need to make that leather frog!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top