Making holes in nylon webbing

[grizzle]

Hey guys working on a sheath and was looking for a little insight if you guys had any advice with making holes in nylon webbing. I'm finding it fuzzed up when trying to cut it and I tried to use a hot screwdriver but it's only denting the webbing instead of pushing through.

 

[hiwa]

I sharpened a nail to a conical point and heated it with my lighter. Go small as it's easy to burn it too big.

 

[chiral.grolim]

I use a hole-punch to cut the hole in the nylon, then singe the edges with a butane lighter

 

[NJBillK]

You have a few options, you can cut a little "+" in the webbing and repair the frayed areas with a lighter or match.
- If doing this use caution, always use a solid backing material to cut on because cutting with the grain will cut faster than against. Due to that, when your knife goes through when cutting against the grain, it will want to plunge deep and leave a larger cut.

You can leave it as that or go a bit further and be a bit happier with your result. Go ahead and make the "+" that was cut and melted, then you head to your local home improvement store and grab an "eyelet setter kit" and set an eye in the hole to clean it up a bit.

This second option will clean it up and add durability to the new hole, as well as making it easier to thread.

Or, you could get an awl, or even a scrap screwdriver (a Philips would likely work best), and file/sand the screwdriver down to a point and heat it to cherry red, or as hot as possible and use that to melt your new hole.

 

[Navin_R_Johnson]

I use a piece of brass tubing. I have different sizes laying around for my hobby stuff. Lay the webbing on a piece of wood, heat the end of the tube with a torch and push it through.

 

[Jack1951]

IMHO,,, the eyelet setter is your best advice. clean, prevent fraying etc. they are not very expensive. Try Ace or harbor freight

 

[NJBillK]

I use a piece of brass tubing. I have different sizes laying around for my hobby stuff. Lay the webbing on a piece of wood, heat the end of the tube with a torch and push it through.

Smart!

 

[Navin_R_Johnson]

IMHO,,, the eyelet setter is your best advice. clean, prevent fraying etc. they are not very expensive. Try Ace or harbor freight

Eyelets don't prevent fraying, they just cover the frays up. Cut with heat to melt the edge before you install an eyelet. The fibres will melt together and prevent them from pulling out from under the eyelet.

 

[Bill DeShivs]

Eyelets don't prevent fraying, they just cover the frays up. Cut with heat to melt the edge before you install an eyelet. The fibres will melt together and prevent them from pulling out from under the eyelet.

This.

 

[popedandy]

I just heat a nail or screw to red hot over a flame - usually a propane camping stove - the hold it with a pair of pliers while it melts through the webbing.

 

[grizzle]

Thanks for all the input guys, I appreciated it! I eventually tried a polishing attachment on a dremel and it melted thru the webbing but the result was very sloppy looking:barf:. I'll have to try out some of these other ideas for something a little more clean.