Making your own cheap, practical, and functional scabbard

C

clearblue

Joined
Oct 22, 2002
Messages
630
I started this project with the intention to find a workable material that I would be able to shape into a functional knife,machete,and kukri scabbard with a minimum of effort and a minimum of technical skills.

I wanted something that had the following characteristics:
1- Very lightweight
2- Extremely durable
3- Resistant to the blade cutting through it
4- Easy to form and mold
5- Cheap
6- Waterproof
7- Unbreakable
8- Thin
9- Easy to carry in a pack,on a belt or shoulder sling
10-Dual use and easy constructed as a scabbard for machetes,knives,kukris or goloks

I believe I found the near perfect material at the nearby Lowes Store.

It is named:
Plastex waterproof wall panel
.060 x 4' x 8'
Bright White
Made by Parkland Plastics
Website:http://www.parklandplastics.com/

Cost for a sheet was $14.24
Stock # 72405

The other materials I needed to start my custom scabbard making project were:
1-A hand riveting tool for blind pop rivets
2-Aluminum rivets--- $5.99 for 100 pcs
1/8" diameter
Grip range-1/16" - 1/8"
3-Backup plates aluminum for use with all brands of rivet tools 1/8" diameter--$1.49 for
30 pieces
4-A pair of tin shears, Prosnip wirecutters Model 20SL, or a pair of heavy duty scissors to
cut the material to scabbard shape.
5- A Dremel tool with a 1/8" bit for drilling the rivet holes

I just finished making my first four scabbards this afternoon so this is another learn by trial and error adventure but so far I am EXTREMELY pleased with the results. Mind you, these are by no means beautiful works of art but they sure are light and practical and the material is so easy to work with.

I think in a comparison with almost any of the other scabbard materials such as wood, leather, kydex, etc. that plastex will hold it's own.

I hope that someone who has a heavy duty sewing machine will post a report on it's sewability.

Here's how I'm proceeding: I initially lay the knife, kukri or machete on the plastex and outline it with a magic marker.
Then I increase the outline about 1/2" to 1" around the perimeter of the outline so I will have a place to put the rivets in in order to rivet the two scabbard sides together.

Then I use the dremel tool with a tiny 1/8 " drill bit to drill the rivet holes. Then simply put in the rivets.

I have not decided how I want to do the belt loop or carrying loop yet and would be grateful for any ideas. It appears that the plastex can be slit to make a belt slot or looped and riveted whichever is preferred.

I have never worked with this material before but there are some chemicals listed on the website that can be used if rivets are not wanted.

I selected aluminum rivets because they resist rust and the blade,when sheathed,won't cut through them.

There's one thing for sure, with a 4 'by 8' sheet of this stuff you can experiment til the cows come home and still have a bunch left over.
 
You know you have to post pics of this stuff in action. I presume that all of the equip used for kydex could be used. Also a review of how it holds up.
 
I'm not able to post pics yet but there's one thing I've learned that's a negative and that is if you put a rivet through your Plastex and want to remove it by grinding off the head of the rivet then when the rivet gets hot from being ground, it will melt the Plastex and pull right out. It seems to work fine in normal temp situations but I wouldn't lay it down close to a campfire and leave it for long.
 
kydex will dot he same thing. especially with an AL rivit. Does this stuff come in any other color. And i wonder why only us 2 are the only ones talking about this stuff. Kydex is fairly cheap but not really its 10 bucks a square foot. If this stuff could come in different colors and works almost good as kydex it could be a good low budget alternative. Anyways keep us posted.
 
Parkland doesn't say what type of plastic it is. I recently made a sheath for a kukri . I used high density polyethylene which is the stuff they make pickup truck bedliners out of. It can be softened easily for bending or forming with a propane torch without the smell of kydex.It's very durable of course.
 
#4 in original post stated it was easy to form and mold. Possible i might have to try this stuff out myself. With shipping and cost of kydex i can buy a 4x8 sheet of this stuff and try it.
 
I get kydex for $3/sqf from a local plastics place. Is that expensive?
 
That is not expensive at all. All of the knife stores sell it for 10 bucks a sqft. It will always be cheaper if you buy it and dont have the middle man get inthe way. every one needs their cut. Also do you buy big sheets or the smaller 1 foot pieces. What kind of places should i look to find it cheaper. And shipping will always get inthe way.
 
I don't know if it comes in anything other than bright white. I didn't see any other colors.

Maybe an e-mail to Parkland would be in order.

Since I just started working with it,I am learning as I go.

I'm not familiar with molding kydex so can't answer if it will respond to molding like Kydex.

I do know you can fold it easily but if it is not secured, it will flop back to it's original shape.

I would prefer it to be a dark color and will experiment with spraying one of the scabbards with a black matte paint and see what happens.

I put a coat of mineral oil on the inside of my Kukri scabbard and now the kuk slides in and out like--- well....you get the picture.

It would make an excellent sheath for a hatchet or ax head.

I've only made Kuk scabbards so far but intend to make a machete scabbard tomorrow.

One other thing ---You can score it with a knife then bend it and it will break along the score line just like vinyl tile.

It looks like the scraps are perfect for mixing your epoxy and JB weld on.
 
does it need to be heated to be folded over. If not it folds like that and doesnt break. ARe there any stress lines in it.
 
Originally posted by jdaniels
does it need to be heated to be folded over. If not it folds like that and doesnt break. ARe there any stress lines in it.
Click to expand...

No,it doesn't need to be heated, it's very flexible kinda like a sheet of synthetic rubber.

Like the thin sole on a boat shoe. I could not see any stress lines.
 
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