My first attmept and Kydex Sheath

longbeachguy

longbeachguy

Joined
Oct 11, 2005
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I figured since I made my inaugural effort for the Mora 760, I'd post this in the Survival forum.

I recently put together a complete set of equipment for making Kydex sheaths, and this is my first one, which I made today. This will be the first of many incidentally. This one won't win any beauty contests, but it seems to fit the knife well, and will serve me from a practical standpoint. I chose the Mora 760 for my first sheath because I hate the stock sheath.

I learned a lot on this trial run, and expect the next one to be a lot nicer. I think the next one will be for a Swamp Warden.

Here she is:

IMG_3533.jpg


IMG_3532.jpg
 
Looks almost identical to my first kydex sheath. It will come with time...be VERY patient. Kydex is tricky to get good at, I found anyways.
I am sure there are points you would already change on that one but keep on using it, it will perform very well. I am on my wifes laptop or I would post a pic of that first sheath. I gave the little skinner and sheath to a good friend and I just recently saw it and it is still performing for him.

Keep up the good work:thumbup:

Craig
 
looks good. A functional sheath.

This is just an observation :
I seem to get a tighter and cleaner fit on the spine of the blade when i use 2 separate pieces of material instead of folding 1 piece over, but I also form 1 piece blade covers for different applications.
 
CKE2 said:
Looks almost identical to my first kydex sheath. It will come with time...be VERY patient. Kydex is tricky to get good at, I found anyways.
I am sure there are points you would already change on that one but keep on using it, it will perform very well. I am on my wifes laptop or I would post a pic of that first sheath. I gave the little skinner and sheath to a good friend and I just recently saw it and it is still performing for him.

Keep up the good work:thumbup:

Craig
Click to expand...

Thanks -- yes I can tell already that it's tricky. I'm going to make a few more sheaths before I start adding things like firesteel loops and hand made belt loops. Every tutorial I ever read indicates that forming the Kydex for a proper fit is more an art than a science, and I already realize how true that is.

Thanks!
 
Farnsrocket said:
Very cool! Where do ya get your materials?
Click to expand...

I already had a heat gun, Dremel and drill press. I bought the molding press, flaring press, dies, rivets etc. from www.knifekits.com.

When I received the materials, I realized that I could have easily built my own molding press. Also, the "flaring press" is nothing more than a 1/2 ton arbor press that I could have bought for less at Harbor Freight. Alas, my first lesson was that I paid too much for my equipment, because I thought there was more to it.

There are some online tutorials with pictures around that show hand made molding presses in case you're interested. My total outlay not including what I already had on hand was about $300. If I had it to do again, I'd make my own molding press, buy an arbor press from HF for $40, and just buy the rivets, dies, Kydex, tek locks, etc from Knifekits.com for well under $100.
 
anvilbuck said:
looks good. A functional sheath.

This is just an observation :
I seem to get a tighter and cleaner fit on the spine of the blade when i use 2 separate pieces of material instead of folding 1 piece over, but I also form 1 piece blade covers for different applications.
Click to expand...

Good advice! Thanks!
 
I bought all the stuff yesterday to do some kydex also. We'll see how it comes out. I like this thread. It's giving me some good stuff to go on already. I've gotten pretty good at molding plastics with heat, usually for motorcycle applications like molding a fairing, so hopefully I'll have a little edge on it with my previous experience.
 
I bought my dies from knifekits but made the rest. If you need replacement foam, the best I have found is camping roll mat. It gives a nice crisp press.
You will find your style in time and go with what works for you. I have gotten some kydex sheaths from makers that were so tight you can't draw the knife, on the other hand too loose and say good by to your knife if you are not careful/paying attention. I prefer a bit tighter or make the kydex come further up the knife handle but leave the rivets low as not to make the knife stick.

There is nothing worse than pressing a knife, checking the fit, riveting it and then having the knife get stuck because it is catching somewhere:grumpy:

If you have any questions feel free to email me, if there was a mistake to be made doing kydex, I have probably done it....I had lots of trial and error:D

Craig
 
CKE2 said:
I prefer a bit tighter or make the kydex come further up the knife handle but leave the rivets low as not to make the knife stick.

Craig
Click to expand...

This was the main error on my sheath. The top rivet is way too high, and in order to get it so that the knife doesn't stick I had to work the Kydex so that the opening is bigger, and as a result the knife rattles around a little. It snaps in securely, but it rattles. Luckily the Mora is so light. If it were a heavier knife I'd worry about it coming loose.

This will be one of the main changes in my next sheath.
 
Here are the fruits of effort #2, which I did for my Swamp Rat Swamp Warden. Little better. I also removed the top rivet on my first one (for the Mora 760) and it now not only functions better, but looks nicer as well.

IMG_3542.jpg


IMG_3545.jpg
 
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