- Joined
- May 7, 2010
- Messages
- 1,066
Maybe this isn't meant for shoptalk but I've had some interest in pms and comments how my sheaths turn out so "nicely" (I still think there is plenty of room for improvement but those are your compliments and not mine! lol). I also figure this could be of help to other newer knife makers who want to get into making kydex sheaths but think it may be too costly.
Here is my "press". It is basically a couple of 5"x12" pieces of scrap ply, held together with some old door hinges... the 1x4's are for some extra support and the long piece of ply is so I can get some leverage on it to squeeze the crap out of it. I bought an 11.5x12 piece of kydex foam from knifekits and sliced it in half to fit my narrow press. I then bolt this to an old work table... and carry it into the kitchen...
Notice my awesome "shop". It is a good thing mom isn't around when I make sheaths... and it is also a very good thing that I haven't yet stunk up her kitchen by melting kydex in the oven!
I think the reason I get such good results is because of the amount of pressure. I'm pretty sure that 50% of the time a sheath fails to be formed properly is because the kydex isn't hot enough to mold, and the other 50% is not using enough pressure to mold it. If you think you have enough pressure.... press it harder.... press it until you think your press might fling apart.
I have a pan with parchment paper and a small rock on the sheet in a 375F oven. I put the piece of kydex on top of the rock... wait until it starts to droop over the rock... reach in there and pick it up... and if it folds over easily like a noodle it is good to go!
It was far too annoying to press down with my body weight for 5 minutes every time I wanted to make a sheath or belt loop... so I rigged up a very sophisticated tension device.... a piece of paracord with 2 carabiners...
Yep that is how I make kydex sheath's on the cheap.
Here is the knife I just sold to my buddy and the loop he requested. All done with the above tools...
Anyways... that's just my way of doing it. There are better ways, and the kydex pros will probably get a good laugh out of this
. But hey, all this "press" cost me was the price of the foam!
Thanks for reading
Here is my "press". It is basically a couple of 5"x12" pieces of scrap ply, held together with some old door hinges... the 1x4's are for some extra support and the long piece of ply is so I can get some leverage on it to squeeze the crap out of it. I bought an 11.5x12 piece of kydex foam from knifekits and sliced it in half to fit my narrow press. I then bolt this to an old work table... and carry it into the kitchen...



Notice my awesome "shop". It is a good thing mom isn't around when I make sheaths... and it is also a very good thing that I haven't yet stunk up her kitchen by melting kydex in the oven!
I think the reason I get such good results is because of the amount of pressure. I'm pretty sure that 50% of the time a sheath fails to be formed properly is because the kydex isn't hot enough to mold, and the other 50% is not using enough pressure to mold it. If you think you have enough pressure.... press it harder.... press it until you think your press might fling apart.
I have a pan with parchment paper and a small rock on the sheet in a 375F oven. I put the piece of kydex on top of the rock... wait until it starts to droop over the rock... reach in there and pick it up... and if it folds over easily like a noodle it is good to go!
It was far too annoying to press down with my body weight for 5 minutes every time I wanted to make a sheath or belt loop... so I rigged up a very sophisticated tension device.... a piece of paracord with 2 carabiners...

Yep that is how I make kydex sheath's on the cheap.
Here is the knife I just sold to my buddy and the loop he requested. All done with the above tools...


Anyways... that's just my way of doing it. There are better ways, and the kydex pros will probably get a good laugh out of this

Thanks for reading
