---- narrow/slender kydex sheath (width, not thickness)???

D

DowntownDM

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* this is not a solicitation, but a "does it exist? who can do it?" thread.

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most (maybe all) of the kydex sheath makers I've seen use the method where there's an extra border (~3/8" or ~1/2") beyond the size (side view) of the blade width/shape where the fasteners are located (often around three sides of the perimeter) that sandwich the two pieces together...

while the whole kydex sheath is pretty flat using this method, it's particularly wide, especially on bigger blades (which I'm looking to avoid if I can). some of the leather makers, however, end up with a different profile - resulting in a thicker sheath with a narrower overall width that hugs and follows the blade contour more closely.

anyone make, or might be able to make, a narrower but thicker kydex sheath for a BWM like I'm describing? I basically want the size and shape of a slender leather sheath using the utilitarian durability of kydex instead. maybe by bending those flaps around to the back or something? will kydex bend like this and work? anyone even tried?

I dunno. ideas? examples you may have seen? questions? comments?

thanks.
 
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You could ask for 3/16th rivets instead of 1/4.
Any sheath maker will work with you on slimming a sheath down some:thumbup:

Here is one with both rivet sizes, Also there is the taco to concider:cool:

Picture209-1.jpg
Picture054.jpg
 
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Dozier kydex is super narrow (and thin) and is the most compact kydex I own. Here's a pic of a custom filet I own:

doziercustomfilettw3.jpg
 
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If you eliminate the rivets, it would be possible to make something that's folded and glued, and it should hold up pretty well. I think the rivets are probably more robust, though, so I don't know if any of the pro's would really want to attach their names to such a project. Might end up being a DIY deal.
 
I have folded kydex from Buy Brown for an AK and Squealnut kydex for a GW.

I think sammiches may be more popular right now which is why you see more of them. They have a more symmetrical look about them, which I like, but I can imagine benefits of a less wide sheath.
 
I think a nice small thin sheath for the new Boss Street would be sweet, maybe with a nice metal clip on it for IWB carry. :thumbup:
 
When I make my DIY sheaths, they are all folded, but I bet you could get even narrower than that. I need to order some kydex soon anyway, maybe I'll try something really narrow for my AD, with a single rivet for attachment of an IWB loop.
 
Dave Brown is the original king of "low profile" kydex, and he has some really nice patterns.

But as what was said before, any of the find makers here can do it.
 
I have an idea, that another knife/sheath maker (Tom Maringer ) told me about, I asked & he also GAVE ME PERMISSION to use his method, as long as I gave him credit for the idea. I will work on a couple of things & get back to you all.

What knife would you like to see it done for ?

I actually made a few very small sheaths long ago for the Buck/Hartsook tiny knife where I brought one side of the kydex to the edge & the other side a bit past it then folded it over. It worked great. I also put one small eyelet in the end so you could wear it as a neck sheath.

Here is a pic of Tom's work.

I will do it a bit different & put my spin on it.
*Again I asked & Received permission about 6 months ago to do this from *Tom. :)

920-Beltsheath-03-Compressed.jpg


920-Beltsheath-02-Compressed.jpg
 
There ya go. Did I say Dave was the king of low profile or what? :D
 
Could use pop rivets in place of eyelet rivets. Hammer / file the ugly side up against the washer.

Wonder if you could sew kydex with flexible braided stainless wire or even thick Spiderwire.
 
what dave showed is as close to the profile of a leather sheath as your going to get, with only a small portion of kydex on each side of the sheath. If you inted on using a rivet style to so you can use a detachable belt loop like a tec-lock I'm sure there are several sheath makers who could do it for you, but they might make a scrap sheath or two in the process, depending on how many they've made in that method.

The reason rivets are placed away from the edge is because they compress the kydex around them for about 1/16". If you get to close to the knife edge, you end up compressing the knife, and the fit goes from good to extremely tight. I'm sure that most sheath makers would be willing to do an "as close as possible" placement for you and then grind off the extra kydex.

This is one of the lower profile sheaths I've done, and theres still extra kydex I could have removed:

DSC02241.jpg
 
Speaking of slender and original,
I saw this one on the exchange, is that you Dave?:cool:
picts1855.jpg

picture by Liu Kang:thumbup:
 
thanks for the replies.

how about one like this here, but then folding the fastened edge around behind it (which may mean making it wider/longer at first, but then it becomes hidden behind)?

knowwaddamean?

Picture054.jpg
 
steelnut said:
Speaking of slender and original,
I saw this one on the exchange, is that you Dave?:cool:
picts1855.jpg

picture by Liu Kang:thumbup:
Click to expand...


Nope Scott, that was not me. :confused:
And it is not a true exposed spine ? :confused:

Thank you for pointing it out. :rolleyes:

Who ever did it may have got the idea from this ?
That I did about 9 years ago :);)

MVC-212S-1.jpg
 
DowntownDM said:
thanks for the replies.

how about one like this here, but then folding the fastened edge around behind it (which may mean making it wider/longer at first, but then it becomes hidden behind)?

knowwaddamean?

http://i150.photobucket.com/albums/s105/ohiomitch/KydexPix/Picture054.jpg
Click to expand...

There are two ways of doing that, removing the grommet and cutting the backside slimmer and folding it over as a single layer. That would be like what dave showed. If you wanted to have a belt loop, you'd have to extend the back portion to make an integral loop, or extend it and cut holes for a tec-lok (sp?)

The second way is to bend the entire thing with grommets and all so you can attach the tec-lok complete in the rear of the knife. Unfortunately that would be nearly impossible without creating a custom jig to bend both sides back at the same time. Once the holes/gromets are in place you can't really do extensive bending without modifying the fit of the knife, so it would all have to be done at the first press. And the knife would stand off of the body a aditional 1/4-3/4" depending on the jig that was used.
 
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