Newbie To Kydex was wondering if it will harm the finish on my knife?

Hey, where would the we be without Kydex and leather? We'd all be shoving knives down our pants. Thank goodness for them both.
 
Kydex has a much higher tendancy to scratch than leather for a number of reasons. The sheaths are usually form fitted for one, and Kydex is harder for another. A small piece of grit in Kydex will thus have a much higher chance of making contact with the blade, and when it does, the pressure will be much higher on the steel as the grit is in connection with a hard backing.

For knives that are used, I don't see this however as much of an issue. Wear on the blade flats during cutting is much more significant than wear from debris inside the sheath. Especially when you consider that Kydex is commonly found on "tactical" knives. You can also blast Kydex sheaths out with high pressure water and then compressed air to keep them fairly clean. This doesn't work as well with leather.

Leather does have other advantages though so just understand the differences and make sure that what you want is provided by that particular sheath material.

-Cliff
 
Hello

I have been using a velvet lining on my sheaths since day one and even before I started to make knives I was involved in the production of the very first Kydex sheaths made in Brazil and most of the makers using Kydex (or Concealex for that matter) over here do use some kind of lining. So far, I never heard any complaints, either of my sheaths or the other guys' sheaths lining separating from the sheath. My first sheaths used a particularly unsuitabile type of cloth as lining material and I have never heard complaints even about these.

The only drawback I see with lining a Kydex sheath is that you loose the ability to wash it but, anyway, does anyone washes their leather sheaths? Also, regarding the lining material trapping dirt, it may be true, but probably no more than leather. And being soft, it won't push the dirt against the blade so hard as to scratch it (just like leather).

It has three other advantages over unlined Kydex or leather, too: it is very smooth do draw, very silent and keeps an even pressure over the blade, making it particularly easy to use the knife upside down.

I have noted one aesthetic disadvantage with lined Kydex: It will not mould itself so well to the blade, the print of the blade in the sheath becoming slightly more loose.

Just like all other materials, lined kydex has its place and I would recommend that you guys who have had a bad experience with it to give it another chance - you will not regret.

P.S.: We lost the knife to Canadian Customs, Eric - there was no way around... but thanks a lot for your willingness to help.
 
Hi Ivan...

Sorry to hear about the blade.. That Blows...

As far as lined Synthetics go... :)

LOL

I'm not sold on it at all... I have no doubt that it works for you.

I'm looking at it from a design and engineering standpoint and it just doesn't cut it with me...

Scratching is going to take place even if you line the sheath with the fluff off a duckling A$$. In time that will happen with it also...

On a daily basis, using a knife over and over, day in and day out ANY sheath is going to collect debris. Some of this debris is bound to be abrasive in nature.

Look at it from this point of view.

You cut open a box. Glue from the tape is now on the blade. Set your knife down somewhere, it picks up a piece of grit. You now re-sheath the knife into the lined synthetic sheath, which now Effectively wipes off the blade for you, transporting the piece of grit into the newly lined sheath.

Now you've got 2 problems, and depending on how you handle it,, you may cause more problems.

#1 Grain of sand stuck in a sheath somewhere
#2 How do you get it out ?

Washing is out of the question, unless you want to run the risk of separating the material.

Separating material from a plastic that doesn't like to be glued in the first place is another problem.

With my sheath you simply hose it out and pray to God it comes out. Possibly take it apart and clean.

I'm not saying a lined sheath doesn't work, because they do, and they do a very good job at it.. Believe me,, I've tried all of this stuff...

A non lined properly made sheath is simplicity at its finest. Very little to go wrong and it can be cleaned nearly 100%.

I built a sheath for a knife that scratched the blade. I could hear the grit scratching the blade.. It was ripped apart, washed, put back together and the same problem happened.

It was tore apart again,,washed, scrubbed and again put back together..
Same thing.

I was so frustrated with it, I tore it down then cut the sheath in half. Running the knife agaist the half that was scratching I found the piece of grit embeded into the plastic. I couldn't see it,,couldn't feel it,,but it was there...

I have several theories on what happened.

Theory

#1 The grit, probably from sandpaper got picked up from tape that was on the blade, trasfered into the sheath, then was embeded by the heat and pressure of the molding process. Conclusion : Dirty work surface

#2 Dirty manufacturing process. Grit was in the hopper of plastic when the sheet of Concealex was fabricated. Possibly that pellets were spilled on the floor,swept up and dumped into the hopper...


All I'm saying is that No matter what type of sheathing material or process you use, the oppertunity for scratching is ALWAYS going to be there.

If you have a knife that you Don't want scratched.. Leave it at home and put a plexiglass box around it...

A user knife, such as what Cliff is talking about is going to get scratched no matter what, and scratching from synthetics is going to be the very least of your problems...

Its a Hot Debate, thats for sure..
Different people have different experiences with it...

All I know is that I do this professionally, Every day, have several thousands of sheaths in service, and have very few complaints and even fewer returns.
It happens with Everyones sheaths, yours, mine, and everyone else who has ever made or attempted to make a sheath. You only see it more with synthetics because of the tight tolerences using Concealex or Kydex...

As far as I'm concerned scratching is a Moot point. I make sheaths for working knives, that I expect will be used by my customers, who I believe are real knife users, and not Mall Ninjas or "Stand in front of the mirror" Posers (Arm Chair Ninjas)...
Its for sure a Bummer,, but it happens...

Edited..

Just to clear up any confusion about it being a "Moot Point".
Thats not to say that I don't care. I do,, very much and take Every precaution to make sure that this doesn't happen. I keep refining my process and I'm very aware of these facts. QC is strictly enforced.


Rant Mode

*OFF*


ttyle

Eric...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top