nylon vs kydex sheath

J

jscalia

Joined
Dec 11, 2006
Messages
126
What are the advantages and disadvantages of nylon vs kydex sheaths and which do you prefer. This would pertain to anything you might carry, knife, multitool, gun, flashlight, etc.

I have been trying out both for my multitool. I like the quick access of the kydex but dont like the cold steel of the tool pressing against my side and the fact that everyone can see what you are carrying. I like the soft feel of nylon and the ability to conceal better but dont like the velcro.
 
jscalia, have you considered a horizontal carry Kydex sheath? What sort of tool do you have? I have a nice sheath for my Leatherman Charge that can be configured for vertical or horizontal carry. However, for my Wave and Charge, I prefer to use the pocket clip carry.

And you can probably cut away the Velcro and replace it with a snap. i did that on the sheath for my original Wave.
 
Horizontal carry kydex sheath sounds like a good idea. Maybe I will make another one like that. I bought a very well made nylon sheath for my Vic Spirit that has a metal clip that can be moved for both vertical or horizontal carry. The clip was manufactured by Vic so its of very high quality. I havent been able to find an aftermarket clip of the same quality. Right now I use the wide plastic belt clips that are sold by knifekits.com. They are pretty good but they dont swivel for different positions.
 
jscalia,

I am finding myself very quickly moving away from Nylon and towards either leather or kydex. So far I've not had a single nylon sheath that didn't wear out in what I fealt was a very short amount of time. Just finished a kydex holder for my Gerber multi-tool and am loving it. It's mounted on a Tek-lok so I can position it either vertical or horizontal but I doubt I'll ever cary it any other way than vertical.

Charles
 
jscalia said:
What are the advantages and disadvantages of nylon vs kydex sheaths and which do you prefer. This would pertain to anything you might carry, knife, multitool, gun, flashlight, etc.
Click to expand...


I tend to like all kinds of different materials depending on the particular knife or tool, and the intended purpose. I have a leather snap-on sheath that was designed to hold a multitool and a mini maglite which I have used almost every day for 8 or 9 years to carry pens and markers and utility knives at work. I've also got an older Vic Swisstool that I've carried in its original nylon pouch almost every day for about 6 years. I'm really amazed that that Swisstool pouch has held up as well as it has, considering the abuse that it's taken when it's snagged on pallets or racking as I squeeze through tight spaces at work. I carried a CRKT Polkowski/Kasper Companion in it's stock plastic IWB sheath for a while, and still do occasionally, and despite all of the bad reviews of it that I've heard, it works fine for me. In the woods I usually carry a 4 inch knife that I made from a kit from Atlanta cutlery, in a leather sheath that I made from a kit from Tandy Leather, but I've carried the Companion attached to my pack strap a few times too. Believe it or not, I've somehow managed to not own a single knife with a kydex sheath. I intend to try one out soon though, either by purchasing a knife that comes with one or by buying a custom one for one of my other knives. . . I didn't even know that custom kydex sheaths existed until I found these forums a couple of months ago. I guess all in all I'm not very picky. . . I've always just made due with whatever sheath comes with the knife.
 
Hey Guys....

Salamander...

Salamander42 said:
I carried a CRKT Polkowski/Kasper Companion in it's stock plastic IWB sheath for a while, and still do occasionally, and despite all of the bad reviews of it that I've heard, it works fine for me.

I didn't even know that custom kydex sheaths existed until I found these forums a couple of months ago. I guess all in all I'm not very picky. . . I've always just made due with whatever sheath comes with the knife.
Click to expand...

Well the days of putting up with whatever the factory happens to send with a knife are Long gone...

Now,, you can have just about anything your heart desires made, at reasonable costs..

I'm a lefty and went for years, putting up with right handed only sheaths.. Sheaths that were poorly constructed, as if the sheath was an afterthought for the knife..

So I decided to start making my own and eventually offering them for sale here at BF.com. Now I carry a knife any way I want, and then some...

As for your Companion sheath...

If you give me a few weeks (I'm backlogged right now) I'd like to be the first of offer to Break your Custom sheath Cherry and send you one of my sheaths for your Companion at N/C and No Strings...

Just drop me a note and we are tgood to go...

ericn@mnsi.net

ttyle

Eric
O/ST
 
Wow Eric, thanks! I'll get that e-mail sent shortly.

I can understand there being a lot of sheath frustration for southpaws. Kudos to you for doing something about it.

I've been lucky and never ended up with anything too poorly constructed or designed to be useful. I have made a couple of leather sheaths for knives that I put together from kits. One turned out very well, the other is functional, but I know I can do better. I just need to make the time.
 
Hey Chris..

Not a problem at all...

Best way to show you what a good sheath is all about is to let you try a good sheath...

Return email sent...

ttyle

Eric
O/ST
 
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