Painted rivets :(

JV Knives · Mar 9, 2023

Hi gents,

Really more of a kydex sheath question, but does anyone have a good method for setting painted/colored rivets in kydex without wrecking the formed end? I love the look on the front...the bare brass marks on the formed end...not so much

Appreciate the suggestions! I am using a manual purpose made die (made just for these rivets) and a ball peen hammer to currently form them. Never have the issue with black....guessing the coating is more adherent than the painted/colored versions.

Thanks,
John

navman · Mar 9, 2023

Use a press instead of a die and hammer. No degradation of the paint. I use a journeyman press from knifekits, but will likely be upgrading to the master press, which is an arbor press that accepts the flaring dies.

JV Knives · Mar 9, 2023

navman said:
Use a press instead of a die and hammer. No degradation of the paint. I use a journeyman press from knifekits, but will likely be upgrading to the master press, which is an arbor press that accepts the flaring dies.

Thanks

navman . Can you say that the master press would be worth it from the jump? Biggest advantage over your current sysyem?

navman · Mar 9, 2023

Yes. I have had some splitting with the journeyman that would likely not have occurred with the more stable arbor press.

J. Hoffman · Mar 9, 2023

Do you have a drill press?? If you do, then you also have an eyelet press.

navman · Mar 9, 2023

J. Hoffman said:
Do you have a drill press?? If you do, then you also have an eyelet press.

That...is....genius! I never thought of that.

JV Knives · Mar 9, 2023

J. Hoffman said:
Do you have a drill press?? If you do, then you also have an eyelet press.

Interesting idea! I'm not sure my old press is up to that....but worth consideration. Thanks J.

C_Claycomb · Mar 11, 2023

Sorry, never tried the colored ones…if black was enough for Ford, it is enough for me

. However I do have a couple suggestions that might help. I have the Master #8 set from Knife Kits. I took some 3/4 birch plywood, drilled holes that take the tool shanks snugly so that I can stand them horizontally in my Record 110 bench vise and use this as my press. This works well for controlled pressure.

The other thing that helps is a little oil on the tool to lubricate where the eyelet is being rolled.

JV Knives · Mar 11, 2023

C_Claycomb said:
Sorry, never tried the colored ones…if black was enough for Ford, it is enough for me . However I do have a couple suggestions that might help. I have the Master #8 set from Knife Kits. I took some 3/4 birch plywood, drilled holes that take the tool shanks snugly so that I can stand them horizontally in my Record 110 bench vise and use this as my press. This works well for controlled pressure.

The other thing that helps is a little oil on the tool to lubricate where the eyelet is being rolled.

Excellent suggestions. Thank you

C_Claycomb ! I’ll give that press some thought and I did not consider die debris…so think there’s some there?

the problem did kind of turn on so I’m betting now maybe debris or surface finish related.

I am going to upgrade to some sort of press tho for sure.

SwissHeritageCo · Mar 11, 2023

You can also just use a magnet on a cheap arbor press to hold rhe rivet setter.

JV Knives · Mar 13, 2023

And....I ordered the master press and die. Looks to right to be wrong

Thanks

navman for saving me the journeyman trip. Buy once, cry once.

navman · Mar 13, 2023