Please assist the ignorant

R

rusty nail

Joined
Dec 23, 2006
Messages
24
I have had a few knives with the kydex sheaths. I like them a lot except for the fact that when I sharpen my knife to a nice edge and insert it into the sheath, the sheath takes the edge right off.

Am currently using a jerry-rigged nylon sheath for my daily carry.

Am I doing something wrong or is there a remedy for this problem?
 
Clearly, something is wrong.

What exactly? - Too many variables to say for sure, with this limited info.
 
Shouldn't happen if the sheath is made right. I have experienced no problems with a Dozier K2 dulling in the sheath, or my F1 in Normark's rig.
 
Sounds like you need better edgeholding in your knives. . . and maybe better sheaths.

-what knives, and what sheaths are these?
 
mainly cold steel kobun, and spike and Kabar heavy bowie...after repeated insertions the spike appears to be holding an edge, perhaps it's a break in issue. using the factory sheaths that came with the knives.
 
The cold steel uses soft aus 8 and the k-bar uses 440 something . All made in tiawan. a good knife with good steel and a good sheath won't ever do that. not even close.And also how are you seeing that they are dulled?if you put a super thin edge on that soft steel and run it across hard plastic, Yeah it might not ''pop'' hairs off your arm, but if you where cutting material like boxes or meat or people you won't beable to tell the differance at all, until it gets really dull. Does that make sense?
 
Rat Finkenstein said:
Sounds like you need better edgeholding in your knives. . . and maybe better sheaths.

-what knives, and what sheaths are these?
Click to expand...

Agree, the sheath shouldn't take an edge off that fast, this is unless the steel is soft.

I have the same sheath material and a Busse, with no discernable problem. I can only conclude the steel is at issue.
 
like Rat F. and ERdept said, that shouldn't happen, not even on 1095 carbon steel or 420.......

unless, the blade's steel is very, very soft, or the sheath is filled with debris/sand/grit or a steel piece of the sheath has been exposed.

inspect your sheath first, then rinse plenty with hot water just to make sure.

i have personal experience with this problem too: i recently acquired a SIG 1957 bayonet, that i've had put a razor-sharp v-grind on. every time i slide it in and out the PLASTIC (!) sheath, it develops burrs. apparently some of the guys who helped me out with the bayo-issue were right: tough tool steel on the outside, unuseable too-soft steel in the inside......bummer

denn
 
yes, there is something wrong.......kydex SUCKS!!!!! lol. get a leather sheath and take care of it. also see if you are properly sharpening the knife. A "wire" edge will cut like crazy.....for about 5 minutes.
 
jdm61 said:
yes, there is something wrong.......kydex SUCKS!!!!! lol. get a leather sheath and take care of it. also see if you are properly sharpening the knife. A "wire" edge will cut like crazy.....for about 5 minutes.
Click to expand...


This seems to be a likely culprit: wire edge + contact with the tough
Kydex (or Concealex in the case of Cold Steel) = quick dulling.
 
You could be hitting the rivets that holds the kydex together. I had a Dozier sheath like that.

-Cliff
 
Perhaps a part of the problem may be a "wire" edge. I found that especially on the Kabar heavy bowie, a chef's sharpening rod put the best edge on the knife. Use a whet stone for the others and sometimes the chef's rod for a followup. Usually the knives are indeed sharp. Just mystified me as to the sheath dulling the blades.

Of course the observation that kydex (or concealex) sucks may be indeed accurate; time will tell. Like I said earlier after repeated insertions of the spike into the sheath, the problem seemed to resolve itself. Seemingly the spike must have made a groove in the sheath to allow for the blade to remain sharpened after a while. With the other knives, I just got rid of the sheath and used other means to carry (like the heavy nylon); definitely will have to check out leather.

The jerry rigged nylon sheath seems to work real well, so I may indeed check out a leather sheath. I am definitely going to obtain a razor strop to finish the sharpening. The strop seems to "finish" the edge after sharpening.

I'm sure that there is a whole lot that I do not know about knives, that's why I came here: to learn. I've picked up a whole lot and found some real good links: for that and the information on this thread; I thank you.
 
I just recently bought a Kobun, and I try to make a concious effort to draw and sheath the blade with the spine making the contact with the kydex sheath.
 
I have noticed that my sheath dulls my Kobun as well, ever so slightly. I haven't noticed it w/ my Oyabun though, and the sheaths are very similar...
 
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