Quality of Kydex Sheaths

[eyeofthetiger]

Hi All,

I recently purchased a SOG SEAL-pup, which included a nice looking kydex sheath. Unfortunately the thing snapped on a 90-degree bend on the back plate, where the handle part connects to the blade holding part (get that?). Are all SOG sheaths made this poorly, or did I get a lemon? I’m pretty thrilled with the knife itself though!

-Brad

 

[Ron Andersen]

Hi Brad,

First off, I'm sorry for the problems you experienced with your sheath! This is not typical.

Have you yet contacted our Consumer Services personnel to get a new sheath?

If not, call (888) SOG-BEST. Either Steve or Loretta will gladly help you out. Simply explain that your sheath and knife are new and how the sheath broke. Also tell them you've been in contact with me.

I hope for a much better future with your knife.

 

[CINDERWOLF]

I have a seal pup and i love it but i was not happy with the sheath. one snap was broken when i got it new. the fit was real nice on the knife but a little too tight and is wearing off a small patch of blade finish. the web belt loop is too bulky and could be made simpler. it was hard to fit on my LBV in a shoulder postion at first but i was able to fasten it very well with some paracord. the clip on the front could be a good idea but because of the bulky belt loop it digs into your side. anyway a real great knife but i would still much rather it came with a ballistic nylon type fabric sheath with a kydex insert.

 

[Kodiak PA]

Don't get me wrong...I think SOG makes quality knives and maybe the after market kydex sheaths are so high quality that I am being a bit of a snob but I don't like their Kydex. I got a desert dagger that would not come out of the sheath unless I pulled the lip of the sheath (at the guard) with 2 hands. I got some info from Ron that recommended manipulating the kydex lip outwrd to make the knife fit the way you want it to but I wasn't that impressed. A production knife from an outstanding company like SOG should come with a sheath that holds the knife securely and can be snapped out on demand without having to hold the lip out 10 seconds and redoing it over and over until it works for you.

SOG is not alone here. I have to go to the secondary market regarding a lot of production knives I buy. Even worse are a lot of custom makers who attempt to make kydex sheaths. I guess they are trying to keep the cost down but my advise is that knife companies should sell a knife that fits securely in its sheath (including inverted) and it is physically possible to withdraw it without having to manipulate it. My SOG SEAL sheath is a bit better but the kydex just kind of feels brittle. This problem should be addressed without getting a form letter that states people have different taste in firmness of their sheaths. C'mon, we all just want a sheath that holds the knife securely without rattle and can be taken out easily. If polled I think most would agree with me. Those that have other special needs are the ones that should go to the secondary market.

I mean no disrespect here at all. I will continue to buy SOG products.

Respectfully,

 

[doggyknife]

I concur with Kodiak in regards to the kydex sheaths coming with both production and custom knives these days.

Most production knife kydex sheaths I've used can be rated only as "fair" or less. If I get a kydex sheath with a production knife that works "OK" - i.e. the knife doesn't fall out if you turn it upside down and you can unsheath/sheath the knife with 1 hand without jerking your pants around, I consider myself lucky. Sometimes I opt for a nylon or leather sheath option if available because I know I would be disappointed with the kydex sheath.

The quality of kydex sheaths that I have received with my custom knives have been all over the map. Some kydex sheaths are fantastic (like the ones that came with Bob Dozier's knives). Others, even when the custom knife is magnificent, just plain suck. One sheath I had that came with a great knife from a very famous and popular tactical custom knife maker (I'm not going to mention any names, especially considering he might have had his sheaths outsourced and thus didn't make the sheath himself) was by far the absolute worse piece of junk sheath I have ever had the displeasure of using. The sheath scratched up the blade pretty awful even after I cleaned it over and over again. Even worse, the sheath did not retain the knife at all and the sheath was designed to carry the knife tip-up. A knife from a different maker had the exact opposite problem - unsheathing the knife was like pulling teeth.

I've pretty much given up expecting knives to come with a good kydex sheath. If a knife is worth it, I get a after-market sheath from a kydex/concealex sheath specialist like Normark. That being said, SOG knives are still very good products, and any problems with their kydex sheaths should not be a deterent to buying a SOG. Most other knife companies and makers have problems with their kydex sheaths as well. You would think with kydex sheaths being around all these years that most companies/makers would have figured out how to do them correctly, but IMHO that is just not the case.