Rat 7 in OD Kydex

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Jul 27, 2006
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Here is the RAT7 in Olive Drab Kydex.

I tried to place enough rivets to to make fastening an external PSK possible, and with room for adjustment. This is my first 100% complete, start to finish, kydex sheath.

ODSheathRat7.jpg
 
Lookin' good Skunk! Did you use a press or what? How long did it take you to get it the way you wanted? (Be honest! :D)
 
Lookin' good Skunk! Did you use a press or what? How long did it take you to get it the way you wanted? (Be honest! :D)

I got a press for Christmas! :thumbup: Emailed the lin kto my wife, and Santa must have gotten it from the NSA. ;)
Used a heat gun, as our toaster oven won't accept anytihng longer than 10".

Since this was my first, I would say I dorked with it for about 3 hours total, taking my time, of course. Now, I'll bet I could do it in 1 hour. I was designing as I went, which took a little longer, since I think slow. :confused:

The kydex press is a luxury, but it does make that part of the forming go easily.

I had a handful of knives and other things that i wanted to make kydex sheaths for, so, I'll be fighting cabin-fever this winter by bending plastic.
 
very nice indeed.... that looks great...:thumbup: i love the o.d. kydex...:D

Thanks Mike,
Yeah, I am growing fond of the OD.
The Olive Drab is a softer color, more subdued than a black, more "in tune" with nature.

It seemed to work well with the Greenish micarta on the RAT7.
 
Nice work.
What did you use for rivets? Did you use a hand punch or one of those fancy machines with flaring dies?

I used the standard rivets you can get at the knife supply stores.

I bought the dies only, and use them in a drill press (not turning).
It's like a big ol press. ;)

The dies work much much better than the punch tool, which tends to split the rivets on the back side unless you do it exactly perfect.
 
Good to know. I was looking at the combo kit but shipping weight is 30 lbs. for the press and rivet kit, that would add a good amount of $$ to the overall price. I just saw the hand tool at texas knife supply and was wondering if it would have been a good alternative.
 
BTW... I have one more question. Do you have a source for bulk kydex. I would rather buy a roll instead of a bunch of little sheets that most knife supply stores sell.
 
Coyote, You will have to find a plastic supply house, and order larger amounts. it will still be a sheet, probably not a roll.

I called a place about 30 mins from my work , they don't stock it, but can get it within a week. So basically, order it, and then they will get it for you.
I ordered the small pieces too, I'm going to check on larger sheets of Flat black and OD.
Also got a piece of the Concealex, carbon fiber looking stuff. Planning on making something with it.

About the hand tool for rivets.....
The rivets need to be "rolled" over, which takes even & slow pressure.
But it's gotta be the right tool, and there are two different diameter rivets, small and large.

As for making a homemade press, go to Home Depot or Lowes, and get one of those garden kneeling pads they sell. That is about the right density for the foam.
 
i`m not a fan ok kydex (thanks to SOG) but that looks like a good job , congrats on the first effort
 
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