Sheaths for Fallknivens ; Zytel or leather?

hiwa

hiwa

Joined
Jun 7, 2009
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I would like to know what style of sheaths FK owners prefer. Please state your pros and cons as I appreciate the input to make a decision. I'm thinking of another unit and have difficulty deciding.
Thanks :)
 
i got the zytel sheath and i'm happy with it. i don't understand why people always complain abouth the zytel sheath. in my opinion it is a good sheath!
 
At least it's waterproof ! What knife model do you have?

( Btw, my Mom is from Mannheim !)

:)
 
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I had Eric Noeldechen (a.k.a. Normark) make one of his Concealex sheaths for my F1 -- it's a perfect match, but I don't know if Eric is still in the business.
 
That's the knife I'm considering actually ( F1) I have one that I leave at my cabin , but want one for my EDC uses.
I have never read a bad comment on that knife anywhere !
I think the Zytel package may store easier , but the leather ( dangler) sheath looks pretty good for bush use. Never used a dangler yet though.
 
hiwa said:
I have never read a bad comment on that knife anywhere !

QUOTE]

Zytel for me. Rugged simplicity.

VG-10 is a good steel and I like the feel of the Thermorun

handle but pleasing everybody is not possible.

There are two ends to every knife.

I call the F1 an excellent small/mid size utility knife.
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F1 is a great little knife!

I have the Zytel sheath with mine. It is functional and very compact. The leather sheath is excellent as well however i'm not as fond of the flap over style.

KSF I believe has some regular bushcraft style sheaths that will work well with the F1.
 
I prefer leather but I have the zytel sheath for my H1 and it works good and I am too cheap to replace it.
 
KSF I believe has some regular bushcraft style sheaths that will work well with the F1.

I have a KSF for another knife. They take some time to break in though , and don't fit wider belts. The simplicity of the Zytel seems a winner so far :)
 
i got the zytel sheaths with my S1 and WM1-3G.

for all around "copping abuse" value, they outperform leather.
 
Hi Pete,

I have a personal preference for leather, but it is really more to do with aesthetics than functionality.

I had an F1 with the zytel sheath and although I think these sheaths have an advantage in wet conditions because they have some space around the blade to allow for drainage and drying, the one thing I didn't care for was the fact the blade rattled inside the sheath. It was perfectly functional, I didn't like the rattle.

With Fallknivens being stainless, leather sheaths are less of a concern with moisture, but even stainless can corrode, so it is still worthy of consideration if you will be using in a wet environment. I like the way a good fitting leather sheaths holds a knife, and I just like the looks better.

One thing though; something like this is not likely to happen with a zytel sheath.

c1e68d46.jpg


My daughter was sheathing my F1 and pushed the blade right through the side of the sheath with very little effort. Luckily she missed her fingers.

Kevin
 
Hi Kevin. Glad she didn't get nicked there. Yes , that is a possible hazard of leather , although it hasn't happened to me. I have nicked openings and straps ( leather as well as nylon) from sheathing and unsheathing though. Another issue is that leather softens over time, use and moisture also allowing more loose fit, although this is easier to remedy on a leather sheath than plastic , Imo. There are definately pros and cons to each.

I am a bit of an old school fellow and do like the aesthetics of leather as you do , but servicability for me is a top priority. The kydex and plastic sheaths on my Esees' have served me well , never wanting for leather even though such options are available. Your points on stainless are well taken. Leather does retain moisture and can perhaps discolor/oxidize a blade over time.

Thanks for your post. Btw , what are you going to do about that damaged sheath? Just curious.

Pete
 
hiwa said:
Hi Kevin. Glad she didn't get nicked there. Yes , that is a possible hazard of leather , although it hasn't happened to me. I have nicked openings and straps ( leather as well as nylon) from sheathing and unsheathing though. Another issue is that leather softens over time, use and moisture also allowing more loose fit, although this is easier to remedy on a leather sheath than plastic , Imo. There are definately pros and cons to each.

I am a bit of an old school fellow and do like the aesthetics of leather as you do , but servicability for me is a top priority. The kydex and plastic sheaths on my Esees' have served me well , never wanting for leather even though such options are available. Your points on stainless are well taken. Leather does retain moisture and can perhaps discolor/oxidize a blade over time.

Thanks for your post. Btw , what are you going to do about that damaged sheath? Just curious.

Pete
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I should note that this is the first time I have ever had a knife come through the side of a sheath in over 30 years of knife ownership. I don't think it is a common occurrence. This sheath always had a bit of "catch" spot that would keep the knife from sliding in easily, you could pull back, reposition a bit and it slipped right in. There may have been a defect.

The sheath was replaced for free by Paul at Workwear Canada. I don't know if Paul covered it or Fallkniven, all I know is when I ordered a new sheath, Paul told me "no charge". It was replaced with a leather dangler.

There was no reason for it to be replaced on warranty, the "catch" spot was never proven to be a defect, so I think it was just great customer service.

Kevin
 
Good to hear. Paul is a top-notch guy and has helped me out in the past also.
Glad you got the sheath replaced. :)
 
Have you thought about getting a custom Kydex sheath done? I like the kydex sheath that came with my F2 better than the Zytel sheaths. That's not to say the Zytel sheaths aren't good, just a personal preference again.

Kevin
 
Ive got a Zytel sheath for mine. I like it because its very slim, meaning it packs very easily in my backpack. Plus its weatherproof making it a great match for the F1'a VG10. Together its a quite good package for outdoor use. Plus the sheath has an oversized snap-button strap which works great if youre wearing gloves.

The sheath retention isnt that good when its unstrapped, but it dosent matter to me, as my knife is always snapped shut when in the sheath.
 
hiwa said:
At least it's waterproof ! What knife model do you have?

( Btw, my Mom is from Mannheim !)

:)
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Hey,

I got the F1 (not coated, vg10). My advice to you: if you don't prefer leather over plastic, you should get the zytel sheath. At least I can't complain about it.

(Say hi to your Mom. Mannheim rocks :thumbup:. Carl Benz invented the car in Mannheim :D).

The sheath retention isnt that good when its unstrapped, but it dosent matter to me, as my knife is always snapped shut when in the sheath.
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I consider the sheath retention to be perfect. Since it's not super tight it prevents the rubber from getting "damaged".
 
I have the leather sheath with mine. At first it has very nice retention but looses it after a little while. If i have the flap loosened and i give the knife 1 good shake upside down, out comes the knife. I still like the sheath though, its a decent leather sheath. Thick, well made.
 
Thanks for all the responses guys. After careful consideration I will get the zytel sheath. I found a dealer that carries leather spares, so if over time I don't like it I can change to leather. I like the fact it's compact and won't get looser over time :thumbup:

Fallkniven makes great knives !
:)
 
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