Survive! GSO 5 and GSO 4.1 New Custom Kydex - PIC HEAVY

Hale Storm

Hale Storm

Kydex Whisperer
Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
Joined
Sep 18, 2013
Messages
2,771
Finished these last night.

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SO COOL!!!!!

I still need one (or several) of your drop attachments. I'll definitely be in touch when the time is right.

Tell me about that carbon fiber! I like the textured look, but are there any pros or cons compared to regular kydex?
 
knife chop said:
What's the thickness of the sheath and the Kydex belt loop? They look great btw
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Right at 5/8" but the top of the opening where the knife inserts is over 3/4" wide.

Technically, the belt loop is scuba webbing (strongest webbing I could find) and the mounting plate is kydex, but t's super heavy duty .125 kydex. A full 1/8" thick.

Super tough sheaths for super tough knives right?
 
Silver Needle said:
SO COOL!!!!!

I still need one (or several) of your drop attachments. I'll definitely be in touch when the time is right.

Tell me about that carbon fiber! I like the textured look, but are there any pros or cons compared to regular kydex?
Click to expand...

Only one con. When sanding and buffing, the carbon fiber dust and fibers fly all over the place. I wore long sleeves, a 1 micron respirator, safety goggles, gloves, and had an exhaust fan pushing everything out side while I was working.

The pro is that it is real carbon fiber laminated on the kydex. It also polished up better than any kydex, holstex, or boltaron I've used.
 
Hale Storm said:
Only one con. When sanding and buffing, the carbon fiber dust and fibers fly all over the place. I wore long sleeves, a 1 micron respirator, safety goggles, gloves, and had an exhaust fan pushing everything out side while I was working.

The pro is that it is real carbon fiber laminated on the kydex. It also polished up better than any kydex, holstex, or boltaron I've used.
Click to expand...

Sounds like quite a process!

Forgive me, but what does the carbon fiber do to the kydex? Added strength or just aesthetics or something else?
 
Silver Needle said:
Sounds like quite a process!

Forgive me, but what does the carbon fiber do to the kydex? Added strength or just aesthetics or something else?
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I don't think its a laminated carbon fiber. But a holstex patterned with carbon fiber. And it's more durable that kydex.
 
Silver Needle said:
Sounds like quite a process!

Forgive me, but what does the carbon fiber do to the kydex? Added strength or just aesthetics or something else?
Click to expand...

I may stand corrected here but this is not real carbon fiber. It's just a pattern in the Holstex (albeit a great one). So, it's more aesthetics than anything.
 
Hale Storm said:
Only one con. When sanding and buffing, the carbon fiber dust and fibers fly all over the place. I wore long sleeves, a 1 micron respirator, safety goggles, gloves, and had an exhaust fan pushing everything out side while I was working.

The pro is that it is real carbon fiber laminated on the kydex. It also polished up better than any kydex, holstex, or boltaron I've used.
Click to expand...

I guess the dust was from my buffing wheels. Maybe the texture had something to do with it. I round, buff, and polish all my edges (I think it's sets my work apart from most other kydex) and there was a lot of dust in my 7 step process versus the normal kydex and holstex I use.

I still think it looks great and for most applications, there is no need for real carbon fiber in a knife sheath or holster. Just my $0.02
 
Hale Storm,

Quick question, as a custom kydex bender do you consider sending out sheaths with cracked/split eyelets? Some think it's okay and won't affect performance but does imo cracked eyelets does not scream quality.
 
Hale Storm said:
I may stand corrected here but this is not real carbon fiber. It's just a pattern in the Holstex (albeit a great one). So, it's more aesthetics than anything.
Click to expand...

So if I'm understanding correctly...... holstex is cooler looking kydex? I do love the look! Is it the same thickness?
 
Dont know how much clear you u use, but it breaks easier than the black or colored stuff. I havent had an issue making sheathes because they flex vey little. I did have issues with some stealth belt clips I made for IWB holsters. They couldnt withstand the flex from repeated drawing of the weapon. It does make a sick sheath though! Here are two that I made.




 
knife chop said:
Hale Storm,

Quick question, as a custom kydex bender do you consider sending out sheaths with cracked/split eyelets? Some think it's okay and won't affect performance but does imo cracked eyelets does not scream quality.
Click to expand...

I wouldn't do it intentionally but it does happen. I take the time to round, buff, and polish all my edges and seams so the cracked eyelet would bother me. I wouldn't scrap the whole sheath unless it was a custom order for a customer but I would sell it as a "second" and be up front about it if I was just building some to list for sale for stock knives.
Some guys could care less about a split eyelet on the back of the sheath and I've never seen one that failed later that was split. I personally don't care if an eyelet splits later. I went through that not too long ago with some colored eyelets. None of them seemed to work without splitting. I even bought new dies for my press. That company quickly went out of business. I haven't had an eyelet split in a long time since then.
Splitting happens for a few reasons. Worn dies. Eyelets too long for the material being used - this is most common. Think of using 8-10's on two pieces of .060. Too much material to "roll" and the rolled end splits. Cheap eyelets.

Now, I will say this, I've had some personal sheaths of mine that have seen some very hard use and although the eyelets were perfect when built, one or two split after being flexed too much when hung up in the brush, or on equipment, etc. Those sheaths are still holding up just fine.
 
Silver Needle said:
So if I'm understanding correctly...... holstex is cooler looking kydex? I do love the look! Is it the same thickness?
Click to expand...

Yes, you're answer is somewhat correct. Kydex and Holstex are both thermoform plastics. They are different in their chemical composition and "behave" differently when heating, forming, sanding, buffing, etc.
Even different colors of Kydex behave differently. Desert Tan kydex is much easier and smoother to buff and polish tan OD Green or Black.

The carbon fiber is standard .080.
 
Riz! said:
Dont know how much clear you u use, but it breaks easier than the black or colored stuff. I havent had an issue making sheathes because they flex vey little. I did have issues with some stealth belt clips I made for IWB holsters. They couldnt withstand the flex from repeated drawing of the weapon. It does make a sick sheath though! Here are two that I made.




Click to expand...


I agree. Very "hard" and somewhat brittle compared to kydex and standard colors of Holstex. I use a lot of eyelets anyway for attachment (and quality) purposes but it really helps stabilize the clear Holstex.

Very nice work on the sheaths. I love that leather loop. Very simple yet functional and yet I can see the quality in the work you did to make it fit and flow on the sheath. If anyone has ever done leather (I'm an amateur), they know how hard even a simple loop can be to get it right with clean lines and smooth edges. Very nice indeed.
 
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