Survive! Sheaths and standard attachments that fit them

[redwood22]

I like your outlook on life

Someday I want a dmt card sharpener like Standard has. Dmt keychain sharpeners look good too.

trying to look into some diamond plate options, there seem to be too many....just like everything else in this hobby!!!

 

[Standard78]

My friend finally brought his 4.1 over so I could share photos of it in the Battle Horse Knives leather sheath. It's the #9.

It fits nice and secure for a leather sheath.

 

[Silver Needle]

Sweet! Dangler + firesteel loop = total win

 

[Silver Needle]

Ok, help me out. I've been looking around, but can't find a good answer: what is the difference between kydex and carbon fiber? I like the slight pattern on carbon fiber, but are there big differences to how the materials act as a sheath?

 

[Standard78]

Ok, help me out. I've been looking around, but can't find a good answer: what is the difference between kydex and carbon fiber? I like the slight pattern on carbon fiber, but are there big differences to how the materials act as a sheath?

That carbon fiber looking stuff should be called Holstex. It's a little harder to work with than Kydex but it's just as strong.

 

[Kiah]

Ok, help me out. I've been looking around, but can't find a good answer: what is the difference between kydex and carbon fiber? I like the slight pattern on carbon fiber, but are there big differences to how the materials act as a sheath?

Carbon fiber isn't typically used in sheaths. I've seen a few by individuals, but it's a whole other process.

The "carbon fiber" sheaths you typically see are thermoplastics (Kydex, Holstex, or Concealex/boltaron) with a laminated simulated CF pattern. Haven't tried the newer Kydex and Holstex versions yet (there's some in a box around here somewhere). The old bolataron version was just awful to work with.

 

[Kiah]

That carbon fiber looking stuff should be called Holstex. It's a little harder to work with than Kydex but it's just as strong.

I've got some I need to test at some point, but heard some horror stories on using it with any tight bends.

 

[Standard78]

I've got some I need to test at some point, but heard some horror stories on using it with any tight bends.

That's exactly what I read. Apparently it has to be heated at a higher temp then it feels rubbery once it's ready. I'm curious if it will hold up under cold temperatures like kydex.

 

[Kiah]

That's exactly what I read. Apparently it has to be heated at a higher temp then it feels rubbery once it's ready. I'm curious if it will hold up under cold temperatures like kydex.

From what I've read since it came out, it behaves very similarly to Boltaron as far as forming. Boltaron itself I don't mind at all (and Mike Sastre loves it) and it's smoother texture gives a nice illusion of a better form. The "CF" stuff I swore to never touch again though. At Kydex forming temps it had a tendency to boil from the inside out on me for whatever reason.

Haven't seen a data sheet on Holstex, so don't know the theoretical temp tolerances. Since it would typically be more of a concern at bends, the whole cracking at room temp thing doesn't give me too much confidence personally. Do intend to try it out on pancakes though. It is pretty and the clear seems to be the worst offender. Of course Kydex gets iffy itself with bends and I've had quite a few clips snap because they're under pressure. One of the many reasons I think thermoplastics in general suck for that purpose.

 

[Standard78]

From what I've read since it came out, it behaves very similarly to Boltaron as far as forming. Boltaron itself I don't mind at all (and Mike Sastre loves it) and it's smoother texture gives a nice illusion of a better form. The "CF" stuff I swore to never touch again though. At Kydex forming temps it had a tendency to boil from the inside out on me for whatever reason.

Haven't seen a data sheet on Holstex, so don't know the theoretical temp tolerances. Since it would typically be more of a concern at bends, the whole cracking at room temp thing doesn't give me too much confidence personally. Do intend to try it out on pancakes though. It is pretty and the clear seems to be the worst offender. Of course Kydex gets iffy itself with bends and I've had quite a few clips snap because they're under pressure. One of the many reasons I think thermoplastics in general suck for that purpose.

That's weird that it boils like that! Maybe the outside surfaces are more dense.
It is pretty hard to beat leather loops or steel clips but I think your clips are the best I've ever encountered.
I'd like to check out one of your pancake sheaths once you start doing them.

 

[Kiah]

That's weird that it boils like that! Maybe the outside surfaces are more dense.
It is pretty hard to beat leather loops or steel clips but I think your clips are the best I've ever encountered.
I'd like to check out one of your pancake sheaths once you start doing them.

I don't know, but I threw more away than ended up in sheaths. Others seem to use it without issue, so I assume it was something I was doing wrong, but I really hated that stuff. To be fair that was the toaster oven days, so that may have contributed.

I've been leaning towards leather, but the more I play with coated webbing the more I like it. It's most likely the direction I'm heading. I'll post a pic as soon as I get some time.

 

[Standard78]

I don't know, but I threw more away than ended up in sheaths. Others seem to use it without issue, so I assume it was something I was doing wrong, but I really hated that stuff. To be fair that was the toaster oven days, so that may have contributed.

I've been leaning towards leather, but the more I play with coated webbing the more I like it. It's most likely the direction I'm heading. I'll post a pic as soon as I get some time.

I had to Google that webbing! Talk about something that'll handle a beating and take nearly any type of weather that you throw at it.

 

[Silver Needle]

Informative discussion!

From a customer/user standpoint would there be any noticeable differences other than the shiny, checkered pattern on the holstex like durability or retention or weight?

 

[Kiah]

I had to Google that webbing! Talk about something that'll handle a beating and take nearly any type of weather that you throw at it.

It's neat stuff. I have a bunch of the IWB sized stuff to play with, but got some wider stuff inbound from another company that I anticipate should be pretty cool.

Informative discussion!

From a customer/user standpoint would there be any noticeable differences other than the shiny, checkered pattern on the holstex like durability or retention or weight?

Can't speak to the durability, but everything else should be similar. Thickness range is the same and all.

 

[chiral.grolim]

Random post, i finally took pics of how the DMT Duo-fold fits in a Condor MA45, Fenix PD30 included as well:

 

[Hard Knocks]

I picked up several of those condor pouches, I think I'm really going to like them. As soon as I get some bigger Survive! steel in I'm going to try my hand on a couple of ideas.

 

[Riz!]

For a portable sharpener I use the spyderco medium stone in a leather pouch. Its like 1/8 inch thick and 1.25x5 inches roughly. It works amazingly well and you can use the leather pouch as a strop to finish off your edge. They also have one called the double stuff (or something like that) that has medium on one side and fine on the other.

 

[Standard78]

For a portable sharpener I use the spyderco medium stone in a leather pouch. Its like 1/8 inch thick and 1.25x5 inches roughly. It works amazingly well and you can use the leather pouch as a strop to finish off your edge. They also have one called the double stuff (or something like that) that has medium on one side and fine on the other.

I've been wondering about those lately. What coarseness do you use?

 

[Hale Storm]

Thank you, Kiah, for the suggestion! :thumbup:



NOW, on a separate topic, pouch-attachment.
Halestorm already showed how mounting a couple of strips of plastic on your sheath will allow you to use the Blade-Tech MOLLE-lock strips to attach MOLLE-backed pouches like those from Maxpedition and, evidently, Kifaru. Condor's packs/pouches almost all come with their own snap-strip for such attachment, though that is not always as convenient as the MOLLE-locks though those are more expensive.

Well, here are some attachments of the Condor "i-Pouch" to sheaths using one of the Gen-1 MOLLE-locks, but first here it is attached to the Sagewood GSO-4.1 sheath via the "scout" snap-strips:

Here is a Gen-1 MOLLE-lock attached to a strip of plastic. You don't need to mount the lock to the strip, but I find it helpful to secure a pouch using only one strip. NOTE: you can do this with just about ANY piece of sufficiently thick polypropylene, or you can buy some kydex and mounting screws from your preferred source and cut to size.

But here is the genius of Kiah's MOLLE-clip. By mounting it sideways on the front of your sheath, the MOLLE-lock attaches just as easily if not more-so. You'll notice that my GSO-10 molle-clip has slots cut where once there were only holes - this allows me a greater variety of placement options on the sheath. I really like the molle-clip :thumbup:

Excellent ideas Chiral!

And it's nice for me to get mentioned with you pros (Chiral and Kiah). Thanks guys. Now of course my mind is spinning since I already filled the little Maxpedition pouch and want something larger (or maybe a second pouch on the big sheath - LOL).

 

[Texas_toothpick]

What all is involved in doing a kydex/leather hybrid? Is it full kydex inside the leather or just a ring for the handle portion to snap in? I have heard of them and been curious how they were constructed.