What grade of Kydex?

[Mickey]

I recently bought 8 sheets of kydex from a major knife supplier.It did not heat or form the way previous Kydex material did.Any idea what "grade" to order in the future?

 

[raker2]

As far as I know, there is only one grade of Kydex. I would say some one mislabeled some heat formable plastic and sold it to you. I thought that I would save a bundle one time by using some of the heat formable stuff and couldn't use any of it. The smooth side was a little more shiney than Kydex.

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Ray Kirk
ABS - JS
http://www.tah-usa.net/raker

 

[Normark]

Hey Guys...

Actually there are Many different grades of Kydex..
The stuff used for knife sheaths is refered to as Kydex T or Kydex 100.

This is the most widely used and least expensive of the kydex grades.
The other higher grades are used more for aircraft interiors where it has to pass heat and flame tests...

What is it that your kydex is NOT doing ?

Either you are heating it too much or not enough..

Explain to me exactly what you are trying to do and how the kydex is reacting and I'll give ya a good Ed-you-Cated Guess..

ttyle Eric...

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Eric E. Noeldechen
On/Scene Tactical
http://www.mnsi.net/~nbtnoel
Custom,Quality, Concealex Sheaths.

Leading The Way In Synthetic Sheathing.

 

[Allen Blade]

Hello,

The virgin grade Kydex material is called
kydex 52100 grade, it is not the normal Reground formulated Kydex-t that is most often sold, it also has a brighter black
apperance than the reground material and is
easier to form and allows for greater
adjusting of the sheath without memory loss after heating to adjust.

The material i use other than Consealex is
called 52100 Black Calcutta haircell grained
Kydex.

The Reground kydex works ok, but its just more rubbery and grainy on the grinding to finish and i dont like it as well.

Allen


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Allen Blade
Spokane,WA USA

" You can make great knives and sell a few, Or make Great AFFORDABLE knives and sell many"
WEB SITE : http://hometown.aol.com/bladecutlery/index.html

 

[Mickey]

Thanks for the info guys.The Kydex I bought was "shinier" than normal.I've made Kydex sheaths and holsters for about 6 years now.This Kydex did not have the "tension" after molding.Also, the inside(Shiny side) started to blister.I heat it with a heat gun, but I never had this result.

 

[grnamin]

http://www.kydex.com/ seems to be a good source for references on the different grades of Kydex.

-Greg

 

[Normark]

Hey Allen..

Do you really find that much of a difference in virgin kydex ??

Price seems a bit steep for the virgin stuff..

ttyle Eric...

------------------
Eric E. Noeldechen
On/Scene Tactical
http://www.mnsi.net/~nbtnoel
Custom,Quality, Concealex Sheaths.

Leading The Way In Synthetic Sheathing.