Gollnick
Musical Director
- Joined
- Mar 22, 1999
- Messages
- 29,258
The postman delivered all three today just as I was leaving for the famous Beavercreek Road address in Oregon City. So, I took 'em along and we looked at 'em there.
In the past, I've sort of stayed away from Kydex/Concealex for four reasons:
First, most sheaths and holsters I've seen seen have way to much material and this material is so stiff that it's hard and uncomfortable to wear.
Second, rough and sharp edges that make such sheaths and holsters uncomfortable to wear and can even tear clothing.
Third: overall really poor workmanship. This Kydex/Concealex stuff is just to easy to make a basic shape out of. It seems that anyone with a hairdryer suddenly thinks they can make a sheath.
And, finally, retention problems. When a material is basically rigid, it's gotta fit just right. A touch to loose and the knife/gun will fall right out. A touch to tight and you'll need The Jaws of Life to get the knife/gun out.
So, those are the four key points I'm looking for in trying out Clay's sheaths.
I'm also not a big fan of neck knives for two reasons:
First, I usually wear my shirts tucked in.
Second, I don't like a heavy thing hanging around my neck.
But, I recently saw a great idea: A neck knife sheath worn as a very simple, very brief shoulder holser with the knife actually under your shoulder, not hanging in front of your chest. This would be a good way to carry a knife at the gym, I think, so I'm eager to try that.
Well, the string provided on the Clay's neck sheath is a bit to short for this. In fact, I've seen Clay a time or two and I suspect that this string is a bit to short to get around his neck even. So, I'll have to round up a longer string. That shouldn't be a problem. In fact, I'll put my locker key on the same string. Very good.
Clay's neck/shoulder sheath is very minimal, which is just what I wanted and answers my first Kydex/Concealex objection. The edges are very nicely finished, very smooth. For a sheath that's gonna be worn right next to my body, this is excellent and answers objection
number two.
This proposed application here, at the gym, points out one of Kydex/Concealex's big advantages: they are plastic and impervious to water and sweat. Not only will they not be damaged by moisture, but won't absorb any odors, etc.
The big question is retention, especially in a sheath that will be used during moving activities. As I stated in objection number four, Kydex/Concealex sheaths must walk a very thin line between to loose and to tight. I gotta tell you, this sheath is tight right now. Not quite Jaws of Life tight, but tight. Now, the last neck knife sheath I evaluated was so loose that you couldn't jump six inches up off the floor and land on your feet and not have the knife fall out of the sheat. So, this one is a lot better. I also suspect that this sheath is going to loosen up a bit with use. Each time I pull the knife out, some small black plastic shavings come with it. So, I suspect that this thing will be fitting much better shortly as the sheath and the knife get better acquainted.
I hope so since I think this is going to be a comfortable, light weight sheath to wear under the shoulder at the gym.
The horizontal belt sheath is the one that appeals to me most for regular use. First of all, I love the belt clip on this thing. It flips open so that you can put it on your belt without removing or even opening your belt. Then, it snaps shut to assure that it doesn't fall off of your belt as some spring-clip designs can.
The fit-and-finish of the belt sheat is much the same as the neck sheath: excellent. The design is very minimalist, very non-intrusive. The edges are nicely finished. Everything is smooth and nice. This is Concealex done in a sensitive way that is not going to shag cloths or scratch the wearer.
Again, this fit is tight. But, I'd rather have a tight fit than have my BM42 fall out and be lost.
My only object to this sheath is its thickness. It's over 1.4" thick and ends up hanging off your belt just a bit.
Finally, there is the now famous Inverted V. Neck knives are nothing new and balisong users have been carrying in horizontal belt sheaths for years. But this Inverted V thing is nothing if not Extreme. Only Clay could come up with this rig.
Again, workmanship and finish are excellent. All edges are nicely finished. There are no sharp corners or sharp hardware to snag or scratch. Very nice.
Again, the fit is tight but the alterative to that is unacceptable.
Finally, I do have to say that this thing is remarkably more concealable and more wearable than I originally expected.
Most pants have a belt loop right in the middle in the back, but Clay has thought of that making the belt clip on this sheat a split design to actually utilize that center belt loop to keep the sheath centered. But, the first pants I put on this morning have an exagerated center loop and wouldn't work. But, I have learned over the years that not all sheaths/holsters work with all cloths. It's just something to be aware of.
In short, I am very impressed with Clay's workmanship. His quality and his finish are excellent. I'm looking forward to using these sheaths.
------------------
Chuck
Balisongs -- because it don't mean a thing if it ain't got that swing!
http://www.balisongcollector.com
In the past, I've sort of stayed away from Kydex/Concealex for four reasons:
First, most sheaths and holsters I've seen seen have way to much material and this material is so stiff that it's hard and uncomfortable to wear.
Second, rough and sharp edges that make such sheaths and holsters uncomfortable to wear and can even tear clothing.
Third: overall really poor workmanship. This Kydex/Concealex stuff is just to easy to make a basic shape out of. It seems that anyone with a hairdryer suddenly thinks they can make a sheath.
And, finally, retention problems. When a material is basically rigid, it's gotta fit just right. A touch to loose and the knife/gun will fall right out. A touch to tight and you'll need The Jaws of Life to get the knife/gun out.
So, those are the four key points I'm looking for in trying out Clay's sheaths.
I'm also not a big fan of neck knives for two reasons:
First, I usually wear my shirts tucked in.
Second, I don't like a heavy thing hanging around my neck.
But, I recently saw a great idea: A neck knife sheath worn as a very simple, very brief shoulder holser with the knife actually under your shoulder, not hanging in front of your chest. This would be a good way to carry a knife at the gym, I think, so I'm eager to try that.
Well, the string provided on the Clay's neck sheath is a bit to short for this. In fact, I've seen Clay a time or two and I suspect that this string is a bit to short to get around his neck even. So, I'll have to round up a longer string. That shouldn't be a problem. In fact, I'll put my locker key on the same string. Very good.
Clay's neck/shoulder sheath is very minimal, which is just what I wanted and answers my first Kydex/Concealex objection. The edges are very nicely finished, very smooth. For a sheath that's gonna be worn right next to my body, this is excellent and answers objection
number two.
This proposed application here, at the gym, points out one of Kydex/Concealex's big advantages: they are plastic and impervious to water and sweat. Not only will they not be damaged by moisture, but won't absorb any odors, etc.
The big question is retention, especially in a sheath that will be used during moving activities. As I stated in objection number four, Kydex/Concealex sheaths must walk a very thin line between to loose and to tight. I gotta tell you, this sheath is tight right now. Not quite Jaws of Life tight, but tight. Now, the last neck knife sheath I evaluated was so loose that you couldn't jump six inches up off the floor and land on your feet and not have the knife fall out of the sheat. So, this one is a lot better. I also suspect that this sheath is going to loosen up a bit with use. Each time I pull the knife out, some small black plastic shavings come with it. So, I suspect that this thing will be fitting much better shortly as the sheath and the knife get better acquainted.
I hope so since I think this is going to be a comfortable, light weight sheath to wear under the shoulder at the gym.
The horizontal belt sheath is the one that appeals to me most for regular use. First of all, I love the belt clip on this thing. It flips open so that you can put it on your belt without removing or even opening your belt. Then, it snaps shut to assure that it doesn't fall off of your belt as some spring-clip designs can.
The fit-and-finish of the belt sheat is much the same as the neck sheath: excellent. The design is very minimalist, very non-intrusive. The edges are nicely finished. Everything is smooth and nice. This is Concealex done in a sensitive way that is not going to shag cloths or scratch the wearer.
Again, this fit is tight. But, I'd rather have a tight fit than have my BM42 fall out and be lost.
My only object to this sheath is its thickness. It's over 1.4" thick and ends up hanging off your belt just a bit.
Finally, there is the now famous Inverted V. Neck knives are nothing new and balisong users have been carrying in horizontal belt sheaths for years. But this Inverted V thing is nothing if not Extreme. Only Clay could come up with this rig.
Again, workmanship and finish are excellent. All edges are nicely finished. There are no sharp corners or sharp hardware to snag or scratch. Very nice.
Again, the fit is tight but the alterative to that is unacceptable.
Finally, I do have to say that this thing is remarkably more concealable and more wearable than I originally expected.
Most pants have a belt loop right in the middle in the back, but Clay has thought of that making the belt clip on this sheat a split design to actually utilize that center belt loop to keep the sheath centered. But, the first pants I put on this morning have an exagerated center loop and wouldn't work. But, I have learned over the years that not all sheaths/holsters work with all cloths. It's just something to be aware of.
In short, I am very impressed with Clay's workmanship. His quality and his finish are excellent. I'm looking forward to using these sheaths.
------------------
Chuck
Balisongs -- because it don't mean a thing if it ain't got that swing!
http://www.balisongcollector.com
(we say that, but it's not that easy, that's why I asked Clay to do the sheaths for me).
