New Kydex Hobby

[chezuki]

I just started playing with Kydex about a week ago, using scraps from an old holster to get a feel for proper temperatures and timing. I finally broke down and ordered a couple sheets to mess around with. Here are my first two finished pieces.

 

[Fergy35]

Nice looking sheaths. I need to try that one of these days.

 

[doglb]

Holy Crap!! Those look awesome!
Great Job!

 

[DaKruiser]

You done a fantastic job, excellent detail!

 

[Lagrange]

Dude...if that's messin' around, I cant wait till you get serious about it.

 

[walleyepw]

Looks nice. Appears that you have a new hobby.

 

[Double T]

I just started playing with Kydex about a week ago, using scraps from an old holster to get a feel for proper temperatures and timing. I finally broke down and ordered a couple sheets to mess around with. Here are my first two finished pieces.

Tandy Leather now sells kydex

 

[David Rose]

Tandy Leather now sells kydex

In there stores or just the web site?

 

[Turf Doctor]

Looks professional. Nice work

 

[johnb62]

Very nice!

 

[! twitty]

I just started playing with Kydex about a week ago, using scraps from an old holster to get a feel for proper temperatures and timing. I finally broke down and ordered a couple sheets to mess around with. Here are my first two finished pieces.

Looks good, I have been wanting to try my hand in it as well. Did you make a press or buy one? That is my main concern before trying one out.

 

[Double T]

In there stores or just the web site?

I bought 3 sheets of 060 from the store in Fort Wayne.

 

[gthorne]

Those look really nice. Even rivet spacing and edge distances make all the difference in the end product.

Looks good, I have been wanting to try my hand in it as well. Did you make a press or buy one? That is my main concern before trying one out.

I've been thinking about making a press that looks like this one from knifekits.com.

Sheath Molding Press - Bench Model - (8 x 12)

There's lots of good info on sheath and holster making on BladeForums and lots of guys over there seem to like that press's design.

Does anyone use this kydex moulding press?

 

[cubby]

looks great!

 

[chezuki]

Looks good, I have been wanting to try my hand in it as well. Did you make a press or buy one? That is my main concern before trying one out.

I built the press with material from Lowe's for about $10. The wood was free from their scrap bin. The foam is from KnifeKits and really makes a difference. I was using stacked sheets of packing foam at first and definition was poor.

The finishing on the sheaths was done with a Dremel and a palm sander that I already owned, although I'm sure a bench top belt sander would speed up the process a bit.

 

[cubby]

i have changed how i sheath, lately. a sander puts out alot of "junk". junk into the sheath, junk into the air, junk ON the sheath, ect. and also makes more finish edge work, to knock off burrs and such.

i switched to using tin snips or side cutters to get it 99% after the rivets. no mess at all to speak of. give it a lite kiss on a 400 grit belt or piece of paper, and done! sheath time was cut in half, by going this route.

 

[chezuki]

i have changed how i sheath, lately. a sander puts out alot of "junk". junk into the sheath, junk into the air, junk ON the sheath, ect. and also makes more finish edge work, to knock off burrs and such.

i switched to using tin snips or side cutters to get it 99% after the rivets. no mess at all to speak of. give it a lite kiss on a 400 grit belt or piece of paper, and done! sheath time was cut in half, by going this route.

I've evolved that direction as well, just picked up snips last night. I was scoring straight edges with a box knife and breaking, then rounding the angles with the sander. I had a close call slip with the box knife and decided $10 snips would be easier, less finishing work, and less likely to end in an ER visit.

 

[parkerj112]

I use a bench ban saw with a fine blade. Works great!

Parker

 

[dbishop728]

great looking sheaths

 

[David Rose]

I bought 3 sheets of 060 from the store in Fort Wayne.

That's funny, a few months ago I went in there and had a heck of a time trying to explain what kydex was and why I wanted screws and rivets but no leather. I'll have to go back and check it out. Thanks Double T.

Dave Rose