.093 kydex temp

u812

u812

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Mar 15, 2002
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I have made several sheathes with .080 kydex with very good results heating the kydex to around 280. Not sure if the kydex really got that hot or not.I had the oven set to that temp and when the kydex got malleable enough to mold I pulled it out. Maybe 5 min heating time. I just got a sheet of .093 to make a sheath for my Busse NMFSH when it gets here. Does it need to be heated at a higher temp to get a good mold or just when it gets to the same malleability as the .080?
 
The same temp you used for the .080 will be fine for .093... .mines different but I use the same temp for both. One really nice thing about the .093 and thicker Kydex is that it holds the temp longer so your definition, etc. (definition is overrated imho) will be much better. So the short answer is yes and it will be better and easier to work with.


Eli
 
I believe 355* F is the optimal temperature for forming. This is what I shoot for when molding pistol holsters and have had good results.
 
JerkeeJoe said:
I believe 355* F is the optimal temperature for forming. This is what I shoot for when molding pistol holsters and have had good results.
Click to expand...

Wow,I may need to start heating it up a bit more.May be why with some colors I am not getting great definition.Black does well but I have noticed the camo colors do not.
 
The other thing is, you should get an oven thermometer to make sure what the dial says matches what your actual oven temperature is. I lucked out and got an oven that was within 5 degrees of the dial. I've seen toaster ovens be off as much as 50 degrees from the dial.

I cook the 0.080" at 350 and the 0.060" at 335. And I only have it in there for a couple minutes. I like the 0.080" because it can sit in there longer without any problems. Doesn't give as tight a definition, but that actually works out better for me that way.

Something about the chemicals they have to include with the colors/dyes makes them heat up differently. I've noticed this too. Always order extra when using a new color. *lesson learned* ;)

Dan
 
To reinforce what Daniel said, I use a non-contact thermometer. I don't use an oven, I use a hot plate so measuring temps for me is a wee bit different. But yea, the oven based temp gauge isn't accurate (I think the dude says that in the vid too)

EDIT:

I was just re-reading this post and it hit me, what GODSPEED TAC. said about definition being overrated. On his site (and I'm considering having a sheath made from him) some of his work has pretty good definition...
 
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u812 said:
Wow,I may need to start heating it up a bit more.May be why with some colors I am not getting great definition.Black does well but I have noticed the camo colors do not.
Click to expand...


355* scares me and I've never gone that high but it could be the ticket... who knows. I don't use camo as a rule because it only comes in .080 but I have the same experience as you (and Senor Koster) in that black heats up really quick. Pretty much every colored pancake sheath I've ever made (-2) has a black back (my trademark, lol) and if I put them in at the same time the black is always "ready" quicker than coyote brown, od green etc. except for tan which gets soft quicker so I think Daniel is right about the chemicals/colors combos heating differently. Now I start the "colored" piece first and then throw in the black/opposing piece so they're ready at the same time.

Definition: I think the knee-jerk reaction for most (myself included) is/was that with a thinner material you can get better definition but the thinner Kydex looses it's heat so quickly that it's the opposite (from my experience) there are other factors: a cold knife, cold foam, ambient room temp. etc. that quickly affect/cool Kydex before you can put the "squeeze" on it.

I use a lot of 1.35 but it's thickness causes problems..... I get a lot of surface deformation on the back/shiny side by the time it's ready to form so I've had to lower the heat, wait a little longer and really force it but I don't use it for actual sheaths so there's not too much forming going on.



theHobbyist said:
To reinforce what Daniel said, I use a non-contact thermometer. I don't use an oven, I use a hot plate so measuring temps for me is a wee bit different. But yea, the oven based temp gauge isn't accurate (I think the dude says that in the vid too)

EDIT:

I was just re-reading this post and it hit me, what GODSPEED TAC. said about definition being overrated. On his site (and I'm considering having a sheath made from him) some of his work has pretty good definition...
Click to expand...


Thanks man! Yeah I probably should've put a note with that statement but it really is... my sheaths definitely have definition and I hate seeing sheaths that have no definition (rattle traps) at all but there's a limit... in certain places of the sheath.


We just got some great advice from Daniel Koster...... I love this place!;)

Eli
 
I think some sheaths do have definition but the color or camo pattern hides it more than black does.Here is a R9 sheath in camo.The knife fits perfect and it does have definition but you can't see it very well.The black one I made for the R9 really shows the definition.
SANY0022-2.jpg

SANY0021-1_zps62b5d0f3.jpg
 
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