Heating Kydex In The Oven ?

jeepin

jeepin

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Jul 20, 2003
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I want to tighten up a kydex sheath and right now my only option is putting it in the oven.
Its a neck sheath if that matters.


I just need to know the temperature I need to set it to and for how long?.


Thanks in advance.
 
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If you're just trying to tighten up the sheath, an oven is going to get too hot too quick to do this, IMO. On a finished sheath you risk the rivets pulling through and then you're going to be sheathless. I think the best route for this is a heat gun with a diffuser and being REALLY conservative with how much heat you put into the material. I'm not a veteran in Kydex but I've messed up enough to know what not to do.
 
Unfortunately I dont have a heat gun,
I do have access to a blow dryer though.

If I hold the blow dryer on one spot on the kydex sheath long enough will that work?, or will it ruin it?.
 
In have tightened kydex sheaths by dipping them in a coffee cup of boiling hot water and then squeezing it with my fingers and then put it in cool water.
 
I've used a candle to tweek kydex too. Just keep it a couple inches above the flame and check often with your fingers until it becomes pliable - then squeeze it to the shape you want.
 
Whatever method you use go slowly. You can always heat more but once you've gone to far and melted it you've got a mess.
 
Jeepin,
According to Kleerdex, the company that makes Kydex, you should be heating Kydex to between 360 and 385 degrees F for material in the thicknesses commonly used for sheaths. It also says that you should heat your Kydex from 80 - 100 seconds for .093 thickness material. Here's the link to their Heat Treating Technical Brief.
 
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