Kydex experiments...

Kalindras

Kalindras

Joined
Aug 24, 1999
Messages
933
Heigh-ho, everyone!!

Well, I've been tinkering around with some Kydex, trying to make some usable sheaths for a couple of recent knives I've made.

As you may expect, I've had some problems...big surprise. Luckily, I have a heat gun, and a toaster oven (albeit neither is really very good for this work), so heating the miserable stuff up is not a problem. My problem is getting a good imprint. I can get a good, deep print by using the foam-and-pressure method, but it's just not as crisp as I'd hoped for. I'm tinkering around with an idea from my modelling days to improve this, though...

Working on building a vacuum table, like I used to use to make copies of styrene parts. Is anybody else doing this, yet? If so, have you had any problems with dimpling where the Kydex rests over the vacuum holes? I mean, sure, they're not too big, but I had the Kydex take the imprint of the masking tape I used to protect the blade!!! If I could just get it to suck in around the edges, I'd be happy, but it seems to just not want to do it for me. Thus the vacuum table idea.

So, whaddya think? Workable? Any tips? Or am I wheeling out the howitzer to kill flies, again?

:confused:
 
I am also working on my first kydex sheath and trying to figure out what is the best way to get a good crisp sheath. So far has worked the best is a wood mold. I router out a form = to the knife plus a 1/8 on either side of the knife ( give room for the kydex.
On what I have done so far it has given me a good imprint. Since I am real familiar working with wood, I can router a "mold" in minutes. I been thinking about making a wood "knife" to = the knife I am making the sheath for and placing everything in the oven at one time.and them the heat and molds do it all I'll let you know how it works out.
good luck
Jack
 
I've always used that cheap green camping mat pad stuff that's 1/2-3/4 inch thick. If I want an impression on both sides of the sheath I use a layer on each side, or if I want a one-sided sheath, then I just use the pad on one side. I've never had a problem getting a nice impression unless it's a super thin knife with no scales or anything (the Emerson La Griffe is the only thing I've never been able to make a sheath for). If you're using the 0.9 thickness material then you won't get the same crispness as with the thin stuff. One thing a lot of people probably do is not leave the weight (I stand on my "press") on long enough. Kydex and Concealex shrink and expand with heating and cooling, so you have to make sure the stuff has cooled down enough before you take the weight off.
 
Hey Guys...

What I want to know is why you guys are putting soooo much effort into making a sheath...

You don't need wooden molds,, you don't need any fancy molding foam..

What you do need is pressure..

The reason you guys aren't getting crisp lines on your sheaths is, you don't have enough pressure...

Standing on your molds just doesn't work..Period...

Get yuorself some C-Clamps some wood with sleeping pad foam glued to each side and get to work...

I started off with 2 pieces of 2X8 with foam glued to each piece and Quck Clamps...Alot of knife makers still use this method.. Nothing wrong with it...

You guys need to do some searching in these forums for Kydex and Concealex and do some reading.. Theres enough info here to get you going properly and doing it right the first time...

Have fun..

Eric...
 
Standing on your molds just doesn't work...Period...

Normark, you must not weigh enough. :D
Certainly this is not the best way to do it, but I've done this on every sheath I've made and never had any negative feedback from buyers. A more consistent method like what you mentioned is definitely better, though.
 
Hey Steve..

Yaa well, thats pretty much what I meant...:)

A constant, consistent pressure will give you a better finished product.

The problem with standing on the mold is wiggle.. The knife has a tendency to want to wiggle in the mold..If the knife moves while its in the mold, your outcome may not be what your expecting.

If standing on your mold is the only way you've got to do it than thats another thing altogether...

I'm just trying to show people that theres a better way to do it, One that will give better results from the Get Go...Not saying its wrong..

ttyle

Eric,,,
 
Eric,
As I said I am new at this so I am experimenting a bit. I bought some foam at a local store and tried it out. The sheath didnt form as crisp as I thought it should. As I said I have done a lot of wood work and can router out a form in just a few minutes. The 2 times I have tried it it has done a real nice job. Now I did clamp the wood together and kept pressure on it till it cooled. But I am always open to advice, what I figure is that the foam I bought wasnt "stiff" enough. I am going to try putting the wood and the kydex in the oven all at the same time and crank down on the mold till its tight. I figure this might give me the best form
good luck
Jack
 
Hi guys,

That tip from from Eric to use (closed cell) sleeping pad foam and achieve steady heavy pressure is the ticket.

Here's a thread from the Shop Talk Archives that has a bunch of good kydex sheath making info in it. Because there is input from lots of different makers, you can get a wider perspective on how many ways people make their kydex sheaths.
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=108946

Like da man said, do a bit of searching here on BFC and you'll find a bunch of threads on this subject.

Happy reading,
-- Greg --
 
Ditto what Eric said plus speed and ease of your press set-up. If you have to stand on your project and try to line everything up for a good first time mold you are waisting to much time getting everything ready, by the time comes to press, your Kydex is to cool to mold properly. I have taken the largest vise I could find, added 8X12 pieces of 3/4 inch plywood X2 on each side and put molding foam on these. this gives me a quick and easy way to mold my sheaths as well as regulating the amount of force I am putting on the Kydex. Good luck and take care. Dean
 
On the off chance you happen to have a hydraulic press laying around, they work great too! I made some kydex sheath "dies" for my 25 ton welding press, and I get a great mold every time:D
 

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