Kydex or leather sheath

W

Water-Man

Joined
Jul 12, 2015
Messages
19
I need to replace the sheath that came with my Becker BK9. Reasonably priced and carried infrequently. Kydex or leather.

Thanks for your help.
 
Leather is slightly heavier, thicker but more expensive
Kydex is lighter, slimmer, and relativity cheaper
 
I think Becker knives are kydex kind of knives.. UNLESS you have put micarta slabs on it and stripped the blade.. then leather. :D Always go for the leather! :D
 
This debate raged in my mind regarding holsters for my pistols, albeit for a very short time. My final answer, then and now, is resoundingly leather. Something about the handcrafted leather, smell, and overall care and craft makes it a first choice for me.
 
If you have an item like a gun with bluing or a knife with a coating or finish kydex just mars it real bad. Leather is more forgiving and just works better. I've cut myself before trying to get some knives in and out of a kydex sheath.
 
you get more carry options with kydex than you would with a normal leather sheath, but the leather would carry better I think if you knew how you wanted to carry it all the time, and got a sheath made for that purpose. If you are fine taking care of leather, and feel confident that you want to look after it, I'd go that way, but if you are more of a ride-hard, put away wet sort of guy, then kydex is going to be much more forgiving. There is some very good leather available that will handle the wet, but you have to spend to get it.
 
Not a fan of kydex anything personally so I would go leather. I looked at a couple for my BK9 but it was more than the knife itself and more than I am willing to spend for something I rarely carry.
 
I have seen some leather scout sheaths that have a small kydex retainer under the strap and snap.Holds knife even if strap unsnaps. Very cool. All the looks and feel of leather with just the smallest amount of kydex for retention. I was thinking about trying it with a piece of pvc.
 
Dead-On said:
If you have an item like a gun with bluing or a knife with a coating or finish kydex just mars it real bad.
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Not if the sheath is done right. There is a big difference when a kydex sheath is made by a well season kydex master. So no, kydex won't "just" mar a coating or bluing.

Dead-On said:
Leather is more forgiving and just works better. I've cut myself before trying to get some knives in and out of a kydex sheath.
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Best to qualify your blanket statements with phrases such as "in your opinion" or "in my experience". I don't have a single knife with a leather sheath that I use. Every single one that came with a leather sheath I have replaced with a kydex one. In my experience, for my uses, and in my opinion kydex works far better.

And if you are getting cut with a kydex sheath? I don't know what to say. Don't let that happen. Sand the edges or take care of it in another way.
 
craytab said:
Not if the sheath is done right. There is a big difference when a kydex sheath is made by a well season kydex master. So no, kydex won't "just" mar a coating or bluing.



Best to qualify your blanket statements with phrases such as "in your opinion" or "in my experience". I don't have a single knife with a leather sheath that I use. Every single one that came with a leather sheath I have replaced with a kydex one. In my experience, for my uses, and in my opinion kydex works far better.

And if you are getting cut with a kydex sheath? I don't know what to say. Don't let that happen. Sand the edges or take care of it in another way.
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I think I understand what he means about getting cut, when a kydex sheath is made rather tight your hand can slip up on the sheath and make contact with the blade. I've done it on a few of my personal kydex rigs when not being as "awake" as I should be when in the bush. Those plastic injection molded sheaths have such a strong retention that they tend to be a little uncomfortable when unsheathing, that sudden leg go can be a little surprising.
 
leatherman said:
I think I understand what he means about getting cut, when a kydex sheath is made rather tight your hand can slip up on the sheath and make contact with the blade. I've done it on a few of my personal kydex rigs when not being as "awake" as I should be when in the bush. Those plastic injection molded sheaths have such a strong retention that they tend to be a little uncomfortable when unsheathing, that sudden leg go can be a little surprising.
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Oh, cut with the knife? Well, that has not happened to me either with kydex or molded plastic. And if the retention is not to my liking or needs it can be easily and immediately remedied with a little modding. This is not something I have found can be done with leather. Then again, some folks don't want to or aren't capable of modding kydex or plastic. To each their own. these are just my opinions through my experience.
 
Yea, I dont want to have to think about modifying anything I get in that I'm not familiar with. It should work right, right out of the box. If I have to work on it, then I might not have chosen the right product.

This thinking as someone that just wants something that works.

I'd want the craftsman to correct any flaws, and as a craftsman I'd prefer to fix any missed flaws myself and make it good. I've not worked with many kydex benders but I'd hope they have the same ethic. If you get something your not happy with, PLEASE let the craftsman a chance to make it right. If you dont, then its on you not them.
 
I have found myself more than capable of softening a little kydex to get the retention exactly how I want it. But to each their own!
 
leatherman said:
If you get something your not happy with, PLEASE let the craftsman a chance to make it right. If you dont, then its on you not them.
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craytab said:
Not if the sheath is done right. There is a big difference when a kydex sheath is made by a well season kydex master. So no, kydex won't "just" mar a coating or bluing.



Best to qualify your blanket statements with phrases such as "in your opinion" or "in my experience". I don't have a single knife with a leather sheath that I use. Every single one that came with a leather sheath I have replaced with a kydex one. In my experience, for my uses, and in my opinion kydex works far better.

And if you are getting cut with a kydex sheath? I don't know what to say. Don't let that happen. Sand the edges or take care of it in another way.
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Thank You both for stating that.

In answer to the original question I could make you a kydex sheath or a Half Leather Half kydex Mutant © sheath
But I would need the knife sent in to do it.

E-mail me if you like.

azgunnut@earthlink.net

IMG_0574_zps1cd1b8aa.jpg
 
If it is a Sheath Knife I only use Leather on everyone I have including BK's and Custom's plus Guns ~~ but then I take very good care of everything I own as far as Hunting and Fishing equipment is concerned.! Plus I use only Custom Sheaths from a Leatherman in Mo. and he is reasonable$ ~ and I also call him a friend ~ which makes all the difference in the world as he knows what I like and what I don't care for.!*** Leather all the way.!!!
 
Dead-On said:
If you have an item like a gun with bluing or a knife with a coating or finish kydex just mars it real bad. Leather is more forgiving and just works better. I've cut myself before trying to get some knives in and out of a kydex sheath.
Click to expand...

You must've had a crappy kydex sheath. Kydex is more durable than leather and cheaper.
 
Those are two very debatable claims there

There are leather items several hundred years old and usable, there are also plastic items in my possession that are 20 years old and breaking down.

Leave either one in a hot car and you'll equally ruin them.

Cost is subjective, there is a lot more finish work on leather, its much more labor intensive. But if you look at the materials prices they are pretty much neck and neck. Specialty kydex can get rather pricy.
 
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