What is kydex made of?

O

Odulus

Joined
Sep 14, 2001
Messages
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As a relative newbie, I am showing my ignorance here. I bought a knife on e-bay. The title says "_____ with nylon sheath." In the description, it says "The sturdy black kydex sheath ..." Nowhere is there the word "cordura" so I assume that I am getting a kydex sheath.

The knife shows up, and sure enough it's a cordura sheath, not kydex. So before I go throwing stones, or a tantrum (or a knife), I'd like to know if this is my own darn fault for not knowing or not asking, or if I was justified in my assumption.

Thanks for any help.
 
I'm not sure what exactly you are asking, but...

Kydex is a hard plastic. Cordura is a fabric. Did the sheath come with a kydex insert? Strider knives, the Becker Combat?utility model, and others come with a nylon fabric shell over a plastic insert.

otherwise, if the list said kydex but you got a cordura sheath. someone sis make a mistake.
 
The ad seems ambiguous. Talk to the seller and see what he says. Maybe he can send you a kydex one, maybe he can give you a small refund. If not, and you really like Kydex, you can have one made for not a ton of money. Personally I do not own any fixed blades. In fact, my first experience with Kydex was today with my new Pocket Hobbit. Seems like really cool stuff. I plan on ordering a Kydex holster for my Gunting soon as well. So, I like it as a quick draw option for folders that you want to deploy into reverse grip (PH) or that ride uncomfortably high in some pockets (gunting) or for those who just do not like knives in their pockets (everything else, lol).
 
Yeah, the ad sounds kind of messed up. In my experience there's no way Kydex could be mixed up with Cordura.
 
Sorry if I wasn't clear. The basic question is whether kydex is a kind of nylon. If it is, then there was nothing in the listing to tell me that I might get something different than kydex and I think I have a gripe. If kydex is not nylon, then there was a discrepency between the title and the text and I should have asked.

Thanks for the replies.
 
Kydex is a plastic polymer, If I read the description sa you wrote it I would have asked.
 
From http://www.kydex.com/us/index.html

DESCRIPTION
KYDEX sheet is an extremely durable acrylic/PVC alloy extruded in a range of colors, patterns, textures, thicknesses, and grades to optimize long-term performance, appearance, and cost effectiveness across demanding and diverse end-use applications.

Specialized grades are offered to satisfy requirements specific to thermoforming, membrane pressing, post-forming, brake-forming, and laminating-and to fit a broad range of specialized applications, ranging from medical equipment housings and aircraft tray tables to retail store fixtures and trade show displays.
Click to expand...

Kydex is often referred to as a thermoplastic, but really I guess "thermoformable acrylic/PVC material" would be more accurate.

It is not nylon.

Again, check your sheath ... it may be a Kydex insert surrounded by a cordura nylon shell ... so the nylon would comprise the bulk of the "sheath" material.
 
Kydex is indeed a PVC relative that is in many ways inferior to Concealex.

I just got off the phone with Ron at www.SurvivalSheaths.com who explained the in's and out's of both materials. I had a Kydex sheath for my CS Kukhri that cracked when I was on an extended hiking trip, leaving me carrying the big, awkward knife in a precarious manner strapped to my pack. The freezing temperatures/high altitude caused the Kydex to crack when I applied tension while re-sheathing the knife, just as PVC pipes under your house can do.

I've since ordered a Concealex sheath for the Kukhri, and have been pleased with the differences.

General school of thought is that if you've got a small knife, folding or fixed, that requires not a great deal of retention, then thin Kydex will do the trick just fine. When failure is not an option, Concealex is the better choice, especially in thicker gauges, since as Ron explained, the bonding agent is more resilient and the material itself is more flexible. Just my half-pence...

Professor.
 
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