Heat Molding Kydex?

[JLStorm]

I just purchased a comp-tac CTAC holster that is for an HK USPf 45. The holster is a left hand model, but will not accomidate the the left hand model of the USP with the safety on the right side. I talked to comp-tac and they said just return it, but the fact is that I cant find anyone who makes a kydex holster for IWB that will accomidate the safety on the body side of the holster. Someone on another board mentioned that kydex was easy to heat mold, I find this a bit hard to believe especially since comp-tac said they wish they could accomidate me, but they just dont have a mold that would work for the USP in this configuration.

Do you think heat molding would work, or do I just say screw it and go with a leather holster that is soft enough to bend around the safety lever?

 

[Kaylee]

Well, it could work. The result just wont necessarily be as clean, and if you over-cook it the kydex can shrink some - or worse yet, melt and fall into the heating element and catch fire.

BUT.. if you watch it careful, you should be able to soften it just enough to accomdate the safety position. Just heat it a toaster oven or such like, stick your gun in it, and press between a couple soft camping mats or suchlike.

I doubt it'll look as pretty when it's done, but it should work just fine.

 

[flatdog]

I have a kydex rifle cheek piece that needed a little shaping. So I put it in boiling water, it softened and held it's new form after cooling.

It worked quickly, so don't toss it in and walk away.


Good luck.

 

[JLStorm]

The boiling water trick worked beautifully! I repeated the process 3 times just on the part of the holster I wanted to mold so as not to distort the rest of the holster and really got a great perfectly molded fit. after I was happy with the fit I put the warm hoslter with the gun still inside in the freezer for about 8 minutes and its just perfect. I tried drawing and reholstering a few times and could not be happier, and to think I was going to return this holster, thanks so much!

 

[flatdog]

 

[Kaylee]

ooh -- boiling water. I'd never have thought of that -- I'll have to try that sometime. Thanks for the tip!!

And JL -- glad it worked! Nicely done!

 

[El Tejon]

Didn't SWAT do an article about this? Didn't Tiger write it, IIRC?