Kydex Holster Lining

[barnbwt]

We've all heard Kydex is rougher on guns than (clean) leather. Is there any reason a softer/slicker material like PE or PTFE couldn't be applied on the inside to soften the interface with the gun? Kydex is a very hard plastic, and actually seems to have a somewhat high friction value (in my bogus estimation).

I made a sheat for a kukri recently, and I was suprised to see the Kydex took off the bluing almost instantly at the contact points. I'll be making another for my TRR8, but I'm afraid its aluminum alloy frame will wear away before I get a chance to sever the topstrap . Even though the wear would be cosmetic, a matte-black gun with silver highlights would really look crummy.

Anyone try/heard of a composite plastic holster?

TCB

 

[9mmepiphany]

The first production one was by Bill Rogers back in the 70s. He sold the patent to Safariland who marketed under the name Safarilaminate

 

[JTQ]

Are you asking about leather lined kydex?

Garrett Industries "Silent Thunder" line
http://garrettindustries.mybigcommerce.com

 

[TAKtical]

Kydex wont scratch your gun. Dirt, dust, etc, on your gun or in the hoster is what does the damage. While not impossible to add a liner to the kydex holsters, it would be difficult considering how the kydex is formed and IMO would actually be pointless unless you like how the kydex holsters look.

 

[barnbwt]

Kydex wont scratch your gun. Dirt, dust, etc, on your gun or in the hoster is what does the damage.

Kydex does wear the high points on the gun because it's a fairly hard plastic; simple erosion. Soft(er) plastics would do less damage, but they don't form tough enough shells around the gun. I was wondering if anyone's ever tried or heard of a softer polymer (like teflon) being bonded to one side of the kydex before it's formed, so you can get the best of both worlds.

According to Google, Kydex is Rockwell 90, and teflon Rockwell 50-70 (and far better friction values). It seems like we should be able to improve on the wear characteristics of these plastic holsters. A properly bonded thin layer of polymer "liner" wouldn't impede the forming of the Kydex, so that seems like a possible way of accomplishing these improvements.

I suppose leather or cloth holsters would have similar benefits, initially, but as we all know, they eventually get grit stuck in them and start sanding the finish. I tried looking up the Safari-laminate thing, but there's little explanation as to exactly how it's put together; as far as I can tell, it wraps leather around kydex for looks, with the cleanliness of kydex.

That Garret rig looks nice, and I'm sure it's quiter than a Kydex draw (as their advertisements mention), but you still get the dirt-gathering of a porous material (and the ugliness of kydex ). Does anyone make a Kydex holster that's leather lined and leather wrapped ?


I wonder if there's a way I could do this myself. PTFE is pretty dang unglue-able, but I'll bet there's something out there that can bond or weld it to the kydex while they're both still flat. Any ideas, people?

*Apparently PTFE can be glued now . Loctite makes a "Plastics Bonder" CA glue than can supposedly hack it. Now, if it can hold two sheets together under the shear of bending, who knows. I'll post up if it works out. I bet it'll make for quick draws if it works

TCB

 

[TAKtical]

Even leather will "wear" the finish on blued guns. Kydex has never worn the finish on any of my glocks or cerakoted 1911's.

 

[barnbwt]

I will be holstering an Aluminum framed revolver, so I'm a tad more concerned about avoiding wear (if possible). You really haven't had any wear at the high points of your cera-koted 1911? That stuff's tough, but I haven't heard any reports that it stands up to frequent holster use without some wear. The Glock's lack of wear is to expected, from everything I've heard about their (Tenifer?) coating.

This isn't a leather v. kydex thread, though. I was asking if anyone's heard of different materials being used in conjunction with kydex to reduce it's propensity to wear contact areas. I have a rust-blued kukri with a kydex sheath I made for it, and it is rubbed raw wherever it contacts the sheath. Being a knock-around field tool, I don't really care, but I have reservations about making a holster for a gun if similar wear is to be expected. To be fair, the bulk of the kukri blade is annealed/normalized type hardness; only the edge is hardened, unlike a firearm.

TCB

 

[Hossfly68]

What about a very thin coat of spray on truck bed liner? You may not get a totally even coat, but you could just spray it inside the kydex. Just an idea.

 

[Sour Kraut]

Are you asking about leather lined kydex?

Garrett Industries "Silent Thunder" line
http://garrettindustries.mybigcommerce.com

+1 on Garrett Industies! Leather lined Kydex, but still thin and light weight. Secure, but quiet draw and easy on the guns finish. I was a little skeptical until I got one. I love it for every day carry. YMMV....

 

[hso]

"hard" plastic isn't harder than aluminum or steel. It can damage the finish, but not the underlying material.

Injection molded holsters are made of HDPE and Nylon instead of Kydex. If you don't like Kydex, try those.

Companies have tried lining Kydex holsters and sheaths with leather glued in and synthetic "fuzz", but only the leather actually works since the synthetic fuzz compresses too much to secure the weapon.