Making My Own Kydex Sheath

[RatDrall]

I decided a few weeks ago to start making my own kydex. I bought a toaster oven, dremel tool, coping saw, a bunch of kydex, and a die set for the eyelets. I need a belt sander and a bench vice, but it can be done by hand. The first few tries were a disaster, but I finally got it right on my fourth or fifth attempt

For size reference, here's the Bravo 1 in my hand:



Here's the front of the sheath (I made it to wear on my left hip, so the "clean" side of the eyelets faces that way, but it will work either way):



Here's the other side, with a Teklok:



The sheath is loose around the blade (wrapped it in a few layers of tape when molding the kydex, important because if dirt or anything gets inside the sheath, the hard kydex will press it into the blade and scratch the hell out of it) but very tight around the handle:





Doing this myself has given me a lot of respect for the guys who do it right consistently, you really have to do each step in the right order, and perfect, or you end up with a ruined sheath. There's also quite a bit of "art" involved to get it right.

 

[Jason_G]

Looks really good. I have a few questions, if you wouldn't mind answering them.

I've been wanting to order some kydex and build a press for a couple of months now, and haven't done it yet. What are you using for a press? What size Chicago screws are you using? Any recommendations for someone wanting to roll their own holsters and sheaths?

Again, looks great.

Jason

 

[conw]

Nice clean work.

Are you able to get a full grip on the knife though? Looks like you have to adjust it after it is out of the sheath.

 

[RatDrall]

I've been wanting to order some kydex and build a press for a couple of months now, and haven't done it yet. What are you using for a press? What size Chicago screws are you using? Any recommendations for someone wanting to roll their own holsters and sheaths?

My press is two piece of plywood and two pieces of the "kydex foam" that the maker sites sell. I sit on it to provide the pressure for molding, which is why a bench vice is on my short list of tools to buy. You can also build a nicer press, with some heavy duty hinges.

Not sure about chicago screws, I just use the 1/4" eyelets and a $10 eyelet smusher die set thing to set them.

Recommendations....

Buy at least 10 one foot sections, they're $5 each and it's easy to burn through them while screwing up your first few sheaths. I bought 3 ft and it went FAST.

Also, make sure to wrap your blade, twice, with masking tape. If you don't the sheath will be too tight around the blade. With a leather sheath, if something very hard (silica sand, kydex bits, etc.) gets trapped between the knife and the sheath it presses into the leather. With kydex, it gets trapped between the kydex and the blade, and will scratch the hell out of the knife. I modified a factory Bravo 1 kydex sheath, and some of the kydex that I ground off ended up inside the sheath. It cut grooves so deep that you could run your fingernail along the blade and get it caught in them (Bark River fixed it up like brand new and had it shipped back in less than a week ) You want the sheath to be loose around your blade, and tight on the handle. That's why I was so proud about this sheath, I have enough material around the handle so the sheath grabs it SOLID.

Make the sheath in two pieces, no "taco's" for me. Right after I mold the sheath around the knife, with the knife still in the sheath, I drill out the holes for my eyelets. Then, after the holes are drilled, I remove the knife and I push the eyelets through the holes, but I don't set them yet. This way, both halves of the sheath are held together and I can cut the shape and sand everything. I complete the sheath, with the knife out and the sheath held together by the unset eyelets. Once it is 100% done, I seperate the halves and wash and dry them. Then I can test fit after I make sure there is no blade destroying debris inside.

Oh yeah, clean your sheath out GOOD before you put the knife into it to test fit, if you put it in with any kydex shavings....see above.

Nice clean work.

Are you able to get a full grip on the knife though? Looks like you have to adjust it after it is out of the sheath.

I can get a solid 3 finger grip, the last finger falls into place as soon as the knife clears the sheath. The little "hook" at the bottom of the handle catches either my little finger (drawn edge forward blade up) or the web of my hand between my thumb and forefinger (drawn edge back blade down).