Kydex sheath query!

[Ogri the trog]

A question for those "in-the-know" about Kydex.

I'm having a hankering for a different knife, nothing outrageous, slightly more "tactical" than my current haul of woody clones but still with a plain edge, probably about a five and a half to six inch blade with micarta scales.

Now comes the crux....

I'd like to consider a Kydex sheath - but I abhor the use of rivets and screws in a sheath - I hate them with a passion. I'd like to know if a "Dutch fold" similar to those used in traditional tinware could be used in Kydex to create the bevel side enclosure.

What are your thoughts or experiences?

Cheers

Ogri the trog

 

[bb07]

No rivets or screws in this style sheath. Or is this what you call rivets?
ESEE Knives

 

[FGYT]

probably possible but would be a real PITA to do I suspect

 

[Ogri the trog]

No rivets or screws in this style sheath. Or is this what you call rivets?
ESEE Knives

Same thing to me bb07,
Whether they're fitted with a hollow tube rivet, solid rivet or a threaded screw - to me it is just wrong. You take a thermoform plastic which is capable of enclosing a blade and handle with the tightest fitting enclosure you can get apart from cling-film - then you fold it carefully around the knife, moulding it to every minute contour of the blade and handle so it has that satisfying "click-in, click-out" security; but you have to be sure to leave a huge flat seam so you can hold it together with rivets and screws - it's just wrong on so many levels.

For a material that was developed for such security and tightness of fit, you would have thought that some clever means of geometric origami would look infinitely better than fasteners that find popularity in "Mechano" sets and early ship building techniques.

Maybe its just me!

Ogri the trog

 

[Ogri the trog]

probably possible but would be a real PITA to do I suspect

Pain or not, if a thing is worth doing, it is worth doing well!

Ogri the trog

 

[Jared]

Anyone tried making a sheath with http://www.fiberfix.com/ ?

 

[bb07]

Same thing to me bb07

Okay, I understand. I was thinking grommets/eyelets, but I see they're also known as rivets.
What about folding over like in this pic, but sewing the one side instead?

Or covering the kydex with leather, similar to this pic, but going all the way up?

Or folding like this?

 

[Ogri the trog]

One of Rob Evans's sheaths had a kydex insert in a leather sheath - and that was pretty in the extreme, the insert was removable for cleaning if I remember correctly.

If only I could draw what I'm thinking about...

If you were to make a folded kydex sheath with one side larger than the other, trim the short side close to the knife's edge, then wrap the longer side around so you'd get about 1/8th inch overlap, you would retain reasonably tight security of the blade and guard area of the handle but there would be no visible fasteners at all - and with some cunning and artful trimming before the folding, you could incorporate a sweet loop for a belt loop / double dangler.

I reckon the resulting sheath would use capillary action to move any blade moisture or rain away from the blade itself, draining better than a Mora sheath with its hole in the end. It'd be a winner for canoe paddlers and of course be slim and pretty to look at!

Maybe its a good thing that so many projects remain lodged inside my head.

ATB

Ogri the trog

 

[British Red]

I can't see any reason why you couldn't glue the kydex and then use a drill press...and stitch it like leather ...weird but it should work?

 

[redandshane]

probably possible but would be a real PITA to do I suspect

Well this man knows his Kydex so I think.......he may be right

 

[mountainm]

I can't see any reason why you couldn't glue the kydex and then use a drill press...and stitch it like leather ...weird but it should work?

Just a kydex "welt" and some glue would do the trick without the stitching. Especially a glue that melts the plastic onto itself if available. Could also try a hot crimped edge finish.

 

[Johnnyboy1971]

If you don't have rivets how do you fix a belt loop/hanger to it.

 

[Ogri the trog]

If you don't have rivets how do you fix a belt loop/hanger to it.

- and with some cunning and artful trimming before the folding, you could incorporate a sweet loop for a belt loop / double dangler.

ATB

Ogri the trog

ATB

Ogri the trog

 

[markheolddu]

What about plastic welding, not sure if you can do it on kydex, but it. works on car bumpers.


Mark