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Kydex IWB Sheath Maker?
5/16/2012 7:15:17 AM
Howdy all. I'm looking for a inside the waistband sheath for a CRKT Companion. I'd like a regular (Rubber?) loop. Y'all know of any sheathmakers who could do this?
TIA, Ray R
TIA, Ray R
5/16/2012 2:44:33 PM
I have a number of Kydex sheaths from Godspeed Tactical that I wear IWB.
http://www.godspeedtactical.com/
If he doesn't have a knife to use as a mold, you can send him anything and he'll bend a great sheath around it.
The sheaths in the pictures below are both set up for use with a Teklok at the moment, but work just fine with an IWB loop attached to the top tension hole:
http://www.godspeedtactical.com/
If he doesn't have a knife to use as a mold, you can send him anything and he'll bend a great sheath around it.
The sheaths in the pictures below are both set up for use with a Teklok at the moment, but work just fine with an IWB loop attached to the top tension hole:
5/16/2012 5:22:09 PM
Yup, any of the good kydex guys can do it, or should be able to. Just make sure to request that they really smooth out the edges and buff them. You don't need a ton of retention with IWB either, since the belt helps hold it tight. Personally I prefer the leather loops, but even there quality can vary. As long as you're happy with a particular loop it's all good. I prefer rounded profiles since corners can become hot spots on you or turn into worn spots on your clothes.
Here's a recent one using a fold over sheath and a small EDC knife. Sorry, not the best pics of the sheath but you can kind of see how edges really got melted.
If you still need some names for folks in the kydex business, check out bladeforums, they've got a section for that. I am definitely not on par with most of the folks doing sheaths as their main focus, they're the guys you want.
Here's a recent one using a fold over sheath and a small EDC knife. Sorry, not the best pics of the sheath but you can kind of see how edges really got melted.
If you still need some names for folks in the kydex business, check out bladeforums, they've got a section for that. I am definitely not on par with most of the folks doing sheaths as their main focus, they're the guys you want.
5/23/2012 4:24:14 PM
Howdy all. I tried contacting River City Sheaths, no luck. Guess they don't want my money.
Too bad, they have a sheath that looks to be just what I'm looking for.
Still looking.
Too bad, they have a sheath that looks to be just what I'm looking for.
Still looking.
5/24/2012 2:45:29 PM
I can tell you Remy's work is amazing. I just opened my Lycaon from him a little while ago and am currently wearing it IWB. Nice Kydex, excellent retention, and I went with the rubber loop on mine. Only word I have so far is...Awesome!
My knife
My knife
5/25/2012 11:12:44 AM
Still looking.
Not sure if this helps, but I bought the following:
$5 sheet kydex
$11 rivet smusher tool
$9 heat gun
$8 kydex foam
I made a cheap press using the kydex foam and some 3/4" plywood, and was able to start making my own sheaths:
The first made was for a cheap Mora, a learner sheath. The second was for my Bravo 1 and turned out fantastic, I even opened the back up so the thumb ramp doesn't catch up on anything. It's rough and needs finishing, but the learning curve was pretty fast:
Total cost for both sheaths, between rivets and kydex, was about $6. That's cheap enough to try 10 times to get it right. I did another last night for the Bravo 1, and it is way better than the first try.
Just a thought...
5/25/2012 6:15:09 PM
Kydex is pretty easy. The toughest part is learning how hot and how long to soak it before forming. Too little or too much results in lousy results, but it's not always the same because there are dozens of different formulas for what we call kydex and it's a pretty small sweet spot sometimes.
For me at least, the learning curve was very steep but short. My first few sheaths were horrible, then I took a step back and looked at some of the better makers' work carefully and read more tutorials. Then I made some changes in how I make my knives. lol.
Check out www.knifekits.com for sheath making stuff at good prices and with a decent set of basic tools. I use their journeyman dies and holder. It's not perfect, I need to pick up an arbor press and set it up for the job, but it does work well. I also got my foam there and suggest getting the right kind, not using some of the alternatives. There's a covering on one side that helps the kydex not melt the foam and maintain the finish on your sheath. As for a press, you can quite literally just put one sheet of foam on the floor, the sheath/knife on top of that, then the second piece of foam, a piece of plywood or thick enough metal to not have much flex, and then just stand on it for a bit. The press makes it so you can walk away, but it's not essential to get started.
Related to my initial comment, different thicknesses and brands of kydex cool and set differently. keeping it under pressure for extra time is far better than cutting it short. Until it cools enough to no longer be pliable it will try to return to a relaxed shape, ruining any tighter molding lines. I generally go 15 minutes for .06 thick and half an hour for .08 and .093. Once I take it out of the press I run some cold water over it to help it really set before I do anything else. The last thing you want to do is start flexing it to get the knife out before it's really set up.
Figure start up costs of about $100 including some kydex, but after that your cost per sheath/holster/whatever is very reasonable. I'm just starting on holsters and my second try, with the same pieces of kydex as the first, resulted in a high ride holster that works wonderfully. It lacks style and sophistication, but it manages to hold my hk usp-c so it only comes about 1.5" below my belt line. Good retention, good release, comfy and much easier in a short jacket than anything but IWB.... My total costs were about $5.
For me at least, the learning curve was very steep but short. My first few sheaths were horrible, then I took a step back and looked at some of the better makers' work carefully and read more tutorials. Then I made some changes in how I make my knives. lol.
Check out www.knifekits.com for sheath making stuff at good prices and with a decent set of basic tools. I use their journeyman dies and holder. It's not perfect, I need to pick up an arbor press and set it up for the job, but it does work well. I also got my foam there and suggest getting the right kind, not using some of the alternatives. There's a covering on one side that helps the kydex not melt the foam and maintain the finish on your sheath. As for a press, you can quite literally just put one sheet of foam on the floor, the sheath/knife on top of that, then the second piece of foam, a piece of plywood or thick enough metal to not have much flex, and then just stand on it for a bit. The press makes it so you can walk away, but it's not essential to get started.
Related to my initial comment, different thicknesses and brands of kydex cool and set differently. keeping it under pressure for extra time is far better than cutting it short. Until it cools enough to no longer be pliable it will try to return to a relaxed shape, ruining any tighter molding lines. I generally go 15 minutes for .06 thick and half an hour for .08 and .093. Once I take it out of the press I run some cold water over it to help it really set before I do anything else. The last thing you want to do is start flexing it to get the knife out before it's really set up.
Figure start up costs of about $100 including some kydex, but after that your cost per sheath/holster/whatever is very reasonable. I'm just starting on holsters and my second try, with the same pieces of kydex as the first, resulted in a high ride holster that works wonderfully. It lacks style and sophistication, but it manages to hold my hk usp-c so it only comes about 1.5" below my belt line. Good retention, good release, comfy and much easier in a short jacket than anything but IWB.... My total costs were about $5.
5/27/2012 5:31:40 AM
Howdy all. I sure appreciate the responses. I went with a maker who e-mailed me. A quick search shows many satisfied customers. Gotta apreciate a proactive businessman. I'll let y'all know how it works out.
Bladeforums pretty much locks up on me most times. I've needed a software update for some time now.
I just may jump into some kydex work. Right now I'm working two jobs and have little free time. Thanks again for taking the time to share your expertise.
Bladeforums pretty much locks up on me most times. I've needed a software update for some time now.
I just may jump into some kydex work. Right now I'm working two jobs and have little free time. Thanks again for taking the time to share your expertise.
