Kydex; help needed

[keith_beef]

Well, thanks to Mr. Bond I now have some Kydex.

But I'm finding it difficult to shape properly.

I'm warming it for 3 minutes, or so, at gas mark 3 to 4 to get it nice and soft, but I can't get it to form tightly around the knife...

Bud Nealy's article in this month's Excalibur (French mag) talks about 'putting it in the press', but no other details...

I've tried putting a few thicknesses of cloth under the kydex, then same above, then a 10lb weight to leave to set, but this doesn't seem to work well enough.

Am I missing something really simple?



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[MushiSushi]

I have 2 pieces of 18mm MDF, one of which has 20mm plastazote glued to it ... I get the stuff floppy ... stick the knife in and then G cramp the lot together so you have a sandwich of MDF, kydex, knife, kydex, plastazote and MDF again, clamp up tight and leave to cool

[PS_Bond]

You'll have a working time of 20-30s if you're up at about 170C; don't remove the knife until it is cool to the touch. Cotton gloves help immensely for handling the hot kydex.

Apart from that, my set up is similar, but I'm using a PVC foam (from TKS, actually); mousemats (pref neoprene) stacked together or a stack of kipmat foam also work well.

[ugug]

hey Peter

is there a link for TKS .. am i being dense... where are my false teeth

ugug

[PS_Bond]

http://www.texasknife.com

[ugug]

:doh: :thanks:

[deviant11]

First time I tried to make a kydex sheat (for a bali), I used a camping mat (?).

You can see my first attempt in the pics in this thread (belgian forum):

http://forum.weapons.be/showthread.php?s=&threadid=199


Last pic in the thread shows my second attempt. A whole lot better if you ask me.

[keith_beef]

First time I tried to make a kydex sheat (for a bali), I used a camping mat (?).

You can see my first attempt in the pics in this thread (belgian forum):

http://forum.weapons.be/showthread.php?s=&threadid=199


Last pic in the thread shows my second attempt. A whole lot better if you ask me.

Not bad, for a second attempt!

But I think your anvil is a bit too rusty...

Is that teflon tape, in the first picture?


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[deviant11]

Thanks.

At the time I took the pics, the anvil hadn't been used for about 30 years or so. (it was my grandfathers')

The tape is just standard tape (duck-tape?) wrapped around a paper towel.
For my second attempt, I didn't use it. For a bali sheat, it's better not to use the tape. (needs a tighter fit)

[keith_beef]

Thanks.

At the time I took the pics, the anvil hadn't been used for about 30 years or so. (it was my grandfathers')

The tape is just standard tape (duck-tape?) wrapped around a paper towel.
For my second attempt, I didn't use it. For a bali sheat, it's better not to use the tape. (needs a tighter fit)

Have you seen the article in the current issue of Excalibur (French mag)?

It shows a small magnet in the Kydex, to help hold the knife in place.



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[PJ*Granger]

For a look at finished kydex from a different perspective check out my sites at www.geocities.com/grangerknives
or www.grangerknives.com