View Full Version : What do you guys think?
Just finished designing and making a few Kydex holsters for my E2e's which I carry on my duty belt.
Mojo has already posted one piccie for me but since then I've (hopefully?) learnt how to post by my self!
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y124/dougmccoy/DSCF0019.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y124/dougmccoy/DSCF0024.jpg
The design is just a rehash of others seen on the web but as the shape of those is generic mine have been made differently to exhibit my own ideas and attempts at creativity! :X
Anyway let me know what you think?
Doug
looks good, well done
does it still hold the light even when upside down??
how about a tutorial for BB?
Edd
Dont know if I'm skilled enough to do a tutorial but would be willing to give it a go perhaps a little later? As to answering your question about retention when upside down, the good news is they all work as intended and provide secure carry. The retention on E2e's is made by an inteference fit with the knurling on the E2e tailcap 'grabbing' at the inside of Kydex holster.
After a while, a little wear takes place, which may necessitate a little warming and reforming of the kydex to regain retention. I am working on a possible way to avoid that but it requires either a strap or tensioning screw. Both are possible but dont add to the looks of the holster very much. However, I'm still working on it so I may still crack that problem!
My experiences so far suggest that by using a Tek-LoK and making your own holster you have a very versatile and secure carry whilst still having easy access to the light.
Making the Kydex holster is simply a case of trial and error and using the right tools which are minimal.
BTW the professionals who make Kydex sheaths and holsters for a living use the inteference fit method for the E2e's due to the aggressive knurling!
Doug
PS_Bond
10-04-05, 03:21 PM
Looks very nicely done :biggthump
TomTom
Hadn't thought about selling any of them! I made them because I couldn't find a commercially made product that did the job and because I like making things. Besides the one custom made holster I did buy seemed so simple that I knew I could make one of at least a comparable standard.
The funny thing is, that I have since made some simple design changes, which I hope have improved on the custom designed one. This is not to detract from the original makers design or the very high standard of workmanship he exhibited but simply to make my holsters better suited to the purposes I require.
Kydex Tutorials both on BB and elsewhere on the net are not that prolific but are very inspiring and I thought I' d give it a go and see what happens. As it is the learning curve is not that steep and common sense application of simple engineering skills will exhibit good results for the majority of us here on BB.
ODS does cheap sheath making kits which have everything you need (bar the Tek-Lok) for an incredibly cheap price.
Give it a go, I think you will surprise yourself!
Doug :)
Ropeman
10-04-05, 06:23 PM
TomTom
Hadn't thought about selling any of them! I made them because I couldn't find a commercially made product that did the job and because I like making things.
That sounds like the start of a business success story. :D
I really like the look of those sheaths, have you ever had any thoughts about spare battery sections?
Interestingly I have been playing with that idea. I saw one by a Korean manufacturer for Nuwai Q111 which incorporated space for a spare battery.....very interesting!
I've also been playing this afternoon with straps and button snaps on some sheaths for other lights.....AA MM and Stinger. I've hopefully got a couple of original ideas which I'll share with you guys should they work out ok. Incidentally does anyone else have problems finding the time for all this stuff!
Doug
PS_Bond
10-04-05, 08:44 PM
Kydex Tutorials both on BB and elsewhere on the net are not that prolific...
Unfortunately, it is one of those (several) media where you need to actually try it for yourself. Once you've gone past the blank-sheet phobia, you start to see what is possible. And it is never exactly the same problem twice, either...
Incidentally does anyone else have problems finding the time for all this stuff!
Errr... Yes? No television probably helps a bit ;)
Looks very pro!
Vell done
OŘ
Edd
The retention on E2e's is made by an inteference fit with the knurling on the E2e tailcap 'grabbing' at the inside of Kydex holster.
Doug
you could make a hole in the kydex for the end of the pocket clip to slip into. that should hold the light nice and tight after the knurling has chewed up the inside of the sheath.
you may have to use thicker kydex for that to work.
mojofilter
20-04-05, 04:16 PM
Great stuff Dougie!!!
Fiacha Hi!
Believe it or not I've already done that to another holster of mine made by Normark of On Scene/Tactical which I've modified. Here is a pic:
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y124/dougmccoy/DSCF0012.jpg
The picture of the second pouch In this post was made with the two holes in and allows for the short clip to engage in the top hole in this way. In my experiments I found that it didn't make as large a difference as you'd imagine, in fact it was not really that effective.
In the first shot you will see that the body of the E2e has a slight bulge where the top of the clip engages with the body. I made a recess for this in the holster I've made which actually is more beneficial at allowing safe storage than using the clip in the hole method.
In the next revision I will make the recess and hole on the side of the holster looking towards where the attachment screws are. This will lesson the chances of the clip being banged against walls, objects etc when on duty.
Thicker Kydex is a pig when you start to make tubes for flashlights for the size of the E2e.
Doug
Hey I just realised that a cobweb is showing in the top left hand corner of the third photo! LOL! SWMBO obviously has taken my advice and stayed outta my room!
Doug :D
mojofilter
20-04-05, 04:51 PM
Dougie, do you actually mould the hot kydex round the E2E, or a similar diameter piece of wood etc...
Mojo
I thought about moulding directly onto the body of my lights before I ever tried using Kydex but came to the conclusion that it could cause more problems than I wanted (especially if the light has on board electronics).
When you've had a hot air gun on Kydex (especially the thicker stuff) then the metal gets really hot). This isn't a problem with blades or metal tools but most electronics, glues, epoxies used in lights dont like those sorts of temperatures.
I now find or make metal or wooden formers to wrap the kydex around. In the case of the E2e I was lucky and had some steel tube of just the right diameter. (it actually was a metal broom handle which got misappropriated from the shed for my uses and which SWMBO recently found missing) :D LOL!
The advantage of metal formers is that they retain enough heat to allow slight movement to be induced in the kydex if needed.
Doug
Stuart Ackerman
20-04-05, 09:08 PM
It maybe obvious, but take the cells out when heating torches and Kydex...
Thought I'd add a couple more pictures and I made another to show Fiacha the clip in hole method of retention. (As I already pointed out it is only patially successful in retaining the light) and interference fit is still the best method.
I've been experimenting with a reverse roll for the battery tube idea but it makes an aesthetically nice holster look very ugly! However, I'm still experimenting! Look out for my next attempts?
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y124/dougmccoy/HOLSTERS1.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y124/dougmccoy/BELTCLOSEUP2.jpg
Doug
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