ever used Kydex?

[Citizen H]

As part of my machete project I've scored x 2 DPM Jungle Knife Sheath's, I'm currently butchering one as the blade is a different shape / profile and wont sit straight and moves about, im looking to line it with kydex, firstly to keep the blade straight / in place and to reinforce it,

has anyone worked with it before? is there a uk distributor of the proper fixings (other than flea bay) as these seem to be very hard to obtain in the uk,

Ive currently asked for some Chicago screw samples from America,

all the best "H"

[Mortblanc]

Kydex is everywhere you look and as a thermoplastic it is infinitely recyclable. Old discarded children's toys, cafeteria trays, plastic lawn chairs, plastic snow shovels, they can all be reused at the end of their life span.

All one needs is a good pair of metal snips, a good heat gun (paint remover gun) to shape it and a sanding disk on an electric hand drill to sooth rough edges.

For something like your project, lining a sheath, simple pop-rivets will do just fine. No one is going to see them inside the sheath.

There are hundreds of you-tube videos showing how to shape, form and trim the kydex by hand using these simple tools. It really is as easy as they make it look.

You may also be looking for trim bits in the wrong spot. Craft shops and fabric stores may have some of what you want for eyelets, rivets and snaps. I usually have to check both the fabric and leather departments to find all the bits I need. Old fashioned hardware stores usually keep a supply of tube rivets, brass rod, heavy eyelets and such.

I also like to improvise when working on sheaths, especially leather, and I will use small #6 brass screws and bolts to reinforce and decorate stress points. It looks like I did it on purpose and not like I could not find the exact rivet I wanted.

Knife making and sheath making is usually not a one stop shop deal. Outside ordering on the internet it is very unusual to find all you need under one roof.

I have links for U.S. firms if you need them. I am not sure if they ship to GB but with small batches it might be possible. Cost of shipping is going to be more than the cost of the products!

[korolev]

I have made knife sheaths with it. It's not particularly difficult and, if it doesn't go right you can just heat it up and have another go.

I use a couple of sheets of 15mm neoprene glued to wood. Heat up both bits of kydex, make a neoprene, kydex, knife sandwich and clamp the whole lot together.
I use eyelets off ebay, they look ok and hold the thing together nicely.

[Mortblanc]

Those very dense closed cell foam sleeping pads used by backpackers are excellent for making the kydex press.

I am talking about the cheap ones. We get the over here at Walmart for $5. They are about 1/2" thick and made to roll up and carry strapped to the backpack.

Just take two pieces and attach them to the plywood as stated. Clamp the hot kydex with the knife in the sheath and secure it with a couple of bungee cords. When it cools it will be form fit to the knife.

[CraighR]

I have a kydex sheath of my Merc Worx Vorax and on my Böker Tomahook. I also had one on some things I carried in South Africa. Kydex is your best friend if you want to keep it in place.

[Captain Darling]

Try Back Country Workshop. Veteran owned and operated. Tends to make things for the military/law/outdoors market.