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The Newbies Arena Are you new to knife making? Here is all the help you will need.

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  #1  
Old 11-21-2013, 09:37 AM
ferris ferris is offline
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kydex sheath question

About to make my first sheath out of kydex. My question is will it scratch the knife up? This will be a gift for a for long distance family member so I wont be able to readily fix...thanks
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Old 11-21-2013, 10:07 AM
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Ray Rogers Ray Rogers is offline
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Most likely, yes. The best way I've found to avoid or at least reduce Kydex scratching is to assemble the sheath with Chicago screws so that you can take it apart and clean it after you finish grinding the profile to shape. Most of the scratching comes from grit that gets trapped inside the sheath .

Also, avoid using a shiny finish on your blade. Shiny blades show every little scratch, a nice matte or satin finish shows very little...


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Old 11-21-2013, 02:34 PM
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miketheknife miketheknife is offline
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I have found that the contact points where the sheath grips the knife will always show a wear spot. I have yet to figure out away around that.
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Old 11-21-2013, 03:03 PM
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Ray Rogers Ray Rogers is offline
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Some people make a dummy knife out of wood that is slightly larger than the real knife so that there are no contact points on the sheath (or less contact anyway). That's OK I guess if you make more than one knife like that one.

My method is to simply put the knife in the sheath after it has been shaped and finished and then gently heat the areas of the sheath where the knife is most tightly pinched until they relax slightly. You will lose a little bit of definition in the molded shape of the sheath but to that I say pffftttt! BTW, at this point my knife still has the blue masking tape on it that protects my blade from the moment the final finish is done until the handle is completed, the sheath is finished, and the edge sharpened. THEN, and only then, does that tape come off....


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Old 11-21-2013, 03:29 PM
Gordon Gordon is offline
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Ferris,

Here is a link to the masking tape and sheath kits we offer here at KnifeKits. When creating a sheath or holster, it is always wise to mask your item with a layer of tape to prevent scratching to the finish, as well as to create a small amount of tolerance between the item form and the sheath form. This allows the item to release from the formed cavity with less friction.

Click the link for more info:
http://www.knifekits.com/vcom/produc...oducts_id=5037
http://www.knifekits.com/vcom/index.php?cPath=41_54_137

Best Regards,


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Old 11-21-2013, 09:39 PM
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TexasJack TexasJack is offline
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I think it was Chuck Burrows that gave the advice that if you want to prevent your gun from having holster "wear", then never put it in a holster. The same is largely true for a knife. Any sheath will have some affect on the surface, though obviously leather will have less than kydex.

I resharpened a heavily used knife that a neighbor carried in Afghanistan in a kydex sheath (knife and sheath made by TKN member Chris Daigle) and there was very little noticeable wear from the sheath. Kydex is a LOT softer than steel. In this case, the surface of the knife was coated (Ceracote?) and it had some deep scratches from when the blade was used, but not much from the sheath.


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Old 11-29-2013, 09:02 AM
ferris ferris is offline
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thanks everyone.. good advise from all.
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Old 11-29-2013, 09:04 AM
ferris ferris is offline
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err...advice
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