Trad Gang

Main Boards => Hunting Knives and Crafters => Topic started by: robtattoo on November 04, 2008, 04:33:00 AM

Title: Avoiding Kydex.....
Post by: robtattoo on November 04, 2008, 04:33:00 AM
I just got this finished up last night.

As I keep selling every neck knife I make for myself, I thought I'd have one last go at making a keeper.

I can't tell you much about the blade as I didn't make it. All I know is that it's Damasteel with 'vine & thorn' filework & I love it!  :D  OAL is just 5" with a 1-3/4" cutting edge. The handle is Amboyna burl, epoxied in place with epoxy 'pins'

The sheath is the cool part, as far as I'm concerned. The trouble with leather neck sheaths is that you invariably have to have a tip-down carry configuration, making accessing the knife a little awkward & virtually impossble to do one-handed unless you make the sheath overly large & loose fitting. The downside with this is that the sheath becomes bulky & not very secure. The usual alternative is Kydex, which can be made much smaller & is far more secure.
My problem is that I detest kydex sheaths with wooden handled knives. They just look wrong, fine with a modern handle material, but out of place with a traditional knife.
I've buggered about with this idea in my head for ages & I think I finally came up with a solution.

The band around the middle of the sheath conceals 6 tiny (4mm x 1mm) neodimium magnets. I punched out the leather to inlet the magnets & then epoxied them in place, covering them with a very thin layer of soft leather.
The magnets are rated to hold 4oz each & between them they hold the knife snug & secure in the sheath allowing me to carry it as I could a Kydex-sheathed necker!

 (http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y110/robtattoo/magnets001.jpg)

 (http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y110/robtattoo/magnets002.jpg)

 (http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y110/robtattoo/magnets003.jpg)

 (http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y110/robtattoo/magnets004.jpg)

 (http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y110/robtattoo/magnets005.jpg)
Title: Re: Avoiding Kydex.....
Post by: OconeeDan on November 04, 2008, 05:15:00 AM
Awesome!
Title: Re: Avoiding Kydex.....
Post by: Lin Rhea on November 04, 2008, 06:31:00 AM
Very nice! I agree with you and dont like the look of Kydex even though it is very secure. Great solution. Lin
Title: Re: Avoiding Kydex.....
Post by: tippit on November 04, 2008, 06:33:00 AM
Great idea!
Title: Re: Avoiding Kydex.....
Post by: d. ward on November 04, 2008, 06:43:00 AM
Thats a beautiful piece of work there.Really great idea...bd
Title: Re: Avoiding Kydex.....
Post by: skullworks on November 04, 2008, 06:56:00 AM
Awesome job Rob!!! I have seen some kydex that is covered with thin leather after it is formed. Just another idea to throw out!
Title: Re: Avoiding Kydex.....
Post by: vermonster13 on November 04, 2008, 06:57:00 AM
Very ingenious Rob and beautiful work.
Title: Re: Avoiding Kydex.....
Post by: Ray Hammond on November 04, 2008, 07:19:00 AM
I like that approach, Rob!!!! Wonderful craftsmanship.
Title: Re: Avoiding Kydex.....
Post by: Jon Christensen on November 04, 2008, 09:34:00 AM
Nice work Rob. Very clean. I like your blade steel. Cool looking pattern!!!
Title: Re: Avoiding Kydex.....
Post by: madness522 on November 04, 2008, 09:56:00 AM
Thats nice Rob!!
Title: Re: Avoiding Kydex.....
Post by: oldpaths on November 04, 2008, 10:01:00 AM
awesome!!!!  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Avoiding Kydex.....
Post by: Nosight on November 04, 2008, 10:37:00 AM
Great looking set. I realy like the file work.

 If you need a tester for this new idea send it my way. (lol)

 Again great looking set.

 Later.....Buzz
Title: Re: Avoiding Kydex.....
Post by: tomh on November 04, 2008, 11:09:00 AM
Rob you do some nice work with leather and steel. Good idea on the magnets.
Title: Re: Avoiding Kydex.....
Post by: Lewis Brookshire III on November 04, 2008, 12:16:00 PM
Wow Rob, thats a great looking necker!!!
Title: Re: Avoiding Kydex.....
Post by: MYSTIKBOW on November 04, 2008, 12:34:00 PM
DANG!!  :notworthy:    :notworthy:    :notworthy:
Title: Re: Avoiding Kydex.....
Post by: tradtusker on November 04, 2008, 03:10:00 PM
saw this one today up close its a beauty   :D
Title: Re: Avoiding Kydex.....
Post by: imskippy on November 04, 2008, 10:14:00 PM
Rob, beautiful work. just a little food for thought. Here is how I make my neckers. Tip up one handed operation. I'm thinking of adding some magnets in the next one for more security. Skippy

   (http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y249/imskippy/th_knife159.jpg) (http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y249/imskippy/?action=view¤t=knife159.jpg)
   (http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y249/imskippy/th_knife140.jpg) (http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y249/imskippy/?action=view¤t=knife140.jpg)
   (http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y249/imskippy/th_knife094.jpg) (http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y249/imskippy/?action=view¤t=knife094.jpg)
Title: Re: Avoiding Kydex.....
Post by: TxMoon on November 05, 2008, 10:00:00 AM
awesome Rob that is just awesome! Good Idea
Title: Re: Avoiding Kydex.....
Post by: T.Minish on November 13, 2008, 09:37:00 PM
Have you tried rawhide instead of kydex? It works really well and is certainly trad!
Title: Re: Avoiding Kydex.....
Post by: JC on November 18, 2008, 06:56:00 AM
Beautiful work Rob, your skills are improving at a marvelous rate. You're bringing a bag of steel goodies when you come with you to TX, right?  :saywhat:
Title: Re: Avoiding Kydex.....
Post by: robtattoo on November 18, 2008, 07:52:00 AM
Quote
Originally posted by JC:
Beautiful work Rob, your skills are improving at a marvelous rate. You're bringing a bag of steel goodies when you come with you to TX, right?   :saywhat:  
Naturally  ;)   :D
Are you going to be at the pig-gig with Vance & Charlie next year?
Title: Re: Avoiding Kydex.....
Post by: JC on November 19, 2008, 05:19:00 PM
Yeah Brudda...rumor has it, there'll also be someone there who knows where the North York Moors are?
Title: Re: Avoiding Kydex.....
Post by: Over&Under on November 19, 2008, 06:34:00 PM
You never cease to amaze Rob!!!!  Nice Job!!
Title: Re: Avoiding Kydex.....
Post by: philil on November 24, 2008, 06:44:00 PM
That Sheath looks classic Rob!
What a beautiful Knife  :thumbsup:  

I like to wear a compass around my neck so I couldn't have gone with magnets...the sheath design on the pictures has been working quite well for me, but it kinda limits handle design options.

Phil


 (http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g191/philil/Knives/sheath2.jpg)

 (http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g191/philil/Knives/sheath1.jpg)

 (http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g191/philil/Knives/sixpack4.jpg)
Title: Re: Avoiding Kydex.....
Post by: Larry Surtees on November 24, 2008, 09:09:00 PM
:thumbsup:    :clapper: