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e5usmc
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Post subject: D.I.Y. Kydex holsters? Posted: Sun Jul 16, 2006 9:48 pm |
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Looking at a different post, and knowing that some of you have tried your hand at working your own leather, I got to wondering if anyone here has experimented with working with Kydex...
I did a brief search and discovered that sheets of Kydex can be had with minimal strain on the pocketbook. ...And from what I've read, it seems that it would be pretty simple to work with.
I'm now seriously looking at ordering up a few sheets to see what I can do with them. Anyone care to encourage/discourage me???
_________________ There are only two kinds of people that understand Marines: Marines and the enemy. Everyone else has a second-hand opinion.
-Gen. William Thornson, U.S. Army
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Pinnacle
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Post subject: Posted: Sun Jul 16, 2006 10:49 pm |
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Joined: Fri Feb 24, 2006 4:41 pm Posts: 1807 Location: Western Burbs of MPLS
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squib_joe
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Post subject: Posted: Sun Jul 16, 2006 11:13 pm |
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Joined: Mon Nov 21, 2005 10:37 am Posts: 606
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If you're married, make sure you don't use the kitchen oven for warming up the kydex. Trust me on this
Use a toaster oven out in the garage.
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e5usmc
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Post subject: Posted: Mon Jul 17, 2006 6:35 am |
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Squib, would that be due to the mess, smell, or both??
_________________ There are only two kinds of people that understand Marines: Marines and the enemy. Everyone else has a second-hand opinion.
-Gen. William Thornson, U.S. Army
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ttousi
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Post subject: Posted: Mon Jul 17, 2006 9:05 am |
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Joined: Sun Aug 07, 2005 11:20 am Posts: 3311 Location: St. Paul, MN.
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I would guess both but if I had to pick one I would say smell.
e5usmc what is your source?
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e5usmc
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Post subject: Posted: Mon Jul 17, 2006 9:15 am |
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I googled "kydex" and "working with kydex"
Found this site that sells it (I'm sure there are plenty more places to buy it, but it was late when I searched and didn't dig too deep):
http://jantzsupply.com/cartease/item-detail.cfm?ID=KY201
Got the the site above from this one, that describes how to work with kydex (albeit for knife scabbards - I assume one would go about it in a similar fashion to work a holster):
http://ajh-knives.com/miscellaneous.html#misc5b
Like I said, I did a very basic search. I will obviously try to dig deeper if I decide to go ahead...
_________________ There are only two kinds of people that understand Marines: Marines and the enemy. Everyone else has a second-hand opinion.
-Gen. William Thornson, U.S. Army
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lance22
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Post subject: Posted: Mon Jul 17, 2006 2:17 pm |
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Joined: Mon Aug 08, 2005 10:02 am Posts: 817 Location: Eagan, MN
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YES you should try your hand at Kydex. Use the tools that are associated with sheet metal in order to turn edges, create site rails, belt clips, et all. You can thermoform Kydex by heating with a blow dryer. Post some pics when you are done.
I saw a home-made kydex made out of transparent / translucent clear kydex that I really liked ... I wish BearClaw Holsters or Dan Hillsman or one of them offered that option.
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Pinnacle
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Post subject: Posted: Mon Jul 17, 2006 3:23 pm |
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Joined: Fri Feb 24, 2006 4:41 pm Posts: 1807 Location: Western Burbs of MPLS
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e5usmc wrote: Squib, would that be due to the mess, smell, or both??
That would be due to getting the "LOOK" from the wife... Again....
AARRGGHH
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squib_joe
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Post subject: Posted: Tue Jul 18, 2006 1:02 am |
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e5usmc wrote: Squib, would that be due to the mess, smell, or both??
If you don't get the time and temperature right, it starts to smoke a little, and it's stinky. Sort of a burning tire smell.
Used toaster ovens are 3-4 bucks at most garage sales. It's worth it for this sort of project.
Forming temps from the Kydex website ( www.kydex.com ):
330 - 350°F (165 - 177°C) for £ 0.060” (1.5mm).
360 - 385°F (182 - 196°C) for 0.060” to 0.125” (1.5mm to 3.2mm).
385 - 400°F (196 - 204°C) for 3 0.125” (3.2mm)
Most sheets will be ready in 7-10 minutes at these temperatures. You need to be able to "read" the surface texture as it warms (use a flashlight) - as soon as the ripples smooth out, give it another 45-60 and pull it from the oven for forming.
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lance22
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Post subject: Posted: Sun Aug 13, 2006 6:59 pm |
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OK ... it's been a month ... I want to see some photos of your handiwork ![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
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Jeff Boucher-Zamzo
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Post subject: Posted: Tue Aug 15, 2006 7:06 am |
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Joined: Wed Aug 10, 2005 10:35 am Posts: 229 Location: Minneapolis
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What about how you form it to the pistol? I would have concerns about putting a 400 degree piece of kydex on my pistol? I'm not even sure what it would do to my bluegun?
Generally when forming leather I just wrap my pistol in saran wrap before throwing the cased (wet) leather on it. I somehow don't think saran wrap would help with this.
_________________ MADFI Certified Instructor
NRA Certified Instructor
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"Don't put your trust in revolutions. They always come around again. That's why they're called revolutions. People die, and nothing changes."
-- (Terry Pratchett, Night Watch)
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lance22
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Post subject: Posted: Mon Aug 21, 2006 8:25 am |
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Yeah ... I think that amount of heat on your gun can be damaging and this is the downside to making Kydex holsters.
If you make leather holsters, any air soft of low quality mold gun is suitable to wrap leather around so you can tool and stitch. Not so with Kydex. First, the tolerances are smaller so those mold guns and their small innacuracies can ruin your craft. Second, I am told that airsoft guns actually begin to melt and have a very short life if you use them as a mold gun. Seems to me I've heard that normal mold guns can be damaged by thermoforming kydex around them.
So, a couple thousand dollars will buy you a full line of mold guns if you do leather but if you do kydex it's possible that only a REAL gun can meet the rigorous demands required of it. So, a couple grand maybe will buy you four mold guns (tops).
People get into making kydex holsters because the stuff is fun to work with but the down side is ... whacha gonna do when all those blue mold guns melt? The answer, you start ruining your own pistol collection.
So, I said all that to say this: Kydex may be inexepnsive, but the real bottom line may be more than you are willing to pay if you do it yourself. I think paying a craftsman like BearClaw holsters http://www.bearclawholsters or Dan Hillsman http://www.hillsmanholster.com is a real bargain.
Anyway ... thought I'd throw in my two cents ....
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jdege
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Post subject: Posted: Mon Aug 21, 2006 11:20 am |
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Joined: Thu Aug 25, 2005 7:23 pm Posts: 1419 Location: SE MPLS
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lance22 wrote: So, a couple thousand dollars will buy you a full line of mold guns if you do leather but if you do kydex it's possible that only a REAL gun can meet the rigorous demands required of it. So, a couple grand maybe will buy you four mold guns (tops).
What are the actual temps required? Enough to melt the low-temperature casting alloys? Enough to melt brass or aluminum?
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plblark
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Post subject: Posted: Mon Aug 21, 2006 11:30 am |
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squib_joe wrote: Forming temps from the Kydex website ( www.kydex.com ): 330 - 350°F (165 - 177°C) for £ 0.060” (1.5mm). 360 - 385°F (182 - 196°C) for 0.060” to 0.125” (1.5mm to 3.2mm). 385 - 400°F (196 - 204°C) for 3 0.125” (3.2mm) Most sheets will be ready in 7-10 minutes at these temperatures. You need to be able to "read" the surface texture as it warms (use a flashlight) - as soon as the ripples smooth out, give it another 45-60 and pull it from the oven for forming.
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jdege
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Post subject: Posted: Mon Aug 21, 2006 12:46 pm |
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plblark wrote: squib_joe wrote: Forming temps from the Kydex website ( www.kydex.com ): 330 - 350°F (165 - 177°C) for £ 0.060” (1.5mm). 360 - 385°F (182 - 196°C) for 0.060” to 0.125” (1.5mm to 3.2mm). 385 - 400°F (196 - 204°C) for 3 0.125” (3.2mm) Most sheets will be ready in 7-10 minutes at these temperatures. You need to be able to "read" the surface texture as it warms (use a flashlight) - as soon as the ripples smooth out, give it another 45-60 and pull it from the oven for forming.
So - if your mold will handle 450°F, you should be fine.
So cast your own molds - aluminum is cheap, and melts at roughly 750°F.
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