Please Help With Kydex Belt Clips

[rccolt45]

Hi guys,

I am fooling around with kydex belt clips for my next leather IWB project. I know I need molds to help form the kydex into a clip but have no clue what they are suppused to look like or how big they are supposed to be.

I want to make a clip that will fit belts up to 1.5 in wide double think.

Can any one help me out with how to make the molds and the best way and size to make the clips???

thanks in advance to anyone who takes pitty on a kydex virgin.

OH also how is the best way to secure the clip to the leather holster body?

Edited April 9, 2010 by rccolt45

[olliesrevenge]

Here is a pic of a Tucker "Answer" for my G19.

I have never personally worked w/ Kydex, so I don't have any experienced advice to give you. If I was going to try to emulate Tuckers kydex belt clips I would cut to shape using some type of small saw (scroll saw maybe), then form around a dummy 1.5" belt using my heat gun to soften the area to be bent.

Anyway, the pic should give you an idea of what a possible finished result could look like.

[BigRiverLeather]

It's actually quite simple once you realize what to do. If you don't have kydex yet, you can get it from www.knifekits .com. .125 is the thickness you want. Cut your strips 3/4" - 1" wide, depending on how thick you wnat them. Thicker will give more strength. I cut most of mine 5 1/2" long. Get a heat gun or toaster oven, I use a heat gun as you can continue to heat it and work on one section at a time. place your already edge smoothed kydex strip on the edge of a table, so it sticks out just enought to make an 1/8" bend on the end to go around the bottom of your belt. Move the heat gun back and forth for about 30 seconds (just over the end of the strip) and bend it 90 degrees over the edge of the table. Then measure up 1 5/8" (you will want enough to clear the top of your pants and get down below the bottom edge of the belt) and that is where your next bend WILL START. Use a piece of 1.5" wide wood, like a piece of lathe or something, to make your bend around. Move the heat gun across this area until you can bend it all the way around the piece of lathe, making sure the two edges line up and it is folded square. It might help to have your first small bend covered with a piece of cloth or something to prevent the heat gun from heating this up again. If it does, it will straighten back out. You should be good to go now, just drill your holes.

If you are going to make several of these, it will pay to make a jig for these bends.

To secure them to the holster, use #6 T posts available at any hardware store. sandwich it between the two layers of leather before gluing, or you can go all the way through, but that is not as clean. If sandwiching the Tpost, use 3/8" button head cap screws through a # 6 finish washer to secure the clip. Or, use a 1/2" screw and make a smwll leather washer to put between the clip and the leather to leave a small gap making it easier to tuck your shirt in if you plan to do that. Of course going all the way through from the backside you will need longer screws.

Edited April 10, 2010 by BigRiverLeather

[druid]

I agree with Big River. I've used Kydex in a limited manner but it's very easy to work with. It scores easily with a common hobby knife, snaps off like plexiglass and is easily molded with heat. If using snaps, a simple hand punch will go right through it with a bit of twisting on the bit. While it's flat, measure the belt width + add 1/4" + 1/4" for belt thickness and then the overlaps for the snaps. Punch the holes for, and set the snaps, before you bend the kydex