Help With A Kydex Tomahawk Sheath

[Blacksmith Andrew]

I am new to the forum and someone recommended me to come here for help. I have a customer who wants a kydex sheath and he wants to be able to strap the sheath onto his back pack and just pull straight down on the handle to get the hawk out of the sheath. I made one but I haven't been working with kydex very long so my question is this, Will the kydex eventually loosen up or will it stay the same? I am more of a blacksmith than a leather worker, or working with kydex. Here are the pics of the sheath. The hawk won't come out if you pull it straight down but if you sort of pull the blade point down first, like the second pic shows, then it works great.

Thanks in advance,

-Andrew

Edited October 30, 2010 by Blacksmith Andrew

[Reaper]

If it was me, I would consider a set of thin spacers with tension screws through them on the side the Hawk exits the sheath.

This would allow enough tension that it would not fall out but could be pulled with slight force in the outward direction.

[Blacksmith Andrew]

Do you know where I can buy tension screws?

-Andrew

[olliesrevenge]

Hi Andrew,

Nice 'Hawk and sheath. I have more experience in using kydex holsters and such, than I do with fabricating w/ it, and I have found it to be extremely durable. My guess is that when your sheath fails (probably many years from now), it will most likely be due to hardware failure (the grommets you used to secure the two halves together), rather than to the kydex "loosening up".

I like your design, I think it has the advantage of being simple. You say it works great when you rotate it out of it's sheath instead of pulling straight down - if that is truly the case then I'd call it a job well done and move on.

"Do you know where I can buy tension screws? "

"Tension Screws" are actually a 4 part apparatus. If you try them with your sheath, you'd probably want to ensure that the hawk's blade doesn't touch the rubber "crush washer", or it will obviously cut it. It would add complexity to the design and would be another thing to fall apart or break. If the original design works well, again, I say "why bother"?

That said, here is how I construct them...

1) Tee Nut - 8/32, 1/2 inch diameter

2) Flat head 8/32 machine screw (length varies based on project thickness)

3) Finish washer

4) 3/8" Inside Diameter motorcycle fuel line tubing (unreinforced - you want it to "squish")

http://www.mcmaster.com/#

Part# 90975A012Steel Tee Nut Znc-Pltd, 8-32 Int Thrd, 1/4" H Barrel, 1/2" Base Dia

In stock at $6.74 per Pack

Part # 91266A194 Alloy Self-Locking Flat Head Socket Cap Screw 8-32 Thread, 1/2" Length, Black Oxide

Part # 92918A135Black Zinc-Plated Brass Countersunk Washer No. 8 Screw Size, .53" OD

[Blacksmith Andrew]

olliesrevenge, I have been busy and haven't checked this until just now. Thanks for the info on the tension screws, I really appreciate it. I buy lots of stuff from mcmaster like steel, sanding belts and all that. Is there something better that I can use for the grommets or is that just one of those things that "everything will wear out eventually."

-Andrew

[Bronson]

I'd move the grommets closer to the profile of the 'hawk and lose the bottom grommet on both sides.

Bronson

[druid]

One other thing you can do is to warm it up with a hairdryer to loosen the lower part [heel of the hawk blade] where you pull the hawk out. Just the bottom edge of it and only very slightly.