Survival Knife Chopper??

[Ironlath]

:confused2:
This is a new one for my collection and field duty which has not made it home yet. I thought it may be a consideration for the "Survival Kit" thread you've had going.
It's 5160, 12" blade x 3 1/2" x 1/4". Black linen micarta handle scales,
1 of 10 in the world, or so I'm told.
Please help...I'm thinking of a kydex scabbard "skeleton" over leather.
Has anyone done this?? With have never having done kydex on my own before, can the "molding" process be done in a conventional oven?
Please pardon my ignorance...Mark

 

[Denny Eller]

Hey Mark, yes you can heat the kydex in a regular oven but I use an electric griddle with great success. I lay the kydex on the griddle at about 300 degrees and watch it closely until it becomes the consistency of wet lasagna noodles - extremely pliable. Then, wearing gloves, I quickly wrap it around the knife and put it into my kydex press. I don't have a clamp setup for my press - I just set a 2 foot piece of Norfolk Southern rail on it.

 

[Ironlath]

Hey Mark, yes you can heat the kydex in a regular oven but I use an electric griddle with great success. I lay the kydex on the griddle at about 300 degrees and watch it closely until it becomes the consistency of wet lasagna noodles - extremely pliable. Then, wearing gloves, I quickly wrap it around the knife and put it into my kydex press. I don't have a clamp setup for my press - I just set a 2 foot piece of Norfolk Southern rail on it.

LOL, so I need to have my leather inlay in the ready for the kydex wrap, goes without saying I guess, would I make the "skeleton" cuts before heating? Again, a thousand pardons for...?