Bending Kydex 180 degrees?

[Whiskeymike]

Does anyone know if Kydex can be bent 180 degrees into a hem? I googled it and everything came up with heat recommendations so I came up with bupkis. I've got a project and thinking of using it, but didn't want to buy a stack and find out that even if heated thoroughly, it won't allow for a 180 bend without pulling apart.

 

[Stuart in MN]

If you go to the manufacturer's website at http://sekisui-spi.com/products/individual-products it lists a number of different types of Kydex. Click on the one you're using, then click on technical briefs on the right side of the screen. There appears to be a bunch of information there on forming the product in various ways.

 

[Whiskeymike]

Thanks. Man are there a lot of different formulas! Thanks for the link. I've read through a bunch of material and there's great stuff on using Kydex with the different forming methods. I haven't found anything on max radius bend, but still looking.

 

[rlitman]

I can't say I've tried such a bend in a finished product, but I can say that it should work.
It will be difficult to form it to your desired shape and keep it there as it cools though.

Edit:
Now that I think about it, I’ve folded over kydex 180 degrees when I made sheathes for my chef’s knives. But I still think that holding a folded edge in place on a hot sheet while trying to fit it into another form can get a little squirrely.

 

[velocipede]

It's done everyday in custom holster making. Also done to make Kydex wallets and other goodies. Rummage through this guy's videos.

 

[Jek11688]

I've done it before making holsters. If pieces allow size wise I find it best to heat on a $20 pancake griddle at about 300 degrees and when it ends up like a wet noodle consistency its ready to form in a press. I have a simple wooden hinge device made that has two pieces of foam in the middle that sandwich the kydex around the knife or gun in my case. Clamp and let sit for 5 minutes then you can take out. You can spot heat and bend with a handheld heat gun as well. If you mess it all up, throw it back on the pancake griddle and it will unfold and become almost flat.

 

[Whiskeymike]

Awesome, thanks guys. I'll pick some up and start working with it. Now that you mention knife shealths, I have seen those as finished products.

 

[rlitman]

...You can spot heat and bend with a handheld heat gun as well. If you mess it all up, throw it back on the pancake griddle and it will unfold and become almost flat.

Yeah, it can be a little like working with a big wet noodle. It just has a bit of a memory to it.

Awesome, thanks guys. I'll pick some up and start working with it. Now that you mention knife shealths, I have seen those as finished products.

Have fun, and report back here with your successes (and let us learn from your failures).

 

[velocipede]

If you need to bend a lot of pieces consider making one of these strip heaters from a hair flat iron. Works great. Get a flat iron with a temperature control, not the cheap one shown here. The principle is the same though.