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Canadian Knifemaker Supply Ltd.
2728 Hwy 95, Brisco, BC
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Here are some tips to consider when making a Kydex Sheath.
Kydex Heating
Heating Temperatures: When heating Kydex, the temperature range will be between (275-400°F). The heating temperature will vary depending on the thickness of the Kydex, altitude, and humidity levels in your area. Heating can be done in a kitchen oven or a toaster oven. Or you can use a blow torch, but be careful to make sure the heat is evenly applied.
If you are having trouble getting a mirror finish on your carbon or stainless blades even after sanding and polishing, consider these techniques.
Tip #1: Try buffing a couple times early when you are sanding. This should make the remaining scratches easier to see.
Tip #2: If your last grit was 400 at a diagonal you would not expect to see any scratches parallel to the blade. Try mixing up the angles so that you can see the scratches. Try changing directions with each grit and finish with 800 grit.
HOW TO CHOOSE A KILN - BY PARAGON
Over the years, the selection of kilns has grown steadily. To help you sort through the confusion of choosing from so many different types, Paragon has narrowed the selection criteria to eight: Temperature, Size, Electrical, Round or Square, Top or Front Loading, Firebrick or Ceramic Fibre, Insulating Firebrick Wall Thickness, Manual or Automatic. Each of these criteria is discussed below.
How to Heat Treat CPM M4
CPM M4 is popular in competition cutting blades as it is high-speed steel exhibiting better grit and wear resistance than M2 or M3 in cold work punches, die inserts and cutting applications.
While it may chew up belts grinding it after hardening, its exceptional edge retention and strength make it impossible to ignore and worth the inconvenience. If you are used to hard-to-grind and polish steels, you will be prepared to work with M4.