Leather or Kydex ? Or maybe nylon ?

[Styerman]

Three different materials , different properties , different applications .

Kydex , when belt carried is not very friendly to furnature . It also can leave nasty scuff marks on objects with a beadblasted finish .On the plus side , it's pretty industructable , doesn't mind moisture and is low maintenance . Nylon , either web or cordura , assuming good fit and fastening is a great material . Leather if properly maintained , will outlast nylon , looks pretty , lends itself to one off custom applications . The down side , it's labor intensive to produce , requires maintenance , and doesn't get along in extreme dampness and heat .

What are your observations and preferences ?

Personally , I like all three , great when properly applied .

Chris

[WhichDawg]

I like all of them too. and isn't their another one; Leatherman "PlastiCow!" 

and don't forget the cost/price factor!

Leather - most expensive
Kydex/Concealex - middle range
Nylon/Cordura - cheapest

[nuphoria]

For weight and flexibility I think I mostly go for nylon.

Other pouches like for coins are usually leather though.

[Styerman]

I also consider wow and smartarse factor .

Chris

[yud]

I perfer leather due to its look and feel, where I am leather rot is not a big deal

[Styerman]

Maintenance requirements are pretty rudimentary , I've made some stuff for guys in the trades , 15 years ago and still going strong . As long as the stuff doesn't dry out and crack , or rot you are GTG .

Chris

[Shane769]

Depends on the application. If it's for my bush knife, I want kydex, since I don't have to worry about it, and it can easily be attached to a backpack strap, belt, whatever, and I don't have to worry if it gets rained on. For pretty tools that get carried to nice events, leather. For anything else, I don't really have a preference.


Speaking of bushknife sheath, anyone know how to make kydex stuff, cause currently I have a leather sheath, and it is driving me nuts!

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

Kydex is fine for a fixed blade, but I don't really like it for other tool's, as it's a bit too noisy and indiscreet for UK carry.

Leather look's and smell's gorgeous, but takes an age to dry when it get's wet.

So for edc I'd opt for nylon

[jzmtl]

For in town I like either leather or nylon, for outdoor thou leather tend to get damp, plus the button enclosure isn't secure enough, so nylon for that.

I tried kydex but never quite liked it, it's too rigid, when mounted on belt it interfere with body movement when bending sideways. But then again all the ones I tried are for medium to large fixed blades.

[Styerman]

Depends on the application. If it's for my bush knife, I want kydex, since I don't have to worry about it, and it can easily be attached to a backpack strap, belt, whatever, and I don't have to worry if it gets rained on. For pretty tools that get carried to nice events, leather. For anything else, I don't really have a preference.


Speaking of bushknife sheath, anyone know how to make kydex stuff, cause currently I have a leather sheath, and it is driving me nuts!

I'm not great at it , but it will probably work . To be fair to you , Eric at on Scene Tactical is superb . I have made a couple of Kydex tool pouches and kydex inserts for various things .

Chris

[Styerman]

For in town I like either leather or nylon, for outdoor thou leather tend to get damp, plus the button enclosure isn't secure enough, so nylon for that.

I tried kydex but never quite liked it, it's too rigid, when mounted on belt it interfere with body movement when bending sideways. But then again all the ones I tried are for medium to large fixed blades.

You can do a dip on leather , a combo of beeswax , parafin wax and raw linseed oil . melt the above , dunk the piece , put in an oven at no more than 170 F for no more than 10 mins . Oil/wax gets sucked into leather - no maintainance ever !  Downside , in extreme heat , 40+C , can bleed into clothing . I have made a couple for CF Gromans ( back when they were issued ).

Sailors used to dip sheaths in tallow and wax , I suspect if the tallow proportion was wrong , the whole issue would go rancid .

Chris

Chris

[Zed]

nylon for EDC but i do prefer the look and feel of leather, leather has a classic look, nylon is more functional though 

[cerbera147]

I haven't had the pleasure of Kydex, it does look good though

I find the leather sheaths of the Wave / Charge to be very stiff. Of course these will wear in and probably last a long time.

I got a nylon sheath with my Skeletool. It may be because it was for the Skeletool but I was not impressed.

The two below I am very fond of. The first is Leatherman's leather pouch for the Juice. It has a button closure and a belt clip  Just wish they did the same style for the larger multitools.

The next one is a kind of hybrid, part leather / part nylon. It is for the Swisstool, I really like it too 

[Magnus]

nothing beats a heavyweight leather.

[jzmtl]

You can do a dip on leather , a combo of beeswax , parafin wax and raw linseed oil . melt the above , dunk the piece , put in an oven at no more than 170 F for no more than 10 mins . Oil/wax gets sucked into leather - no maintainance ever !  Downside , in extreme heat , 40+C , can bleed into clothing . I have made a couple for CF Gromans ( back when they were issued ).

Sailors used to dip sheaths in tallow and wax , I suspect if the tallow proportion was wrong , the whole issue would go rancid .

Chris

I've used parafin wax before but never tried oil/wax combination, would mineral oil work?