Repairing Crack In Kydex?

[Leozinho]

Has anyone had any success in repairing a crack in a Kydex holster?

I've got a crack in my Bladetech on the outside from the cutaway in the front backwards to where the the trigger starts. I've got a big glob of Loctite epoxy (the type you have to mix) on it now. One hundred presentations later and I can see where the epoxy is starting to flake up and get air under one spot at one the edge of its bond to the kydex.

This epoxy would be strong enough if it only keeps its bond to the kydex, but I'm not expecting much. The problem may be that there's no flex to the epoxy, which may lead to it separating. Maybe shoe goop would work better?

Any ideas?

Thanks.

[open17]

Has anyone had any success in repairing a crack in a Kydex holster?

Any ideas?

Thanks.

You asked!

http://www.kydex.com/search_results.asp?se...Go_up.gif%22%3E

If the whole string doesn't work, go to www.kydex.com and do a search for 103 (it's a tech bulletin number).

[Leozinho]

You asked!

http://www.kydex.com/search_results.asp?se...Go_up.gif%22%3E

If the whole string doesn't work, go to www.kydex.com and do a search for 103 (it's a tech bulletin number).

Thanks! The tech bulletin says that Devcon's Plastic Welder or Plastic Welder II works well. Also, the bulletin recommends Extreme Adhesives "Extreme 310."

I'll try one of these if this epoxy flakes off.

Edited January 9, 2007 by Leozinho

[ArnisAndyz]

I succesfully repaired my FIN IWB kydex holster. It was made of really thin Kydex (felt really good) but with the gun drawn and alot of movement the kydex finally gave in to the snugness of my belt, resulting in a 1/2" crack at the top of the sight channel.

To repair it I put the gun in the holster, heated up a small piece of spare kydex I had laying around from making knife sheaths and mag holders and hand molded it to the shape of the sight channel (on the outside). After it cooled down I used Plastic Weld to stick the pieces together. This gave the glue something else to stick to, rather than just the area of the crack. Its solid, the holster will crack again before the weld gives up. The best part of it is now I have the best of both worlds...A comfortable ultra thin IWB kydex hoslter with the strength of a holster made with much thicker kydex. I can tighten my belt down until I'm blue and that holster won't give!

Edited January 9, 2007 by ArnisAndyz

[Leozinho]

Cool. That's what I'll try next - plastic welding a big strip of Kydex on the outside. I like the look. If the Bad News Bears fielded a shooting team, I'd fit right in with my beat up equipment. (So far I don't have JB weld anywhere on my Beretta, though. )

As suspected, the epoxy flaked off in one big piece at the range today. (It was looking forward to the comments at the match this Saturday though. The epoxy looked like a big glob of yellowish green snot.) I superglued the crack as a short term solution but I'm not expecting much from that either.

One more question - So I don't have to wait to order a piece over the internet, can you tell me what type of store, if any, stocks Kydex? The local plumber supply store? Hobby shops?

Thanks again.

Edited January 11, 2007 by Leozinho