Kydex / Leather Fusion Saya

I've been wanting to do this for some time, and having my new Tippmann Boss hand crank machine I finally have the tooling I needed to put this together.
The leather and kydex is I think a great combination. With leather I would worry about the knife coming through the side if insterted wrong. They kydex ends that concern and provides a good rigid saya. The leather provides the aesthetic I am after. The hardware and stitching combined with the leather really appeals to my eye.
The fit is very snug, such that you could hang this upside-down from your backpack and it would still be there after a 10 mile trek.

This isn't prefect by any stretch, but the final product is pleasing I think.
I made plenty of mistakes along the way and have learned quite a bit, but I think this will be an offering I make for my kitchen knives in the near future.

What do you all think?

 

Looks like a great option, and this particular saya looks very sturdy.

 

Interesting idea, but realisation isn't elegant enough in my eyes… and doesn't really match the knife (which I personally like a lot). Of course it could make sense if you are planning to take kitchen knife on hiking, but I guess most people use sayas just for the storage, so the pin or just the snug fit should be enough.

I have a leather saya made by Cris Anderson and never had any problems with it. It's built like a tank and I can't see how a knife can cut through the side. But it's 3 piece sandwich construction made from a thick leather. I google a bit a found 2 pieces construction https://www.monstu.com/collections/other/products/leather-saya-for-9-chef leather sayas… those doesn't look as sturdy, but probably would still work fine most of the time (just my guess).

Still I think your idea is nice and would be very welcomed for outdoor knives/hunters… and for kitchen knives it's a bit overkill. Though… I've seen sayas made with mammoth tooth inserts, so maybe kydex/leather combo isn't a stretch after all

 

Thanks Anton, and I am thankful to hear you really like this knife. I like it very much too, and am thinking about keeping it.
I really wasn't trying for the hunting look. I was thinking more industrial, but I guess I missed the mark.
Probably the brown leather dye. Black or a red might have worked. I'll have to experiment a bit.
I had done a bit of googling myself and had seen the ones you linked. Not my style at all. I guess that is obvious at least.

I'll have to play around with some ideas as I refine my leather and kydex skills. It was pretty enjoyable to make, even though I could have been making knives..

 

Personally, I think it's awesome and a great addition to your knives. Really digging the hardware/stitching look as well.

I have never tried Kydex, any scratching issues?

 

Also, has the handle on the knife darkened? I'm liking this knife more the more I look at it, it makes me think of breakfast prep.

 

Thanks Matt! I don't know if it's going to scratch yet. This one has a very snug fit, so it might. It certainly will if any debris gets inside.
I think burnishing rubs might be a bigger concern on this one. I will be watching it.
I can make the fit a bit looser on the next one by using two layers of tape when I form it instead of one. This design will certainly evolve.

Side note: This is the first part of making that my wife is actually interested in learning. I sure hope that takes off!

Hey Carlos, the handle has darkened considerably over the last week. I'll try and get a comparison pic posted this evening in the same light so you can see how it has changed.

 

Is the snug fit its means of securing the knife? Don't know much of kydex but have seen it in hunting knives and pistol holsters. always seems as if it were formead around the knife or gun and all I've seen had a quite firm grasp. Is it possible to form it more loosely and then use a pin? If scratching is not an issue, I can see the kydex as the perfect modern saya material. It is nearly indestructible and won't absorb moisture. I'd bet they could be made pretty elegant in Kydex sans leather.

 

Hey Mike, there is also a forming around the choil that makes it more secure.
I could form it more loosely by adding another layer or two of tape to the blade before pressing the kydex. I'll have to experiment with that a bit.
Honestly our climate here is so dry I didn't really consider the leather moisture issue.
I might be able to make something presentable using Kydex and maybe a minor amount of leather for accent. I'll have to toy with that idea a while.
Good thoughts sir!

 

What are the fasteners made of? Kydex? But the knife never touches them due to the tension/snug fit?

 

Fasteners are steel screws. The blade can't hit them without significant force being applied due to the way the kydex is formed.