Homemade Kydex Sheat for Nitecore Extrem+V71 holster and Fenix TK10

[deewy]

Hi everybody,

not a week ago I posted a question of suitable holster for Nitecore Extreme flashlight. Couple of guys replied to me that AWs nylon holster will fit just fine. So I ordered one (it is still in the post). However I really liked the Kydex holsters that Litemania was offering over the CPFmarketplace.

Since I had no reply from Litemania nor Warren Cho, I decided to buy a Kydex sheat and make on of these great holster myself. Oh man, I would'nt believe how hard is to get a hold of this material. There is just one shop in Czech Republic that sells these...

So today I finally got the material. I thought it will be easier to make since I have read some articles on the internet. But the reality was different. I do not have to tell you, that the first piece went straight to the trash bin. I took my time, did all the measurements and made the second kydex sheath.

I beilieve that I do not have to be ashamed as I am quite satisfied with my work.

But have a look to the enclosed pictures to see yourselves.

One more thing I wanted to point out. It is the use of Surefire V71 holster and Fenix TK10. I have been looking all over internet for fast draw tactical holster for my TK10, because that's what I need for my duty. I went therefore throught some topis and threads on the forum and found out that V71 holster will fit the Fenix TK10. Unfortunately, I was not able to find any pictures, that's why I took some and you can find them below. Now please, it does fit, however it scratched hardly the TK10's surface right on the first insert. I was really dissapointed by this, there is also picture below to show the scratches left by the holster. So I broke the metal springs inside the V71 holster and glued in some foam and now my TK10 fits just fine. Even thought it is not as tight as with original Surefire metal springs, I am not afraid I will loose the light.

I hope this will help some people that are looking for answer for their Tactical holsters.

p.s. sorry for my English, I am just an ordinary Czech guy... All of below pictures were taken by my nokia N95, so they are not of a superb quality.

Now the Fenix TK10 pictures and Surefire V71 holster

Visible scratch left by the holster metal springs.

 

[DM51]

I had to remove your photos - they were the largest pics I have ever seen posted on CPF, lol!!

You need to resize them to 800 x 800 pixels, then you can replace them in your post.

 

[deewy]

rofl, that made me laugh I am deeply sorry for that, this was my first post with pictures, I will do my best to get it fixed.

Thanks

 

[ev13wt]

rofl, that made me laugh I am deeply sorry for that, this was my first post with pictures, I will do my best to get it fixed.

Thanks

Just downsize them, there are many uploader that have this option. Just google pic uploader. Then post the link to the big picture too if you want.

Nice one on building your own holster. Got pics? :wave:
So you "hardly scratched" the tk10, or did you scratch it hard? It looks better like that.

 

[deewy]

Pictures size fixed, thanks for advice. :nana:

 

[Hellbore]

Excellent work, you did a great job on the holster. I want one!

 

[ev13wt]

Pictures size fixed, thanks for advice. :nana:

:nana:




Wait a minute...

:duh2:

Are we 2 guys sticking out our tounges? My light doesn't shine that way you know...

The holster is pretty cool. Would a button carry work in your case? You could make your own "tactical ring" with a button?

 

[deewy]

I am sorry ev13wt , I do not understand your question about button carry work in a case. Please can you elaborate, so I can follow up? Should I look a way too stupid, just send me PM

Obviuosly there is a language barrier

 

[ev13wt]

I am sorry ev13wt , I do not understand your question about button carry work in a case. Please can you elaborate, so I can follow up? Should I look a way too stupid, just send me PM

Obviuosly there is a language barrier

I just found out about this. Imagine a button on your light with a spacer between case and light body and then you attach something like this: http://www.guyotbrothers.com/jewelry-findings-glossary/button-loop-tie-holder.jpg to your jacket or belt. Then you hook your button (Flashlight) into the holder. You can make it out of plastic and more like the letter "U" so it works better.

The candlepowerforums shop has some, I just can't remember the link to it, or the name. Noob I am.

 

[litetube]

Nice work Deewy. I have dabbled a bit in Kydex and it is not easy especially if you dont have the right tools . If you have a minute and wouldnt mind elaborating. how did you get the whole thing formed including the belt loop ? did you heat specific areas with a heat gun ? or heat the whole piece of kydex and work like the devil to get it done? I made a simple rig with a small teklock for belt carry but wasted a whole sheet getting it done. It seems some Kydex can only be heated /bent so many times before it will weaken/break just like metals.

 

[deewy]

Just give me a couple of minutes and I will post a brief tutorial of making the kydex sheath along with some pictures.

 

[deewy]

Ok, because of Litetube's request I am more than happy to write a short tutorial on how to make your own kydex sheath.

First thing you are gonna need is your idea of a holster.


Secondly you really need to draw down the scheme of the holster which can look like this: (according the belt loop size, just youse the belt you wear and roll it over)

Once the above is done, cut of the scheme of the paper and hook in the flashlight, roll it over to see if you have really measured the right size and if you can freely stick it to the other side. Please bear in mind that you need to have enough place on the side where rivets go in, otherwise the holster will be to tight. "This is actually the way I screwed the first holster, I did make it to narrow on the side where the rivets go in and it just did not work.

So, when you have your scheme ready you can cut of the kydex sheath and do the following. I strongly reccomend the protect the light itself, I used the aluminium sheath and rolled it at least five times. This is a great thing to do, because the light even doesn't get hot from the heated kydex sheath and also you enlarge the bezel diameter so the holster is not going to be to tight.

I did not heat the whole sheath, I aimed the heat gun just on the area where the kydex needed to be bent. Just use the heat gun and once the kydex gets yielding put the light in and bent it over.

Once you have done this, the side parts where the rivets go in needs to be sticked together. At this moment keep the flashlight in, warm up the side part of the kydex sheet, once done put the side parts sticked together and compress it. Leave it like that for five minutes.

After that you can drill in the holes for rivets, put in the rivets and cut the surplus material on a grinding machine.

At this stage I reccomend to clear off all dirt with the grinding machine, so the holster gets the good feel and no sharp edges.

We are getting to the last stage which is to make a belt loop. I think the below picture says it all, if you compare it to the holster shown above you get the idea.

Now, that's it. Enjoy your new kydex flash light holster

 

[deewy]

And yes, today I received AW's nylon holster for HDS EDC flashlight that was recommended to me for my NiteCore Extreme. Because there were people asking about some pictures I took some and putted them below.