If you regularly carry a fixed blade knife, you know how important a good sheath can be. Not only does your sheath help to keep your knife safe from the elements, but it will also keep you safe in the event of an unexpected fall or other hazard. There are a wide variety of sheath options from classic leather to modern custom kydex sheaths for fixed blades. Finding the right sheath for you ultimately boils down to what matters to you in a sheath.

Leather
When it comes to sheath making, leather is the classic option. We have been working with leather for much longer than metal knives have been in use. This is because leather has the ideal combination of softness, sturdiness, and flexibility. Another huge advantage of using leather is the fact that it can be tooled and carved to create some truly gorgeous designs.

As a sheath, the softness of leather is perfect for protecting your blade, especially blades that have a powder coating that can be worn off over time. They also tend to have the advantage of fitting a wide range of knives, as long as the blade sizes are similar enough. If you are looking for a classic looking sheath, you can’t go wrong with leather. If you are looking for a sheath with a more modern appearance, you might want to look into more modern materials.

Kydex
Unlike leather, Kydex is a relatively recent material when it comes to sheath making. It was originally designed as an easily moldable plastic sheeting for creating airplane interiors. When heated, Kydex sheets become soft and malleable, but they harden when returned to room temperature. This means that you can mold custom kydex sheaths for fixed blade knives by clamping heated kydex around a mold.

Once cooled, kydex sheaths can be riveted together in order to create a remarkably sturdy sheath. Unlike leather products, sheaths made from formed kydex are rigid. This means that they offer a bit for security, protecting your blade from impacts and other potential hazards. Because these sheaths are hard, they can produce more noise than a leather sheath such as a tree branch hitting it while walking through the woods. These sheaths are often perfect for use with sheath backing systems, allowing users to add pouches and other accessories with ease.

No matter what kind of sheath you are looking for, you can find some great options at The Knife Connection. Their inventory includes leather, plastic, nylon, and kydex sheaths for fixed blades. Their Kydex sheaths are perfectly formed to fit several popular knife models like the ESEE 4 or the Ontario Rat 7. If you have any questions about their sheaths or any of the other products they carry, a member of The Knife Connection’s team would be happy to help. Just give them a call at 1-866-336-2834 or send an email to [email protected].