Well another of the hard Benchmade rescue hook sheaths bites the dust.
Lost the first one when a person who shall remain nameless, asked, “What happens if I pull down on this” (grabbing the hook). I think his concern was that it could be a snagging hazard. But no, is slices very nicely through the plastic peg that holds it in place.
After that, I decided that the $10.00 + shipping on a new sheath was a killer so I bought a new hook, figuring that I’d loose one sooner or later. But I don’t know if it was from getting tossed around in the back of my car or when I was trying to make sure it was in place with cold fingers but the second sheath is sliced through, too. So now I have 2 hooks and no sheath.
So is there a good way to hold the things in place on a PFD, keep it quickly accessable, but not risk getting hung up on something? Do you think you could get into one of the soft sheaths quickly? I don’t ask for much, eh?
I don’t have an answer to your question,
but I lost two hooks that way. That’s why I went back to a knife.
You’re putting the hook in backwards
The nub inside the sheath is supposed to be opposite the side with the cutting edge.
split pin…
drill a hole completely through the sheath and replace the plastic with a stainless rolled split pin…
Hmm
Well I could have sworn that that was the way it came, but I’m certainly not beyond making a bone-head move. Thanks.
So will it come out if the handle gets snagged on something?
Yes, it will come out if you snag it…
…but you want it to, rather than hanging you up. I keep mine on a lanyard that’s stored in a pocket below the tab that the hook’s sheath is mounted to. I’m using the Model 6 H20 hook (the big one) and it’s only come out of the sheath once in the year and a half or so that I’ve owned it. If you need to tighten the fir of the sheath to the hook, you can heat it with a hair dryer and squeeze the sides together.
Are You Handy?
Go here for kydex and rivets:
http://www.texasknife.com/store/s-pages/TKS_MainframeStore.htm
Kydex is used extensively for tactical sheaths for knives and guns. Kydex is unbreakable and has very stable qualities in normal temps. You heat it with a hot air gun (or blow torch but CAREFULLY!) and then squeezed over your knife/hook to take the form. The trick is making a retainer feature into the sheath to help keep the knife/hook/gun from easily falling off but snaps out on a decisive tug. The "retainer" feature for some knives is to hook a bit over guard, or to push and indent the kydex into a void area (like the hole or scooped out area of the tool). You can go onto any knife retailer site and look at fixed blades for ideas on how to shape the sheath to retain. Most of the high end tactical fixed blade knives will have either kydex or the more expensive Concealex sheaths.
I have used kydex to make not only sheaths for knives, but also a holster for my VHF to clip onto shoulder strap, as well as hooks/clamps to secure my pump under a foredeck. I have even used kydex to make a deeper/surer rudder retainer on one of my first touring boats with a rudder.
If you don't want to deal with being handy, you may want to consider this hook made of titanium (no fuss, non rusting) with a nylon sheath:
http://www.scuba.com/shop/display.asp?id=024025
sing
Great idea, Sing!
I didn't realize that Kydex was so cheap and easy to work with. I gotta' get me some!
To add to what you said, it would be a simple matter to press the material into the recess on the non-cutting side of the hook to help retain it.
Really Check Out So Knife Sites
and see how the kydex sheaths are shaped. Betcha someone probably already made one to replace the plastic factory Benchmade sheath.
Usually two pieces of kydex are used to sandwich the tool. Holes are drilled intermittently to take the the eyelet bolts/nuts (whatever they're called). These come in different lengths to match the various kydex thickness. Usually, the bolts/nut are not located too close to where the "retaining" feature is. So when you tug on the tool, the two pieces of kydex will seperate and allow the tool extraction. The closer you locate a nut/bolt to that retaining feature, the tighter and harder to extract a tool. Also, the thicker the kydex used, the tighter the retention as well. Usually, a 3/16" thickness is more than enough for a knife sheath.
Once you make a good design that you like for your Benchmade Hook, you can make a number of these and sell them to whomever wants to upgrade their Benchmade plastic sheaths. There are folks who specifically make custom kydex sheaths for various knives. In fact, the first kydex sheath I encountered about 10 years ago were made my a white water kayaker, knife fanatic, who made kydex sheaths for Spyderco folding knives so these can be strapped onto a PFD should strap or tab.
sing
Yup…
I’ve been making my own sheaths & holsters for several years using Kydex.
Left over pieces of minicell foam and scrap plywood make great compression boards for this task.
If you need spacers the plumbing section of the hardware store will have all the o-rings or plastic/rubber washers that a fella could want.
Hadn’t thought about a VHF holster for a shoulder strap. Cool idea - thanks!
Holmes