I just received a new custom knife sheath from Grizzly Outdoors.

Its for my Mora Robust. I didn't care for the cheap plastic sheath that came with the knife so I started scouting around. I found Grizzly Outdoors (Matt & Angela), a mom&pop operation. What sold me was his video of the product. The video is showing the very product that I ordered - the sheath in ACR Camo with a firesteel attachment so no need for me to post additional pictures. There are 3 different styles of knife sheathes and he has moulds for a number but will also do custom sheaths if you send him your knife to mould around. There are 15 different colours to choose from and two methods of attaching the firesteel (or not if you wish). You can get either a leather loop or kydex clip to attach to your belt.

The construction is absolutely first rate. No sharp edges or bits that need trimming, etc. It looks like he hot knifed the edges to make them match perfectly all the way around. The sheath has 6 rivets with holes, 2 more screwed posts to attach the firesteel sheath and 2 more screwed posts to attach the leather belt loop. The ferrocerium rod (5/16"x 3 1/4") is set in a bright orange holder and stays in place with a piece of stiff black shock cord. The holes in the rivets will allow paracord to be used to either attach to your pack or strap on to your leg if you wish. There is a drain hole on the back side of the sheath.

The knife is custom formed to the Robust (which will also fit the Clipper and Companion knives). The knife slips into the sheath with a solid "click". He has taken the time to mould a "thumb ramp" which is basically one edge of the top kydex sheet softened and pushed up. This is supposed to be the place where you place your thumb to assist in drawing out the knife. I found the sheath just a tad tight for my taste and am hoping that it will loosen up over time.

I am not sure of the exact thickness of the kydex but it appears to be 1/16" of an inch thick or perhaps 5/64". In any case, the sheath is very solid and will likely last for many years. The knife sheath and attached firesteel comes in at 109 gr. which compares to the Robust knife at 101 gr.

I ordered the sheath one day and it was shipped the next day so A1 customer treatment. Matt was easy to work with by email and answered my questions. I would probably order some custom sheaths for my other knives but I am weary of cross-border shipping of the knives and whether I would have to pay additional customs duties.

Robust Sheath, part 1
Robust sheath, part 2

Yes you would send your knife to him for heat moulding around the knife. He says he prioritizes those orders first to minimize the turnaround time. He has a number of knives he uses as his moulds but obviously he can't have an infinite number so people have to send them in.

He also does handgun sheaths so I presume has to have the firearm to customize them too. The thing is most firearms are much more expensive than knives and there may be other transport regulations depending on the State?

The best kydex sheaths are molded to the individual knife the sheath is intended for. So for a custom knife, the knife HAS to be sent in to the sheath maker. A mass produced knife is less critical, but keep in mind that even if he owned the same knife and molded it to that one, yours could be just slightly (but significantly) different due to slight variances in production runs. Or a change in the manufacturing process may result in a significantly different blade profile altogether, such as a thicker blade; shorter, longer, or completely different choil area; or a modified tip are just a few I can think of right off.

As for the tight fit, keep in mind that a tight fit is just one of the possible retaining features for the knife, which is why most Kydex sheath makers ask that the knife be sent to them. As I understand, this does loosen up some over time which is why a second, or even a third retaining option is usually added, depending on the intended use.

Another possible option, if you don't want to send your knife to the maker, is to order the materials and make your own. I've never tried this for myself but it looks fairly easy, and a search will pull up a LOT of resources. Here is just one example I got when I searched "DIY kydex knife sheath"

http://willowhavenoutdoor.com/general-survival/the-1-hour-custom-kydex-knife-sheath-in-your-kitchen/

As always, YMMV. Also, usual disclaimers apply.

I wish they did nice leather sheaths. Kydex just doesn't flip my switch in any way.

You can ship a firearm via UPS, FedEx, or (long guns only) USPS, but only to an FFL. For example, I shipped some pistols to a gunsmith I know who is an FFL, for him to work on and ship them back to me. Look at http://www.gunbroker.com/support/SupportFAQView.aspx?faqid=1118 for more info.

Taking a hint from Grizzly Outdoors, I used a hair dryer to warm up the kydex and loosen the knife a bit. It was tight before, now its just a quieter click to insert and withdrawl the knife. It won't fall out of the sheath as it still requires effort. There is just a slight bit of wiggle now. I also shaped the thumb ramp just a bit more for better contact.

On the knife itself, I file the back spine and then took a coarse stone to it to sharpen the edge. This makes it easier to create sparks from the ferrocerium rod.

Creek at Willow Haven is a great guy. I've learned a lot from his site, and he doesn't mind if you email him newbie questions. He's done some fun TV spots with WISH-TV in Indianapolis.