Re-shaping Kydex holster?

[RolinThundr]

I made an impulse buy of a Spec-Ops Vapor holster and a 1911 Kydex insert. The problem is that my 1911 has a rail and the kydex insert is not meant, as I found out, for 1911s with a rail. Is it possible to heat up the kydex (and please, if you have experience doing this speak up and help) insert and re-shape it around my 1911 (possibly with a light attached)? The other thought that came to mind is to cut away the parts of the insert that are in the way and just have the skeleton insert.

Any help would be appreciated.

[scotty99]

I have not heated and reshaped, although I see no reason that wouldn't work if you're careful and keep the temps as low as possible. I have cut and reshaped a kydex holster, and it was quite easy to do. I had to relieve the top edges to clear an ambi slide release. Used a pink grinding stone in the Dremel, cleaning up with a little sandpaper then final clean up and polish with a butane BBQ lighter. It didn't take long and looks very clean.

[fullrearview]

Post pics... Some "Kydex" holsters are more of a poly material but they call them Kydex...

Either way, youtube it and you will find a ton of vids showing you how and what to do.

[joelogic]

With light attached, probably not. There may not be enough material and a quality job is done with a vacuum press.

Maybe just sell it and buy the one you want.

When my guns are too tight for the holster I put the gun in the holster, apply heat, work gun in and out and twist, and then let the kydex cool with the gun in it. Works like a charm.

[NewbieDave]

To answer your question... YES, you can reshape the kydex to fit your rail 1911.

As long as we are talking about the same insert that I've played with... does your insert have 3 screws holding everything sandwiched? If yes... you'll need several items before you try. There's more ways to do it, but this will be the fastest.

1) Heat Gun
2) 2x heavy-duty foam piece to sandwich the kydex
3) towel
4) Leather gloves

You should have 3 screws left of the trigger guard. You will need to remove the screw closet to the trigger guard to allow for the material to expand when you heat it. Get everything ready before you heat since after heating the kydex will attempt to expand back to a flat piece and you only have about 30 seconds to shape it.

Have your gun out and ready to insert into the kydex. Put a piece of foam on a chair, a chair is lower then a table, giving you more pressure to apply downward pressure to shape the kydex. Put one end of the towal on the foam. What's going to happen is that you will heat the kydex for about 45-60 sec in front of the heat gun... moving and turning it, don't just let the heat gun blast it.... move the heat around the kydex! Heat ONLY the area you are reshaping... use your other glove hand to cover areas that don't need to reshape.

Once the kydex expand and turns soft near the rail area, stick the gun into the insert. Now quickly place the whole thing on the towel, fold the towel over the insert, put the second piece of foam on top of the towel-sandwiched insert... apply downward pressure on everything. Wait for about 60 sec and release the pressure... and you should have a reshaped rail insert.

The reason for the towel is... unless you have foam that can take the heat, the kydex will melt some cheap foam. The towel prevents foam from melting under the heated kydex.

If you need more questions answer... shoot me a PM.

[NewbieDave]

Forgot to add... redrill the screw hole and put that third screw back on. It applies the pressure to hold your gun in the insert.

[ns3v3n]

Picture of the kydex would be nice, but if you dont have confidence on reshaping it, best is to sell it and buy the one with space for your rail 1911. Youtube have lots of videos on it, and if you go with the heat gun route, use low heat and take your time, if you use high heat, it soft the kydex faster, but it will also change the way it looks from dull/matt color to shiny texture on the surface.

[RolinThundr]

I don't have a heat gun, would a minute or two in an oven on the lowest setting (150-200 degrees) work?

[RolinThundr]

So this is what the holster insert looks like, and it appears to be about 1/16" in thickness. I found this website for buying, www.knifekits.com, but I don't understand how the gauge translates into inches of thickness, anyone?

[NewbieDave]

You can use the oven... but it's harder to shape the whole holster without a good kydex press. Best to borrow a heat gun and just do the dust cover area of the holster so you don't have to reshape the whole kydex.

Or do as the above poster stated... get another one.