KYDEX is a line of thermoplastic

Thermoplastic

Thermoplastic, also known as a thermosoftening plastic, is a polymer that turns to a liquid when heated and freezes to a very glassy state when cooled sufficiently...

 acrylic

Acryl group

In organic chemistry, the acryloyl group is the functional group with structure H2C=CH–C–; it is the acyl group derived from acrylic acid. The preferred IUPAC name for the group is prop-2-enoyl, and it is also known as acrylyl or simply acryl...

-polyvinyl chloride

Polyvinyl chloride

Polyvinyl chloride, commonly abbreviated PVC, is a thermoplastic polymer. It is a vinyl polymer constructed of repeating vinyl groups having one hydrogen replaced by chloride. Polyvinyl chloride is the third most widely produced plastic, after polyethylene and polypropylene. PVC is widely used in...

 alloy sheet grades. It is frequently used as an alternative to leather

Leather

Leather is a durable and flexible material created via the tanning of putrescible animal rawhide and skin, primarily cattlehide. It can be produced through different manufacturing processes, ranging from cottage industry to heavy industry.-Forms:...

 in the production of firearm holster

Holster

A handgun holster is a device used to hold or restrict the undesired movement of a handgun, most commonly in a location where it can be easily withdrawn for immediate use.-Function:...

s and sheath

Sheath

Sheath may refer to:* Scabbard, a sheath for holding a sword, knife, or other large blade, as well as guns, such as rifles.* The outer covering of a cable* Condom, a kind of contraception* Debye sheath, a layer of a plasma in physics...

s for knives

Knife

A knife is a cutting tool with an exposed cutting edge or blade, hand-held or otherwise, with or without a handle. Knives were used at least two-and-a-half million years ago, as evidenced by the Oldowan tools...

. KYDEX Thermoplastic Sheet is a registered trademark of KYDEX, LLC and is the only manufacturer of this material.

Development

KYDEX sheet was originally produced in 1965 by Rohm and Haas

Rohm and Haas

Rohm and Haas Company, a Philadelphia, Pennsylvania based company, manufactures miscellaneous materials. Formerly a Fortune 500 Company, Rohm and Haas employs more than 17,000 people in 27 countries, with its last sales revenue reported as an independent company at USD 8.9 billion. On July 10,...

, having been designed for use in aircraft interiors. In 1987, the product line was purchased by KYDEX, LLC, formerly Kleerdex Company, LLC, which manufactures the material at a location in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania

Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania

Bloomsburg is a town in Columbia County, Pennsylvania, 40 miles southwest of Wilkes Barre along the Susquehanna River. In 1900, the population of Bloomsburg stood at 6,170; in 1910, 7,413; in 1940, 9,799, and in 1990, 12,439. The population was 14,855 at the 2010 census...

.

Characteristics as a holster material

KYDEX sheet is an acrylic-polyvinyl chloride alloy produced by KYDEX, LLC. Engineered for thermoforming fabrication, KYDEX sheet, combines the advantageous properties of both the acrylic and the polyvinyl chloride components. From acrylic, it obtains superior rigidity and formability; from PVC, outstanding toughness, chemical resistance and good interior finish ratings.

The combination of strength properties of KYDEX sheet places it at the highest level among thermoforming materials. Its modulus of elasticity in flexure is 330,000 psi - 50% higher than many other sheets.

Parts formed from KYDEX sheet will be much more rigid and will deform less when loaded. This is of particular importance in deep formed parts with thin wall sections. KYDEX sheet offers rigidity along with a high degree of toughness and resilience.

KYDEX sheet is a relatively hard thermoplastic with a hardness of 90 on the Rockwell R scale. This hardness, combined with its grained surface, increases its abrasive resistance .

KYDEX sheet has a UL classification of 94 V-0.

Applications

• Sign Sledge™ nail clips
• Springs & tensioners
• Firearm holsters
• Knife sheaths
• Equipment housings
• Instrument consoles
• Truck cargo liners
• Lavatory pans
• Door liners
• Kick plates
• Seat backs
• Aircraft pull-down trays
• Truck fenders
• Trays and tote boxes
• Motor covers
• Safety helmets
• Aircraft fairing
• Air exhaust systems
• Rapid prototyping
  Rapid prototyping
  Rapid prototyping is the automatic construction of physical objects using additive manufacturing technology. The first techniques for rapid prototyping became available in the late 1980s and were used to produce models and prototype parts. Today, they are used for a much wider range of applications...
  
   of systems
• Custom insulators for electronic equipment

Some members of the Society for Creative Anachronism

Society for Creative Anachronism

The Society for Creative Anachronism is an international living history group with the aim of studying and recreating mainly Medieval European cultures and their histories before the 17th century...

 use KYDEX sheet to make plastic armor for Heavy Weapons Fighting, a form of simulated medieval armed combat.

KYDEX sheet is a non-porous material, which is easily molded into shape by heating, forming, and cooling the material. KYDEX sheet is used in Obsession Telescopes

Obsession Telescopes

Obsession Telescopes is an American telescope and optics manufacturer that specializes in Dobsonian telescopes. It was started in 1989 by David Kriege and is based in Lake Mills, Wisconsin.-Products:...

 and by other telescope makers. Typically it is supplied in sheets of varying thickness, which can be cut into shape and formed. Kydex sheet is advertised to have a number of advantages over leather in forming holsters and other similar items, including:

• waterproof
• scratch resistant with a Rockwell
  Rockwell scale
  The Rockwell scale is a hardness scale based on the indentation hardness of a material. The Rockwell test determines the hardness by measuring the depth of penetration of an indenter under a large load compared to the penetration made by a preload. There are different scales, denoted by a single...
  
  "R" scale hardness of 90
• holds its shape
• will not stretch or shrink under normal conditions
• low friction