Reforming kydex

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    Well-Known Member
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    Feb 22, 2012
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    Walker, La
    So I've got a shadow systems slide on a G19 and the slide is wider than OEM and it is pretty tight in my holster.
    What's the best way to fix this? I don't have a heat gun at the house, so I'd prefer to use an oven if possible.
     

    DAVE_M

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    Apr 17, 2009
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    DO NOT USE AN OVEN.

    The best thing to do is buy a better quality holster. That may not be what you want to hear, but a kydex holster should not be tight on the slide. The retention comes from the trigger guard. You will never be able to heat up a specific spot to widen the body. If you heat it too much, you will ruin the kydex. If you heat it too little, you will be fighting it.
     

    GunRelated

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    DO NOT USE AN OVEN.

    The best thing to do is buy a better quality holster. That may not be what you want to hear, but a kydex holster should not be tight on the slide. The retention comes from the trigger guard. You will never be able to heat up a specific spot to widen the body. If you heat it too much, you will ruin the kydex. If you heat it too little, you will be fighting it.
    You are absolutely correct, that is not what I wanted to hear, lol.
    I bought this holster specifically for this setup, it has an RMR and my other 19 does not. The OEM 19 fits in it, the shadow systems is tight. I had saw on another forum where some guy said to heat it a little and shove it in, but gave no other instruction. I mean, if there is anyone here that has done this with success, I'd be willing to risk the ~$25 holster to try it but I don't want to just go in blind because I really don't have any experience working with kydex.
     

    DAVE_M

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    You are absolutely correct, that is not what I wanted to hear, lol.
    I bought this holster specifically for this setup, it has an RMR and my other 19 does not. The OEM 19 fits in it, the shadow systems is tight. I had saw on another forum where some guy said to heat it a little and shove it in, but gave no other instruction. I mean, if there is anyone here that has done this with success, I'd be willing to risk the ~$25 holster to try it but I don't want to just go in blind because I really don't have any experience working with kydex.

    If you heat it up and shove the gun in, I guarantee you're going to being seeing accelerated wear on the slide. You will be trying to form a sheet of kydex that has already been formed once to comform to the slide. When quality holsters are made, they are formed on molds that are slightly oversize. This gives a bit of wiggle room and ensures that the holsters only contacts points where it needs to.

    If you stick it in the oven, it will flatten. Your holster will be completely worthless.
    If you try to heat a specific area and widen it by shoving the gun in, it's still going to be tight, you will most likely heat up a larger area and deform the holster.

    Shoving the gun in to widen it is a terrible idea. Don't listen to people who tell you those things. Best case scenario, if you want to widen it, use a flat bar or dowel. Don't put the gun in it.
     

    GunRelated

    Well-Known Member
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    If you heat it up and shove the gun in, I guarantee you're going to being seeing accelerated wear on the slide. You will be trying to form a sheet of kydex that has already been formed once to comform to the slide. When quality holsters are made, they are formed on molds that are slightly oversize. This gives a bit of wiggle room and ensures that the holsters only contacts points where it needs to.

    If you stick it in the oven, it will flatten. Your holster will be completely worthless.
    If you try to heat a specific area and widen it by shoving the gun in, it's still going to be tight, you will most likely heat up a larger area and deform the holster.

    Shoving the gun in to widen it is a terrible idea. Don't listen to people who tell you those things. Best case scenario, if you want to widen it, use a flat bar or dowel. Don't put the gun in it.
    Definitely makes sense to me.
    This is why I didn't just go head first.
     

    Jasarii

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    I see you are located in Walker. I’ve got a little experience working with kydex .
    What brand/type of holster is it? Can you post up a pic? It “possibly” can be done. Like Dave said, it’s a tricky process for someone that may not have experience with kydex work, etc. I don’t mind giving some advice on it. Heck, you are welcome to come by and use my heat gun/tools to tinker with it.
    -Will


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     

    GunRelated

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    Feb 22, 2012
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    Ebay. It's a decent holster, works fine for the stock 19.
    I bought one off Amazon last winter for $16 and have 0 complaints, Kobra brand. This new one I got doesn't fit quite as well, doesn't give a clean, crisp click but otherwise it does work and isn't too tight for the stock 19.
    Thought I might get lucky with it like I did with the previous one but I guess you can't win every time.
     

    GunRelated

    Well-Known Member
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    Feb 22, 2012
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    I see you are located in Walker. I’ve got a little experience working with kydex .
    What brand/type of holster is it? Can you post up a pic? It “possibly” can be done. Like Dave said, it’s a tricky process for someone that may not have experience with kydex work, etc. I don’t mind giving some advice on it. Heck, you are welcome to come by and use my heat gun/tools to tinker with it.
    -Will


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    Hey, I'm all ears
    I'll have to go back and look at the listing to see the brand.
    6f16cd083b40a9e3f629c379ab59edf8.jpg
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    d65b40085a8971df9fa5c7fc90717333.jpg
     

    GunRelated

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    Dunno why it does that, I posted 4 different pics, guess I'll have to upload them 1 at a time.
     

    GunRelated

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    You can see that this one doesn't hug the lines like the other one does. I'm assuming they made it like that for extended slide releases but who knows.
    c6ebe48b91dcd72cd1a9ba719e01934f.jpg
     

    GunRelated

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    Upon messing with the retention screws, it does give a better seating click now with the OEM 19. Had to loosen it a tad.
    Doesn't fix the issue of it being too tight for the shadow systems though.
     

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