1st Post - Ready to try

2

2301hb

Joined
Oct 3, 2014
Messages
6
This is my first post on this great forum. I've been reading and slowly learning and building up my tools. I have the files, sandpaper, steel (1084) and just completed a filing jig. I think I'm ready to go for it but wanted to post a picture of what I'm planning on making. It's based on the Bark River Little Creek. The total length is around 5.5 inches. In the picture, each small square is 1/4". I'm looking forward to your opinions. I've talked about doing this for years and I've finally worked up the nerve to try it.

Thanks.

Joe

20141113_193247_zps38596aef.jpg
 
Looks like as good a place to start as any. I don't see anything terribly wrong with the design. I personally might make the choil area (curve under the front edge of the handle) more of a constant radius or semi circular line. But that's me. I think I'd make the whole design wider top to bottom as well. According to your sketch the handle will only be a half inch deep. And your handle will only be 2.5" long. I'd think you'd want in the neighborhood of an inch at least to fill the hand a bit and at least 4" long. Make a mock up out of cardboard, Masonite hardboard, plexiglass or something similar that is easy to shape. Try different sizes to see what fits your hand the best. I would say, make another drawing traced over this one. Make the lines basically the same except that the top and bottom lines of the handle are 1" apart and lengthen the handle a bit. Then adjust the curve of the blade to work with the wider dimensions. Make a mock up of that and see how that feels.

You have done the right things so far. You collected your tools and some great steel. You have a game plan and have posted a drawing first. Excellent! You can do this. But this is just a caution and some free advice. At the very least it's worth what you paid for it. Some new guys rush in and don't listen to advice. You are off to a good start. Don't rush. It isn't a race. Don't skip steps. There are aspects of making knives that are very time consuming, tedious and take a lot of energy. DO THE VERY BEST YOU CAN AT EVERY STAGE. Refer back to photos of well made knives for reference. Pay attention to details. Use the search function to find as many answers as you can. Almost every conceivable topic about making knives has been discussed a hundred times and can be found with a little searching. If you can't find it or various answers are contradictory and confusing, ask the question here. A lot of very knowledgeable folks will help you find your way. Keep us posted and good luck.
 
You have a nice design and obviously have done your homework... so what are you waiting for? Just start, and make the very best knife you can. Take your time and work on honing your skills in the process. This is your practice. Keep your bevels as crisp as possible, give it as nice a finish as you can, work to keep everything symmetrical as you can, and you'll have a great knife even if the design is less than perfect. Then go make another!... and another, and another... :P I think you'll find you had nothing to be afraid of... all of the stuff that has confused you over the years you delayed in starting will start to make sense once you have one or two knives under your belt.

I see a lot of new makers who are afraid to start and spend way too much time on the design so they end up with some dream knife. You can draw all the knives you want and come up with a "perfect" design, but that won't matter if you don't have the skills to make it. Your first knife most likely won't be perfect and it doesn't have to be, so long as you learned from it in the process to take with you to the next one.
 
That is the truth.

I've finished 7 now and I can really see improvements on each one. I can also see the deficiencies in them as well. Each one (especially if you try to do each to the best of your abilities) advances your skills. Even the ones you catastrophically bung up. Expect that to some degree. It's all good and part of you learning.

I think it is very cool to take raw materials and through the skill that you develop and possess for the rest of your life create something of value. I want to take some of these kids that play video games and tell them they could "craft" things for real!
 
The basic shape and design looks good....with the problem Marc pointed out. The blade is 3" long and the handle is 2.5" . That is a very small handle. I would reverse the two. A 2.5" blade is a nice small knife, and at 3" you will be able to get a grip on the handle. Personally, I would make the blade 2.5" and the handle 3.5"
 
Thanks for all the suggestions. I decided to increase the overall size of this knife. It's the same basic shape with a 4" blade and 4.25" handle. I've cut the basic shape using the drill press/hacksaw method and am in the process of cleaning up all the edges. It's been too cold in the shop the last few days to make any progress but hopefully this weekend I'll be able to start on the bevel. Thanks again for all the help!

Joe
 
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