About to start my first knife: whaddaya think?

Gryffin · Oct 12, 2006

Got me a grinder and belts, got my drill press, got files and sandpaper and scribers and measuring tools... 'bout damn time I started my first knife!!

Of course, as a former engineer, I couldn't just grab some steel and start grinding, oooooh no. Had to spend an evening on design, first:

Nothing too fancy, kinda Dozier-esque, but I like 'em like that.

Specs:

Overall Length: 9"
Blade Length: 4½"
Blade Stock: 5/32" O-1, high flat saber grind with swedge
Handle: black linen micarta (bought off someone here a while back), with red spacer
Guard: nickel silver (pre-slotted, from Jantz)
Pins: ¼" mosaic (from Jantz)

I know, I could make things easier on myself: the guard would been easier to mount squared up, but like the rakish angle and curved front; I'll have to file in that curved plunge line, since I don't have a small-diameter contact wheel (or any contact wheel, actually); and I'm sure that red spacer will drive me nuts.

I've seen lots of stellar knives outta you folk, so I'd like to know what you think of my first design. Go ahead, be brutal, I'm a big boy, I can take it!

So, am I biting off too much to chew, for a first knife?

alephlex · Oct 12, 2006

Looks beautiful Gryffin! Good luck and post some pics when you're done.

Tanguay Custom Knives · Oct 12, 2006

If you're as good with your hands as you are with design, then we've all got some serious competition! Great looking knife. I can't wait to see the finished product. Start making sparks!

Gryffin · Oct 12, 2006

scottang1 said:
If you're as good with your hands as you are with design, then we've all got some serious competition! Great looking knife. I can't wait to see the finished product. Start making sparks!

LOL!! You're too kind.

As soon as my O-1 gets here, I will!! I'm practicing my grinding skills on a piece of mild steel I bought, 1/8" x 1½" x 48" for $5. Better to make my mistakes on that, than the $10/ft stuff!

Danbo · Oct 12, 2006

That's a great design. Can't wait to see the finished product. :thumbup:

Will52100 · Oct 12, 2006

That's a great design, only thing is I'd go with a full flat grind, but that's my own personal preferance. Can't wait to see the finished article.:thumbup:

LRJ35A · Oct 13, 2006

A big Thumbs up on that design....

CWendling · Oct 13, 2006

gorgeous design

Del Raso Knives · Oct 13, 2006

G'day Gryffin, great design and ergonomics. You asked for comments so here goes.

You should be able to acheive the plunge line as you have drawn it straight off your belt. Hold your blade, edge up, and at 90 degrees to the platen and dont plunge hard. Try to imagine a long gentle slope to the plane of the blade bevel. Bear in mind this will create some problems when sharpening because of the thick cross section at the ricaso. Don't worry plenty of guys do it this way.

I would also leave more room between the plunge line and the front of the guard so you can move the grind further back if you stuff up and and also have room for a logo.

I am sure you have placed your pins in the middle of the tang, look back at your drawing and you will notice they look slightly below centre. This illusion will also appear on your finished knife. To avoid this put them in a millimetre or so above centre. While you are at it I would move the first pin closer to the guard, this is especially important if you go on to use natural materials that have a tendency to warp. Also move your lanyard tube further in so you don't run the risk of the thinner cross section cracking, again more important with natural materials.

I know this will be your first knife, but it would look seriously excellent with a tapered tang, maybe next time. Good luck and I hope you have a ball pulling your hair out, just remember this is supose to be "fun":thumbup:

mdoyle · Oct 13, 2006

Sweet design! I agree with some of the others, plunge should be moved out to leave room for your mark, and first pin closer to the guard, or if you like the positioning of the first pin, maybe two very small brass pins nearer the guard. Myself I would move both first and second pin forward and leave the third, but hey it's your knife do what you want because you have to be happy with it!
Go get 'em,
Matt Doyle

Gryffin · Oct 13, 2006

Will52100 said:
That's a great design, only thing is I'd go with a full flat grind, but that's my own personal preferance. Can't wait to see the finished article.:thumbup:

I like full flat grinds, too, but I wanted the challenge of establishing a good grind line. Heck, depending on how things go, there's a fair chance this'll end up full flat anyway...

Gryffin · Oct 13, 2006

Del Raso Knives said:
G'day Gryffin, great design and ergonomics. You asked for comments so here goes.

Just the sort of feedback I was looking for, thanks!!

Del Raso Knives said:
You should be able to acheive the plunge line as you have drawn it straight off your belt. Hold your blade, edge up, and at 90 degrees to the platen and dont plunge hard. Try to imagine a long gentle slope to the plane of the blade bevel. Bear in mind this will create some problems when sharpening because of the thick cross section at the ricaso. Don't worry plenty of guys do it this way.

I'm gonna work on that plunge line tonight. I guess I just assumed those were done with a small contact wheel, or small circular CNC cutter for the high-tech guys. If I can do it with what I have without hand filing, I'd like to.

Good point about sharpening, I meant to add a small choil. Hmmm... Wonder where it went to...

Del Raso Knives said:
I would also leave more room between the plunge line and the front of the guard so you can move the grind further back if you stuff up and and also have room for a logo.

Duh... good point, thanks! I wanted a lot of edge, guess I got a little carried away.

Del Raso Knives said:
I am sure you have placed your pins in the middle of the tang, look back at your drawing and you will notice they look slightly below centre. This illusion will also appear on your finished knife. To avoid this put them in a millimetre or so above centre. While you are at it I would move the first pin closer to the guard, this is especially important if you go on to use natural materials that have a tendency to warp. Also move your lanyard tube further in so you don't run the risk of the thinner cross section cracking, again more important with natural materials.

Now, there's the difference between engineering and design. Those pins were placed exactly along the centerline of the handle, and spaced at precisely proportioned intervals.

So much for math.

I see what you're saying. I'll play around with the positions today, and see if I can improve on things a tad.

Del Raso Knives said:
I know this will be your first knife, but it would look seriously excellent with a tapered tang, maybe next time.

Another thing I considered, but about that time I started to think I was pushing my luck for a first knife as it was! My rendering doesn't show it, but there are a whole lotta holes under that micarta, to keep it from getting too butt-heavy. But I definitely want to do a tapared tang on #002!

Del Raso Knives said:
Good luck and I hope you have a ball pulling your hair out, just remember this is supose to be "fun":thumbup:

LOL!!! I'll try to remember that

clw3 · Oct 13, 2006

Nice Work! What application did you use to render your design? I'm using Adobe Illustrator and am getting a similar look to my sketches, but i dont have the top view unless I draw it separately. I am curious to know if it is a 3D program which will render more than one view or did you have to draw both views individually.

ORIZONDO · Oct 13, 2006

Pictures Man Pictures Of The Finished Product Is Beuuuuutifullll

Gryffin · Oct 13, 2006

clw3 said:
Nice Work! What application did you use to render your design? I'm using Adobe Illustrator and am getting a similar look to my sketches, but i dont have the top view unless I draw it separately. I am curious to know if it is a 3D program which will render more than one view or did you have to draw both views individually.

Adobe Illustrator here.

I learned old-school manual drafting in college, so I know how to lay out a drawing with pretty much anything; and I worked as a technical illustrator for a while, and still do web and print production, so I'm comfortable with Illustrator.

I used to use various CAD systems, but for knives, it feels more natural to use a creative tool, not a technical one. Heck, I'm not even up to speed on any CAD programs anymore! I guess the ideal, especially for highly technical folders, would be to conceptualize in Illustrator, then move the basic layout to CAD and refine it in 3D.

I just sketched the top view after the side view, just to check the proportions; good thing, too, my initial ideas for guard and scale thickness looked waaaay too fat.

Gryffin · Oct 13, 2006

ORIZONDO said:
Pictures Man Pictures Of The Finished Product Is Beuuuuutifullll

Trust me, if it comes out even halfway well, it'll be photographed within an inch of it's life!

clw3 · Oct 13, 2006

Just a tip, (and you may already be ahead of me on this one,) you can take your profile and save a copy on a new layer and group everything.Then select the whole thing and remove all fills and stroke with a .5 pt line. It will give you a very accurate outline to use for cutting out your blank. I even put crosshairs inside all the drill holes to aid in aligning my punch for drilling. I just use some spray adhesive and stick it down directly on the steel. It really works for me.
Here's a pic to illustrate what I'm talking about.
http://curtwommack.com/Samples/KnifeDesigns/Knife40.jpg

Good Luck!

Gryffin · Oct 13, 2006

clw3 said:
Just a tip, (and you may already be ahead of me on this one,) you can take your profile and save a copy on a new layer and group everything.Then select the whole thing and remove all fills and stroke with a .5 pt line. It will give you a very accurate outline to use for cutting out your blank. I even put crosshairs inside all the drill holes to aid in aligning my punch for drilling. I just use some spray adhesive and stick it down directly on the steel. It really works for me.
Here's a pic to illustrate what I'm talking about.
http://curtwommack.com/Samples/KnifeDesigns/Knife40.jpg

Waaay ahead of you:

The blue lines is the bar stock. I've already been using your contact adhesive idea on custom Swiss Army Knife scales I've been making. My drill press has a laser, so with the crosshairs it's child's play to place the holes.

In case you're curious what other dross is in the illustration, underneath the pretty parts:

clw3 said:
Good Luck!

Thanks, I think I'll need it!

Del Raso Knives · Oct 14, 2006

Hi Gryffin, happy to hear my comments made sence. Your line drawing does not show a notch in the bottom of your blade that your guard will fit into. The notch needs to be only 3 to 4mm deep. It will allow you to grind the radius for your finger and a little of the blade. Without the notch you run the risk of washing out the guard where it meets the blade. Do a search and I am sure you will find some pics or a tutorial. Happy grinding mate.

peter

Gryffin · Oct 14, 2006

Del Raso Knives said:
Your line drawing does not show a notch in the bottom of your blade that your guard will fit into. The notch needs to be only 3 to 4mm deep. It will allow you to grind the radius for your finger and a little of the blade. Without the notch you run the risk of washing out the guard where it meets the blade.

Interesting... I was planning to file out the slot in the guard, but notching the blade makes sense.

Thanks again!