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Anyone using Solidworks for knifemaking??

C

CDiprecision

Joined
Jul 2, 2006
Messages
25
I have a seat of Solidworks I use for MoldBuilding, and I was thinking of doing knife design, CNC programming with it..has anyone done this??
 
well i also have solid works and i love it but im not as good with it as i am with 3ds max, so that is what i use. now mind you i just use it to get knife ideas by modleing them first so i can see what thay look like.
 
i like to kinda get an idea what it is going to look like because i do a hiden tang and atach juse a blank handle then shape it around the look of the knife. but because the handle is allredy atatched i would hate to do a crapy design and have to cut of the handle
 
I'm doing a large folder project now that has been modeled in Solid Works. I designed the knife on paper and consulted with a friend that happens to be a Solid Works Pro.
Designing a knife this way is quite different (and more expensive) than starting it from scratch in the computer, but you'll have a hard time getting the same character of line using the computer only. Something that looks like a straight line might actually involve 3 or 4 curves. It takes a lot of time and patience to preserve the character of a profile that was drawn by hand, but this is a 'no comprimise' sort of project, so I wasn't about to start off by comprimising a shape I anguished over, pencil in hand, for more than 40 hours. (You'd laugh if you saw it, it SEEMS like such a simple shape.)
In the end, I have 42 files, everything fully dimensioned and tolleranced, etc. It's a great program, but I'm not a CAD guy. I'm just happy to have gotten the proper help in that area.
 
JCaswell said:
I'm doing a large folder project now that has been modeled in Solid Works. I designed the knife on paper and consulted with a friend that happens to be a Solid Works Pro.
Designing a knife this way is quite different (and more expensive) than starting it from scratch in the computer, but you'll have a hard time getting the same character of line using the computer only. Something that looks like a straight line might actually involve 3 or 4 curves. It takes a lot of time and patience to preserve the character of a profile that was drawn by hand, but this is a 'no comprimise' sort of project, so I wasn't about to start off by comprimising a shape I anguished over, pencil in hand, for more than 40 hours. (You'd laugh if you saw it, it SEEMS like such a simple shape.)
In the end, I have 42 files, everything fully dimensioned and tolleranced, etc. It's a great program, but I'm not a CAD guy. I'm just happy to have gotten the proper help in that area.
Click to expand...
Hey, any chance we could get a scan of the drawing? or, even better (although I know this would be a huge favor) a copy of the SW files? I'd love to see what you're talking about in terms of subtlety (I haven't even made my first blade yet, so I have slightly more subtlety than a flatground piece of stock), and even moreso, what it took to CAD it.

Thanks a ton!
 
Ok guys..I spent about 1/2 hour playing around and came up with this...

it is about 13" long, decent handle thickness, hollow ground...it is still lacking hardware detal, but that is easy...I may fool with some Microtech type folders in the future, but right now im interested in Fixed blades..

Ok...critique is welcomed...:)


knife blank.jpg


knife blank1.jpg


knife blank2.jpg
 
Not bad, not bad at all!

coupla critiques, and then a question: I'd curve the handle more, both in terms of filleting the kink in the bottom and edges of the scales, and the corners of edges of the guard, while you're at it.. I'd also use fewer/more spaced out lightening holes, just for aesthetics.

So, how'd you end up doing the hollow grinding?

Oh yeah, get a copy of PhotoWorks (I think that's what it's called) if you can... makes MUCH prettier pictures! :p
 
Yeah...I didnt get the added price package, I use SW along with a CAM package to program my CNC's with, and for building molds..:) it already set me back $15k, so I didnt get the frills,lol..;)

the hollow grind area is easy...Cut Sweep it...I can change the path and the profile in seconds, and change the whole look..ill play wit hthe other things too..:)
 
Oh, ok, that makes sense. As you might tell, I'm unfortunately a jack of no trades when it comes to CAD/3D animation... I've used almost everything, but I haven't mastered anything.
 
Well, your website sucks (:p, there's no guns.html), but your CAD work looks awesome. if I send you the SLDPRT of my knife, is there any chance you could help me troubleshoot the scale fillets? I can't figure out for the life of me why I can fillet them at all, but only the tiny little bit you'll see on my link, as opposed to the full-round I'd like.
 
CDiprecision said:
ok, I updated it a little....the top 2 are updated, bottom is original..;)
Click to expand...
I'd still curve out the handle a little more. I've seen a knife on this board that pulled off the angular look well, but it was angular, not blocky.
 
Lucky Bob said:
Hey, any chance we could get a scan of the drawing? or, even better (although I know this would be a huge favor) a copy of the SW files? I'd love to see what you're talking about in terms of subtlety
Click to expand...

As much as I'd like to show you this knife, I can't 'launch' it at this time. Like I infered, however, the basic shape is, for the most part traditional. It's these traditional forms, though, that rely upon subtlety and excellence of proportion to 'work', though a less sensitive eye might not see it at all. (Sheesh! I sound like a high-school art teacher!)
The knife shown above absolutely looks computer designed, which is an acceptable attribute in the tactical genre, not so much in other segments.
 
Which CAM program do you use for your mold work?

BTW all those holes along the spine of the knife will significantly weaken the lateral strength of the knife.
 
Pretty cool.
I use several different 3D software packages.
Some do certain thinks better than others.
 
:) I use Camworks for my CNC programming..it works within the SW environment.

I know the holes will weaken it..I was thinking of doing a large spine like thing back there instead...ill fool with it some more...

Lucky Bob..Yeah, I can help you out..:) E mail me the file and tell me what u want and Ill look at it..:) I have done a ton of gun work, il have to post that too..:)
 
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