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Balance Point?
- Thread starter nullack
- Start date
einsteinjon
Platinum Member
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I'm less than a rookie as far as the bladesmith area goes, but I'll give my opinion anyway.
It varies from knife to knife and person to person. A smaller knife, say 5" or less, will likely be balanced best at the index finger, maybe the choil. Some people prefer a little forward of that for blade heavy, some a little behind for handle heavy. I personally prefer a little behind for slight handle heavy as I feel it gives more control. But like I said, the majority of what you find will likely be at the index finger spot on the handle or at the choil, if there is a choil.
For a larger knife, or a chopper, it's likely going to be blade heavy. This generally will just fall that way because you are going to typically have more material in the blade portion of the knife. I find there to be a bit of a gray area in the 6" to 8" or 9" range, but the longer blade length you have, the more likely it is to be blade heavy. Exactly where on the blade the balance point lands depends on geometry of the blade and heft of the handle portion. I think most people prefer blade heavy on a chopper anyway because it will aid in chopping. Though some people may like handle heavy or near the index finger for more control, or because it can make the knife overall seem "quicker." This would probably qualify as being considered a fighting knife, though I'm not sure because I have no use for or experience with a fighting knife.
Hope that helps, but I think your statement as is seems to be a bit of a loaded question
It varies from knife to knife and person to person. A smaller knife, say 5" or less, will likely be balanced best at the index finger, maybe the choil. Some people prefer a little forward of that for blade heavy, some a little behind for handle heavy. I personally prefer a little behind for slight handle heavy as I feel it gives more control. But like I said, the majority of what you find will likely be at the index finger spot on the handle or at the choil, if there is a choil.
For a larger knife, or a chopper, it's likely going to be blade heavy. This generally will just fall that way because you are going to typically have more material in the blade portion of the knife. I find there to be a bit of a gray area in the 6" to 8" or 9" range, but the longer blade length you have, the more likely it is to be blade heavy. Exactly where on the blade the balance point lands depends on geometry of the blade and heft of the handle portion. I think most people prefer blade heavy on a chopper anyway because it will aid in chopping. Though some people may like handle heavy or near the index finger for more control, or because it can make the knife overall seem "quicker." This would probably qualify as being considered a fighting knife, though I'm not sure because I have no use for or experience with a fighting knife.
Hope that helps, but I think your statement as is seems to be a bit of a loaded question
It depends....
When swords are discussed, the closer the balance point is to the guard (and the hand), the more more responsive the blade is. A sword with a balance point close to the guard is considered 'lively', with good point control. Moving the balance closer to the point makes the sword slower to respond, but able to pack more of a punch when it hits. The same principle applies to knives. To maximize chopping power, move the balance point towards the blade. To maximize speed, move the balance point towards the handle.
IMHO, going too far in either direction leads to an awkward feeling knife, a medium sized knife seems to feel the best when the balance point is right at the guard/blade junction. A small knife can pack a lot of punch with a heavy blade and light handle, while a large knife can be surprisingly quick and light-feeling if the balance point is centered on the trigger-finger...
This is very much dependent on personal taste, other's mileage may vary.
Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith
ilmarinen - MODERATOR
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I shoot for a sword to balance one hand width or less in front of the guard. As said, it varies by blade type and by the fittings. Knives can be anywhere from just behind the guard to several inches in front. Balancing the handle mass ( and choice of materials) and pommel weight allow for fine tuning this. Often, making a sword/knife a little heavier ( by adding a larger pommel ), makes it "lighter' in the hand. I have made swords that weighed several pounds and spun around like they weighed only a pound.
I have used this example to explain this phenomenon:
Take a strong yard stick and a can of soup. Tape the can of soup to one end. With one hand, pick up the can end, grasping the can. No problem. Swish it around like a sword. Again, fast and easy.
Now, pick up the other end of the yard stick with one hand. It feels like it weighs as much as a bowling ball. Try to move it around. It is nearly impossible to control. These are the two extremes of sword balance. The real world is somewhere between the two. The smith tries to find the happy medium where the sword has speed and lightness, but still has impact and cutting ability. The same applies for knives, but to a much lesser degree on most knives, as maneuverability and impact are not normally the main features.
Stacy
I have used this example to explain this phenomenon:
Take a strong yard stick and a can of soup. Tape the can of soup to one end. With one hand, pick up the can end, grasping the can. No problem. Swish it around like a sword. Again, fast and easy.
Now, pick up the other end of the yard stick with one hand. It feels like it weighs as much as a bowling ball. Try to move it around. It is nearly impossible to control. These are the two extremes of sword balance. The real world is somewhere between the two. The smith tries to find the happy medium where the sword has speed and lightness, but still has impact and cutting ability. The same applies for knives, but to a much lesser degree on most knives, as maneuverability and impact are not normally the main features.
Stacy