blade and handle design

A

alfonso

Joined
Oct 17, 2001
Messages
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Does anybody know about technical literature about knife design? I only find some rather superficial articles here and there, but no real useful stuff about handle ergonomics and different grips, good cutting curves, blade geometry, and so on.
If you are a maker and try to design your own models, how do you go further on design, apart from aesthetics?
 
As a hobby maker, I approach designs from a few perspectives.

First of all, form follows function in tool design. So, you need to know what someone wants to do with the knife, and then you design accordingly. Some aspects of geometry have approximations that are used. E.g. Suppose customer #1 wants a skinning knife, #2 wants a hard use combat knife for chasing down Taliban officers with and #3 wants a knife for clearing camp sites. #1 will need some curve to the edge, as curve is what makes skinning, a slicing stroke easy. A drop point, clip point or trailing point would be best. As the work is all cutting and not much hard use, deep hollow grinds or a full flat grind would be great to provide nice thin edge. #2 needs a knife fit for hard use, so a drop point, clip point or Tanto would be great. A saber grind will likely be used to provide a thick spine area to give the knife strength, especially for the prying that will be done with a war tool knife. This knife will also be longer than a skinning knife to make it more useful in building shelters, cutting open ammo crates or sticking into Taliban soldiers. And the steel will be thicker to enhance the geometry considerations. Customer #3 will need a larger blade yet, with mass at the tip for strength. A drop point or no drop at all would be good. The steel will be thick and the grind probably a saber grind again so that as you chop, you wedge the material appart. The longer the blade, the more leverage and chopping power you have.

Then you add into the equation things like blade finish (skinners do well with a high polish to resist staining, combat blades need to be subdued, etc.) and more importantly blade material. A combat blade should be made of a strong metal. With a skinner, one may want to go the stainless route. And so on.

There is no function equations set up for makers. Experience teaches makers that high flat grinds will make thinner edges than saber grinds. Sorry to disappoint, but there is no such mathematical book! This is the art side of knife making. An experienced maker can make a blade that will suit your requirements better than you know, as the maker (hopefully) understands the essentials of heat treat, metallurgy, handle material construction, blade and edge geometries, and so on. The knife knut, wishing to get a handle on this same material, can ask questions and read a lot. Check your local libraries for knife books, read the magazines, e-mail friendly makers and do a search here on the forums. Get into knife making too if you want to learn lots. That is one of the two major reasons I got into knife making; to learn more about knives.
 
Thanks a lot for your answer. I'm already a hobby maker, and the reason to my query is a little because of your advice: Learning.
When designing a blade, I have less problems than when trying to make a new handle. Blade profile, grind, etc. is rather clear to me, but when I think at a really good handle, troubles start.
Ok, it's quite easy to make a handle allowing a good grip, but only one. If you reverse your grip (i.e.: opening a packet or a deer belly) your famous handle becomes something very, very different. Not to mention when you peel potatoes with the same knife. Yes, I'm talking about a general purpose knife, if such a thing exists. Let's say an everyday knife, OK?
Of course, if I'll make a big camp knife, my handle will be different, since I'll no peel vegetables with. I don't plan to make any fighting knife.
Most of my production are small knives, a little bit on the Scandinavian style, and otherwise, camp knives (also with a Nordic touch).
When you hold a little everyday knife (well, I do, at least), I'll not grip it most of the time like a hammer, but like a drum's stick when playing Jazz music: three fingers on the handle, the thumb on the back, even touching the back of the blade, and my little finger down the pommel or whatever you put at the end of the handle. The pommel is usually resting on the palm of my hand.
Try to figure this.
Then, rotate the same handle in your hand and peel a potato...
Unless your handle is cilindical, oval or any kind of simmetrical design at some degree, you'll meet troubles.
A short time ago, when discussing this with Swedish maker Michael Karlsson, he sent me a picture showing his grip on a traditional Sami knife (remember, those beautiful knives without guard, featuring a reindeer antler pommel. Michael's knives are just gorgeous). Interesting grip, but I have to change all my customs if I want to use that grip.
Just to resume, I'm a professional musical instruments maker, and there is a pretty bunch of technical literature on instruments design, but I guess that I'll have to trust my intuition, common sense and advice from fiends and fellow knife makers when designing handles. And a lot of trial and error.
Am I wrong?
Oh, by the way: aesthetics are ALSO very important.
A final fact: I realized that very radical designs can be comfortable only on one grip. The same applies to radical blades: only work "one way".
I'm open to discuss more on this.
Thank you.
Alfonso
 
I suggest going to e-bay and doing a search on Randall knives. There you can se many pics of handles and such. I think the 'standard" grip that comes on the #1, in micarta instead of leather, is a great all-purpose grip. Oh, I asked a question about a grip that excells at forward and reverse grip (edge in) in the practical tactical forum. You could do a search for that thread (it was in the last 2 months, just do a search for my name.) You'll get a good look at some multi-grip grips!

Good luck.
 
This is a very good question.

I find that images of ancient weapons and such offer some good ideas.

You might look over some old "Knives" annuals, they go back to the 80's, and they are a pulp book of knives. Very good stuff.

You might go to a large list of knife links, and methodically go to every single site, looking at every image, you are sure to learn a few things.

But, the "Knives" annuals are some of the best.
 
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