Blade shape suggestions?

[weo]

Hello all. I hope spring is treating everyone well.

Here's a blade I'm working on and not sure if I should modify the profile or not. Apparently I didn't keep the pattern centered when drawing out the point. Should I leave as is, regrind as the marker indicates or do you have other profile suggestions?

Thanks

as always
peace and love
billyO

 

[J. Doyle]

Personally, I don't see any issues the way it is. Your feather is pretty straight and it looks pretty good to me.

 

[DAMNENG]

I agree with John. It's different and I like it. I would suggest you not cut sharp Vs in the tang, they can act as stress risers and lead to failure. Use U shaped groves if you must use something other than a pin.
Jim A.

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

I also like it as-is.

 

[weo]

Thanks all.

I would suggest you not cut sharp Vs in the tang, they can act as stress risers and lead to failure. Use U shaped groves if you must use something other than a pin.
Jim A.

Am I correct in thinking (I'm pretty sure I am...) that by rounding out the corners, I can relieve the stress risers?

On a related note, I did this because I thought it would help the epoxy hold thinks together. Is this unnecessary?

 

[tim37a]

Technically, the v's would help hold the tang from coming out of the handle. Drilling holes in the tang will do the same thing only better and eliminate any possible stress risers.
Tim

 

[Armin Drumm]

Biggest stress risers are this sharp corners between ricasso and tang, also because they are not only from the edge and spine side, but also from the flat sides.
The V's in the tang I personally do on the edge of the grinding disk of the bench grinder, this gives 90° V's with rounded corner.

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

Stress risers require steress to be activated. The "V's" will not likely get any stress once bedded in the epoxy and inside the handle block. Technically, a rounded bottom notch would be a better practice. I use the edge of the belt to grind them.

However, the 90 degree angles at the ricasso will get direct stress in use, and should be made as tiny curves. This is more of a precaution than a worry.

 

[kuraki]

Personally I feel we take this issue of stress risers to a level bordering on ridiculous some times. They worry me more prior to heat treating than in use of a finished knife. If the blade is a long chopper that is going to see ridiculous stress at the area, ok. But most knives won't be used that way. Now quenching something with sharp square inside corners especially in thin cross sections, that can definitely cause you problems.

 

[Erin Burke]

Personally I feel we take this issue of stress risers to a level bordering on ridiculous some times. They worry me more prior to heat treating than in use of a finished knife... Now quenching something with sharp square inside corners especially in thin cross sections, that can definitely cause you problems.

I'm going to agree with John on this one. Sharp angles and stress risers are more of a concern during the quench process. Any texturing/"V"s/grooves/etc. of the tang should be done after HT and drawing back the tang. The notches in the OP seem a bit extreme to me... but I often use a similar approach. Most of the tang should be soft, and any notches or texturing should be held back from the guard shoulders. Below are a couple of examples. I'm not saying this is the right way to do it... but it works for me.

Back to Billy's original question... I'd leave the profile as is. Looking forward to seeing the finished product.
Erin

 

[Willie71]

Not a profile comment, but I think feathers look best when they are done in the opposite direction from this one, feathering outward from the tang, not the tip. Maybe turn your press upside down next time and push from the opposite side?

 

[weo]

Biggest stress risers are this sharp corners between ricasso and tang, also because they are not only from the edge and spine side, but also from the flat sides.

Hard to see in the picture, but those aren't sharp corners, but are rounded with a really small radius.

Not a profile comment, but I think feathers look best when they are done in the opposite direction from this one, feathering outward from the tang, not the tip. Maybe turn your press upside down next time and push from the opposite side?

I'm not sure which I like better. I've got 2 others out of the billet the "normal" way https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/feather-pattern-question.1538401/page-2#post-17834878. I did this one just to see what it looked like.

Again, thanks for all the comments/suggestions.
~billyO

 

[Ken H>]

Billy, Looking at your samples in the link, I do think I'll be different here, I like the way the feather and spine runs in the blade at top of this thread. BUT - even at the expense of losing a bit of length, I'd cut as your have marked so the spine will come out at the point. When the spine comes from the point, I'm a BIG fan of feather pattern.... by far my favorite.