Camp knife - the handle feels too short for me

[Maelstrom78]

Hi all,

The above is me taking a stab at getting into making some kitchen cutlery. The thinnest stock I have on hand is Aldo's 1/8 1080 so while I wait for my AEB - L to come in I thought I would monkey around with a kitchen knife-esque camp knife.

The problem with this one is I made the handle a bit too short-feeling. It would work but feels a bit cramped for my hand at the back.

My thought is that I could extend the back curve a bit more into more of a hawks beak to make some more room for my hand. Maybe something like this?

To make something similar (as my novice skills will allow) to this:

Thoughts?

It's pre HT so I could make a hidden tang I guess but I would prefer not to on this one.

Thanks!

-To sneak another question in: I've got some 2" .100, some 2.5" .100 as well as some 2" .70 coming in in AEB-l as well as some .130 for some hunters.

I'd like to make myself an 8" chef and paring knife as well as one or two of each as gifts (if they are gift worthy)

I should have the chef taken care of with the .100 and the paring with the .70 correct? Would the .70 be too thin for a chef knife?

I plan on sending out for HT after profiling and hole drilling then grinding after HT for the .70. I figured I could get away with some bevel establishing grinding pre HT on the .100.

Anyway, thanks!

 

[Patrickknives]

What is the length of the handle, it looks ok but hard to tell. The width is a bit much which may have some effect on how it feels in your hand. You and reshape the curve at the back of the handle to give you little finger a bit more room, thus making the overall feet a little longer

 

[Maelstrom78]

Usable handle is only 4.5"or so. Total length is 11"

Maybe it's that bump on the back that is making it feel crowded?

Thanks

 

[TLR]

I'm with Patrick. I think if you'd shave a bit off the belly at least if not a bit off the whole bottom of the handle. I've found a "tall" handle with a pronounced swell like that really limits how my hand can comfortably hold the knife and it therefore can feel a bit small.

I also like your idea about making the butt more of a beaked shape then the pronounced roll.

 

[Patrickknives]

4.5 is a bit short but workable, I think you need as space at the back of the belly as possible. Try a cardboard cuttout and see what you can come up with.

 

[tim37a]

I find that for myself, and most of my customers agree, 5" is a comfortable length. I would thin the belly and flatten out the beak.

Tim