Carothers/Loriendesign Chopper WiP

Lorien

Lorien

Nose to the Grindstone
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Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
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Dec 5, 2005
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Good day, forum!

I have a WiP here for you, but I'll tell you up front that it will be a little while before we have a completed knife to show.

In the meantime, I hope that you enjoy the 'design backstory', which in itself is something of a WiP

*****

Around a year ago, Nathan Carothers and I started working on a project near and dear to my heart. Our goal is to produce a large, high performance forest blade. Kind of a large camp knife/small machete.

The idea here was to develop a relatively lightweight knife, (about 1lb) which wouldn't be overly burdensome for carrying, but that would pack a punch all while sporting a high performance bevel profile. We didn't want a knife meant for chopping into cinder blocks or cutting through a car door, but something for your more experienced outdoorsperson. It could be used to clear a trail, prepare wood for a fire, dig if necessary, or make a shelter.

Below, is the first version I came up with. It's designed to incorporate a mortised handle, which is why the tang looks so funky. I'll spoil the surprise and tell you know that this one was scrapped, but it will serve to show the progression of this particular project.






Stay tuned...
 
Lorien, you're like the Horn of Plenty when it comes to knife designs.
 
Lycosa said:
Can Sam make one in Ti?
Click to expand...

funny you should say that. He has a similarly intended, but very different, pattern designed specifically for that material and for his construction methods...

thanks for your interest, folks!
 
Really digging the design so far. If Nathan makes it, it'll be good. :) I may have missed it in spite of checking through, but what is the intended blade length?
 
We kinda let the original design sit for awhile, and my sense was that Nathan was not so keen on it. Looking back, I understand why- not only is it somewhat ugly, the method of manufacture, vis a vis handle design, is a little out there and quite different from the standard and trusted approach.

Coming up with a pattern, putting it on the back burner and then returning when the time is right seems to be a pretty dependable approach for me. Sometimes I get it right off the bat. Most times, it's a process.

I wanted to present Nathan with a pattern that he would be well and truly stoked on. I also wanted a less brutish looking tool; more Lamborghini than Humvee.
The following is the pattern that ultimately made it's way to Nathan's shop, and it reflects what I was trying to achieve quite well.

Keeping in mind that this is a collaboration, and collaborations necessarily involve the goals and visions of all parties concerned in its development, so this isn't the last iteration you'll see.

 
Hello Lorien!

Oh my, a great project by two of my favourites! This will be fantastic, no doubt about it! Can't wait to see more!

Best regards,
Alex
 
A.l.e.x. said:
Hello Lorien!

Oh my, a great project by two of my favourites! This will be fantastic, no doubt about it! Can't wait to see more!

Best regards,
Alex
Click to expand...

you are far too kind, my friend!

I'll have a little more to show tomorrow.
 
The next step, after figuring out the profile, layout, specifications etc. is to get a handle on the handle.

Envisioning what I'd like to achieve is always tricky, but I can confidently say that all those years in art school were not wasted! I'm no great artist by any stretch of the imagination, perhaps not even average, but I've gotten so much practice at drawing that I can express what I see in my mind's eye on paper well enough to convey graphic ideas to others.

Drawing in 2D to give a sense of 3D is an adequate start, but building the object in 3D is the only way to really get the idea across, in a measurable way. Apart from making a knife, this will be the first time I've developed a pattern and incorporated a 3D element to it. That was Nathan's suggestion, and it just might have been the best advice I've gotten when it comes to designing knives. But that's for another post.

I took a tracing from the original to create a paper model. Doesn't cut very well, but it does really give a good sense of layout and geometry when interfaced with the human appendage meant to utilize the final product.

 
Looks very functional for its intended purpose....it should be excellent.
 
Pretty cool! Why not give a knife like that a FFG? Also, if it's a chopper, why does it need a choil? I'm not knocking what you've designed, I'm just curious.
 
This is cool. I like this new pattern better. I'll be watching this.

Lorien, don't sell yourself short- you're a fantastic artist. Your ability to draw these patterns and have the little details pop on paper as they would on a real blade is incredible. I've thought many times about framing the drawing you sent me and hanging it on the wall as art.

Which reminds me- we should revisit that, maybe this winter sometime? ;)

Can't wait to see this move forward with you and Nathan.
 
Lorien, great project. Looking forward to watching this one come to life.

As John mentioned, the drawings are art as well.

Bing
 
The new version is an improvement for sure - looking forward to seeing it come to life.
 
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