Critique my knife

[Richard338]

Yeah, I build a little crosshair for the location onto my patterns using software so that I don't eyeball it anymore. I've had a few not be as centered as I thought.

 

[LimpCroissant]

So I didn't want to read any of the comments before I replied because I didn't want to be influenced by what I read. People may say that they just like what they like and aren't influence by what others say about a knife but I find it impossible. Once someone points something out and you look at it different it's hard to unsee certain things on any knife or anything in general.

The question was: Would I use this knife. Yes, I'd for sure use it if I had it. It looks like it would be near perfect as a blackberry slayer. Where I live blackberry vines grow everywhere and they're an invasive species that, if not controlled by YOU, they will take over your land. I used to chop down every blackberry vine on my parents 6 acres of land every year. That was my big yearly job, and I did. Even between seasons I'd chop each one with whatever knife I had on me. That son of a gun would slice right through them when swung like a machete. However I would not buy it. Not because I think it's ugly or unpractical or anything like that. Just because I don't have enough use for it.

I did read one comment before replying and it was someone pointing out the rear pin in the handle. It is a little off centered and at a slightly strange angle. After seeing that I would have rather the rear pin be centered and a little further up the handle, and then instead of that pin, a lanyard hole would be nice. It's nice having a lanyard on a machete. I think that's basically what this is in my eyes seeing the ,07" blade stock. I'd love to have it though.

 

[tltt]

Add a bird's beak and maybe a swell/belly to the handle, something like -

.

Your pattern reminds me of the cuchilla kitchen camp knives seen in Latin America. Another way is maybe a coffin handle if you want to go exotic with it. Some older Baja, Mexican camp knives are made that way, like this or the traditional coffin shape -

.

 

[scdub]

I like it!

It reminds me of a rustic camp/kitchen knife that was in a few scenes of (I think) Easy Rider.

Even that thin, 1084 is potentially tough enough where you could use that as a light machete, and in that role, as others have mentioned, a rear handle swell would be nice - In machetes/choppers I personally like a flare that expands up, down, left, and right, but without a bird’s beak or pinky “hook”.

Keep it up!

 

[DocJD]

overall weight is only 6.60oz

Interesting knife , very light for the size and just over 1/16th inch ; be a great thin slicer/chopper , but not enough mass to be a cleaver /heavy chopper , IMO .

I have to handle and use a knife to really know , but I'd love to try it out .

Handle would fit me OK .

That blade might make a good light "grass" machete , but I'd want a MUCH longer handle with a better grip .

 

[elasmonut]

You should use it....a lot!
It's a nice simple design, executed competantly! Use it, and compare it to other knives you have, when cutting the same material.
It's a nice knife, but every design is a trade off in strengths...

 

[Shorttime]

I would add a leather or cotton wrap with a big Turk's Head knot at the back of the handle, and probably a wax coating to help it stay in place and keep any future nastiness from getting into the material.

As for use? Well, obviously you wouldn't be out harvesting timber, but I've heard that a fella who's skilled with a machete can do most anything with it. I'm a town boy and adventures are nasty, cold, wet things that make you late for dinner. Still though, 1084 is plenty tough, and I wouldn't worry about it holding up to anything less than demolition work.

 

[Blue Sky]

For a chopper, I don’t think you’d want so much blade width below the bottom edge of the handle. That will generate some sideways torque if the blade hits at any sort of angle. That would be hand and wrist fatiguing over extended use.