Custom Design Question.

J

Joebsand

Joined
Aug 6, 2013
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25
So, I have been thinking about making my very first homemade knife and I have been in the planning/drawing phase for a couple weeks. I came up with several designs I really liked and one has stuck with me. I wanted something I could chop with and not be restricted from doing small tasks. This was the end result.
If I went ahead with this design it would have about a 9" handle, 4" blade and be 1/4" thick.
the extra length in the handle would allow for more reach while chopping and a closer grip for small work. It just seems like a no brainer to me but I dont see this kind of design anywhere else. Either I dont know where to look or there might be a huge flaw with this kind of design and I'm not seeing it. What I'm wondering is what do you think this knife could excel at and where might it fall short. I just want to know if it would be worth it to create this for myself before I waste the material, time and money. Maybe someone could even suggest a custom or production knife out there like this.
Thanks.
 
When you don't see a kind of design anywhere...it's usually because enough people have tried it, used it, and found it doesn't work.

I applaud your interest in getting into knifemaking. I wish I had the patience or talent. But one thing I have seen over and over is people getting into knifemaking by trying to reinvent the wheel and/or thinking they have come up with a design that no one has ever attempted before.

If it was me...and you can take this for what it's worth (which probably isn't much)...I would take a knife I have used and that I know functions great...and recreate it.
 
Also, I would suggest making a cardboard cut out of your design and thinking about how you are going to carry it with a 9 inch handle.
 
marcinek said:
I would take a knife I have used and that I know functions great...and recreate it.
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My only issue with that is, I almost dont see a point in making a knife that is already in production in so many types and forms and I have such a great assortment to choose from (and definitely made to higher quality than anything I could ever do) and that is the only reason I have turned to custom in the first place. I dont see myself as trying to recreate the wheel, only fine tuning my own desires for a great knife. I like your cardboard cutout idea. I have heard of making templates before, and I'll definitely do that. I dont see any problem with the 9" handle in carrying, since many people have carried large knives before like the junglas and bk9 which have an OAL which is larger than mine, and wether that length is handle or blade shouldnt make a difference with a good sheath design.
 
9" handle would lose my interest immediately. It would be impossible to EDC, and generally impractical.
 
9 inches is basically 2 handed. What you are basically doing here is making a hatchet with only a 4 inch blade
 
well I have quite a few folders and an Izula II that I EDC so thats not really the intent of this knife. I saw it as more of a camp and outdoor knife like a large chopper. So the large size isnt an issue. I probably should have clarified that.
 
see, here's the thing with knife design. There are a limited number of purposes for which a knife can be used. Those purposes have been around for a very long time, and designs have been developed to do those jobs VERY well. Most of the time, the best way to make a better knife is to improve an existing design.

If you want to create an entirely new knife design, it's going to have to be created to do a job that other knives don't do well. I can't tell you what that might be, but that's the only way that creating an entirely new knife design is going to be in any way meaningful. What you have created is a knife that will not do a better job at any particular task than dozens of existing designs, and will do every particular job less efficiently.

For example, a lockback is safer to use than a friction folder for some tasks. A framelock is much stronger than a lockback for those tasks.

An automatic is faster on the draw than a similar sized friction folder, and locks into place making it better for defense.

Every major change in knife design has answered an existing flaw in all current designs


It's too long to be a good EDC. The handle is too long for it to be better or even as good at skinning as any of a dozen existing designs. It's too light and the blade is too short to be a good chopper. The profile makes it ineffective as a fighter. A smaller knife would be better for a utility blade.

Generally speaking, it has no purpose
 
[this is in reply to theAntihero] Exactly! but it still has a nice tip for piercing and carving, things like that. It would be a weight forward design when gripped at the end of the handle and when gripped more forward it would hopefully feel pretty balanced. I mean, am I at least on the right track here or does this whole thing look like a massive fail.
 
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Joebsand said:
I dont see any problem with the 9" handle in carrying, since many people have carried large knives before like the junglas and bk9 which have an OAL which is larger than mine, and wether that length is handle or blade shouldnt make a difference with a good sheath design.
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Don't get me wrong...I don't want to urinate in your breakfast cereal, and I think it's very cool to watch people get better with their knife making skills, and I look forward to watch you develop. :thumbup:

Just saying that there are no knives out there with 9 inch handles and 4 inch blades probably for a reason.
 
Joebsand said:
[this is in reply to theAntihero] Exactly! but it still has a nice tip for piercing and carving, things like that. It would be a weight forward design when gripped at the end of the handle and when gripped more forward it would hopefully feel pretty balanced. I mean, am I at least on the right track here or does this whole thing look like a shit show.
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Edit your post, they dont like swearing here.

I think its basically useless IMHO, you need more weight forward to be an effective chopper.
 
Joebsand said:
[this is in reply to theAntihero] Exactly! but it still has a nice tip for piercing and carving, things like that. It would be a weight forward design when gripped at the end of the handle and when gripped more forward it would hopefully feel pretty balanced. I mean, am I at least on the right track here or does this whole thing ....
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Yes. It is weight forward, but not forward enough to where it "backs up" the blade when chopping. Its why an axe head weighs more than the handle, or why a 'hawk doesn't chop as well as a axe.
 
BePrepared said:
Every major change in knife design has answered an existing flaw in all current designs
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What I was hoping for with this one, was to retain chopping performance and allow for very efficient close cutting. And I think for the most part you guys have been pretty accurate on the way you think this knife might perform and I am grateful for the input. What do you think could be a simple fix so that I can stay close to those goals.
 
Joebsand said:
What I was hoping for with this one, was to retain chopping performance and allow for very efficient close cutting. And I think for the most part you guys have been pretty accurate on the way you think this knife might perform and I am grateful for the input. What do you think could be a simple fix so that I can stay close to those goals.
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Two knives. Or a folding saw. Or batonning.
 
Joebsand said:
haha.... touche.
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Sorry...That was "flip." Point being, if you could have a knife that does very efficient close cutting AND chops well...somebody would have already come up with it. People have been designing knives for a long time now...some of them quite good at it. :)
 
Joebsand said:
What I was hoping for with this one, was to retain chopping performance and allow for very efficient close cutting. And I think for the most part you guys have been pretty accurate on the way you think this knife might perform and I am grateful for the input. What do you think could be a simple fix so that I can stay close to those goals.
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opplanet-gerber-gator-combo-axe-clam-31-001054-main.jpg
 
I totally agree. And I also know that the guys who come up with truly great designs are the ones who dedicate years to their work. I think the only conclusion is to try and fail many times over until something great emerges. And I think this might become my very first failure, and I'm looking forward to it. :)
 
I don't want to come off as rude but that design is really impractical, and you would be better off carrying a hatchet. Your going to get really frustrated working with .25" stock, it's never fun to work with, especially as a beginner. If you really want to get into knife making I would suggest doing a small bird and trout, or paring type knife in .100" as your first just to get the hang of it. There's tons of resources out there, and a whole lot of people on this forum that can help you.
 
Joebsand said:
I totally agree. And I also know that the guys who come up with truly great designs are the ones who dedicate years to their work. I think the only conclusion is to try and fail many times over until something great emerges. And I think this might become my very first failure, and I'm looking forward to it. :)
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Hey...more power to 'ya, I hope you have fun, and I look forward to seeing the results. I've seen more than a couple guys go from complete newbs to full time makers. Fun to watch, and I own some of their early knives. Can't afford their stuff now. :mad:

I'll just throw out two things: 1) the one from before...don't try to reinvent the wheel; 2) use knives a lot before you start making your own...knife making theory doesn't work.

(Though...I've been proven wrong about 2) before...seen one new maker who clearly had never used a knife before become wildly financially successful...I guess "style over substance" worked for him. :confused:)
 
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