Design Critique and Opinions Please

[John Cahoon]

Hello all, I'd be grateful to get some feedback on these three. I'm only posting left and right views to avoid clutter but can post edge and spine views if that would help. These are all 9.5" OAL with about 5" tip to scale. 2" tall out of .204 5160 with pro heat treat. Particularly interested in overall design, the ramp and harpoon on the spine, the recurve, front of scale treatment, opinions on the big dipper drill taps with dyed epoxy either domed, sanded flush or left empty. Any other critiques, comments or questions would also be greatly appreciated.

The "felt" lined sheaths were developed with loads of pro tips from sheaths and such, thread name "carving animals is hard" mid way down page 1.

Thanks in advance, now on to the pics.....

#1 in Bocote with copper pins

#2 in Mesquite over Oak liners with stainless pins

#3 in Wenge with stainless pins, no sheath yet and unsharpened.

 

[timos-]

the blade shapes pretty interesting...maybe not purely functional but cool nonetheless. I think you should work out the handle design a little more to match the blade better. 4 finger groove handles never really felt too comfy to me.

 

[Grayzer86]

This is just me, but blade finish looks good. I would drop the tips though on the first and last, or take out some of that belly curve. A tip that high with that abrupt of a curve almost has a chisel or spatula look in my opinion. The blade is very tall and will add a pile of weight in a knife that isn’t really long enough to be a big chopper. I’m not sure about the purpose of the double ramp horns on the back of the blade, but to me it looks awkward, and out of place with no functional benefit. The dipper in epoxy is a cool idea though as long as you are getting a good bite and it doesn’t fall out.

 

[John Cahoon]

The back story is I watched a Nat Geo show with a wolverine bounding through snow and saw a knife design in that, going for a sinuous look. That's where the trailing point came from and I think the Persian look is very appealing from a few posts I've seen here (can't recall who tho). Just not sure I pulled it off! On the "bull nose" one I just wanted to try the opposite. Sketched a few iterations where the knife was longer, maybe 11+ inches, ground them out but they aren't finished yet. I eventually scaled back to this.

Timos thanks so much, I have recently seen several posts negative on the finger grooves and will work to improve the handle. Any tips on refining the overall handle shape if I delete the grooves?

Grayzer86 the blades are finished satin at 600 or 1200 (#2 and 3 IIRC), see above on the tips. The rear ramps are thumb stops and I suppose the forward could be if using two hands. I also thought maybe they resembled ears with a top of head in between, the file work would be hair??? I sure hope the epoxy stays put though it may wear down the domed one (#1) after repeat sheathings. I chopped into a 2x4 a couple of hundred times on #1 and so far so good.

Thanks guys and keep 'em coming, I have very thick skin.

 

[A.McPherson]

I would lengthen and thin the whole thing but keep the general shape of the first one. I really don’t like the protruding bits on the spine. They just seem to have no function and might get in the way.
Keep up the good work!

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

Too many dips and bumps.

Keep the spine smooth and get rid of the points. Make it flow into the handle.
Make the handle bottom with a simple palm swell.
Drop the extreme raised tip a bit.
Make the handle top flow into the spine.
Lengthen the blade 1/2" and narrow the blade a tad.

 

[E.Carlson]

I get that the ears aren't functional, but they do make me smile. If nothing else it's unique, but the one closest to the handle maybe seems a bit too close to act as a comfortable thumb ramp. I agree with the others about smoothing out the handle. Love the wolverine on the leather. I think the one that isn't dyed looks best, you can see more detail.
The last one is my favorite, but the trailing point does strike me as a bit stubby. I think slimming it down and stretching it out a bit will help that.

 

[stezann]

I'd refine your shapes adding more "flow" to them. If you would like to stick with your vision make sure to skim here and there to give a better feeling of the overall proportion.
Another advice could be that you should try to refine the edge, since as is it looks like thick and with a too wide angle to it. If it has a professional HT, your 5160 is though enough to bear a working edge way thinner and keener, trust me

 

[John Cahoon]

All great stuff guys, I really appreciate the feedback. This was a flight of fancy for me and I was kind of going for a somewhat extreme look. Overdid it a bit I see:>), but had to see the vision thru to the end. The recurves were a first for me and learning that variable angle grinding passes thing was quite the experience. Same with sharpening, that's likely why it might be in the 15dps range instead of the usual 22dps. But they are sharp though, cut the heck out of my thumb, got distracted and slipped up whilst cutting phone book paper.

If I make any more I will definitely use the fine advice from you all and it will be much improved. Please don't hesitate to add more.