Designing a Behemoth Long Hunter

[redsquid2]

I apologize if this disappoints. Compared to some knives made and sold here, this thing is wimpy. But for me, it is beefy. It will be the beefiest I have ever made.

I think .210" A2 bar stock will be my starting point, and I will go with stock removal, and give it probably a full flat grind.

Backstory: the tooled panel on the sheath was done by my dad about a year ago. Unfortunately, it was part of a kit sheath that was very wimpy. I decided to remove that tooled panel from that kit sheath, and incorprate it into a more substantial sheath of my own design and making.

My dad's health deteriorated over the past year, until he could not longer use the mallet with sufficient force to continue tooling leather. This may be the last piece of leather he ever carved, because he died Sept. 26, 2016. Rest in strength, Dad.

Having remade that kit sheath into something better, I am now designing a knife to go with it.

Planned dimensions:
Blade: 4 7/8"
Cutting Edge: 4 5/8"
OAL: 9 7/8"
Th. behind plunge line: ~.21"


Other notes:

I think I will go with the design that appears in the drawing, i.e., without the finger notch that is forward of the guard. The blade is wide enough I can put as many fingers in front of the guard as I want, and pinch grip it.

Might be a little too much handle, at a full 5". This is just a preliminary design.

Yes, I will improve the black dye job on the leather.

Tang to be pulled through, threaded. I did not show a nut here because I ran out of scratch paper.

I won't shy away from modern materials, so the spacers will be G10 with contrasting colors.

Suggestions welcome.

Thanks for looking.

 

[redsquid2]

Also, I thought of an antler, but I don't know how durable that is, and I never did it, so I don't think I have the skill level.

 

[john april]

that is a very nice tribute.

 

[redsquid2]

that is a very nice tribute.

Thanks, woodster. I looked at your Web site. I bow before you.

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

Awesome tribute. Basic shape looks good.

Two things:
1) .21" is twice as thick as you will ever need on a hunter. If you want really beefy, go with .16".

2) The straight drop to the edge in drawing #2 is a bit too abrupt. Try making it where the top of the drop curves back to the ricasso. Sort of like a short version ofteh wood prototype. Personally, I would go with a version like the prototype, but only half as long of a choil.

 

[redsquid2]

I would go with a version like the prototype, but only half as long of a choil.

OK. So it would not be a finger choil, but more like a "sharpening choil." I think you are describing what I see on woodster's Web site, here:

Something like that?

Thank you for the feedback.

 

[redsquid2]

Just sitting here realizing I don't need the handle to drop like that. I just thought the drop looked cool, but it would be easier to build without it.

 

[john april]

thanks for the compliment but i am still trying to catch up to the rest of these guys ! i think what stacy meant was the right angle from the ricasso's bottom edge,down to where the blades edge begins. i have had knives like that, and when you are cutting through tarps, or making long linear cuts, whatever you are cutting will get caught in that right angle corner. mine is slightly sloped, but that knife is from over a year ago and i slope them a little more more now. the first drawing looks cool, but with the concave shape you lose some of your edge because it extends out so far.

 

[redsquid2]

thanks for the compliment but i am still trying to catch up to the rest of these guys ! i think what stacy meant was the right angle from the ricasso's bottom edge,down to where the blades edge begins. i have had knives like that, and when you are cutting through tarps, or making long linear cuts, whatever you are cutting will get caught in that right angle corner. mine is slightly sloped, but that knife is from over a year ago and i slope them a little more more now. the first drawing looks cool, but with the concave shape you lose some of your edge because it extends out so far.

Yeah, I know what you mean about materials getting snagged.

Alternately,

would still fit the sheath, and nothing to snag on.

 

[john april]

that looks very good. i would go with that idea.

 

[redsquid2]

Ha. That other doodle there reminds me: I keep thinking of making a fixed blade sunfish. Don't know why. I don't think I have ever seen a fixed blade sunfish, so it would be something different.

 

[HSC ///]

personally I like the initial top design the best myself, but that's MO
I would drop the point a little bit

something like this , it's a Randall style, extended finger choil

also I've never liked a thick knife and personally have never made anything thicker than .156 and have made most knives at 1/8"
I think .156-.125 is plenty thick and cuts better

 

[timos-]

I think something that thick could be cool if you do a very drastic tapered full tang with an equally drastic distal taper on the blade. I have a couple .26 thick 5160 blades I plan on doing that with....someday. If you take your .21 thick and finish it out to 3/16 or a little less and have a major distal taper , i think it could be quite nice of a slicer FFG with a 1.5" wide blade.

i like your first profile but with a sloped choil like woodsters, the key there is to get the slope to be tangent with the bevel transition going on up the blade.

That is going to be an awesome knife, I say go for a stag crown with a scagelesque style handle. Especially if your dad would like it! Awesome tribute.

-Tim